Forage

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Forage is the plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems^[1]) eaten by grazing animals. Historically the term forage has meant fodder consisting solely of plant material. In a contemporary sense, it refers to pasture, hay, silage, crop residue, and immature cereal crops.^[2] Since it is generally considered to be high in fiber, cereal crop grains (such as shelled corn) are not normally regarded as forage.

Contents 1 Common forages 2 Animals that make use of forage 3 See also 4 References

[edit] Common forages

Grasses^[3]

• Kentucky bluegrass
• timothy
• Canada bluegrass
• bromegrass
• orchardgrass
• rhygrasses
• tall fescue
• reed canary grass

Legumes^[4]

• alfalfa
• red clover
• white clover
• alsike clover
• birdsfoot trefoil
• vetches
• sweetclover

Silage^[5]

• corn
• alfalfa
• grass-legume mix
• sorghums
• oats

Crop residue

• corn stover
• soybean stover

[edit] Animals that make use of forage

Monogastrates (Ex. swine) make little use of the nutritional value of forage because their digestive tracts are not designed to break down fiber. For these animals it mainly serves as roughage to insure gut health and regular bowel movement. In ruminants (Ex. cattle) and hind-gut fermenters (Ex. horses), the microorganisms in their digestive tracts break down fiber, so forages serve as their main energy source.

[edit] See also

• Grass fed beef
• Foraging, a method of finding food
• Hunter-gatherers, humans who survive by foraging
• Forage (honeybee) can also refer to the plants that produce nectar, in the context of the animals that gather it, such as honeybees.

[edit] References

1. ^ Fageria, N.K. (1997). Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops. NY,NY: Marcel Dekker, p.595. 
2. ^ Fageria, N.K. (1997). Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Field Crops. NY,NY: Marcel Dekker, p.583. 
3. ^ Murphy, Bill (1998). Greener Pastures On Your Side of the Fence. Colchester, Vermont: Arriba Publishing, p.19-20. 
4. ^ Murphy, Bill (1998). Greener Pastures On Your Side of the Fence. Colchester, Vermont: Arriba Publishing, p.20. 
5. ^ George, J. Ronald (1994). Extention Publications: Forage and Grain Crops. Dubuque,Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, p.152.