Having grazed soybeans with pigs, I would add that I would either try rape
or corn first.
Greg
----- Original Message -----
From: "FW Owen" <fwo@bright.net>
To: <graze-l@witt.ac.nz>
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 8:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Graze-l] (no subject)
> > ....Second, I'm searching for
> > scientific information (papers)
> > about lambs grazing soybean pasture.
> > Here in Uruguay (South America) we
> > have many farmers fattening lambs in
> > different types of pasture like
> > white clover, ryegrass, etc. But we
> > need a good pasture for rearing
> > lambs, mainly in summer....
>
> Hi,
>
> I have no knowledge of any scientific papers regarding
> grazing soybean pasture.
>
> But I do have some of the "common" knowledge of the farmers
> in this area that used soybean pasture long ago.
>
> In the culture in which I grew up, this sort of knowledge
> was transferred as a matter of course. I grant that this
> sort of stuff is pretty useless knowledge but I have lots
> of it (grin).
>
> When I was young there were plenty of people alive who had
> actually done it. Here is what I can remember having heard
> long ago:
>
> *Soybeans aren't desireable as pasture because they stop
> growing as soon as the tops are eaten off. The idea that a
> light grazing, leaving some leaves would result in regrowth
> is incorrect. Once you are in the field, it's best to
> graze it completely.
>
> *To get maximum yield, soybeans shouldn't be grazed until
> they are full grown. (because there won't be much regrowth)
>
> *It was thought, at the time of which I speak, 1900-1950,
> that sheep wasted less soybeans from trampling if the beans
> were seeded densely and in rows like corn.
>
> *It was commonly thought that soybeans planted with corn
> made much better pasture than straight soybeans.
>
> *Soybeans were better hog pasture than sheep pasture. About
> the only way sheep got into soybeans was if the farmer
> planted the beans for his hogs and happened to need grazing
> for sheep.
>
> Everything considered, I would look for something else
> rather than soybeans. When lambs were fattened on pasture
> here in the far distant past, the best success was from
> ladino or rape.
>
> --
> Kindest regards,
>
> =======================
> F. W. Owen
> Owenlea Holsteins
> 9430 Spencer Road
> Homerville, Ohio 44235
> e-mail fwo@bright.net
> home page http://www.bright.net/~fwo
> voice & fax 330.625.2369
> =======================
> _______________________________________________
> Graze-l mailing list
> Graze-l@witt.ac.nz
> http://graze-l.witt.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/graze-l
>
