Is lucerne hay good for the garden?

Because the hay is so rich in many essential elements, lucerne hay makes terrific mulch. Here are some lucerne mulch benefits you can expect when using lucerne mulch in your garden: Contains high levels of protein. Provides many important minerals, including potassium, calcium, iron, folic acid and others.

What is the difference between hay and lucerne?

Lucerne may have anywhere from 16 to 20% protein, while grass hay may only have 4-12% protein, depending on the quality of the hay. In general, the protein in lucerne is in excess of the requirement of the horse, and grass hay or oat chaff may be just right or too low to meet the requirement.

Is lucerne hay good for cows?

Lucerne hay and good pasture and cereal hays are more than adequate for maintaining stock. The energy value of 3 kg of these hays is equivalent to the energy value of 2 kg of grain. Lucerne and clover hays are high in protein, calcium and vitamin A, and are particularly suited to young and lactating stock.

Can I use hay as a mulch?

Hay will not give you a dry layer of cover that is pleasing to look at, but it is a great mulch for growing flowers and vegetables, and you’ll get a fantastic yield. To start a garden, with seeds or starters, first create a thick layer of hay, up to eight inches (20 cm.), right over your garden soil.

Is lucerne hay high in sugar?

While lucerne is typically low in starch/sugar, overfeeding it to easy keepers or ponies can increase the risk of laminitis due to their propensity for obesity. So, the key take home message is to feed lucerne in moderation.

Is Lucerne bad for cows?

Lucerne is especially beneficial to animals when it’s harvested at an early growth stage, ie. when it has the highest amount of protein and the lowest amount of fiber. Harvesting Lucerne as hay is a nutritious source of feed for your cows.

What is the best fertilizer for lucerne?

Lucerne requires phosphorus and nitrogen at sowing to aid strong establishment. Single super phosphate at 250-300 kg/ha or M.A.P or D.A.P fertiliser at 80-100 kg/ha is recommended to be drilled with the seed.

What’s the purpose of lucerne hay in Australia?

LUCERNE HAY Lucerne (also known as alfalfa) is grown throughout Australia, for use as a green fodder crop for pasture or for conservation as hay, silage or as a dried ground product. The leaves are the part of highest nutritive value but can be easily lost during the hay making process.

What kind of mulch does lucerne hay make?

Lucerne hay (Medicago sativa), a clover-like plant belonging to the pea family, is grown as livestock feed in countries around the world. Because the hay is so rich in many essential elements, lucerne hay makes terrific mulch. Here are some lucerne mulch benefits you can expect when using lucerne mulch in your garden:

Is it OK to feed lucerne hay to horses?

Alfalfa (Lucerne) Hay: Friend or Foe? Also known as lucerne in some parts of the world, alfalfa hay enjoys a varied reputation amongst horse people, with some using it as a highly valued component of their horse’s diet and others avoiding it with almost religious fervour. So, who is right? Is alfalfa hay a suitable forage for horses?

What kind of fodder can Lucerne be used for?

Although the largest areas of lucerne are grown in the cropping belt, the heaviest concentrations occur along river valleys. Lucerne may be grown as a pasture for year- round and special-purpose grazing, or for hay, silage, green fodder, pellets, cubes, seed production, sprouts or protein fractionation.