Tannin Content in Birdsfoot Trefoil in Response to Herbivory and Season.

Birdsfoot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus, is an alternative tannin containing crop for hay and pasture producers to improve the quality and health of both their animals and plants. The bloat-free nature of trefoil in addition to its ability to persist under continuous grazing are attractive attributes to many producers.

In forage legumes such as trefoil, condensed tannins at moderate concentrations, below 60 g catechin equivalent kgˉ1 dry matter, can be beneficial to ruminant livestock production. Condensed tannins complex with soluble proteins in the rumen and permit subsequent absorption of amino acids in the lower digestive tract. Also, when ingested by ruminants condensed tannins can affect the development/survival of infective helminth larvae in the feces of the host animal. Gastrointestinal parasites are widespread, contribute to poor growth, and severe infections can cause rapid death in susceptible animals. To utilize high tannin forage on pasture we must understand the fluctuations of tannin concentration within the plant tissues and the environmental cues that cause these changes.

This project’s objectives seek to understand how herbivory, seasonality and pasture composition effect the concentration of tannins in birdsfoot trefoil. The research was conducted on the West Virginia University Organic Farm and university greenhouse in Morgantown, WV. This research has the potential to benefit both organic and conventional small ruminant gastrointestinal parasite control.