The Performance of an Alfalfa–Sainfoin Mixture in the Semiarid Southern High Plains of the USA

Abstract

While alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is widely used as forage because of its many positive attributes, there are concerns regarding bloat in grazing ruminants, but tannin-containing legumes, such as sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia), are non-bloating. Based on interest elsewhere for growing alfalfa–sainfoin mixtures to address bloat concerns, the objectives of a study conducted at Tucumcari, NM, USA, were to compare an alfalfa–sainfoin mixture to the respective monocultures for stand persistence and dry matter yield over three production years in three randomized complete blocks. The onset of drought limited irrigation water availability shortly after the study’s initiation, which limited sainfoin persistence to the second year after seeding. The resulting percentage decline in forage mass in June from year 1 to year 2 was alfalfa > alfalfa–sainfoin > sainfoin. That said, the alfalfa mass was considerably greater than the sainfoin mass, and the June mass of both monocultures was consistent with that in previous studies in the region when fully irrigated (5.57 vs. 2.00 Mg ha−1 for monoculture alfalfa and sainfoin, respectively; p < 0.0004). Alfalfa persistence was greater than that of sainfoin after 3 years. Alfalfa–sainfoin mixtures may have value in the Southern High Plains of the USA and similar semiarid environments when fully irrigated. Additional studies should evaluate mixture seeding ratios and stand performance under fully irrigated conditions with sainfoin reseeding.