Chicory In Hay

[Margonme]

My second cutting of hay contains chicory. An estimation of maybe 8 to 10 percent. Maybe as much as 15 percent. Estimate based on eyeball observation.

The rolls test 12 percent protein. I was curious if chicory could have any adverse effects on cattle. What I discovered was interesting. Not only does chicory have adequate protein content, it has a high mineral content.

What was most interesting is that it may be effective in reducing nematode loads in cattle. Upon a Google search of the subject, I found two research publications that found chicory reduced nematode numbers in a steer study. The steers were dewormed and a known quantity of nematode larva was introduced into each group. The group fed a silage containing chicory, had a much reduced worm load at the end of the study period.

Does anyone know of any adverse effects of chicory?

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I do not know of any adverse effects.

We have quite a bit of chicory in 2 of our pastures, and during the summer, the cows eat the chicory as if it were candy. They love it, blue flowers and all. I have never noticed any ill effects from them consuming it. I know that some of the hay that they eat has some in it as well. They eat the hay, and I have not noticed any problems.

 

[Bigfoot]

Probably won't hurt anything. Seems like when I was kid, some old people made tea with it. I actually would have thought, that cows would eat around it, and not ingested to much.

 

[M.Magis]

You should probably verify the chicory in your hay is the same chicory that the publications were referring to. My guess is no. The chicory used for grazing in New Zealand and these days used for food plots is drastically diferent than the chicory I have growing in my yard.

 

[Margonme]

You should probably verify the chicory in your hay is the same chicory that the publications were referring to. My guess is no. The chicory used for grazing in New Zealand and these days used for food plots is drastically diferent than the chicory I have growing in my yard.

I looked it up. What I have is common chicory:

It is the same species used in the steer study. I also found a reference under the species name, Cichorium intybus, in Wikipedia that states the following:

....woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the dandelion family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Many varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons (blanched buds), or roots (var. sativum), which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and additive. It is also grown as a forage crop for livestock.

I had no idea that it was grown as a forage crop. I thought it was a weed.

You are not that far from Maysville. What you have is probably the same species we have.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Same chicory that we have.

 

[Aaron]

Grown as a forage crop, so no toxin issues - not sure about bloat. Have seen it grown locally for deer, which I assume, is to them as heroine is for humans. Neighbor grew it many years for his elk herd and deer came for miles just to eat in that field. Locals were glad when it was taken out of rotation - vehicle/deer accidents went down big time on that section of road.

 

[farmerjan]

Chicory has been used for hundreds of years as a substitute for coffee when it wasn't available. We have alot of the common type growing here too. It likes compacted soils, grows along the sides of the roads here.

 

[Margonme]

I remember a commercial advertising coffee when I was a youngster that mentioned it was flavored with chicory.

Weeds are a man-made class of plants and most of those lists contain chicory. It is interesting, it is also a forage for livestock. That makes me feel better because there is plenty of it on my farm.

 

[M.Magis]

Common chicory is the same that I have here. But the type grown for forage looks like this, the broadleaf plant. I don't know the proper name, it's common in food plots for deer.