Cow Peas

[Douglas]

Anyone grazing cowpeas? With high fertilizer prices, i wonder if cowpeas in rotation with winter annuals might be a good idea. The cowpeas could privide summer grazing with low imputs and help provide some nitrogen for rye and/or ryegrass.Cowpeas were used routinely in the south about 100 years ago as a low cost forage that could tolerate drought. My father remembers planting peas in between corn rows in the 20's. The corn was picked by hand and pea vines ran up the corn stalk and provided fall grazing. They can germinate in a bed of dust and reduce weed problems. I am thinking about experimenting next summer with a small test plot.

 

[Angus Cowman]

I planted about 15 acres of the iron clay variety this yr for a wildlife food plot aand then after the 1st of Dec I will turn cows in on them and some soybeans I planted I just let the cows clean up what is left after the deer and turkey get thru I have been told the are good grazing but don't know
I guess I will find out

 

[Florida cattle]

Douglas any legume you can plant will be a wise decision. Iron and clay cowpeas are the best choice due to the ability of the plant to handle grazing and regrowth. Iron & clay with clover overseeded on a pasture is money well spent.

Also the are best used in a controlled grazing system to get the maxium bang for your buck.

 

[gertguy]

they regrow after being cut unlike soybeans

 

[1982vett]

Anyone grazing cowpeas? With high fertilizer prices, i wonder if cowpeas in rotation with winter annuals might be a good idea. The cowpeas could privide summer grazing with low imputs and help provide some nitrogen for rye and/or ryegrass.Cowpeas were used routinely in the south about 100 years ago as a low cost forage that could tolerate drought. My father remembers planting peas in between corn rows in the 20's. The corn was picked by hand and pea vines ran up the corn stalk and provided fall grazing. They can germinate in a bed of dust and reduce weed problems. I am thinking about experimenting next summer with a small test plot.

Had a couple plots I was going to experiment with behind last years oats. Plan was to break the land behind last years oats, plant cowpeas and pearl millet for late summer grazing then pasture drill oats in the fall. The missing element was rainfall. Still have the seed in the shop. :frowns: I plan on trying again next year if the moisture returns.

 

[HerefordSire]

I like the purple hull variety.

This place is about 50 miles from where I live. They thrive here and the cows love them. They are also great eating with potatoes. They have excellent protein and are a good fertilizer. The seed is very inexpensive. Watch out for the deer though. You can grow them 2-3 times per year.

http://www.purplehull.com/

 

[novatech]

I like the purple hull variety.

This place is about 50 miles from where I live. They thrive here and the cows love them. They are also great eating with potatoes. They have excellent protein and are a good fertilizer. The seed is very inexpensive. Watch out for the deer though. You can grow them 2-3 times per year.

http://www.purplehull.com/

Sounds like a great idea. How do the cows like them? Are they cheaper than cowpeas?

 

[blacksnake]

Is bloating a problem when grazing peas? I remember my dad having cowpeas that were grazed and don't remember any problems.

 

[HerefordSire]

I like the purple hull variety.

This place is about 50 miles from where I live. They thrive here and the cows love them. They are also great eating with potatoes. They have excellent protein and are a good fertilizer. The seed is very inexpensive. Watch out for the deer though. You can grow them 2-3 times per year.

http://www.purplehull.com/

Sounds like a great idea. How do the cows like them? Are they cheaper than cowpeas?

The cows love them. They are a cowpea, just a purple hull variety. The come in two types. Bush and vining. Don't need much water as they came from Africa. If I remember correctly, you can buy them for around $1.00 per pound at the local farm store or the site I provided can link you to some online seed stores for more per pound and more varieties. People here crave them. Farm store has a big shelling machine. The peas make a purple gravy and when put on potatoes is great tasting.

No bloasting issues yet and no bloast protection taken. I think protein is about 22% but I haven't tested. I didn't have to inoculate either.

 

[novatech]

The cows love them. They are a cowpea, just a purple hull variety. The come in two types. Bush and vining. Don't need much water as they came from Africa. If I remember correctly, you can buy them for around $1.00 per pound at the local farm store or the site I provided can link you to some online seed stores for more per pound and more varieties. People here crave them. Farm store has a big shelling machine. The peas make a purple gravy and when put on potatoes is great tasting.

No bloasting issues yet and no bloast protection taken. I think protein is about 22% but I haven't tested. I didn't have to inoculate either.

Thanks
How many pounds per acre would you plant in mixed native pasture?

 

[Douglas]

they regrow after being cut unlike soybeans

Cow peas come back much better after grazing than soybeans.

 

[pdfangus]

most of the sites published above sell them by the ounce or by the pound.

i will have to check with my farm store to see if he can get em by the bag.

What is the suggested per acre planting rate for grazing?

Anyone ever grown them in combination with pearl millet or milo?

 

[HerefordSire]

Thanks
How many pounds per acre would you plant in mixed native pasture?



If I remember correctly, it was two acres per 50# sack.

There are a couple of University of Arkansas pubs listed on the web site you can download...one for fresh produce and one for commercial. Otherwise, search for cowpeas and cattle on the intenet and you should being up some African stastistics.

Here is an online company selling by the sack. It is twice as high as my local farm store but I have used them.

http://www.willhiteseed.com/products.php?cat=54

 

[Douglas]

The iron and clay mixture i bought last May was $34.5 for a 50lb bag. When they came up there were two distinct colors of plant. I did a little research and iron and clay were two different varieties grown back in the day and had slighlty different characteristics. I guess nobody kept them separate and they are all mixed up now. A book with a section on them published in 1907 or so treated them as used for slightly different purposes. Most of the discussion was about grazing pigs which may happen again.