Moringa is a good idea but it's a tree. I already have a live fence tree that's called gliricidia sepium or mother of cocoa. Once the leaves dry up they produce litter which is great. We used to trim the trees when we used to be in drought conditions and we had no grass due to poor grazing management but only added to our labor. Alfalfa or Lucerne I always though needed to be irrigated and was used in cold climates.
Hi Murraysmutts thanks for asking! We actually just worked the weaned calves with an albendazole a week ago along with complex B, multimin 90 and Vigantol which is AD&E Our weaned calves look much better because we caught it earlier.
Didn't realize moringa was a tree.
Good morning clinchvalley86 How much rest are you giving your pastures and why do some sites mention alfalfa is only good for a years?Didn't realize moringa was a tree.
I have some alfalfa sown into grass that I graze. Not irrigated. It seems to thrive. Grows when nothing else seems to in warm weather. This will be its 4th year. Giving it rest periods is crucial I believe. It starts regrowth amazingly fast.
Hi Warren Allison, I called one of the biggest distributors down there, and I was offered three types of legumes which, according to their engineer, two are unsuitable for grazing; he said the two legumes are grown with sugar cane because it depletes the soil and is used for weed control on African palm trees. He said the third legume he offered isn't popular, and if I don't graze it before it gets too mature, he says it becomes bitter, and cattle won't eat it at all. Per our conversation, cattle owners won't see it as an investment. They see it as an expense where they won't see a return on their money, which is why they won't import clover even though parts of Guatemala have the right conditions to grow. However, he's never heard of anyone trying to grow clover in their pastures where our farm is located because it's warm all year; apparently, lack of education/knowledge is also a big part of it. He did say if I can somehow manage to grow it on my pastures, he would like to see it for himself to see how cattle graze on it. I'll update you guys later this year on how it turns out.
You might also try seed companies like Dekalb, Pfizer, Pioneer, {Pennington, etc. and ask them what legume they have for warm weather grazing. Is Ammonium Nitrate very expensive down there?
I was thinking of that too, Ken. @Chapin81 are peanuts grown much down there?
To answer your question on ammonium nitrate it's about $65-$70 per 100lbs. I'll do my research on what you mentioned thank you!
Jeanne I'm so sorry for your loss
having a loved one not being around anymore is never easy. Always keep them in our memories.
There is a lab I found that is reputable it's not crazy expensive but it was suggested that I'd have to send multiple samples of all the paddocks, that I am interested in sampling. Probably our higher ground due to our lower areas sometimes have too much moisture or flooding and I'm willing to bet that it would be hard to grow clover in those areas. But already looking into it.
LVR as always your insight is always welcoming and elaborate which I appreciate
. It's interesting you mentioned this because we were told a few months back that our soils lacked phosphorus, but it was done with a drone and software, it was presented to us by a company selling minerals mixed with protein, I never purchased it too much money plus I was skeptical on the whole drone software thing the product was about $120 for 50lbs. I always thought that phosphates deficiency was a common problem through out the world?
It usually growing in monoculture form. That leaves it susceptible to all kinds of problems, bugs, disease, etc... plus when grasses, forbs, and weeds get a foothold, it's not as valuable hay anymore. And the pure stand is a mixed stand. Thr alfalfa works itself out of the equation I think. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
