Use
Sainfoin is the best forage species available for meeting the protein requirements of ruminant animals. It is used either for lamb, milk or beef production and can be both grazed or conserved for winter forage. It is bloat free and drought resistant. It is well documented that stock performance when fed on sainfoin is far superior when compared with other forages. This is due to its very high palatability leading to high voluntary intake and to higher protein absorption by the animal. Protein content is approx 20%.

Typically, it provides a heavy cut for silage or hay in June and then regrows for grazing during the summer. It is leguminous and requires no artificial nitrogen once established.

Yield
We recently conducted a review of sainfoin strains at The Royal Agricultural College. We are pleased to report yields of 14t DM/ha for the better strains. Interestingly the more productive strains showed markedly better regrowth, an essential trait if growers are to re-use this valuable species. In addition, we continue to work in conjunction with NIAB to evaluate sainfoin’s compatibility with grasses.

For more information on Sainfoin yield and trials please click here

Field Choice
Free draining soils with a pH of 6 or above are essential for the best results. Compacted or wet lying soils are to be avoided.

Sowing & Establishment
It is advisable to drill in the spring. Autumn sowing is risky as the seedlings are slow growing at first and do not have time to develop before the onset of winter. For spring sowings it is ideal to undersow a spring cereal. Priority has to be given to the sainfoin. Sow the cereal at half the recommended sowing rate. Ideally cut the cereal, usually spring barley, for silage at the milky stage. 40 kg of N in the seedbed will encourage faster establishment. The first year of sainfoin should be treated as an establishment year with full production not being realised until the following spring. Weeds can be controlled by topping or with herbicides, but ideally a clean seedbed is preferred.

For more information on growing Sainfoin please click here.

If you are interested in the worldwide distribution of Sainfoin or have any interesting information regarding this topic please click here where you will find some facts and useful contact information.

Suitable Soil
Under the right conditions sainfoin will outyield other crops such as red clover and lucerne. Successful crops of sainfoin are grown on free draining soils with a minimum pH of 6.5. If you soils meet both these requirements then read on.

The Seed
Sainfoin seeds are approx. 4mm long and are contained within a husk. The seed should be sown at 25-35 kg per acre, the higher rate being used when seedbed conditions are poor or a late sowing is envisaged. The seed is usually drilled to a depth of 2 cm. Companion grasses are recommended at low rates.

The Magic of Sainfoin
For three centuries sainfoin has been grown as a forage crop in the UK and across Europe and North America. Sainfoin has been somewhat neglected in recent years due to the widespread adoption of ryegrass and nitrogen fertiliser. However, it may well become fashionable once again due to its unique qualities.

Sainfoin requires no nitrogen fertiliser. It fattens livestock quicker than any other known forage. It has anthelmintic (anti-worm) properties and causes no bloat. So why then is it not more popular? The reason is simple. Our obsession with yield and artificial fertiliser has literally enabled sainfoin to become the ‘forgotten forage’. Currently, there is a considerable amount of scientific research taking place on this crop. The aims of this research is to truly understand why animals fed on sainfoin respond so well and just as importantly how to grow it successfully.