Sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia, Scop., is a perennial forage legume that was introduced into North America as an alternative to alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. Sainfoin does not cause bloating in livestock, is comparatively drought-resistant, and is not attacked by several economically important alfalfa insect pests.
* Does not cause bloat
* Usually used in pure stands
* Rotational stocking is better than continuous
* Does not tolerate low pH
* Does tolerate low phosphorus
Sainfoin is a cool-season perennial forage legume that does not cause bloat in ruminants. Sainfoin is equivalent to alfalfa in forage nutritive value but is not as competitive as alfalfa in mixed stands; thus sainfoin generally is planted as a monoculture.
Sainfoin is not quite as drought tolerant as alfalfa; however, sainfoin is resistant to common alfalfa pests such as the alfalfa weevil.
Sainfoin is well adapted to dry calcareous soils and when compared with other legumes grows well on soils that are low in phosphorus. Sainfoin will tolerate light to moderate grazing well but should be allowed to recover from grazing events; thus, rotational stocking (similar to that used with alfalfa) should receive serious consideration and most grazing of sainfoin should take place during the peak production period during the spring.
MTC Sainfoin seed is superior in that it has a 96% germination rate!
As a angus beef cattle producer we have found sainfoin to be an excellent feed for all cattle types. The fact that cattle do not bloat from eating flowered sainfoin plants and that coupled with the fact that you do not have to use fertilizers and very little pesticides makes sainfoin a suprior feed to alfalfa in many ways.
to order your seed call Mount Carmel Youth Ranch at 307-645-3130
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Tribe: Hedysareae
Genus: Onobrychis
This highly nutritious plant is an important forage crop and source of honey in Britain. This is because the plant is rich in tannins which protect proteins from hydrolysis in the rumen allowing the protein to be absorbed in the abomasum. The plant has a deep taproot and so is very drought-resistant
* Flowers: June-September.
* Distribution: grassland, cultivated land, waste places in throughout Europe as far north as southern Sweden.
* Leaves: pinnate, alternate, 6 to 14 pairs, oblong to linear.
seed is produced in colaboration with
Mout Carmel Youth Ranch a youth ranch that utilizes a theraputic approach to helping at-risk teenage boys recover from substance abuse
defiantce to parental authority and other risk behaviors
Their coffee is fresh roasted by REAL MONKS!