Reed as feed to horses and ruminants
Project overview
Participants
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Short summary
This project investigates whether reed silage can be used as roughage for horses. Reed is harvested in different plant maturations and analyzed with regard to energy value and nutrient content.
Background
Harvesting reeds as fodder is not a new phenomenon, it is something that has been done for hundreds of years, but the interest in reeds as fodder has been renewed in recent years. Harvesting reeds from different types of lakes and watercourses can help to return plant nutrients to land that has ended up in the water via leakage from the soils. It can thus help reduce the effects of eutrophication of lakes and seas.
About this project
This project investigates whether reed silage can be used as roughage for horses (and cattle). Reeds will be harvested in different plant maturations and analyzed with regard to their energy value and nutrient content. The reed samples are also examined with in vitro methods to increase knowledge about the digestibility of reeds harvested in different stages. Furthermore, feeding experiments with both horses and cattle will be performed where both voluntary consumption and digestibility are examined. Effects of harvesting reeds on biodiversity and ecology are also included in the project.
Doctoral student
This project includes a doctoral student, William Ashworth, and is implemented together with Örjan Östman (main supervisor) and Charlotte Berkström (assistans supervisor), Department of Aquatic Resources, SLU Aqua.