The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: waterbuffalofarmer on June 20, 2014, 04:02:46 pm

Title: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on June 20, 2014, 04:02:46 pm
Hey guys I remember reading in a grass magazine, that chicory helps lambs not only grow faster than normal grass, but is also a vermifuge. Which basically means it kills worms and helps your lambs grow faster.  Here is some information. https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/seed-info/chicory-finishing-lambs-effect-carcase-and-meat-quality (https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/seed-info/chicory-finishing-lambs-effect-carcase-and-meat-quality)
It would be good to hear anyone else's thoughts. :trophy:
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: renee on June 20, 2014, 09:06:44 pm
Yes I had read that too somewhere. Thanks for the great link with seeds. I am experimenting to see what will grow up here and have been looking for a merchant where I could buy smaller quantities of things. For next season I am also going to order some things here.http://sustainableseedco.com/hulless-barley/ (http://sustainableseedco.com/hulless-barley/)
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: Lesley Silvester on June 20, 2014, 11:40:01 pm
I wonder if it applies to goats as well.
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on June 21, 2014, 09:16:51 am
Yes I had read that too somewhere. Thanks for the great link with seeds. I am experimenting to see what will grow up here and have been looking for a merchant where I could buy smaller quantities of things. For next season I am also going to order some things here.http://sustainableseedco.com/hulless-barley/ (http://sustainableseedco.com/hulless-barley/)
I have seen this website before, last yr I think, and I thought it was good, have you bought from them before?
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: UPoneacre on June 21, 2014, 12:04:06 pm
That's very interesting.

I've just been reading thro' the Grass & Root Seeds catalogue from our local ag merchants, Wynnstay, and they show chicory as an optional addition to most of their grass seed mixes. They also say about chicory ' Those finishing lambs in mid summer have seen big improvements from using chicory. When grass growth slows down in kid summer the chicory will maintain it's growth and farmers  ....... nearly all report an outstanding increase in (lamb) growth rates.' If true then it looks worth considering when re-seeding.
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: renee on June 21, 2014, 08:40:53 pm
I wonder if it applies to goats as well.
I am pretty sure it does and that goats love to eat it.
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: renee on June 21, 2014, 08:49:03 pm

I have seen this website before, last yr I think, and I thought it was good, have you bought from them before?
No, I only found it about two months ago. I aim on sending them an email describing my climate and see what they suggest. My garden is completely on amator status. I experiment to see what will grow here. Potatoes are fine but I am allergic to potatoes :( For starch I therefore mostly eat grains.
 It snowed yesterday and the temperatures are not getting above 6 degrees at the moment but this is extreme.
And even more off topic  :) Here is what I am most busy with.www.thetasteofjamtland.com (http://www.thetasteofjamtland.com)
Title: Re: Healthy grasses and herbs for livestock!
Post by: Lesley Silvester on June 21, 2014, 10:27:21 pm
Renee, what a wonderful place to live. All that beauty around you. No wonder you love it there. And all that bounty available. What a blessing.