Can Kenaf Feed Livestock?
First cousin to the hibiscus and a relative of cotton and okra, kenaf grows well in many parts of the United States. Favored as a fiber crop in other countries, it’s been extensively tested here as a source of pulp for papermaking. But scientists have wondered if it could also be used as animal feed. The most commonly grown U.S. hay crop alfalfa is a perennial legume used in high-concentrate diets fed to lambs and cattle to provide protein and dietary fiber. But to grow it, farmers must make a multiyear commitment of land and resources that isn’t always optimal for some integrated cropping-and-livestock enterprises. So researchers wondered if unconventional annual crops like kenaf would give producers more flexibility. Feeding tests with 53 spring-born lambs have recently bolstered the theory. Data showed that kenaf hay could replace alfalfa hay in lambs’ finishing diets without significantly affecting feed intake or performance. William A. Phillips, Grazinglands Research Laboratory, E
