Regrowth of 'Rio Verde' after grazing: Oct 11; same pasture immediately after grazing Sept 8 (inset)
• Wildlife Browse – Excessive defoliation by deer post-germination may require electric fencing, etc, to protect the small seedlings. This is dependent on size of area planted and density (population) of deer. With the excellent nutritive value and palatability of lablab, this forage may be used as a direct browse crop or as hay for supplementation or as an attractant.
• Livestock Grazing – Lablab tolerates moderate defoliation and may be most sustainable when either rotationally stocked or used as a creep-grazing area for suckling calves. Frequent and severe defoliation by the grazing animal may result in loss of plants and/or stand. When using a rotational stocking system, it’s recommended that grazing be terminated when an approximate 4-inch stubble height is reached, and that grazing may resume when lablab reaches a 12 to 15-inch height. The number of grazing cycles is moisture dependent.
• Hay Harvest – ‘Rio Verde’ lablab should make sufficient growth during the summer months to provide 2 to 3 hay harvests. It is suggested that cutting height be maintained at 4-inches or higher to allow for adequate regrowth. Due to stem size, a cutter-conditioner would be preferred; however satisfactory hay can be made with cutting, tedding, windrowing, and baling. Hay should be stored under protective cover from rainfall. Some leaf shattering will occur during hay feeding; thus, DM losses would be minimized by feeding in a bunk or with restricted access by livestock.
• Green Manure Crop – Lablab is an excellent source of green manure crop, and for maximum N-fixation, incorporate lablab via disking at end of growing season (Sept-Oct). Lablab may be disked into the soil with or without shredding the forage DM. More than one disking may be required to adequately incorporate the above-ground DM. The N-fixed via incorporation will often be an adequate N source for a following small grain crop. Alternative management could include a hay harvest in mid-summer prior to disking as a green manure crop; however, total N-fixation will be reduced.
Lablab can provide 2 or 3 harvests during summer months