Tannin contents of sainfoin (Onobrycyhis viciifolia Scop) grown with or without irrigation and harvested at different growth stages

摘要

Sainfoin (Onobrychis vicii f olia) is a perennial legume with high dry matter (DM) yield that is ideally suited for grazing, haymaking and silage conservation (Frame et al., 1998).The presence of condensed tannins (CT) in sainfoin forage is believed responsible for its non‐bloating status, the high efficiency with which its protein is utilized and the consequent improvements in animal performance when sainfoin is fed (McMahon et al.,1999).The variation in CT content among sainfoin varieties and the impact of growth stage on their concentration are not well understood.The objective of this study was to measure CT concentration in four varieties of sainfoin at four different stages of growth.