Peat soils in THE POTENTIAL OF TYPHA IN A DAIRY FARMING SYSTEM: the Netherlands NUTRITIONAL VALUES AND 80% is grassland- BIOMASS YIELDS based dairy farming

J. Pijlman 1, J. Geurts 2, F. Lenssinck 3, M. Bestman1, N. van Zegveld: location of Eekeren 1, C. Fritz 2 Veenweiden Innovatie Centrum and 1 Louis Bolk Institute, the Netherlands experimental fields 2 Radboud University, the Netherlands 3 Veenweiden Innovatie Centrum, the Netherlands

Average dairy farm west Typical landscape in transition? Netherlands • 74 cows, 62 ha, ≥ 90% grassland • Soil prices ± € 50.000 / ha • Farmvalue can be > € 3.000.000 euros • Thus: Capital intensive (family) farming, high investments/ mortgages, long term business models • But: pressure on farming system; soil

subsidence, CO 2 emissions, biodiversity, etc .

Sources: CBS Statline 2015 and boerderij.nl

Project ‘Veen, voer en verder’ Work on Typha latifolia (Peat, feed and further) • Searching for transition options of the • Hypothesis: present dairy business model to – Typha latifolia has a reasonable feeding alternatives value for cows – On the long term Typha latifolia can be • Starting point: fields that are currently grown for other markets (isolation or building too wet for (good) grass production material, pollen, other?) business cases • Typha , reed, miscanthus, willow, wild can develop when product is available rice • Aim: assess nutritional values and biomass yields driven by harvesting stage and stand age of Typha latifolia

1 Typha latifolia experimental 0.4 ha field fields at Zegveld • Former grassland topsoil removed to create dikes • 3 x 4 m fields, 8 replicates (2015) • 0.4 ha field, planted in July 2016 – Plants were 40-60 cm high, grown up in a greenhouse, planted at 3.5 plant/ m 2 – Immediate innundation after planting, during the season 15-30 cm. Planting, 19 July, 2 September 2016 and 4 May 2017

Natural and planted stand Mineral contents 2nd year planted harvests 2016 Typha stand, unfertilized

Biomass (kg Crude protein Crude fibre Typha 31 May 2016 Average fresh grass 2016 DM/ ha) (g/kg) (g/kg) 450% Zegveld, 8 371 163 226 400% November 350% Zegveld, 30 371 119 269 300% November 250% Fresh autumn grass 181-207 181-207 200% in Netherlands 150% Dairy cow diet 160-175 200 100% typical values 50% 0%

Content relative Content to dairy cow Ca P Na K Mg Cu Zn Co Se requirementdaymilk/ kg 30 at (%)

Conservation experiments Conservation experiment 2016 2016 • Chopped with maize harvester 1-2 cm • No leaking moisture (2 nd experiment) • Relatively little effects on of ensiling on • Ensiled in 15 L bags under weight pH and nutritional composition --> (similation a silage pit) • Ensiling is possible, but less easy than • Catchment of leaking moisture grass. Product is wet and has little • Effect of 24h drying sugars. • Effect of molasses • Effect of keeping silage open for longer time not tested

2 Preference experiments dry Preference experiments dry cows, typha vs. grass silage cows, typha vs. grass silage • 4 dry cows, choice between 2 • Preference calculated according to Buntinx et roughages, each combination 4 times al. (1997) replicated • Results: grass silage + molasses  grass silage  typha silage + molasses  typha • Grass silage, grass silage + molasses, silage Typha silage, Typha silage + molasses • Preference differences were smaller with • Recording of time spent when first youngher Typha plants fodder was finished (max. 8 minutes) • Personal observation: fresh plants more Refusals were weighed. easily taken up than conserved typha plants.

Harvesting using a reed nd 18 September 2017: 2 harvest mower-binder

1st harvest 2nd harvest

Experiments planned 2017/18 Conclusions • In general, the feeding value of typha is • Effect of 25% dietary typha silage inferior to fresh grass inclusion on feed intake and in vivo • Young stands: higher crude protein, in vitro dietary digestiblity of dry cows OM digestibility and lower crude fibre • Harvesting at early stage: lower biomass • Effect of 1-2 kg DM yields, effects on later cuts to be monitored typha silage inclusion • Ensiling typha is less easy than grass on feed intake, milk • Dry cows preferred grass silage over typha production and in silage vivo dietary • Observation: younger and green plants are digestibility of diary consumed more easily by cows cows.

3 Thank you for your attention

Jeroen Pijlman [email protected]

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