| Green gold for ostrich and stock industries |
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After various workshops and technical meetings with nutritionists and role players in the industry, it was decided to introduce a lucern (alfalfa) hay scheme for the industry. Although it is a voluntary scheme, those who join will have to meet certain requirements. Lucern is nature’s food for animals, but quality will in future play a decisive role in terms of production and utilisation as well as price. The National Lucern Organisation (NLO), which has for years co-ordinated research, information, extension and quality standards in the South African lucern industry, has now secured a mandate from the lucern hay industry to put a new face to this industry.
This new look features a uniform quality and grading system for all ruminants such as cattle, sheep and goats. The new lucern quality index (LQI) was developed by Professor Hentie van der Merwe and Mr Gerrie Scholtz of the University of the
A total of 600 hay samples were taken from the major hay producing regions in
Dr Tertius Brand, an ostrich nutritionist at Elsenburg, in collaboration with the NLO and the University of the Within the new scheme lucern consignments containing harmful plants and proclaimed weeds will be sent back. Consignments with strange odours, mildew and signs of excessive heating could also be refused. If a consignment is visually identified as being of mixed quality, it will be classified as the lowest grade. Hay users may contact the NLO for information regarding NIR instruments for analysis of lucern hay samples. Tel (044) 272 8991 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it 
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