Making lucerne hay while maximising soil health
It is a dry, late winter’s day on a farm in the Glen area, north of Bloemfontein, where a plume of dust trails the tractor carrying Freek Strauss as he plants a 30ha, pivot-irrigated lucerne land.
Strauss is primarily a lucerne producer who works the lands for his employer, local farmer Dirk Botha. Although the production of lucerne hay is the main business of the farm, the crop is also used for another important purpose: to improve soil health. Lucerne, like other legumes such as soya bean, lentils and clover, fixes nitrogen in the soil; Strauss therefore plants it in rotation with field crops such as wheat and maize to increase their yield and quality.
LUCERNE AS FEED
Lucerne’s feed properties have earned it the title ‘king of hays’ and
