I am wanting to plant some lab lab in the spring. I do have a few cows on the place and I am worried that the lablab might make the cows bloat and die like clover does sometimes. I only have five cows on the place and some of the lablab will be fenced in. but there is a few areas I would like to plant that have not been fenced yet. If I plant these areas do I need to worry abot the cows getting into it. could the die from getting to much protein

I am sure some of the other Tecomate guys will chime in on this one.  But I think cows grazing on the lablab may be fine.  Check with your local farm vet before making the final plunge.  One thing for certain about lablab, animals love it!  High protein and highly attractive.  For deer, it cannot be beat as a high protein warm season annual. 

Good Luck!!

thanks for the info. I want to plant as much as I can. but my time is limited and It will take me a few weekends to build enough fence and I don’t want to start building fence till after hunting season. any other info from anyone would be greatly appreciated. thanks

Any high protien legume can be dangerous to cattle.  In high volumes,it can be dangerous to them.  We keep ours off the plots.

The high protein plants that we use to grow monster whitetails can be harmful to cattle - both winter and summer crops. The rich forages can cause bloating. If you can manage how often and how long the cattle use the plots you can allow them on the plots periodically but that will require fencing. When grazing the plots you should also provide the cattle with a high fiber, low quality hay forage and even “bloating blocks”. Some Tecomate users do graze cattle on plots in this way but the major problem is the damage to the plot the cattle will cause. I’d recommend fencing so deer can get in and cattle can’t especially for smaller plots.

Mr. Thomas thanks for the info. I guess I better get started building fence. I really enjoy you management minute on the show. Thanks again.

My pleasure.  Maybe I’ll use this as a topic for a Management Minute on our 2010 season.  Good luck this season!

I am probably less concerned with any problems associated with cattle on Lablab. Texas A&M;has done studies with cattle on Lablab. Australia uses Lablab for cattle forage planted with corn. As long as cattle have other options they typically take care of themselves. Mature cows with a healthy rumen are at little risk.
Bloat is talked about alot more than it occurs.

Excellent points. Yes, lablab is used in Australia for cattle grazing but as you said it is often in combination with high fiber, low protein corn silage. I agree with you that the digestive problems that could come from cattle on plots is probably more “over-worry” than anything. I’m not a cattle rancher. My major issues with cows on deer plots is not the damage the plot might do the cows belly but the damage the cows can do to the plot. I know of landowners loosing plots overnight to cattle breaking fence and getting on their property.

You are right about that! I dont know of any cases were a food plot killed a cow. Cows often kill food plots.

thanks for all the info guys. On one of our east Texas ranches we have wild clover that comes up in late winter and it seams almost every year that we lose a cow to bloating. The ranch where I am going to plant the lab lab only has 4-5 cows on it, and it is 300 acres. We are going to try and plant 10 acres of lab lab. I don’t think this few amount of cows would clean out a foodplot,but ya ll are making me feel alot better about planting it with out it being fenced in.

I wish it was as easy to keep deer out of my plots as it is to keep cattle out.  Not that it matters a whole lot but bloat in ruminant animals typically is not caused from high protein levels in forages alone.  It is closer tied to the rapid digestion of nutrient rich plants like alfalfa, clover and yes winter wheat.  This rapid digestion cause the ruminant bacteria to rapidly bloom which results in abnormal foaming and gas.  Kinda like putting to much fertilizer in a pond.  Goods news though if for some reason the cows get into the lablab for a long time and don’t move themselves off (the farmer may thank you or in your case your wallet may thank you for the wieght gain)you get them back on grass or hay that are slower digest.  There are also several mineral supplements out there that can help reduce bloat.  Have you fellas ever noticed that the deer stomachs alway appear more filled out during the spring and summer?