Dry Matter Yield and Nutritive Value of Cowpea and Lablab in the Southern High Plains of the USA

Abstract In addition to fixing N in the soil, legumes can be a good source of forage for livestock. The objective of this study was to assess the dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value of two warm-season annual legumes (WSAL) as potential new forages for the Southern High Plains of the USA. Lablab bean ( Lablab purpureus L.) cv Rio Verde (RV) and Rongai (RO) and cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] cv Iron and Clay (IC SEM = 0.357). Crude protein (CP) concentration was > 200 g/kg in all legumes, but it was 28.6 g/kg greater in cowpea than lablab. Additionally, NDF and ADF concentrations were lower in cowpea than lablab. Considering the higher DM yield and reasonable nutritive value, lablab has greater potential for forage production than cowpea and could be an additional source of forage for dairy or beef cattle in Southern High Plains of the USA.