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WEB PAGE: Tagasaste browse shrub




Dr Laurie Snook, an agricultural researcher, has written a book
about Tagasaste. Tagasaste is a hardy, leguminous shrub. In
temperate climates it can provide heavy yields of nutritious green
fodder for grazing animals.


Tagasaste fodder can be an important base for aquaculture. It
provides a high-protein feedstock for fish food from worm farms
and snail farms, and for freshwater crustacea. 

The shrub is being exploited in dryland Australia for high- protein
fodder. Even when grown on poor coastal sands tagasaste (correctly
fertilised) can produce high yields of edible dry matter containing
23% to 27% crude protein and only 18% to 24% indigestible crude
fibre.


Australian farmers now growing tagasaste are reporting these
additional benefits:

* Shade and shelter for livestock during climate stress. 
* Wind and water erosion control. 
* Increased soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. 
* Reductions in water tables causing salinity problems. 
* Habitat for native birds that eat pasture and crop pests. 
* Green firebreaks around homesteads and along boundary fences. 
* Winter nectar for bees. 
* Reduced internal parasite problems as shrub fodder is browsed
above pasture that harbours dung-borne worm eggs. 

Many Australian farmers are now following this revolution as soil
salinity and soil acidity problems make browse shrubs a most
sensible way to go in improving landcare.

For more information please visit the web page at:

http://www.thehub.com.au/~agrovis/agrovis