PLANTAIN

Narrow-leaf plantain is a deep-rooted, smooth-leaved perennial herb. The forage varieties of plantain are more uniform and more erect, with a higher number of vegetative shoots compared to its more native counterparts found along ditches throughout the country.

Plantain is highly palatable and many studies have shown that in a mixed pasture animals will selectively graze it. Palatability does not deteriorate as seed heads emerge in Plantain and protein content is stable at 18 – 20% throughout the growing season.

Like Chicory, 0.8kg/acre of Plantain is the standard for most multi species mixtures. In other parts of the World like New Zealand Plantain is sown as a monoculture at 4-5kg/acre. In these cases, Plantain is used as a buffer crop for drought prone regions and is mostly used to feed growing animals. Use of Plantain in the Northern hemisphere is predominantly in multi species swards.