Seresia Lespedeza?

IMPORTANCE TO WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK:
Wildlife: Sericea lespedeza has been characterized as valuable wildlife food and cover [6,63,65]. Foliage is eaten by white-tailed deer, rabbits, and wild turkeys [125,159], and seeds are eaten by birds and rodents [56,159]. According to Sheldon and Causey [140], sericea lespedeza is a "good deer food", and in southeastern Kentucky, sericea lespedeza was common year-round in the diets of reintroduced elk [134]. Grasshopper sparrows and meadowlarks nest in sericea lespedeza [38].

In the southeastern United States, sericea lespedeza plantings have been recommended for wildlife, especially northern bobwhites [151]. Benefits of these plantings, however, have not always been realized. Northern bobwhite sometimes feed on sericea lespedeza seed in the Southeast, particularly in late spring when native food sources are scarce [152,153]. Northern bobwhite have also been observed rejecting sericea lespedeza seed in these same areas [154]. Davison [38] indicates that although sericea lespedeza seeds may be eaten by northern bobwhite, it is probably of little importance as a food source, at least in the "deep south". In a controlled feeding study, northern bobwhites fed sericea lespedeza experienced "critical" weight losses. Researchers expected that during severe winter conditions, sericea lespedeza would only sustain northern bobwhites a few days [120]. Over time, sericea lespedeza plantings can become thick and "rough", particularly on "rich lands". Frequent fire is suggested to maintain quality northern bobwhite habitat. Without fire, sericea lespedeza thickets become "havens" for hispid cotton rats and other "objectionable" rodents [151]. Dimmick [40] implied that dense sericea lespedeza stands are poor nesting habitat for nesting northern bobwhite.

Sericea lespedeza has fallen out of favor as a wildlife plant. While there are examples of wildlife utilizing sericea lespedeza, research supporting its importance is lacking [32,125]. Vogel [170] reported that sericea lespedeza is "considered low in value for wildlife by most biologists". Moreover, food and cover are also provided by native plants, or even nonnatives that are not invasive. Where sericea lespedeza is invasive (see Impacts below), it can limit the establishment and growth of other plant species, particularly natives, that provide a diversity of food and cover for a variety of native wildlife [125].

Livestock: Sericea lespedeza was introduced as a hay and pasture species in the eastern United States from around the 1920s to 1940s [5,110,125]. Although its subsequent use as hay and forage has apparently not been widespread, there are still contemporary advocates for its utilization (e.g., [5]). Sericea lespedeza was a recommended pasture species in the southeastern United States in particular, where its deep rooting habit allowed for growth and survival through summer droughts [65,133]. Root growth of sericea lespedeza in acid soils is less inhibited than that of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) [87], and sericea lespedeza hay often cures more rapidly than other common hay species [65]. In addition to cattle [64,65,125,133], domestic goats graze sericea lespedeza [51]. Using livestock to control sericea lespedeza is discussed in the Biological control section below.

A number of sericea lespedeza cultivars have been developed, such as 'Arlington', 'Serala', 'AU Lotan', 'AU Donnelly', 'AU Grazer' and 'Interstate', for low-input cattle forage and other uses [5,65,110,117,133]. Stems on these plants are generally shorter, finer, leafier, and more numerous than those of common sericea lespedeza [65,110]. Many of these cultivars were developed with the intent to create a more palatable forage, with lower levels of undesirable tannins (see Palatability and/or nutritional value below) [5,115,117].

Palatability and/or nutritional value: While sericea lespedeza has been promoted as a hay and pasture species [5,110,125], it often produces low-quality forage. Sericea lespedeza contains condensed tannins that can reduce digestibility [159]. Grazing and haying are generally limited to young and tender plants (<12-18 inches (30-46 cm) tall) [65,167,170]. Shoots become tough and fibrous with age. As plants mature, protein contents and leaf:stem ratios decrease and tannin contents increase [65]. Palatability of sericea lespedeza decreases for wildlife and cattle after midsummer [37], but the height to which shoots retain palatability is positively related to site fertility [65]. Persistence of the previous season's dead stems can discourage grazing (Koger and others 2002 cited in [44]).

Researchers evaluated the composition of sericea lespedeza from the Appalachian Foothills, the Piedmont Plateau, and the Coastal Plain regions of Alabama. Nitrogen averaged 23.9g/kg, neutral-detergent fiber was 560 g/kg, acid-detergent fiber was 386 g/kg, lignin was 139 g/kg, and cellulose was 242 g/kg [15].

Another link, but pertaining mainly to goats.
http://www.permies.com/t/3285/critter-c ... -as-forage

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