• NEIKER is investigating in Álava the potential for using this crop as a forage resource in light of the reduced availability of forage

The prolonged lack of rainfall and the high temperatures recorded during the summer have limited vegetation growth, causing it to wither and delaying the recovery of pastures in autumn. Added to these conditions is the increase in tropical nights, the number of which in the Basque Country has doubled compared with four years ago and which, due to the heat, make it difficult for plants to absorb dew, an additional source of moisture.

According to estimates carried out by NEIKER using simulation models, the impact of these dry, hot summers is reflected in annual pasture yield, which is reduced by between 25 and 40 per cent compared with an average year. This reduced availability of grass is forcing livestock farmers to use their winter fodder reserves earlier than planned, leading to a shortage of fodder.

To explore other animal feed options in light of this situation, NEIKER is analysing the potential of sunflower silage in Álava as an additional crop to increase the supply of high-quality forage. The trial, carried out in collaboration with the GARLAN cooperative group, will assess the quality of the fermentation process, the nutritional value of the resulting material and its production costs.

“Silage enables plant material to be preserved through a fermentation process for subsequent use in animal feed. In this way, the crop can be stored and utilised as fodder when required,” explains Roberto Ruiz, Director of Territorial Impact at NEIKER.

The origin of a new fodder crop

The initiative arose precisely in response to the situation experienced this summer, which led NEIKER to consider what crop options might be available for producing fodder in the Basque Autonomous Community (CAV) in the context of a climate emergency. On the one hand, the option of sowing short-cycle fodder crops – to be planted after the cereal harvest and harvested in the autumn, such as certain types of ryegrass, Sudan grass, etc. – was assessed. However, the use of existing crops was also considered. Sunflower was one of the options identified, given the area under cultivation in Álava.

“In our region, this crop is mainly used for the production of oil for human consumption and for the manufacture of biodiesel, although it can also be used as fodder. Compared with maize, it has a higher protein content and a lower fibre content,” says the director of Impacto Territorial. The trial will enable the nutritional characteristics of sunflowers to be analysed once they have been ensiled and will provide insight into their potential contribution to livestock feed.

To carry out the study, NEIKER identified a sunflower plot with suitable conditions in Álava and, in collaboration with Garlan, harvested the forage and prepared the silage at the beginning of October. The silage must undergo at least one month of fermentation before it can be analysed, and the first results are expected by the end of the year.

Assess performance

In addition to the trial results, in order to assess the use of sunflowers as a forage resource, it will be necessary to determine the yield and production costs of specific varieties grown for this purpose. In Álava, sunflowers are mainly grown for oil intended for industrial use and biofuels; therefore, evaluating specific varieties for forage will help to expand our knowledge of their use in livestock feed.

“Existing experience in sunflower cultivation and the availability of suitable machinery – such as forage harvesters and transport trailers, which are already used for maize silage – could facilitate its use as fodder,” concludes Ruiz.