Production of grain legume crops alternative to soya bean and their use in organic dairy production

This work evaluates the possibility to substitute external soya bean, a high risk GMO alimentary source, with other legumes produced on farm, such as sweet lupin, protein pea and filed bean, as alternative protein source in the formulation of diet in organic dairy cattle nutrition. In 2005/2007 periods both the field and feeding trials were carried out in an organic dairy farm in Tuscany. The performances of grain legumes crops were evaluated in terms of grain yield and quality of grains. The alimentary experiment was carried out on two group of 18 dairy cattle fed with two diets: A with extruded soya bean and B with bitter lupin, both mixed with field bean and high protein pea. In the filed trial the Italian sweet lupin varieties (Multitalia) resulted the most interesting for CP production (1.607 kg/ha), pea the best for yield but intermediate for total CP, filed bean the last for both yield and protein content. The feeding trial provided that both the diets where very good. In particular the milk production and the protein content was higher for the soya bean diet while fat, somatic cells and urea content did not differ.