Going to plant Teff grass this spring. Recently went to a cattle ranch in Thorndale and he had planted this stuff last year. He never had to buy hay for his cattle and even in thr drought this grass had no problems and he did not have to sell off any cattle.
Some Teff Info:
Teff is a self-pollinated, warm season annual grass which can be harvested multiple times during the growing season as dry hay, silage or pasture. As a fast-growing crop, Teff combines excellent forage quality with high yield during a relatively short growing season.
CROP ORIGIN
Teff’s origin is thought to be Ethiopia, where it emerged as a grain crop for human consumption sometime between 4000 B.C. and 1000 B.C. Distribution of the crop around the world was initially based on its use as a food grain. Following its North American introduction, Teff production centered around its use by ethnic groups familiar with the grain and the niche market for gluten free flour. Teff grain is gluten free, and is a good flour source for segments of the population suffering from gluten intolerance or Celiac’s Disease. Following its initial introduction in the U.S., researchers began evaluating the world collection of Teff lines for their forage potential. As a result of the initial work in South Dakota and later at Oregon State, Teff’s potential as forage was identified. Over the last 10 years Teff has gained momentum as a forage crop and several new, improved types have been developed and commercialized.
TAXONOMY
The word “tef” is derived from the Ethio-Semitic root “tff”, which means “lost”, possibly a reference to its extremely small seed size. Teff seed heads showing the genetic diversity of the crop worldwide
Taxon: Eragrostis tef
Family: Graminae (Poaceae)
Sub Family: Eragrostideae
Tribe: Eragrosteae
Genus: Eragrostis
Species: Tef
Common Names: Tef, Teff, Lovegrass, Annual
Bunch Grass Teff, Annual Bunch Grass (Australia),
Warm Season Annual Bunch Grass, Williams
Lovegrass, Abyssinian Lovegrass, Teff grass
EMERGENCE AS A FORAGE
Teff’s recent popularity is based on the U.S. farmers’
increasing demand for a summer forage crop that
produces high yields with low inputs, without
compromising quality.
Researchers have known for years of Teff’s
forage potential. Seyfu Ketema reports “According
to Burt-Davy (1913), the chief value of Teff as a
hay crop lies in its palatability, high nutritive value,
narrow albumin ratio (for a grass hay), high yield,rapid growth, drought resistance and ability to smother weeds (in Seyfu Ketema Tef Eragrostis tef
(Zucc.) Trotter 1997).”
As described by early researchers, the interest in Teff as a forage crop is due to:
1. Palatability - Teff is fi ne stemmed, leafy and
“soft” which is very palatable to livestock.
Farmers often report that their livestock prefer
Teff hay over other traditional grass hays.
2. Fast Growth - Under optimal growing temperatures
and moisture, Teff germinates quickly
and is ready for early boot stage harvest in
45 to 55 days after seeding.
3. High Yield Coupled with High Quality - Single
cut yields are often in the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 ton
range with quality comparable to other high
quality forages such as timothy. In multiple
cut areas, summer production of 4 to 7 tons
is often obtainable.
4. Summer Production - Teff can be planted in
late spring and be cut multiple times during
the hot summer months. This summer
production can provide a source of stored
forage for the winter months or fed to bridge
the summer slump period of other cool
season grass species.
5. Drought Tolerance - In areas without supplemental
irrigation, Teff can provide forage
during times of water deficit.
6. Wide Adaptation - Teff has the ability to thrive
in moisture-stressed and waterlogged soils.
7. Anti-quality Compounds - Teff does not
have the anti-quality compounds (nitrate
toxicity and prussic acid) that sometimes
occur in sorghum-related annuals (Ketema,
1997, Ketema, et al., 1993).
8. Versatility of Harvest - Although in most
instances Teff forage is baled as dry hay,
it can in some operations be grazed,
or ensiled.
MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION and
GROWTH HABIT
Teff is a self-pollinated warm season annual grass with the advantage of a C4 photosynthetic pathway. The Teff plant is highly susceptible to frost at all growth stages, and will not survive at temperatures below freezing. Optimal yields are obtained in locations with minimum soil temperatures of 65 degrees
Fahrenheit or warmer at planting, and subsequent growing temperatures above 80 degrees. Forage cultivars can be harvested multiple times in a growing season, barring frost. Teff is classifi ed as intermediate between tropical and temperate grasses, day-length sensitive, and optimal flowering occurs at 12 hour day-length. Plant height at maturity
ranges from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet. It is fine stemmed and similar in appearance to bunch grasses. It has a massive, fibrous, shallow diverse root system with small-stemmed tillers originating from one crown. Stems are mostly erect with some cultivars having bending or elbowing plant types. The sheaths of Teff are smooth, glabrous, open and distinctly shorter than the internodes. Its ligule is very short and ciliated while its lamina is slender, narrow and nearly
linear with elongated acute tips. It has a panicle type of inflorescence (seed head) showing different forms – from loose to compact; its spikelets have 2 to 12 florets. Each floret has a lemma, palea, three stamens, an ovary and mostly two, in exceptional cases three, feathery stigmas. Floret colors vary from white to dark brown, to red. Grain maturity varies from 90 to 130 days. The seed is very small, and its color varies from white to dark brown. Number of seeds per pound is approximately 1.3 million.
Fine stems Dense fibrous roots
Teff grass stem showing Teff grass panicles
species identifying ligule in the circle
GEOGRAPHIC ADAPTATION
Teff is adapted to environments ranging from
drought stress to water logged soil conditions and
diverse soil types. Teff production has been reported
at altitudes from sea level up to 9,186 feet
above sea level. Teff is classifi ed as a C4 plant
which is genetically adapted for growth in hot
dry climates. Teff and other C4 species such as
maize, sorghum and millet, have an evolutionary
advantage of a photosynthetic pathway over C3
species such as wheat and cool season grasses.
This C4 pathway results in effi cient water use and allows plants to photosynthesize faster under high heat and light conditions than C3 species. Following its introduction into North America, Teff
has been evaluated in public and private trials in the following states and provinces: Arizona, California,Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina,
Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada. Teff’s performance in these trials indicates a wide range of adaptation.
“SUMMER SLUMP” PRODUCTION
The majority of grass hay production in the U.S. and Canada is from cool season perennial grasses such as bluegrass, timothy, orchardgrass and to some extent fescues. These grasses provide the majority of their production during cooler weather of spring or fall but perform poorly during the hot summer months. This requires the livestock producer to use his hay reserves during those periods or rely on supplemental forage production. In the past, crop choices for those low production months have
been mainly limited to high yielding but low quality crop alternatives. Teff can provide both high forage yield and quality during this traditional “summer slump” period
Some Teff Info:
Teff is a self-pollinated, warm season annual grass which can be harvested multiple times during the growing season as dry hay, silage or pasture. As a fast-growing crop, Teff combines excellent forage quality with high yield during a relatively short growing season.
CROP ORIGIN
Teff’s origin is thought to be Ethiopia, where it emerged as a grain crop for human consumption sometime between 4000 B.C. and 1000 B.C. Distribution of the crop around the world was initially based on its use as a food grain. Following its North American introduction, Teff production centered around its use by ethnic groups familiar with the grain and the niche market for gluten free flour. Teff grain is gluten free, and is a good flour source for segments of the population suffering from gluten intolerance or Celiac’s Disease. Following its initial introduction in the U.S., researchers began evaluating the world collection of Teff lines for their forage potential. As a result of the initial work in South Dakota and later at Oregon State, Teff’s potential as forage was identified. Over the last 10 years Teff has gained momentum as a forage crop and several new, improved types have been developed and commercialized.
TAXONOMY
The word “tef” is derived from the Ethio-Semitic root “tff”, which means “lost”, possibly a reference to its extremely small seed size. Teff seed heads showing the genetic diversity of the crop worldwide
Taxon: Eragrostis tef
Family: Graminae (Poaceae)
Sub Family: Eragrostideae
Tribe: Eragrosteae
Genus: Eragrostis
Species: Tef
Common Names: Tef, Teff, Lovegrass, Annual
Bunch Grass Teff, Annual Bunch Grass (Australia),
Warm Season Annual Bunch Grass, Williams
Lovegrass, Abyssinian Lovegrass, Teff grass
EMERGENCE AS A FORAGE
Teff’s recent popularity is based on the U.S. farmers’
increasing demand for a summer forage crop that
produces high yields with low inputs, without
compromising quality.
Researchers have known for years of Teff’s
forage potential. Seyfu Ketema reports “According
to Burt-Davy (1913), the chief value of Teff as a
hay crop lies in its palatability, high nutritive value,
narrow albumin ratio (for a grass hay), high yield,rapid growth, drought resistance and ability to smother weeds (in Seyfu Ketema Tef Eragrostis tef
(Zucc.) Trotter 1997).”
As described by early researchers, the interest in Teff as a forage crop is due to:
1. Palatability - Teff is fi ne stemmed, leafy and
“soft” which is very palatable to livestock.
Farmers often report that their livestock prefer
Teff hay over other traditional grass hays.
2. Fast Growth - Under optimal growing temperatures
and moisture, Teff germinates quickly
and is ready for early boot stage harvest in
45 to 55 days after seeding.
3. High Yield Coupled with High Quality - Single
cut yields are often in the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 ton
range with quality comparable to other high
quality forages such as timothy. In multiple
cut areas, summer production of 4 to 7 tons
is often obtainable.
4. Summer Production - Teff can be planted in
late spring and be cut multiple times during
the hot summer months. This summer
production can provide a source of stored
forage for the winter months or fed to bridge
the summer slump period of other cool
season grass species.
5. Drought Tolerance - In areas without supplemental
irrigation, Teff can provide forage
during times of water deficit.
6. Wide Adaptation - Teff has the ability to thrive
in moisture-stressed and waterlogged soils.
7. Anti-quality Compounds - Teff does not
have the anti-quality compounds (nitrate
toxicity and prussic acid) that sometimes
occur in sorghum-related annuals (Ketema,
1997, Ketema, et al., 1993).
8. Versatility of Harvest - Although in most
instances Teff forage is baled as dry hay,
it can in some operations be grazed,
or ensiled.
MORPHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION and
GROWTH HABIT
Teff is a self-pollinated warm season annual grass with the advantage of a C4 photosynthetic pathway. The Teff plant is highly susceptible to frost at all growth stages, and will not survive at temperatures below freezing. Optimal yields are obtained in locations with minimum soil temperatures of 65 degrees
Fahrenheit or warmer at planting, and subsequent growing temperatures above 80 degrees. Forage cultivars can be harvested multiple times in a growing season, barring frost. Teff is classifi ed as intermediate between tropical and temperate grasses, day-length sensitive, and optimal flowering occurs at 12 hour day-length. Plant height at maturity
ranges from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet. It is fine stemmed and similar in appearance to bunch grasses. It has a massive, fibrous, shallow diverse root system with small-stemmed tillers originating from one crown. Stems are mostly erect with some cultivars having bending or elbowing plant types. The sheaths of Teff are smooth, glabrous, open and distinctly shorter than the internodes. Its ligule is very short and ciliated while its lamina is slender, narrow and nearly
linear with elongated acute tips. It has a panicle type of inflorescence (seed head) showing different forms – from loose to compact; its spikelets have 2 to 12 florets. Each floret has a lemma, palea, three stamens, an ovary and mostly two, in exceptional cases three, feathery stigmas. Floret colors vary from white to dark brown, to red. Grain maturity varies from 90 to 130 days. The seed is very small, and its color varies from white to dark brown. Number of seeds per pound is approximately 1.3 million.
Fine stems Dense fibrous roots
Teff grass stem showing Teff grass panicles
species identifying ligule in the circle
GEOGRAPHIC ADAPTATION
Teff is adapted to environments ranging from
drought stress to water logged soil conditions and
diverse soil types. Teff production has been reported
at altitudes from sea level up to 9,186 feet
above sea level. Teff is classifi ed as a C4 plant
which is genetically adapted for growth in hot
dry climates. Teff and other C4 species such as
maize, sorghum and millet, have an evolutionary
advantage of a photosynthetic pathway over C3
species such as wheat and cool season grasses.
This C4 pathway results in effi cient water use and allows plants to photosynthesize faster under high heat and light conditions than C3 species. Following its introduction into North America, Teff
has been evaluated in public and private trials in the following states and provinces: Arizona, California,Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada,
New Mexico, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina,
Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Ontario, Canada. Teff’s performance in these trials indicates a wide range of adaptation.
“SUMMER SLUMP” PRODUCTION
The majority of grass hay production in the U.S. and Canada is from cool season perennial grasses such as bluegrass, timothy, orchardgrass and to some extent fescues. These grasses provide the majority of their production during cooler weather of spring or fall but perform poorly during the hot summer months. This requires the livestock producer to use his hay reserves during those periods or rely on supplemental forage production. In the past, crop choices for those low production months have
been mainly limited to high yielding but low quality crop alternatives. Teff can provide both high forage yield and quality during this traditional “summer slump” period
