Possibilities for using hemp as a forage crop

The developments obtained in the framework of experiments carried out by members of the profile association of Ukrainian cannabis growers with piglets and cows were recognized as extremely promising. A similar experiment with sheep is currently ongoing, but the materials obtained are systematized and visualized for the purpose of further commercialization.

According to a study in Western Australia, sheep fed hemp biomass showed increased productivity, indicating the potential for a highly effective, multipurpose summer feeding option for livestock with the various constituents of the hemp plant.

The experiments by scientists in Western Australia are part of a larger project co-financed by Meat and Livestock Australia. In the course of it, the features of controlled feeding with various hemp ingredients are studied in order to study the influence of the use of the plant (leaves, flowers, stems) on the productivity and quality of lamb. The pilot study, “Unlocking Cannabis Opportunities as a Forage Crops in Australia,” was conducted by the State Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).

In an experiment, fifteen New South Wales merino rams were fed biomass-derived cannabis pellets to measure digestibility, productivity, and developmental characteristics over a 56-day period. According to research team leader Bronwyn Blake, “The most significant result was an increase in unsaturated fatty acids in animal meat, suggesting an improved energy availability, as well as a change in the composition of the intestinal microbial population, which may explain the better absorption of other ingredients in feed mixtures ". The obtained results of the conducted experiments showed that the digestibility of dry and organic substances was higher for both of the proposed animals "diets" from hemp than for the "control diet". 

Among other things, the study showed that trace amounts of THC are present in all measured tissues (under current regulatory frameworks, the amount of a controlled psychoactive substance cannot be present in animal feed in Australia, except in approved research trials). However, Blake argues that the experimental results demonstrate that it will be possible to develop methods to manage hemp biomass feeding in sheep, goats and cattle in a way that is consistent with Australian animal feeding regulations.

The results obtained by the scientists became the basis for the second phase of research, during which the nutritional value and ways of meeting the market norms of cannabis as a possible feed crop will be studied. This study will also explore ways to market a hemp plant for livestock, including the maximum allowable levels of THC in animal feed.

Commentary of the specialists of the Association "Ukrainian technical hemp"

Similar experiments on feeding sheep with different constituents of the hemp plant have been carried out in Italy. In particular, in the project “CNR”, codenamed “Filagro”, a group of goats were fed hemp seeds in order to test the improvement in the quality of dairy products in terms of their health, safety and changes in nutritional characteristics.

In our country, there is already experience in feeding domestic animals with various hemp components. The developments obtained in the framework of experiments carried out by members of the profile association of Ukrainian cannabis growers with piglets and cows were recognized as extremely promising. A similar experiment with sheep is currently ongoing, but the materials obtained are systematized and visualized for the purpose of further commercialization.