Develop new strategies to efficiently utilize faba forage hay, silage & faba bean in ruminant livestock systems to maximum economic return and benefit to prairie pulse growers

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Recently, Canadian faba bean seeded area has been dramatically increasing in western Canada. Pulse**producers and livestock industry raise following crucial questions: What is best feeding strategy of utilizing**these faba forage (hay and silage) and faba bean grown in western Canada? What is the best cutting stage for**faba forage hay and silage (Growth Stage 1= Full Flower Stage vs. Growth Stage 2= Mid Pot Filled (Round**Green) vs. Growth Stage 3=Late Pot Filled (Full Round) ? Does tannin content in faba forage and faba bean**matter to ruminant livestock? If yes, what is an optimal level in faba forage and faba bean? What are feeding**guidelines on faba bean or faba forage including grazing, hay, silage, and crop residue after harvest? All these**questions are vital important to NOT ONLY pulse industry BUT ALSO livestock and feed industries.**Unfortunately there is little information that can be found in the literature, in western Canada, particularly for**newly developed faba varieties/new lines with zero/low and high tannin levels. There is no systematic study**found in literature for western Prairie Provinces in Canada. There is an urgent need to get all the above answers**for our pulse and livestock producers and related industries in Canada. The objectives of this research program**are to use a systematic approach to investigate effects of recently developed variety/new line, growth stage**(cutting time), tannin level, and various feed processing technology on nutritive values of whole crop faba**forage (for hay and silage) and faba bean (for energy and protein concentrate) grown in western Canada under**low heat unit climate condition and to develop new feeding strategies for livestock industry for using whole**crop faba hay, faba silage and faba bean as energy and protein concentrate. It is expected that the research will**highly benefit to our industries to extract value from faba forage and faba bean to maximize economic return to**our pulse and livestock industry.