Cattle are usually fed alfalfa.
Alfalfa is a term that, according to the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ), is used in reference to dogfish cultivated for forage purposes. Understanding the notion, therefore, requires knowing what dogfish and forage are.
Dogfish is a herbaceous plant, while forage is the grass , herbs or cereals that livestock are fed. This allows us to infer that alfalfa is a food that animals eat.
Types of alfalfa
The idea of alfalfa usually refers to Medicago sativa , a plant that is part of the family group of legumes or fabaceae . Due to its resistance to drought and its ease of cultivation, alfalfa is planted throughout the world for livestock to feed on.
Alfalfa, in its leaves and sprouts, contains several vitamins (A, C, D, E and others), iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and other nutritional substances . The plant, on the other hand, can be attacked by weevils, bedbugs and other pests, in addition to being susceptible to various diseases .
Medicago polymorpha ( dry alfalfa ), Medicago arborea ( tree alfalfa ) and Medicago falcata ( yellow alfalfa ) are other species of alfalfa. There are even plants that do not belong to the genus Medicago and that, in any case, are also known as alfalfa: Euphorbia peplis ( apothecary's alfalfa ), Kochia scoparia ( Creole alfalfa ), Galega officinalis (Galician or English alfalfa ), etc. .
Alfalfa can be included in the human diet.
Use in the past and present
Although alfalfa has traditionally been associated only with certain animals that used it as their main sustenance, the truth is that it is much more. Since ancient times it has also been used as a medicinal resource thanks to the set of beneficial properties it has for health. Thus, it is determined that it is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant , antihemorrhagic, antipyretic and great for relieving certain stomach ailments.
Currently, through sprouts that are added to salads or even through natural pills or infusions, it is common to find alfalfa in the diet for its benefits:
- It is considered that taking an infusion of this product after each meal helps to make digestion less difficult.
- Helps treat anemia .
- Fights the feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
- Those who have fluid retention problems also do not hesitate to include it in their diet since it is very useful in dealing with these disorders.
- Alfalfa is also used to eliminate cases of dermatitis and fever and even to deal with the pain of menstruation.
Alfalfa , finally, is a county in the state of Oklahoma , a town in Oregon and a neighborhood in Seville ( Spain ).