Vetch is a typical meadow plant very appreciated by cattle. It’s suitable for use as green manure due to its nitrogen fixing properties, and has great capabilities in suffocating weeds, although it is very sensitive to waterlogging.

Although it can adapt to all environments, it really thrives in those that are not too humid or cold, and prefers temperate-hot climates. Vetch is a rustic plant that is seldom attached by cryptogams, although among the damaging pathogens it is worth mentioning mildew, downy mildew, and rust.

It’s a great foraging product, rich with proteins (18% on dry matter), and is highly digestible and well appreciated by cattle, provided it is used at the beginning of the flowering period.

Vetch is a foraging grass normally used in oligophyte mixes with other stake products.

Mechanical sowing is recommended, as it guarantees an even burying of the seed, to avoid bird damage.
A classic mix is oats-vetch-pea, the typical meadow for green foraging, and which balance depends on the climate and soil conditions, and the sowing ratio of the components, which can vary in percentages, with a recommended overall ratio of 120-160 kg/ha.
Vetch may also be mixed to oats and field beans. The recommended seed ratio in monophyte meadows is 100-150 kg/ha.
Vetch meadows can give 40-50 ql./ha of dry matter in monophyte meadows, and 40-70 ql./ha of dry matter when planted with other plants.
Vetch is a soil improving plant, thanks to its taproot system rich with tubercles.

During the rotation of the main crops, e.g. wheat-corn, or wheat-millet, vetch is normally introduced as the meadow crop.
Vetch will greatly benefit from an accurate preparation of the soil, and a good levelling will avoid any water stagnation, which may be damaging for this plant. Also, a fine soil texture will facilitate burying of the seed.
Vetch may be sown in autumn in climate regions, or in spring in northern regions, where low temperatures do not jeopardise survival.
As far as fertilising is concerned , in view of the nitrogen-fixing properties of the plant, the addition of little phosphorous and potassium are recommended, with a ratio of 80-120 kg/ha of p2o5, and 40-80 kg/ha of k2o, to be applied during planting.