Rummaging At The Bottom Of The Box: Revisiting The Use Of Reeds On Organic Farms In The Atlantic Marshes

Summary

This study focuses on a practice and know-how that was once commonly used in marshes of Charente-Maritime, namely the use of the common reed (Phragmites australis) a tall grass that naturally grows in wetlands. Livestock farms formerly used it as bedding for cows and as fodder in the summer. A comparative test of straw and of reed bedding was carried out at the experimental farm of INRAE (French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment) of Saint Laurent de la Prée, in an organic farming context. We demonstrate that reeds make good bedding material for cows at a lower cost than purchasing straw. Moreover, a test of summer grazing on a reed bed by a herd of cows demonstrates the appeal of this type of fodder and its beneficial nutritional qualities compared to natural prairie hay. This study shows the advantages of this natural resource for the successful operation of marsh livestock agriculture, provided that the reeds are cultivated sustainably.