Galega

Galega (Galega officinalis) – a perennial leguminous plant that has become popular in recent years as animal feed due to its high yield and excellent biochemical value. Young plants are rich in digestible protein: 100 kg of hay contains about 56 feed units and 16.7 kg of protein, with 150–180 g per feed unit. This makes galega attractive for organic, extensive, and traditional farms requiring high-quality green feed with good nutritional properties.

The variety grows quickly: in spring it regrows faster than most leguminous grasses, and the flowering phase occurs in late May–early June. The vegetative period until the first cut is 43–54 days, until the second cut – 60–70 days, and until seed maturity – 100–110 days. Dry matter yield reaches 6.5 t/ha, and green mass yield after two cuts is 50 t/ha. Galega is drought-resistant and winter-hardy, allowing its use in various climatic conditions.

The plant is characterized by low susceptibility to diseases and pests, but requires liming and does not tolerate high groundwater levels. Due to its biochemical properties, galega is also studied as a source of low-cost energy from biomass and is used in folk medicine to support lactation, diuretic, and diaphoretic effects, although it is contraindicated during pregnancy and hypertension. Overall, galega is a valuable perennial plant with a wide range of applications in both agriculture and traditional medicine.