WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — From one of the smallest seeds in the world comes a forage crop that packs a lot of possibilities, says a Purdue University researcher.

Growing in popularity with horse owners, teff is still largely unheard of in other farm circles, said John McMillan, a doctoral student at Purdue who is writing his dissertation on the results of a three-year study on forage crops. “Teff presents a fantastic opportunity. It has a lot of utility, and it never hurts to have more crops in your toolbelt. It was one of my favorites in the study,” McMillan said.

Some of teff’s unique qualities include its low moisture, short growing season, and resistance to drought and summer heat. In addition, its fine-stemmed vegetation is well-liked by livestock.

Teff was one of 15 forage crops studied at Purdue for their value as a crop after winter wheat is harvested. Some of the other forages studied included sorghum, pearl millet and Sudan grass. 

Kirk Bennett, a corn and soybean farmer in Knox, Ind., plants 25 acres of teff to use as a supplement for his 10 cows and to sell to horse owners. This is his third year planting teff. “I like the ease of it. It’s easier to dry than sorghum and other grasses. It bales up nice into square and round bales. I also like it for the return tonnage you can get,” Bennett said.

One of teff’s chief advantages is its low moisture content, making it less likely to mold and spontaneously combust in storage, said Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension forage specialist, who oversaw the 2011-13 research on forage crops.

Researchers also found that teff produces up to 10 tons per acre, with 50 pounds of applied nitrogen. However, McMillan said that teff does not require more than 40 pounds N when planted after wheat, which will save farmers money, and it will still produce 6-8 tons per acre in Indiana, depending upon environment.

While teff performs well as a winter feed, Johnson said it was not superior to other forage options when it comes to grazing and silage.

The teff seed is about the size of the tip of a sharpened pencil, McMillan said. He added that American dealers usually sell the seed coated with lime to make it easier to plant.

Bennett said he uses a Brillion hay seeder to drop the seed, which should only go 1/8- to 1/4-inch deep. He said the grass responds well to feed and fertilizer.

Cisco Seed in Indianapolis, Ind. has been selling teff seed for more than a decade, Vice President Steven Houghton said. He said teff brings consistent sales every year, but during a drought year or when hay supply is short, teff is a great alternative.

He said horse owners like teff because of its similarity to timothy hay. “It’s similar in quality, fine-stemmed and palatable. It’s not a coarse grass,” Houghton said.

Bennett said he knows other farmers who grow teff nearby, but among livestock farmers there is some hesitation to try an unknown product. “As farmers get educated on teff – with university studies like Purdue’s – and they read about it, I think it will open the market more,” Bennett added.

Teff is a grass native to Ethiopia, where it is a staple for both people and livestock. It requires warm soil temperatures and does not withstand frost. In America, it is an annual. Bennett plants teff when the soil is 60 degrees consistently, which is usually the last week of May for him. By the end of July, he is cutting a dense crop. He said he does not like to leave it too long because it gets “rank and thick” quickly.

Because of the short season – he’s just 40 miles south of Lake Michigan, Bennett said he sometimes gets a second cutting, sometimes not. Other farmers in warmer climes may get three cuttings before a frost, McMillan said.

In tropical and sub-tropical climes, teff is a perennial, but in other climates it is an annual crop, a benefit to farmers who want flexibility.

“It’s a good niche crop for smaller fields that you want to rotate. You’re not tied to it for consecutive years,” Bennett said.

Grazing teff is not always possible because of its shallow roots. It must be well-established, after the first cutting, before horses or goats could graze. Cows tend to uproot it, however, because of their long tongues, McMillan said.

McMillan said its nutrition, high crude protein and high nitrogen present farmers with options. “Horses and cows love it. I haven’t met an animal yet that doesn’t like it. It is fine-stemmed and fine leaved, without hairs. It’s the difference between a corn leaf and bluegrass. It has just enough rigidity to feel good in the mouth. Among horse owners, there’s a lot of interest. For growers, it’s not a difficult or expensive option,” McMillan said.

Teff can best be used as a supplement for an animal with average nutrition needs. For dairy cows, especially while lactating, it is not recommended.

In addition, its high nitrogen and protein content, if fed excessively, can make “fat horses,” McMillan said. But the nitrogen content can be managed by reducing its application. In addition, teff makes a good cover crop to reduce erosion. “From a utility standpoint, it’s good for the environment because of reduced application of nitrogen. What’s good for the farmer and the environment is good for the pocketbook,” McMillan said.

Incidentally, teff has garnered global attention recently as a “super food” for humans because of its high nutrition content. It is also a gluten-free food.

McMillan said teff still needs more research as a forage crop.

“I’m happy there’s more interest in teff. It has something to bring to the table.”