Opening the gates to hemp grazed livestock in Australia

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA)

  • Project code: PRJ-012286

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Monday, July 1, 2019

  • Project completion date: Tuesday, June 1, 2021

  • Journal Articles From Project: Intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen parameters, growth rate, carcase characteristics and cannabinoid residues of sheep fed pelleted rations containing hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) stubble Journal of Animal Science (Issue: 2 on 1/1/2022)

  • National Priority: NEI - New and Emerging Industries - M1

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Summary

This project will provide preliminary data on the fate of THC in sheep fed whole plant hemp. It will also provide preliminary data on nutritional value and palatability.
The project objectives are to;
1) Analyse and understand nutritional value of whole-plant hemp as a potential green feed for ruminants in summer;
2) Establish a dosage response relationship of THC excretion from sheep and accumulation in meat.
3) Measure performance, feed conversion efficiency, digestibility and meat quality of sheep fed diets containing
hemp at varying levels of THC;

Program

New and Emerging Industries

Research Organisation

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA)

Objective Summary

The project will provide data to assist regulatory bodies in assessing the risks of sheep meat production on industrial hemp crops as part of the sheep’s grazing rotation.