Forage Intake, Diet Quality, and Performance of Stocker Cattle Grazing Interseeded or Monocultured Rye and Bermudagrass
Year: 1995
Type: article
Abstract: Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is productive in summer but is dormant for much of the year. The grazing season for bermudagrass pastures can be lengthened by fall interseeding of rye (Secale cereale L.). In trial 1, performance of Stocker cattle (222kg average BW) grazing monocultured rye (MR) followed by bermudagrass (MB) in separate pastures was compared with that of cattle grazing interseeded rye-bermudagrass pastures (IRB). Spring forage production and 1989 carrying capacity were greater (P<.01)from MR than from spring IRB but gain per animal and per hectare did not differ (P>.10)between systems. Summer bermudagrass gain and grazing days from the two systems varied by year. Overall gain per hectare of land grazed and animal grazing days per hectare were greater (P<.05) both years for the IRB system than for the combined use of MR and MB. Land Equivalent Ratio for overall gain from IRB was >2.0, indicating a greater efficiency for interseeding. In trial 2, ruminally fistulated heifers (395kg average BW) were used to estimate forage intake and nutritional components from the two types of rye pastures. Dietary forage from MR was higher (P≤.01) in neutraldetergent fiber, ADF, and in vitro organic matter digestion (IVOMD, 48h) and lower (P<.01)in acid-detergent lignin (ADL) and indigestible ADF (IADF) than forage from IRB. Crude protein and rates of IVOMD did not differ (P>.10) between MR and IRB dietary forage. Heifers grazing MR had higher (P<.01)OM intake, lower OM (P=.06) and IADF (P<.01) fill, and shorter (P<.05) rumen retention time than heifers grazing IRB. Growers may obtain greater animal production per hectare by interseeding winter cereals into bermudagrass than by monoculturing separate pastures.
Authors: J.L. Moyer, K.P. Coffey, F.K. Brazle, J.E. Schneider, C.E. Coppock, T. DelCurto
Institution: Kansas State University
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W2238514533