HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (4) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Prigge, E. C. Articles by Goldman-Innis, E. S. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Prigge, E. C. Articles by Goldman-Innis, E. S. Agricola Articles by Prigge, E. C. Articles by Goldman-Innis, E. S.

FORAGE PRODUCTION

Early- and Late-Season Grazing of Orchardgrass and Fescue Hayfields Overseeded with Red Clover

^a Div. of Plant and Soil Sci., West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV 26506-6108 USA

wbryan{at}wvu.edu

Received for publication December 28, 1996. Low-cost alternatives to hay feeding for wintering the beef herd (Bos taurus L.) are needed to design sustainable production systems for northern Appalachia. This study was conducted to compare forage production, quality, and botanical composition of hayfields overseeded with a legume when grazed by beef cattle in early spring and late fall. Four management systems were applied to fields containing either tall fescue [Festuca arundinacea Schreb.] or orchardgrass [Dactylis glomerata L.], each overseeded with red clover [Trifolium pratense L.]: (i) early spring grazing, one hay cutting, late fall grazing (GHG); (ii) two hay cuttings (HH); (iii) early spring grazing followed by two hay cuttings (GHH); and (iv) one hay cutting followed by grazing in late fall (HG). Total dry matter (DM) was highest for the HG management. Early spring grazing (GHH and GHG) reduced spring hay yield; quality, however, as indicated by crude protein, acid-detergent fiber, and in vitro dry matter disappearance, was higher than for hay not grazed in spring (HH and HG). Fall grazing increased quality of forage grazed in early spring. Tall fescue produced more DM than orchardgrass, primarily in spring hay yield. Red clover contributed 50% of the DM of spring hay in the first year after seeding. Fall grazing extended the life of the red clover by one year; however, almost no red clover persisted into the fourth year after seeding. Results suggest that fall grazing after a single hay cutting has the potential to be a viable alternative to exclusively relying on hay for wintering the beef herd.

Abbreviations: ADF, acid-detergent fiber • GHG, spring graze–1 hay cut–fall graze • GHH, spring graze–2 hay cuts • HH, 2 hay cuts • HG, spring hay cut–fall graze • CP, crude protein • DM, dry matter • IVDMD, in vitro dry matter disappearance • ME, metabolizable energy

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. C. Burns, D. S. Fisher, and G. E. Rottinghaus Grazing Influences on Mass, Nutritive Value, and Persistence of Stockpiled Jesup Tall Fescue without and with Novel and Wild-Type Fungal Endophytes Crop Sci., July 25, 2006; 46(5): 1898 - 1912. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. J. Gekara, E. C. Prigge, W. B. Bryan, E. L. Nestor, and G. Seidel Influence of sward height, daily timing of concentrate supplementation, and restricted time for grazing on forage utilization by lactating beef cows J Anim Sci, June 1, 2005; 83(6): 1435 - 1444. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]