A Comparison of Native Grass and Triticale Pastures during Late Winter for Growing Cattle in Semiarid, Subtropical Regions

Abstract

Forage-based beef production is one of the most productive agricultural systems, especially in semiarid, subtropical environments, yet it is temporally variable due to climatic factors. Dormant native perennial warm-season grasses are available for grazing from autumn through spring; however, their protein concentration is inadequate to support growing cattle. Winter cereal forages, such as triticale [×Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus (Secale × Triticum)], can fill fall through spring forage gaps with sufficient protein concentration. Triticale productivity was evaluated, and beef stocker performance on triticale was compared with supplemented native grassland for late winter pasture in each of three years at New Mexico State University’s Rex E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center in Tucumcari, NM USA. Study results indicated that triticale pasture forage mass varied over the three years due to precipitation and different triticale planting dates each year, influencing the length of grazing period. Triticale provided late winter average daily gain approximately twice that of cattle grazing dormant native grass with protein supplementation (0.70 vs. 0.36 kg hd−1 d−1, p < 0.0001). Therefore, triticale can be utilized to provide adequate growth of young calves without the added costs of supplementation.

Influence of Grazing on Canola Grain, Canola Forage Yield, and Beef Cattle Performance

“…Kirkegaard et al [21] reported that heavy grazing reduced grain yield compared to light grazing possibly because of the need for a longer recovery period after heavy grazing to regenerate leaf material for photosynthesis [17]. Grazing pressure in the present study was consistent with that applied to cereal forages in other studies at this location [12] and may have been heavy in regard to canola. Kirkegaard et al [21] attributed lesser forage mass for grazed vs. mowed canola to a difference in defoliation, with more intensive defoliation under grazing due to selectivity of the more palatable leaf material.…”

“…The cereal rye in 2016-17 of the present study had a similar initial forage mass to triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camus (Secale × Triticum)) [12]. Means within the interaction followed by similar letters are not significantly different at p < 0.05.…”

“…As annual species, dual-purpose crops generally have greater nutritive value than perennial species, and that value is greatest when utilizing young growing stock intended for future sale rather than reproducing adults [5]; during the third trimester of pregnancy for spring calving beef cattle, nutritional requirements are greatest [11] because their unborn calf is rapidly growing at that time. Consequently, the availability of actively growing forage during that time with great nutritive value may offset more expensive supplementation when grazing lesser-quality forages, such as dormant native grasses [12]. Watt et al [13] reported that dual-purpose canola and one other brassica had the greatest crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy yields among 10 brassica genotypes and oat (Avena sativa) across seven site years in Australia, although the brassicas often had lesser forage mass production.…”

Seasonal Mass, Performance under Grazing, and Animal Preference for Irrigated Winter Cereal Forages under Continuous Stocking in a Semiarid, Subtropical Region

“…forages [25]. Using other available forages and even dormant native grass pastures for early autumn grazing would allow for delayed grazing of winter cereals for increased forage accumulation [13].…”

“…When environmental conditions limit production of perennial forage crops, annual species can be effectively used [5]. Winter annual cereal forages perform well in semiarid, subtropical regions [6,7] where they form a significant component of livestock operations for autumn through spring backgrounding of stocker cattle (Bos taurus) in either grazeout or graze-grain systems [8][9][10], which fits well with spring through autumn grazing of perennial cool-season pastures [11] and annual and perennial warm-season pastures [12][13][14]. Currently used winter cereals for pasture include oat (Avena sativa) [8], rye (Secale cereale) [3], triticale [×Triticosecale Wittm.…”