Effects of N Fertilization and Cutting Schedules on Stockpiled Tall Fescue. I. Forage Yield¹

Abstract

Forage stockpiled in situ for winter use provides pasturage during a period of low forage production in midlatitude states of the midwestern and eastern United States. Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of harvest management and N fertilization rates on spring‐summer and autumn‐winter production of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) forage. Treatments in Exp. I included four N rates; 0, 60, 120, and 180 kg/ha applied as NH4NO3 in split applications of one‐half in March and one‐half in August; three spring‐summer cutting schedules (1) mid‐June only, (2) mid‐May and early July, and (3) early June and mid‐July; and three autumnwinter harvest dates (1) mid‐December, (2) mid‐January, and (3) mid‐February. The soil was a moderately welldrained Lily loam (Typic Hapludults). Regression analysis indicated that the yield of forage available during winter increased as annual N application increased up to 137 kg/ha and 126 kg/ha for mid‐June stockpiling initiation in 1973–1974 and 1974–1975, respectively. The optimum annual N application rate for forage stockpiled beginning in early‐July was calculated to be 197 kg/ha in 1973–1974 and 136 kg/ha in 1974–1975. Stockpiled forage yields decreased from 2.50 metric tons/ha to 2.24 metric tons/ha between December and February averaged over the 2 years of the study. Winter in vitro digestible dry matter yield (IVDDM) decreased during winter. In Exp. II, treatments included four N rates: 0, 75, 150, and 225 kg/ha applied as NH4NO3 at the time of the last summer or autumn cutting which occurred in either early September, mid‐September, or early October. The soil was a Clarksburg silt loam (member of the fine‐loamy, mixed, mesic family of Typic Fragiudalfs). All forage was harvested in late winter. Forage yields during spring and summer increased up to the highest rate of N applied in both seasons. Any delay in initiation of stockpiling in Exp. II resulted in reduced winter yield. Winter yields increased in response to N application. Cutting date in autumn had little influence on forage yields the following spring, but rate of N fertilization did influence spring yield. Increasing autumn N application from 0 to 225 kg/ha increased spring forage production by an average of 2.40 metric tons/ha.

Effects of the utilization term and additional sowing of Festuca arundinacea and Festulolium on the production of winter pasture

“…VIII). The higher yields with the preparatory cut in June than those with the preparatory cut in August correspond well with the conclusions of Archer and Decker (1977), Collins and Balasko (1981) or Gerrish et al (1994) according to which the early saving of the stand in the growing period results in increased autumn and winter yields. A very highly significant effect on the yields was also that of the term of main use.…”

Nitrogen Fertilization Rates Influence Stockpiled Tall Fescue Forage through Winter

“…grows on >14 million ha (Hoveland, 1993) and provides forage for >17 million beef cattle (West and Waller, 2007) in the humid transition zone of the United States. Application of 40 to 112 kg N ha −1 in late summer increases yield and nutritive value of stockpiled tall fescue in December (Balasko, 1977;Kroth et al, 1977;Collins and Balasko, 1981a;Gerrish et al, 1994;Teutsch et al, 2011). One of the greatest attributes of tall fescue is that, with proper late-summer N fertilization, its autumn growth can be accumulated, or stockpiled, for deferred grazing.…”

The effect of trophism level and exploitation intensity on the production characteristics of grassland community dominated by Festuca arundinacea Schreb.

“…Wolf and Opitz von Boberfeld (2003) as well as Collins and Balasko (1981) inform that Festuca arundinacea is a favourable species as to the longer growing period, cold resistance and resistance to diseases. Differences in the production of DM (t/ha), CP (t/ha) and NEL (GJ/ha) were assessed in relation to four levels of trophism: F 1 (without NPK fertilization), F 2 (N 0 + P 30 + K 60 kg/ha), F 3 (N 90 + P 30 + K 60 kg/ha), F 4 (N 180 + P 30 + K 60 kg/ha).…”