Productivity and Quality of Bermudagrass and Orchardgrass‐Ladino Clover Pastures for Beef Steers¹

Abstract

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.) has high potential summer forage production and can help fill the gap in foragebeef production systems during late summer. The productivity and quality of ‘Midland’ grown at four levels of N fertilization (0, 112, 224, 448 kg.ha) as forage systems for grazing beef steers were compared to those of common bermudagrass (C. dactylon var. dactylon) fertilized with 112 kg N/ha and of a mixture of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L) and ladino clover (Trifolium repens L.) (Orc.‐Lad.). Pastures were grazed by a put‐and‐take system to maintain bermudagrass pastures at an average height ≥ 3.5 cm and ≤ 10 cm, and Orc.‐Lad. ≥ 8 cm and ≤ 15 cm. Forage growth and consumption were estimated by the cage‐and‐strip method. Forage production and animal performance were different in all treatments for the two periods April through June (spring) and July through September (summer). Average length of grazing season (23 April to 12 September) was not affected by N fertilization. Bermudagrass production was similar in spring and summer, and was increased greatly by N in both periods. Forage production of Orc.‐Lad. was twice as large in spring as in summer. Average stocking rate ranged from 3.7 steers/ha on Midland‐0 to 9.9 on Midland448 in April through June, and from 2.7 steers/ha on 0rc.‐Lad. to 14.3 on Midland448 pastures in July through September. Animal grazing days/ha for the entire season ranged from 546 on Midland‐0 to 1,759 on Midland448 pastures. Total beef production (kg/ha) was 162, 283, 350, 605, 308, and 561 from Midland‐0, ‐112, ‐224, ‐448, Common‐112, and Orc.‐Lad. pastures for the entire season, respectively. These values were associated with average gains (weighted for period within season) of 0.33, 0.41, 0.38, 0.44, 0.49, and 0.84 kg/steer/day and estimated forage dry matter intakes of 8.2, 8.9, 6.0, 5.7, 8.1, and 8.7 kg/steer/day, respectively. Most of the beef production occurred in spring. High stocking rates were necessary to harvest grazable forage and maintain grass in a young leafy stage in Midland224 and ‐448 pastures; thus, grazing selectivity was minimized and probably led to low intakes. Since 112 kg N/ha were not sufficient to produce acceptable quantities of forage or beef, a rate of 175 to 200 kg/ha on Midland is recommended for the future. At that N level, Midland will produce more than common which, at lower N levels, outproduced Midland.

Nitrate and ammonium accumulation in bermudagrass in relation to nitrogen fertilization and season

“…We found good yields throughout its entire growing period, from late spring to early summer. This species reached reasonable average yields even when no l~ertilizer N was supplied, but applied N significantly increased the yield of leaves and stems of C. dactylon compared to plants without N supply, as has been also reported by several authors (Decker et al, 1971;Fribourg et al, 1979;Mathias et al, 1978). In other localities it has been shown that the yield of bermudagrass increased linearly with fertiliser rates up to at least 900 kg of N ha -~.…”

Combining Ability of Binary Mixtures of Native, Warm‐Season Grasses and Legumes

“…Grazing systems using forage legumes increase animal production (Fribourg et al, 1979; Jung et al, 1985; Rayburn et al, 1980; Stricker et al, 1979), and pastures with legumes have greater crude protein content, digestibility, and mineral composition for livestock diets, resulting in greater forage intake and animal performance (Marten, 1985). Kroth et al (1982) reported the nitrogen (N) benefits from birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus L.) and alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), producing 115 and 200 kg N ha −1 , respectively, annually.…”

Forage Growth, Consumption, and Performance of Steers Grazing Bermudagrass and Fescue Mixtures1

“…Forage production, animal performance, and pasture productivity from orchardgrass + clover, fescue + legumes, and Midland + fescue at 25 em + N were greater than those measured earlier in the region (4,7,10). This increased performance of forage plants and animals may have been due to more favorable climatic conditions, longer grazing seasons, or better management of animals and pastures.…”

“…is well adapted to the mid-southeastern USA (3), responds well to N fertilization (2), overseedings of legumes, and to combinations of the two practices ( 1 0). Midland grows well in spring and summer and fills the summer production gap in beef pasture systems utilizing cool-season species ( 4 ). Pas-676 AGRONOMY JOURNAL, VOL.…”

“…Pas-676 AGRONOMY JOURNAL, VOL. 78, JULY- AUGUST 1986 tures of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and ladino clover (Trifolium repens L.) can support 2.5 to 4.0 steers ha -I from April to mid-August and produce about 500 kg beefha-1 (4,7,10) in Tennessee. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)…”