Steer Performance and Pasture Productivity among Five Perennial Warm‐Season Grasses

Abstract

Grazing systems in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States typically utilize perennial warm-season grasses. Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] has served this function in the region, but the resulting animal performance has been modest. Steer and pasture performance of three native grasses, big bluestem (BBS) (Andropogon gerardii Vitman), eastern gamagrass (GG) (Tripsacum dactyloides L.), and switchgrass (SG) (Panicum virgatum L.), and an introduced Old World bluestem, Caucasian bluestem (CBS) [Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T. Blake], were compared during 6 yr with Tift on 44 bermudagrass (BG) as the control. During summer (June-September), steers continuously stocked on the alternative grasses gained similarly (0.73 kg d -1 ) but more rapidly than those grazing BG (0.49 kg d -1 ). Stocking of BG at 9.9 steers ha -1 was greater than the alternative grasses (5.7 steers ha -1 ), which were similar. Although animal days per hectare were greater for BG, weight gain per hectare was similar (mean = 357 kg ha -1 ) because of the diff erential gain per day. Canopies of BG and CBS had the least proportion of their mass in leaf (24.5 and 25.0%, respectively) compared with GG (58.2%), BBS (35.6%), and SG (30.9%), with the latter two similar. In general, any one of the grasses can serve as the warm-season component; however, pastures of BBS, GG, SG, and CBS would be more appropriate for growing ruminants, although at a reduced stocking rate, than BG. Th e latter would provide adequate forage for mature animals.

Risk and returns from grazing beef cattle on warm‐season grasses in Tennessee

“…One possible solution to this problem is to graze WSGs during summer. While several studies have examined animal performance on WSGs in the southeastern United States, only a few studies have compared the profitability of these forages (Backus et al., ; Burns & Fischer, ; Burns et al., ; Lowe et al., , ). More research is needed to determine WSG species or mixtures that best fit the southeastern United States.…”

“…For these reasons, several studies have analyzed animal performance on WSGs in the southeastern United States, and have found that steers grazing WSGs have positive gains (Backus et al., ; Burns & Fischer, ; Burns, Mochrie, & Timothy, ; Lowe et al., , ). However, only a few existing studies have examined the profitability of grazing WSG.…”

“…These studies only analyzed native WSGs, but further analysis is needed to compare the profitability of using native WSGs to other commonly used WSG options for southeastern United States, such as crabgrass ( Digitaria sanguinalis ; CG) and bermudagrass ( Cynodon dactylon L.; BG). Previous studies have compared animal performance and forage production of annual WSGs and native WSGs (Tracy, Maughan, Post, & Faulkner, ), as well as BG with native WSGs (Burns & Fischer, ; Burns et al., ) in the southeastern United States. However, these studies did not compare the profitability of grazing these forages.…”

Evaluation of Small Grain Cover Crops to Enhance Switchgrass Establishment

“…S witchgrass is an important prospective bioenergy (Sanderson et al, 1996;McLaughlin and Kszos, 2005), forage (Anderson and Matches, 1983;Burns and Fisher, 2013) or dual-use, foragebiomass crop (Guretzky et al, 2011;Mosali et al, 2013;McIntosh et al, 2015). However, switchgrass is considered difficult to establish (Panciera and Jung, 1984;Aiken and Springer, 1995;Parrish and Fike, 2005).…”

Dormant‐Season Planting and Seed‐Dormancy Impacts on Switchgrass Establishment and Yield

“…S witchgrass , a C 4 grass native to eastern North America, has much promise as a bioenergy (Sanderson et al, 1996; McLaughlin and Kszos, 2005) and forage crop (Anderson and Matches, 1983; Burns and Fisher, 2013) and, more recently, has been considered in dual‐use, forage–biomass systems (Guretzky et al, 2011, Mosali et al, 2013). However, difficulty in establishment may create substantial obstacles to its wide‐scale use by producers (Panciera and Jung, 1984; Aiken and Springer, 1995; Parrish and Fike, 2005).…”