A Systems Approach to Extending the Grazing Season: Grazing Evaluation of Cool-Season Grasses with and without Legumes.

A Systems Approach to Extending the Grazing Season

Grazing Evaluation of Cool-Season Grasses with and without Legumes

R.W. McKee, J.J. Tucker, M.K. Mullenix, and E. van Santen

This project was conducted to evaluate several of the predominant cool-season forages and forage mixtures in the Southeast for extending the grazing season. Six cool-season forage treatments were assigned to 0.80-ha paddocks in an incomplete block design with two replications and managed using continuous stocking at a fixed stocking rate of 5 steers ha^-1. The treatments were as follows: ‘Texoma’ MaxQ II novel endophyte tall fescue grown in combination with ‘Durana’ white clover (TF+WC) or treated with 50.5 kg N ha^-1 (TF), ‘Nelson’ annual ryegrass grown in combination with ‘Dixie’ crimson clover (RG+CC) or treated with 50.5 kg N ha^-1 (RG), and a mixture of ‘Graze King 90’ cereal rye and ‘Nelson’ annual ryegrass grown in combination with ‘Dixie’ crimson clover (RG+R+CC) or treated with 50.5 kg N ha^-1 (RG+R). In year one, treatments containing tall fescue provided 75 days of grazing compared to 68 days for all other treatments. In year two, treatments containing tall fescue provided 84 days, 57 days for RG+R and RG+R+CC, and 85 days of grazing for RG and RG+CC. In year one, steer ADGs were greatest on RG+CC (1.14 kg d^-1) and RG+N (1.12 kg d^-1) but did not differ from TF+WC (1.00 kg d^-1). In year two, steer ADGs were greatest on the annual treatments (1.12 kg d^-1), although no significant differences were observed. With the exception of TF and TF+WC in year one, clover inclusion or N treatment had no effect on ADG or Gain ha^-1 in either year within grass and small grain-grass treatments. Results indicate that crimson clover can replace N fertilizer for spring grazing on annual ryegrass and annual ryegrass-cereal rye pastures.