Cool‐season forage mixtures are an option for extending the length of the grazing season. Small grains have a different growth distribution than annual ryegrass and may increase livestock gain per area. This 2‐yr grazing study tested three small grain–annual ryegrass mixtures: (i) cereal rye (Secale cereale L. ‘FL401’)–annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam. ‘Prine’); (ii) oat (Avena sativa L. ‘Horizon 201’)–annual ryegrass Prine; (iii) triticale (×Triticosecale spp. ‘Trical 342’)–annual ryegrass Prine. Stocking rate was adjusted, based on herbage allowance, using continuous stocking. Response variables included herbage mass, herbage allowance, herbage accumulation rate, herbage N, herbage in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), botanical composition, average daily gain (ADG), grazing days, stocking rate (SR), gain per area, and blood urea N (BUN). Seasonal and annual variation occurred for most of the responses, but total season animal production was similar among mixtures. The ADG in 2014 was 0.90 and 0.85 kg head−1 d−1 in 2015. Stocking rate varied among mixtures within sampling dates and years, but season‐long average SR was similar among mixtures. Total season animal gain was 367 kg body weight (BW) ha−1 in 2014 and 313 kg BW ha−1 in 2015. Small‐grain species and varieties resulted in different growing curves, with FL401 cereal rye being the earliest variety in the present study. Oat and triticale demonstrated a more evenly distributed growth rate along the season, facilitating the adjustment of the stocking rate and grazing management.
Rhizoma perennial peanut (RPP), Arachis glabrata Benth., has high nutritive value, is long lived, and drought tolerant; however, its growth and persistence on flatwood soils (spodosols) common in south Florida is thought to be poor. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of harvest management (stubble height, 1 vs 4 inches) and RPP entries [Arbrook Select (local ecotype), ‘ Arbrook’(released cultivar), PI 262839, PI 262826, ‘ Florigraze’(released cultivar), Ecoturf (PI 262840), and PI 262833] on above‐ground dry biomass (DB) yield, nutritive value, root mass, and persistence on better drained spodosol soils. Harvesting RPP back to a 1‐inch stubble during the initial year yielded an average of 7.8 ton/acre compared with 4.0 ton/acre DB yield at the 4‐inch stubble. However, after the third and fourth harvest years, no difference (P > 0.05) was found between stubble heights or between peanut entries averaging 3.6 (2002) and 5.8 ton/acre (2003). Forage nutritive value was not affected by stubble height and varied only slightly between entries, averaging 17.2% crude protein (CP) and 69.0% in vitro organic matter digestion (IVOMD). Continuously harvesting plants at a 4‐inch stubble produced 80% more root mass and improved ground cover (GC) by nearly 40%. These data indicate RPP can be successfully grown for hay production on better drained flatwood soils of the southern USA, particularly if a 4‐inch stubble height is maintained at each harvest.
Short days are thought to alter dry matter (DM) partitioning in rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.). Under controlled environmental conditions, six lines of rhizoma peanut germplasm (cultivars Florigraze and Arbrook; Florida lines Ecoturf, Arbrook Select, and Arblick; and PI 262826) were exposed to natural and extended photoperiod regimes (15 or 18 h). Th e study started 21 Sept. 2000 and ran until the following May; aboveground DM was harvested fi ve times. Th e following year the same lines were transplanted into the fi eld, where they received either natural light or 15 h extended photoperiod conditions between 20 Sept. 2001 and 19 Apr. 2002 and again during the winter of 2002-2003.In the fi eld, cover and DM was determined on approximately 9 wk intervals. In the controlled environment study, both extended photoperiod treatments increased DM yield, but the 18 h treatment was most consistent across selections and dates. Th e February response was greatest when there was greater than fi vefold increase across selections for the 18 h treatment above natural photoperiod (2.80 vs. 0.52 g/pot, respectively). In the fi eld, percent cover was enhanced by extended photoperiod for all selections except Ecoturf by the second sampling date aft er the lights were turned on (avg. 90 vs. 38% cover, respectively, for extended and natural photoperiod). Cover diff erences persisted until June 2002. Dry matter yield also was increased by treatment during the fall of both years. Th ese studies suggest that selection for late and early season DM production in rhizoma peanut will select for photoperiod insensitivity.M.J.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.