Yield, persistence, and nutritive value of autumn harvested tall fescue

Abstract

. Yield, persistence, and nutritive value of autumn-harvested tall fescue. Can. J. Plant Sci. 87: 67-75. Tall fescue, harvested or grazed in autumn, may be a potential source of forage but little is known of the effect of a fall harvest or grazing on yield and nutritive value of tall fescue in the mid-north of eastern Canada (≈1400 growing degree-days). Three tall fescue cultivars (Courtenay, Kokanee, and Montebello) were submitted to 10 harvest management treatments (two dates of second harvest and five dates of third harvest) over 3 production years in the Saguenay-LacSt-Jean region (QC). The cultivars Courtenay and Kokanee were more productive and persistent than Montebello. The annual DM yield decreased by an average of 15% between the first and the second production year and by an average of 35% between the first and the third production year; these decreases were greater (22 and 41%, respectively) when the third harvest was taken in early October. Increasing from 28 to 35 d the interval between the first and second harvests increased DM yield of the second harvest by more than 0.5 Mg ha -1 , but caused a greater reduction in DM yield of the third harvest, primarily during the first 2 production years. Third-harvest DM yields of more than 4.0 Mg ha -1 were obtained in the first and second production years, while third-harvest DM yields varied from 2.5 to 3.0 Mg ha -1 in the third production year. With the delay of the third harvest in autumn, the concentration of crude protein decreased to 120 g kg -1 DM, the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates increased to 150 g kg -1 DM, while that of acid detergent fibre changed very little. Tall fescue has a significant yield potential in late summer and early autumn in the mid-north of eastern Canada, primarily in the first 2 production years. However, harvesting or grazing tall fescue in the week preceding or following the first killing frost will reduce persistence and spring regrowth the following year.Key words: Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S. J. Darbyshire, cutting management, cultivars, water-soluble carbohydrates Drapeau, R., Bélanger, G., Tremblay, G. F. et Michaud, R. 2007. Rendement, persistance et valeur nutritive de la fétuque élevée récoltée en automne. Can. J. Plant Sci. 87: 67-75. La fétuque élevée, récoltée ou pâturée à l'automne, peut être une source potentielle de fourrage, mais il y a peu d'information concernant l'effet de la récolte ou du pâturage automnal sur son rendement et sa valeur nutritive dans le Moyen-Nord de l'Est du Canada (≈1400 degrés-jours de croissance). Trois cultivars de fétuque élevée (Courtenay, Kokanee et Montebello) ont été soumis à 10 traitements de récolte (deux dates de deuxième coupe et cinq dates de troisième coupe) pendant trois années consécutives de production dans la région du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean (QC). Les cultivars Courtenay et Kokanee ont été plus productifs et persistants que le cultivar Montebello. Le rendement annuel en matière sèche (MS) a diminué en moyenne de 15% entre la première et la deuxième anné...

Tiller Characteristics of Timothy and Tall Fescue in Relation to Herbage Mass Accumulation

“…Seasonal DM yields of timothy and tall fescue in our study are similar to those reported in other areas with short and cool growing seasons (Drapeau et al, 2007; Pelletier et al, 2010). In studies where both species were compared, their DM yields in first and second cut in the northern agricultural areas of eastern Canada (Pelletier et al, 2010) and their seasonal DM yield in New York (Cherney and Cherney, 2005) did not differ.…”

Yield and nutritive value of irrigated tall fescue compared with orchardgrass: In monocultures or mixed with alfalfa

“…Three varieties of orchardgrass (Arctic, Kay, Okay) and tall fescue (Courtenay, Festival and Festoriona) were used for each treatment combination to justify species comparisons, as yield varies among varieties of the two species (Drapeau et al 2007). As tall fescue (2.7 mg seed (1 ) and orchardgrass (1.2 mg seed (1 ) had considerably different seed weights, sowing rates were adjusted to get equal numbers of seeds for orchardgrass (an average of 5 kg ha (1 ) and tall fescue (an average of 12 kg ha (1 ) in the monocultures.…”

“…Endophyte-free and winterhardy varieties have been developed (P. Jones, personal communication) and tested for adaptation, but there has been little study of the agronomy of tall fescue in Canada, most of which has been in Quebec. The feasibility of stockpiling tall fescue for fall grazing (Drapeau et al 2007) was investigated and tall fescue allowed superior persistence of red clover in comparison with orchardgrass (Lafreniere et al 2011).…”

Silage review: Unique challenges of silages made in hot and cold regions

“…However, in the fall, delaying harvest can result in significant increases in NFC as ambient air temperatures decrease. In the most northern agricultural area of eastern Canada, the NFC concentration of tall fescue increased from 60 g/kg of DM in early September to 150 g/kg of DM in late October (Drapeau et al, 2007). At less than optimal temperatures for growth, carbohydrates accumulate as photosynthesis generates NFC that are not immediately incorporated into plant tissues due to declining growth rates (i.e., photosynthesis continues at the same rate while growth slows).…”