Publication Date
1989
Description
Warm-season perennial grasses, such as 'Coastal' bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), are characterized as being relatively high in yield capabilities but low to moderate in forage quality as compared with cool-season grasses (Wilson, 1984). Legumes can be interseeded into grass sods which can increase both forage yield (Knight, 1970) and animal performance (Blaser et al., 1956; Bagley et al., 1988). Performance of stocker animals has been shown to be much lower during the summer on bermudagrass compared with similar weight steers grazing ryegrass (Bagley, 1987). Legumes may be capable of extending the high performance grazing season of stocker beef past the end of the ryegrass grazing season, but only limited information exists regarding performance of beef animals on pure clover stands. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of stocker animals grazing red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to Coastal bermudagrass during the late spring and summer.
Citation
Bagley, C P.; Feazel, J I.; and Willis, C C., "Improving Animal Performance by Grazing Clovers" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 58.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session10/58
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Improving Animal Performance by Grazing Clovers
Warm-season perennial grasses, such as 'Coastal' bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), are characterized as being relatively high in yield capabilities but low to moderate in forage quality as compared with cool-season grasses (Wilson, 1984). Legumes can be interseeded into grass sods which can increase both forage yield (Knight, 1970) and animal performance (Blaser et al., 1956; Bagley et al., 1988). Performance of stocker animals has been shown to be much lower during the summer on bermudagrass compared with similar weight steers grazing ryegrass (Bagley, 1987). Legumes may be capable of extending the high performance grazing season of stocker beef past the end of the ryegrass grazing season, but only limited information exists regarding performance of beef animals on pure clover stands. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of stocker animals grazing red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) to Coastal bermudagrass during the late spring and summer.
