Publication Date
1997
Description
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the influence of energy supplement (molasses 80% and cottonseed meal 20% slurry) fed to heifers while grazing Florico and Florona stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst var nlemfuensis) and Florakirk bermudagrass (C. dactylon) pastures. Stocking rate of heifers was 5.9 animals ha- 1 averaging 230 kg. Heifers were rotated weekly and were on a 4 pasture rotation. Grasses were allowed a 3-wk regrowth period. Mean forage growth rate cycle-1 day-1 was not different (P>0.05) between grasses; however Florico and Florona yielded 8 and 21% more cycle- 1 than Florakirk. Mean herbage accumulation cycle-1 was not different between the stargrasses, but mean herbage on offer cycle-1 was always higher (P<0.05) for Florona. Mean heifer average daily gain (ADG) cycle-1 (P>0.05) between Florico and Florona was 0.38 and 0.33, respectively over a 3 yr. period. Heifers consuming 1.4 kg hd-1 d-1 of molasses slurry gained 0.1 kg hd-1 d-1 more than heifer not fed molasses slurry. Data suggest molasses-slurry consumed at 1.4 kg hd-1 d-1 provided a 32% ADG increase on stargrasses and a higher increase under stress conditions.
Citation
Mislevy, P; Pate, F M.; Martin, F G.; and Rutter, L M., "Pasture Production and Weaned Heifer Performance from Tropical Grasses" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 33.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session29/33
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Pasture Production and Weaned Heifer Performance from Tropical Grasses
The purpose of this experiment is to determine the influence of energy supplement (molasses 80% and cottonseed meal 20% slurry) fed to heifers while grazing Florico and Florona stargrass (Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst var nlemfuensis) and Florakirk bermudagrass (C. dactylon) pastures. Stocking rate of heifers was 5.9 animals ha- 1 averaging 230 kg. Heifers were rotated weekly and were on a 4 pasture rotation. Grasses were allowed a 3-wk regrowth period. Mean forage growth rate cycle-1 day-1 was not different (P>0.05) between grasses; however Florico and Florona yielded 8 and 21% more cycle- 1 than Florakirk. Mean herbage accumulation cycle-1 was not different between the stargrasses, but mean herbage on offer cycle-1 was always higher (P<0.05) for Florona. Mean heifer average daily gain (ADG) cycle-1 (P>0.05) between Florico and Florona was 0.38 and 0.33, respectively over a 3 yr. period. Heifers consuming 1.4 kg hd-1 d-1 of molasses slurry gained 0.1 kg hd-1 d-1 more than heifer not fed molasses slurry. Data suggest molasses-slurry consumed at 1.4 kg hd-1 d-1 provided a 32% ADG increase on stargrasses and a higher increase under stress conditions.
