Theme 2-3: Forage Production and Utilization--Poster Sessions
Description
In Latvia’s farms, the use of multicomponent grass–legume mixtures is a traditional practice, because swards can secure good persistence and stable productivity. Red clover Trifolium pratense (Tp) and lucerne Medicago sativa (Ms) are traditional forage crops, but fodder galega Galega orientalis (Go) is grown for a relatively short period. Field trials were carried out with the aim to investigate forage yield and quality during four production years of sown legume–grass swards. Mixtures were composed of 50% legumes and 50% grasses (G). Swards were cut three times during the vegetation season. Significant differences in dry matter (DM) yield were found between successive production years and mixture types (MT). Highest DM yield (15.92 Mg ha-1 on average for four production years) was stated for the mixture containing lucerne (Ms+G). The decline in productivity between the first and fourth production years by 14.12 Mg ha-1 (or 68%) was more expressed for red clover mixture (Tp+G), but a more stable productivity was demonstrated by swards containing galega (Go+G) – a yield decrease by 5.88 Mg ha-1 (or 40%). Galega had slow establishment in the sowing year and in the first production year. Galega swards’ productive longevity is one of its main advantages. The mixture containing galega (Go+G) demonstrated the highest crude protein content (CP) in the third and fourth production years. Red clover is a short-term perennial legume, and mixture (Tp+G) had the lowest CP content (99 g kg-1 DM) on average for four production years.
Included in
The Influence of Legume Species on the Productivity and Quality of Multi-Species Swards in Four Production Years
In Latvia’s farms, the use of multicomponent grass–legume mixtures is a traditional practice, because swards can secure good persistence and stable productivity. Red clover Trifolium pratense (Tp) and lucerne Medicago sativa (Ms) are traditional forage crops, but fodder galega Galega orientalis (Go) is grown for a relatively short period. Field trials were carried out with the aim to investigate forage yield and quality during four production years of sown legume–grass swards. Mixtures were composed of 50% legumes and 50% grasses (G). Swards were cut three times during the vegetation season. Significant differences in dry matter (DM) yield were found between successive production years and mixture types (MT). Highest DM yield (15.92 Mg ha-1 on average for four production years) was stated for the mixture containing lucerne (Ms+G). The decline in productivity between the first and fourth production years by 14.12 Mg ha-1 (or 68%) was more expressed for red clover mixture (Tp+G), but a more stable productivity was demonstrated by swards containing galega (Go+G) – a yield decrease by 5.88 Mg ha-1 (or 40%). Galega had slow establishment in the sowing year and in the first production year. Galega swards’ productive longevity is one of its main advantages. The mixture containing galega (Go+G) demonstrated the highest crude protein content (CP) in the third and fourth production years. Red clover is a short-term perennial legume, and mixture (Tp+G) had the lowest CP content (99 g kg-1 DM) on average for four production years.
