Theme 3-2: Livestock Production Systems--Poster Sessions
Description
Forage legumes provide an alternative N source in grazing systems. The objective was to evaluate plant and animal responses in N-fertilized or grass-legume-based systems under continuous stocking during winter and summer, from 2016-2019. The three treatments consisted of year-round forage systems including winter and summer forage components. The first system (Grass+N) included N-fertilized (112 kg N ha-1 yr-1) ‘Argentine’ bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) pastures during the summer, overseeded with a mixture (56 kg ha-1 of each) of ‘FL 401’ cereal rye (Secale cereale) and ‘RAM’ oat (Avena sativa) during winter with a second application of 112 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Total annual fertilization for this treatment was 224 kg N ha-1 yr-1. System 2 (Grass + clover) included unfertilized Argentine bahiagrass during summer, overseeded with a similar rye-oat mixture, plus a mixture of clovers [17 kg ha-1 of ‘Dixie’ crimson (Trifolium incarnatum), 6.7 kg ha-1 of ‘Southern Belle’ red clover (Trifolium pratense), and 3.4 kg ha-1 ball clover (Trifolium nigrescens), fertilized with 34 kg N ha-1 during winter. System 3 (Grass+CL+RP) included the germplasm Ecoturf rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata; RP) and Argentine bahiagrass during the summer, overseeded with the same a similar rye-oat-clover mixture used in System 2 and fertilized with 34 kg N ha-1 during winter. Pastures were continuously stocked using variable stocking rates. Results indicate that clover inclusion during winter improved herbage distribution along the grazing season. Integrating RP during summer increased steer ADG by nearly 80% compared with Grass+N or Grass+Clover (bahiagrass monocultures during summer). While N fertilizer allowed for greater stocking rates, it did not improve animal performance throughout the year. Overall, similar gain per area was achieved in Grass+CL+RP than Grass+N, with lesser N-fertilizer inputs.
Included in
Herbage and Livestock Responses for N-Fertilized and Grass-Legume Grazing Systems
Forage legumes provide an alternative N source in grazing systems. The objective was to evaluate plant and animal responses in N-fertilized or grass-legume-based systems under continuous stocking during winter and summer, from 2016-2019. The three treatments consisted of year-round forage systems including winter and summer forage components. The first system (Grass+N) included N-fertilized (112 kg N ha-1 yr-1) ‘Argentine’ bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) pastures during the summer, overseeded with a mixture (56 kg ha-1 of each) of ‘FL 401’ cereal rye (Secale cereale) and ‘RAM’ oat (Avena sativa) during winter with a second application of 112 kg N ha-1 yr-1. Total annual fertilization for this treatment was 224 kg N ha-1 yr-1. System 2 (Grass + clover) included unfertilized Argentine bahiagrass during summer, overseeded with a similar rye-oat mixture, plus a mixture of clovers [17 kg ha-1 of ‘Dixie’ crimson (Trifolium incarnatum), 6.7 kg ha-1 of ‘Southern Belle’ red clover (Trifolium pratense), and 3.4 kg ha-1 ball clover (Trifolium nigrescens), fertilized with 34 kg N ha-1 during winter. System 3 (Grass+CL+RP) included the germplasm Ecoturf rhizoma peanut (Arachis glabrata; RP) and Argentine bahiagrass during the summer, overseeded with the same a similar rye-oat-clover mixture used in System 2 and fertilized with 34 kg N ha-1 during winter. Pastures were continuously stocked using variable stocking rates. Results indicate that clover inclusion during winter improved herbage distribution along the grazing season. Integrating RP during summer increased steer ADG by nearly 80% compared with Grass+N or Grass+Clover (bahiagrass monocultures during summer). While N fertilizer allowed for greater stocking rates, it did not improve animal performance throughout the year. Overall, similar gain per area was achieved in Grass+CL+RP than Grass+N, with lesser N-fertilizer inputs.
