ARS | Publication request: PERFORMANCE OF BEEF CATTLE ON MIXTURES AND MONOCULTURES OF RHIZOMATOUS BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL AND TALL FESCUE

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: November 24, 1999
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: 'ARS-2622' is a new cultivar of birdsfoot trefoil with rhizomes. No studies have described performance of beef cattle grazing ARS-2622. Our objective was to compare ARS-2622 to 'Norcen' birdsfoot trefoil and endophyte-free tall fescue in monocultures and mixtures. There were 5 treatments: monocultures of ARS-2622, Norcen, and tall fescue (TF) and mixtures of ARS- -2622 and Norcen with TF. Beef steers continuously grazed pastures for 84 d in the spring of 1999. Average daily gain (ADG) was highest for the monocultures of ARS-2622 and Norcen (avg. 1.7 kg/d), intermediate for the mixtures (avg. 1.0 kg/d) and lowest for TF (0.8 kg/d). Gain/ha was highest from the mixed pastures (avg. 411 kg/ha). Persistence of ARS-2622 and Norcen under grazing will be discussed.