ARS | Publication request: Exploiting the Potential Differences in Pasture Grasses

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: March 8, 2006
Publication Date: March 8, 2006
Citation: Brink, G.E. 2006. Exploiting the Potential Differences in Pasture Grasses. In: Proceedings of the Fond du Lac Winter's Grazier's Meeting, March 8, 2006, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

Technical Abstract: Temperate grasses grown for pasture in Wisconsin exhibit a range of chemical and physical characteristics that influence their utilization by grazing cattle. Potential intake of all grasses declines with maturity due to decreasing cell wall digestiblity, but the leaves and stems of orchardgrass and quackgrass digestibility declines more slowly than all other grasses. Quackgrass and meadow fescue, however, have high herbage density in the uppper portion of the canopy, which has been shown to increase intake. Cattle also prefer meadow fescue, quackgrass, and orchardgrass over all grasses except ryegrass when given a choice. Future studies will determine the competitive ability of meadow fescue over a range of environments in Wisconsin.