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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Plant Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #108112

Title: PERFORMANCE OF BEEF CATTLE ON MIXTURES AND MONOCULTURES OF RHIZOMATOUS BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL AND TALL FESCUE

Author
item KALLENBACH, ROBERT - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
item ROBERTS, CRAIG - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
item BEUSELINCK, PAUL
item MCGRAW, ROBERT - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
item WILLIAMS, JAMES - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA
item WEN, LIAN - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/24/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

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.