EFFECT OF BIRDSFOOT TREFOIL AND TALL FESCUE PASTURES ON STEER PERFORMANCE

Authors: WEN, LIAN - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA; WILLIAMS, JAMES - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA; KALLENBACH, ROBERT - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA; ROBERTS, CRAIG - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA; MCGRAW, ROBERT - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA; Beuselinck, Paul; THOMPSON, JOHN - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA; GEBREHIWOT, LULSEGED - UNIV OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Two birdsfoot trefoil varieties interseeded with tall fescue were evaluated for effects on steer performance in a continuous grazing system. Steers were assigned to paddocks (0.53 ha) of birdsfoot trefoil with rhizomes (RBFT), birdsfoot trefoil without rhizomes (BFT), tall fescue (TF), BFT+TF or RBFT+TF. At two-week intervals, average daily gain (ADG) was determined, ,while every month esophageal samples were taken for crude protein and neutral detergent fiber analyses. In experiment 1, 92 steers were assigned to pasture treatments May 11 and removed July 1. During this period, ADG of steers grazing RBFT+TF (0.93 kg/d) and BFT+TF (0.92 kg/d) was greater than that of TF (0.65 kg/d). Stocking rate was greater for BFT+TF (8.9 head/ha) and RBFT+TF (9.0 head/ha) than TF (7.3 head/ha). The carrying capacity was greater for BFT+TF (438 total animal days/ha) than for TF (359 total animal days/ha) with RBFT+TF (426 total animal days/ha) being intermediate. In experiment 2, 43 steers were placed on pasture September 22 and removed November 18. During this period, ADG of steers was not different among BFT+TF (0.68 kg/d), RBFT+TF (0.69 kg/d) and TF (0.65 kg/d). Stocking rate for BFT+TF (6.4 head/ha) was greater than TF (4.9 head/ha) with RBFT+TF (5.5 head/ha) being intermediate. From these results, tall fescue interseeded with BFT and RBFT yielded greater gain and forage availability than TF in spring and summer.