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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #187972
Title: QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS AND IN SITU DRY MATTER DISAPPEARANCE KINETICS OF BAHIAGRASS AND THREE VARIETIES OF BERMUDAGRASS HARVESTED DURING THE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL IN WEST-CENTRAL ARKANSAS

Author
item FLORES, R - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item Looper, Michael
item Aiken, Glen
item COBLENTZ, W - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item OGDEN, R - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item CALDWELL, J - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item COFFEY, K - UNIV OF ARKANSAS
item ROSENKRANS, JR, C - UNIV OF ARKANSAS

Submitted to: American Forage and Grassland Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/2006
Publication Date: 3/10/2006
Citation: Flores, R., Looper, M.L., Aiken, G.E., Coblentz, W.K., Ogden, R.K., Caldwell, J.D., Coffey, K.P., Rosenkrans, Jr, C.F. 2006. Quality characteristics and in situ dry matter disappearance kinetics of bahiagrass and three varieties of bermudagrass harvested during the summer and early fall in west-central arkansas. American Forage and Grassland Conference Proceedings. 15:97-101.

Interpretive Summary: Bahiagrass is a warm-season perennial grown along the Gulf Coast but has had limited use in the upper south due to colder winter months. ARS scientists from Booneville, AR and the University of Arkansas utilized five ruminally-cannulated steers to compare ruminal in situ dry matter disappearance kinetics of bahiagrass with three varieties of bermudagrass (Common, Midland, and Tifton 44) harvested on three dates (9 June, 6 August, and 5 October 2004). Dry matter degradation of Bahiagrass was greater than the three varieties of bermudagrass. Results from this study are important to livestock producers and extension personnel and will aid beef cattle producers in Arkansas and the southeastern U.S. in making grazing management decisions that may include bahiagrass.

Technical Abstract: Limited data are available that describe the dry matter (DM)disappearance kinetics of bahiagrass during summer and early fall. Five ruminally-cannulated steers were used to compare ruminal in situ disappearance kinetics of DM for ‘Sand Mountain’ bahiagrass with three varieties of bermudagrass (‘Common’, ‘Midland’, and ‘Tifton 44’) harvested on three dates (9 June, 6 August, and 5 October 2004) in west-central Arkansas. For fractions A, B, C, potential extent of disappearance, rate of disappearance (Kd), and effective degradability, a forage type x harvest date interaction (P < 0.05) was observed. Fraction B was greater for bahiagrass on all dates vs. Common, Midland, and Tifton 44. The potential extent of disappearance was greater for bahiagrass on 9 June and 5 October compared to all three varieties of bermudagrass. On 6 August, the potential extent was greater for bahiagrass and Midland vs. Common and Tifton 44. The Kd was slower for Tifton 44 (0.034 h-1) and bahiagrass (0.040 h-1) compared to Common (0.048 h-1) and Midland (0.049 h-1) on 6 August. On 5 October, Kd was slower for bahiagrass (0.028 h-1) vs. Common (0.043 h-1), Midland (0.040 h-1), and Tifton 44 (0.044 h-1). Effective degradability was greater for bahiagrass (58.3%) on 9 June compared to all three varieties of bermudagrass. On 6 August, effective degradability was increased for Midland (48.0%) vs. bahiagrass (45.8%); however, effective degradability of bahiagrass was higher than that observed for Common (41.6%) and Tifton 44 (37.0%). These results indicate bahiagrass offers a greater effective degradability of DM than bermudagrass during early summer and a greater potential extent of disappearance of DM than bermudagrass during summer and early fall.