Quality Differences in the
Major Forage Species
Digestible DM, %
High
Production
Legumes
Tropical Annual
Grasses
50
Tropical Perennial
Grasses
60
Cool Season Perennial
Grasses
70
Cool Season Annual Grasses
80
40
Figure 2. Digestibility ranges of major forage types. Note that the ranges
overlap, but some forage types are more likely to be lower in quality than
Mod.
Production
Maint.
Georgia Forages:
Grass Species
Over 35 forage grasses.
•
•
•
•
Cool Season Annuals
Cool Season Perennials
Warm Season Annuals
Warm Season Perennials
Effect of Tall Fescue, Endophyte, and White
Clover on Stocker Production in the Spring
E+
NE
E+ & WC
NE & WC
ADG
Gain
(lbs/hd/d)
(lb/acre)
1.10
1.83
1.60
2.61
126
186
150
252
Jesup Tall Fescue and Durana White Clover. 3-yr trial. Eatonton, GA.
Hill, Andrae, and Bouton (unpublished data)
Effect of Warm Season Perennial Species
and Variety on Gains in the Summer
State
ADG
Gain
Stocking
Rate
Grazing
Period
(lbs/hd/d)
(lb/acre)
(hd/acre)
(days)
Pensacola (bahia)
GA1
1
222
1.5
131
Coastal
GA1
1.1
331
2.5
131
Coastal
TX2
1
279
3
92
Coastal
GA3
1.5
641
2.5
168
Tifton 44
GA3
1.6
681
2.5
168
Tifton 78
GA4
1.4
704
3.2
169
Tifton 85
GA4
1.5
1032
4.4
169
Tifton 85
TX2
1.7
465
3
92
Stocker Steer Performance on Alfalfa
Forage
Allowance
Stocking
Density
ADG
Gain/
acre
Grazing
Days
Hd/ac
lbs/hd/d
lbs
days
High
1.05
2.08
264
128
Medium
1.50
1.66
295
183
Low
2.35
1.38
387
286
Bates et al., 1996. J. Prod. Ag. 9:418-423. (Avg. of 3 yrs: 1989, 90, 91.)
Steer Performance when Rotationally Grazing Alfalfa or
High-Tannin (HT) or Low-Tannin (LT) Sericea Lespedeza
Legume
Treatment
Stocking
Density
Gain/
acre Final Wt.
ADG
Hd/ac
lbs/hd/d
lbs
Alfalfa
1.3
2.16
475
878
HT Sericea
LT Sericea
1.3
1.2
1.39
1.65
248
276
785
840
Schmidt et al., 1987. AL Ag. Exp. St. Circular 288 (Avg. of 3 yrs)
Forage Systems with Highest ADG
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forage System
ADG (lbs)
NE Tall Fescue w/White Clover
2.61
Alfalfa
2.16
EF Tall Fescue (≈ NE)
2.13
Sericea Lespedeza (cont.)
1.87
Orchardgrass w/Ladino
1.83
Orchardgrass
1.77
Sericea Lespedeza (rotat.)
1.65
Oats & Crimson Clover
1.60
Rye, Ryegrass & Crimson Clover
1.57
Tall Fescue w/Ladino Clover
1.53
Adapted from Ball and Prevatt (2009) and other studies
presented herein.
Forage Systems with Highest ADG
HighForage
ADGSystem
≠ High Profitability
ADG (lbs)
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Tall Fescue (NE + White Clover)
Alfalfa
Tall Fescue (endo. free ≈ NE)
Sericea Lespedeza (cont.)
Orchardgrass w/Ladino
Orchardgrass
Sericea Lespedeza (rotat.)
Oats & Crimson Clover
Rye, Ryegrass & Crimson Clover
Tall Fescue w/Ladino Clover
2.61
2.16
2.13
1.87
1.83
1.77
1.65
1.60
1.57
1.53
Production is vanity… Profit is sanity!
Adapted from Ball and Prevatt (2009) and other studies
presented herein.
Forage Systems with Lowest Cost
Pasture Cost
$/Ac
$/lb
172.26
0.30
172.08
0.30
173.28
0.44
230.75
0.47
148.84
0.49
148.84
0.54
148.84
0.60
318.34
0.60
328.35
0.62
352.78
0.65
Low
Cost
≠ High Profitability
Forage
System
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Tall fescue w/ladino
Orchardgrass w/ladino
Tall fescue w/BF trefoil
Bermudagrass w/h. vetch
Sericea lespedeza (cont.)
Sericea lespedeza (rotat.)
Sericea lespedeza (cont.)
Rye & ryegrass
Bermudagrass w/rye
Rye, oats & crimson clover
You get what you pay for! (Usually.)
Source: Ball and Prevatt (2009).
Forage Systems with Lowest Cost
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forage System
Tall fescue w/ladino
Orchardgrass w/ladino
Tall fescue w/BF trefoil
Bermudagrass w/h. vetch
Sericea lespedeza (cont.)
Sericea lespedeza (rotat.)
Sericea lespedeza (cont.)
Rye & ryegrass
Bermudagrass (hybrid) w/rye
Rye, oats & crimson clover
Source: Ball and Prevatt (2009).
Pasture Cost
$/Ac
$/lb
172.26
0.30
172.08
0.30
173.28
0.44
230.75
0.47
148.84
0.49
148.84
0.54
148.84
0.60
318.34
0.60
328.35
0.62
352.78
0.65
Forage Systems with Highest Profitability
NE Tall
fescue + w.
clover
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Forage System
Tall fescue w/ladino
Orchardgrass w/ladino
Bermudagrass (Hybrid) + 320 lbs N
Rye, ryegrass & crimson clover
Bermudagrass w/vetch
Rye & ryegrass
EF Tall Fescue (≈ NE)
Bermudagrass w/rye
Bermudagrass (Hybrid) + 160 lbs N
Oats & crimson clover
Verify by using the costs per acre and estimates of gain
per acre from Ball and Prevatt (2009) and market price
for selling calves.
NE Tall
fescue
THE SEVEN LOWEST
PASTURE COSTS/LB OF
GAIN INVOLVED LEGUMES
4 OF THE TOP 5 MOST
PROFITABLE FORAGE
OPTIONS USE LEGUMES
EXTENSIVELY!!!
Warm Season Perennial Grass
Variety Trial – Tifton
(avg. over 2006-2008)
25000
Forage Yields
(lbs DM/acre)
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
The “Don’t Waste Your Time” List
• Any native warm season perennial grass
•
•
•
•
Switchgrass
Indiangrass
Big bluestem
Eastern gamagrass
The “Don’t Waste Your Time” List
• Orchardgrass
(OK for Hay in NGA)
The “Don’t Waste Your Time” List
• Timothy
The “Don’t Waste Your Time” List
• Perennial ryegrass
The “Don’t Waste Your Time” List
• Kentucky Bluegrass
Warm season grass
Bundle Sheath Cells
Mesophyll Cells
Vascular
Tissue
Mesophyll Cells
Cool season grass
Bermudagrass leaf
after incubation in
rumen fluid for 48 hr
Tall fescue leaf after
incubation in rumen
fluid for 48 hr