Replacing synthetic N with clovers or alfalfa in bermudagrass pastures. 1. Herbage mass and pasture carrying capacity

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Beck ◽  
T. Hess ◽  
D. Hubbell ◽  
M. S. Gadberry ◽  
J. Jennings ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of including alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) or a combination of white (Trifolium repens L.) and red (Trifolium pretense L.) clovers (CLVR) inter-seeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) on herbage nutritive value compared with monocultures of bermudagrass fertilised with 0 (0N), 56 (56N), or 112 (112N) kg nitrogen (N)/ha over four grazing seasons. In autumn, at the end of the fourth year and in the spring before the fifth grazing season, alfalfa and clover plants were killed and the carryover N benefit of CLVR or ALF was compared with N fertilisation rates during the fifth year. Across years, N fertilisation rate increased herbage mass and carrying capacity linearly; whereas herbage production from CLVR and ALF swards was equivalent to 56N, were greater than 0N and less than 112N. Herbage mass in CLVR and ALF swards was greater than fertilised bermudagrass swards in the spring and did not differ from fertilised bermudagrass in the early summer. In late summer herbage accumulation of CLVR and ALF swards appeared to decrease, limiting the herbage mass in the legume pastures compared with 56N and 112N. Carrying capacity of CLVR and ALF swards was greater than fertilised bermudagrass in the spring and early summer, but did not differ from fertilised swards in the late summer. The N benefit of including legumes in bermudagrass swards can alleviate the reliance on synthetic N fertilisation with little overall effect on pasture carrying capacity.

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 547 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Beck ◽  
T. Hess ◽  
D. Hubbell ◽  
M. S. Gadberry ◽  
J. Jennings ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of including alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) or a combination of white (Trifolium repens L.) and red (Trifolium pretense L.) clovers (CLVR) inter-seeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) on herbage nutritive value compared with monocultures of bermudagrass fertilised with 0 (0N), 56 (56N), or 112 (112N) kg nitrogen (N)/ha over four grazing seasons. At the end of the fourth year (during the winter), legume plants in ALF and CLVR were killed and the carryover N benefit on bermudagrass nutritive value was evaluated during the fifth year. Pre-grazing herbage of all pastures exceeded the dietary recommendations for growing steers to maintain 0.9 kg/day average daily liveweight gain for crude protein and total digestible nutrients, 118 and 617 g kg/DM, respectively. Post-grazing herbage in ALF was below 600 g/kg total digestible nutrients at all times during the grazing season, post-grazing total digestible nutrients of CLVR was below 600 g/kg during the late summer and autumn. Post-grazing herbage of monoculture bermudagrass pastures fell below 600 g/kg in the middle of summer regardless of N fertilisation. Carryover N benefits of legumes were similar to 112N in the early summer, but were not different than 0N and 56N during the late summer and autumn. Replacing applications of synthetic N in bermudagrass swards with inter-seeding of either clovers or alfalfa produce herbage with equivalent nutritive value to heavily N fertilised monocultures of bermudagrass during the early summer, and similar to moderately N fertilised in the late summer and autumn. The inclusion of legumes in bermudagrass swards can reduce the reliance on synthetic N fertilisation with little overall effect on herbage nutritive quality possibly decreasing environmental impacts of grazing production systems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Beck ◽  
T. Hess ◽  
D. Hubbell ◽  
J. Jennings ◽  
M. S. Gadberry ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of steers (n = 590, 263 ± 30.6 kg) grazing alfalfa (ALF, Medicago sativa L.) or a combination of white (Trifolium repens L.) and red (Trifolium pretense L.) clovers (CLVR) inter-seeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers.) pastures compared with fertilisation with 0 (0N), 56 (56N), or 112 (112N) kg nitrogen (N)/ha (n = 4, 0.8-ha pastures per treatment) in north-east Arkansas (USA) over 4 years. The carryover N benefit of CLVR or ALF was compared with N fertilisation rates during the fifth year on performance of growing steers (n = 120; 235 ± 22.6 kg). Average daily gain increased with N application rate and legume pastures were similar to 56N; but liveweight gain per steer grazing legume pastures tended to be greater than 112N. Steer grazing days per hectare and liveweight gain per hectare were greater for ALF and CLVR than bermudagrass monocultures regardless of N fertilisation rate. Steer average daily gain, grazing days per hectare and liveweight gain per hectare for carryover N from legumes did not differ from 56N. These results indicate that replacing synthetic N by inter-seeding legumes into bermudagrass swards has the potential to improve individual animal performance and production per unit area and carryover benefits of legume N may be equivalent to 56 kg N/ha.


1960 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
CG Greenham ◽  
H Daday

This paper deals with probe measurements of low frequency resistance (RLF), high frequency resistance (RHF), and resistance index (= 100 x RLF/RHF), for the determination of cold hardiness or the injury caused by cold treatments. Populations of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) were subjected to different periods of freezing. Discrimination between treatments could be made in terms of RLF, RHF, and resistance index, though discrimination in terms of RHF is poor. The rest of the paper deals with lucerne (Medicago sativa L.). Measurements were made after a cold treatment on field plants consisting of four commercial strains and their F1 crosses, and also on F2 seedlings. RLF and the resistance index appear to be equally good predictors for the recovery of strains or of individual plants from such populations. The Appendix deals with measurements on commercial (tetraploid) plants, diploids, and colchicine-produced tetraploids.


Author(s):  
A.R.M. Medeiros ◽  
L.A.S. Castro ◽  
A.A. Lucchesi

Foram estudados os efeitos alelopáticos produzidos por cinco espécies vegetais: as gramíneas Avena sativa L., e Lolium multiflorum Lamb.; e as leguminosas Vicia sp., Mediaago sativa L. e Trifolium repens L. Canteiros isolados foram preparados, adubados e semeados de acordo com as recomendações técnicas usuais. Nos resultados obtidos observou-se alta incidência de invasoras nos canteiros de Trifolium repens L. e Medicago sativa L., contrastando com os canteiros de Avena sativa L. e Lolium multiflorum Lamb., onde poucas foram as espécies encontradas; enquanto o canteiro de Vicia sp. manteve posição intermediária. Com base nos dados obtidos, pode-se recomendar as duas gramíneas como cultura de cobertura com propriedades alelopáticas, assim como a Vicia sp. quando desejar-se além da redução das plantas invasoras, matéria orgânica para incorporação.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-244
Author(s):  
Cristina V. Alvarez Gonçalvez ◽  
Magali Rodriguez ◽  
Alicia Fernández Cirelli ◽  
Alejo Leopoldo Pérez Carrera

A planície de Chacopampeana é uma das áreas mais afetadas pelo arsênico na Argentina, principalmente em águas subterrâneas, usada tanto para água potável animal quanto para irrigação forrageira. O principal objetivo deste estudo é determinar o efeito do arsênio (As) presente na água de irrigação sobre os parâmetros de germinação de sementes forrageiras: trevo vermelho (Trifolium pratense L.), trevo branco (Trifolium repens L.) e alfafa (Medicago sativa L.) expostos a diferentes concentrações de As (V). Verificou-se que os parâmetros de germinação e viabilidade das sementes das três espécies não foram afetados pelas concentrações elevadas de As. No entanto, reduziu significativamente o comprimento da radícula e o comprimento do hipocótilo das três mudas de forragem, e seu nível de inibição é maior com o aumento da concentração de As. Quanto à relação comprimento de hipocótilo/comprimento da radícula, os resultados evidenciaram que nas espécies de trevo tanto o hipocótilo quanto a radícula são afetados no mesmo grau, enquanto as radículas de alfafa pareceram mais afetadas do que os hipocótilos em concentrações maiores de As. Nossos resultados mostraram que a irrigação com soluções contém Afetar os parâmetros de crescimento de plântulas de maneira diferente nas três espécies, e foi demonstrado que o efeito do As é principalmente evidenciado em altas concentrações.


1973 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. W. CALDER ◽  
W. D. CANHAM ◽  
D. S. FENSOM

The chemical Alar-85 (N-dimethyl amino succinamic acid) was applied to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Ladino white clover plants (Trifolium repens L.) as an aqueous spray between 2,500 and 15,000 ppm. It was found that Alar-85 altered the growth of the plants and improved the ability of these plants to withstand frost and drought. In addition, changes in carbohydrate content of the plant tissue took place as well as changes in leaf structure and the morphology of vascular tissue. Spectrophotometric determinations of extracts of plant tissue indicated increased photosynthetic pigments with increased treatment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 12-13
Author(s):  
Jordan Adams ◽  
Rodney Farris ◽  
Scott Clawson ◽  
Earl Ward ◽  
Paul Beck

Abstract We evaluated the effects of supplementing dried distillers’ grains cubes (DDGS) and re-implantation of steers (n = 149; BW = 238 ± 13.8 kg) grazing tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)/bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) pastures (n = 9 pastures, 7.2 ± 2.90 ha) from 14 April to 17 September 2020 (n = 155 d) in a split-plot design on steer performance and forage production. Main plot supplemental treatments (n = 3 pastures/treatment) included 1) Fertilized Control (FC), no supplementation on fertilized pastures (112 kg N/ha); 2) Fertilized Supplement (FS), supplemental DDGS fed at 2.9 kg 3-d/wk on fertilized pastures; and 3) Supplement (S), supplemented DDGS at 0.75% BW/d on unfertilized pastures prorated for 5-d/wk feeding. Steers were previously implanted during receiving with 40 mg trenbolone acetate and 8 mg estradiol (REV-G; Revalor G, Merck Animal Health). On July 7, steers in each pasture were randomly assigned to one of three re-implant treatments: 1) no re-implant; 2) REV-G; or 3) 200 mg progesterone and 20 mg estradiol (Synovex S, Zoetis Animal Health). Steers in FS and S gained more (P < 0.01) than FC throughout the trial and final BW was greater (P < 0.01) for FS and S compared with FC. Unexpectedly, re-implanting had no effect on ADG (P = 0.57) or BW (P = 0.34), but statistical power may be lacking. Supplemental efficiency was greater in the late summer for FS (P = 0.05) compared to S. Fertilizing pastures in FS and FC did not affect biomass (P = 0.39), however, CP was increased (P = 0.01) and acid and neutral detergent fibers tended to decrease (P = 0.06) relative to S in the early summer (April, May, June, and July), but did not differ in late summer (August and September). Based upon our analysis, DDGS is a suitable supplement and can replace N fertilizer for steers grazing introduced pastures.


1972 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 941-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. B. MacLEOD ◽  
H. T. KUNELIUS ◽  
F. W. CALDER

The effects of early summer and fall cutting managements on two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars were studied over a 3-year period. Removal of the first crop of Saranac and Narrangansett alfalfas at prebud stage, followed by two cuts at the early bloom stage before early September, and a late fall harvest on October 25, produced seasonal dry matter (DM) yields of 7.5–8.6 metric T/ha in the 1st year. Stand deterioration, however, was severe and by the 3rd year, practically all alfalfa had disappeared. Average percent crude protein (CP) in cut 1 was 17.7–21.9 and percent in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVD) 67.4–73.8. Removal of the first cut at bud stage with two subsequent harvests at the early bloom stage also allowed a total of three harvests before early September and resulted in seasonal DM yields of 8.6–8.8 in the 1st year. Although the survival of alfalfa was increased over the managements where cut 1 was at prebud stage, a considerable decrease of alfalfa was still observed in the 3rd year. Under this management, average CP in cut 1 was 15.8–16.3 and IVD 64.1–68.4. Harvesting the first crop at early to midbloom stage and the second crop at early bloom in early to mid-August, followed by third harvest in late October, resulted in good survival with seasonal DM yields of 6.1–10.6. Lower CP and IVD were recorded in cut 1 than in the more intensive managements. Under all managements, average CP in cuts 2 and 3 was 14.9–17.3 and 13.3–19.4, respectively. IVD was 54.5–60.7 in cut 2 and 56.0–64.4 in cut 3.


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