scholarly journals Performance of tall fescue, cocksfoot and phalaris based pastures compared with perennial ryegrass, in on-farm trials

Author(s):  
S.C. Moloney

Ryegrass monocultures and mixtures containing at least one or two other grass species were compared on three sites over 3-6 years. At Atiamuri, under intensive dairying, a tall fescue-cocksfoot pasture yielded 3.7 t/ha/yr, and 14 kg/ha/day in spring and 17 kg in summer, more than the mdnocuiture. Under dairying at Opiki, a phalaris-ryegrass mixture yielded 1.8 t/ha/yr, and 5 kg/ha/day in winter and 7 kg in autumn, more than the monoculture. At Castlepoint Station, a cocksfoot-tall fescue pasture yielded 1.4 t/ha/yr, and 11 kg/ha/day in summer, more than the monoculture. These pastures would more closely meet (or exceed) animal feed demands, so increasing gross farm income through increased animal performance and carrying capacity. Keywords Grasslands Kara cocksfoot, Grasslands Maru phalaris, Grasslands Puna chicory, Grasslands Roa tall fescue, ryegrass monoculture, dry matter yield, animal demand

1982 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Davies ◽  
T. E. H. Morgan

SUMMARYHerbage characteristics of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and timothy (Phleum pratense L.) pastures were obtained whilst rotationally grazed by ewes and their single lambs at a fixed stocking rate of 25/ha on an upland site (305 m O.D.) in mid-Wales. Drymatter production of cocksfoot averaged 32·1 kg/ha/day over the 3-year duration of the trial (1975·7) and was 13·3 kg/ha/day lower than that of the other three grass species. This resulted in a 8 kg/ha/day reduction in dry-matter intake on cocksfoot; this was significantly lower (P < 0·05) than that achieved on the other grasses, which were similar to one another around 36 kg/ha/day.In vitro digestibility of the herbage ranked in the order perennial ryegrass > timothy = cocksfoot > tall fescue. Intake of digestible organic matter (DOMI) was lower on cocksfoot than on perennial ryegrass and timothy. Differences were also detected in crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrates and sodium composition between species.Dry-matter intake was positively correlated with herbage growth rates (r = 0·95, P < 0·001) but not to digestibility of herbage on offer (r = 0·18). Both ewe and lamb live-weight gains were positively related to intake of dry matter and DOMI.Reference is made to comparative yield data between the grasses obtained under cutting trials. In the 2nd and 3rd harvest years (1967–1967) growth rates in the grazing experiment were 76, 61, 81 and 80% of the 66·2, 66·7, 67·8 and 65·0 kg D.M./ha/day obtained under a cutting regime on perennial ryegrass, cocksfoot, tall fescue and timothy swards respectively. This illustrates the danger involved in assessing the potential of grasses based on such information.The results are discussed in relation to the value of the species for use under grazing in the uplands.


2016 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.J. Hendriks ◽  
D.J. Donaghy ◽  
C. Matthew ◽  
M.R. Bretherton ◽  
N.W. Sneddon ◽  
...  

Alternative pasture species with the potential to supply quality forage during summer feed shortages, such as tall fescue (TF), are of interest to dairy farmers. A paddockscale study was undertaken to compare performance of TF managed on a shorter rotation similar to perennial ryegrass (RG) (TF-RG) with TF managed on a longer rotation more consistent with its morphology of 4 live leaves/tiller (TF-TF), and with RG (RG-RG). Accumulated dry matter (DM) yields were similar for the three treatments. Patch grazing was observed during the first spring, with more long patches in TFTF than in either TF-RG or RG-RG. Sown-species leaf area index (LAI) was greater in TF-TF compared with TF-RG and RG-RG (2.25, 1.56 and 0.90, respectively; P


1982 ◽  
Vol 99 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Davies ◽  
T. E. H. Morgan

SUMMARYThe performance of Welsh Mountain ewes and their single Clun-cross lambs on swards of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and timothy (Phleum pratense L.) was studied over 3 years (1975–1977) at a site 305 m O.D. in mid-Wales. Under a rotational grazing regime at a fixed stocking rate of 25 ewes and lambs/ha, mean daily lamb live-weight gain over the 84 days experimental period from early May to late July was 24 g higher on timothy than on perennial ryegrass and tall fescue and 35 g higher than on cocksfoot. Averaged for the 3 years the mean daily lamb live-weight gains were 194, 170, 170 and 159 g on timothy, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and cocksfoot respectively. There were, however, marked interactions with years.Ewe live-weight change varied considerably between grasses and years with cocksfoot poorer than timothy and perennial ryegrass. Mean ewe live-weight change ranged from an overall loss of 39 g/day in 1975 to a gain of 34 g/day in 1977.Differences detected in animal performance between the four grass species altered during the 84 days of the experiment. Timothy and to a lesser extent tall fescue produced better animal performance early in the season whereas perennial ryegrass came into prominence during July.The results are discussed in relation to the present and potential use of the grass species under upland conditions.


1989 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 301 ◽  
Author(s):  
WD Bellotti ◽  
GJ Blair

'Demeter' tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and 'Victorian' perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were sown separately into a white clover (Trifolium repens L.) dominant pasture in June 1981. Eight sowing methods were compared to assess the ability of perennial grasses to establish from direct drill sowing methods relative to conventional seedbed and aerial sowing methods. Within direct drill treatments, two drill implements were factorially combined with three herbicide treatments. Pasture production and botanical composition were sampled over a 27 month period following sowing. After a dry summer, 22 months after sowing, sown grasses dominated pasture composition (69-94% of total dry matter yield) in the high yielding treatments. At this time, the successful direct drill treatments were similar in yield to the conventional seedbed treatment. Within direct drill treatments, sowing implement had little effect on yield and composition, whereas herbicide application markedly increased sown grass yield. Pre-sowing blanket application of herbicide in the triple disc treatment increased tall fescue yield from 82 to 1504 kg ha-1 and perennial ryegrass yield from 98 to 807 kg ha-1. An inverse relationship was described between dry matter present at sowing and eventual yield of sown grasses. These perennial grasses can be successfully established by using direct drill sowing methods provided resident vegetation is adequately suppressed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-191
Author(s):  
D Hidosa ◽  
W Hitiso ◽  
M Guyo

On farm adaptability test of different grass species was conducted on pastoral area of Keelewe peasant association in Dassench Woreda of South Omo Zone in 2016 under irrigated condition with the objective to identify high biomass yielding grass species. The field experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replicates per tested species. The tested grass species were Chloris gayana, Cenchrus ciliaris and Panicum colaratum. The result indicated that there was a significant difference (p>0.05) among the tested grass species. Panicum colaratum yields the highest (18.08 t/ha) than the Chloris gayana (15.21 t/ha) whereas, Cenchrus ciliaris had yielded the lowest dry matter yield (11.20t/ha) than Chloris gayana and Panicum colaratum. The Panicum colaratum was one with maximum dry matter yield being recommended for irrigated conditions in the study area. However, further testing is required on feeding value, dry matter yield under different fertilizer dose, stem height, leaf to stem ratio, irrigation requirements and chemical composition of tested grass species.Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2017. 46 (3): 188-191


1990 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 608-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Johnson-Cicalese ◽  
C.R. Funk

Studies were conducted on the host plants of four billbug species (Coleoptera:Curculionidae: Sphenophorus parvulus Gyllenhal, S. venatus Chitt., S. inaequalis Say, and S. minimus Hart) found on New Jersey turfgrasses. A collection of 4803 adults from pure stands of various turfgrasses revealed all four billbugs on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and S. parvulus, S. venatus, and S. minimus on Chewings fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. commutata Gaud.). Since the presence of larvae, pupae, or teneral adults more accurately indicates the host status of a grass species, immature billbugs were collected from plugs of the various grass species and reared to adults for identification. All four species were reared from immature billbugs found in Kentucky bluegrass turf; immatures of S. venatus, S. inaequalis, and S. minimus were found in tall fescue; S. venatus and S. minimus in perennial ryegrass; and S. inaequalis in strong creeping red fescue (F. rubra L. ssp. rubra). A laboratory experiment was also conducted in which billbug adults were confined in petri dishes with either Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, or bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon Pers.). Only minor differences were found between the four grasses in billbug survival, number of eggs laid, and amount of feeding. In general, bermudagrass was the least favored host and the other grasses were equally adequate hosts. The results of this study indicate a need for updating host-plant lists of these four billbug species.


2011 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 157-162
Author(s):  
G.D. Milne

Recent discussion about pasture persistence concentrates on pastures based on perennial ryegrass, the most commonly used grass species. This paper raises the question as to whether some of the causes of poor pasture persistence are due to perennial ryegrass being used in environments to which it is not suited. The adaptation to environmental stresses, particularly water, temperature and nutrient deficiencies, in different regions of New Zealand of tall fescue, cocksfoot, phalaris, and lucerne are discussed, and how this impacts on persistence advantages over perennial ryegrass. Keywords: persistence, pasture, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Lolium perenne, Medicago sativa, Phalaris aquatica


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Maxwell ◽  
Grant Edwards ◽  
Katherine Tozer ◽  
Gerald Cosgrove

Persistence is an important component of perennial pasture-grass productivity. Defining traits that affect persistence is essential for improving pasture longevity through plant breeding and for identifying persistence traits that should be included in cultivar ranking indices. Compared with conventional longitudinal studies, where a single sowing is monitored over time, repeated annual sowings allow the effects on persistence of sowing year and the ensuing interactions between environment and age of pasture to be identified. An experiment was commenced in 2015 under sheep grazing in Canterbury and in 2016 under cattle grazing in Waikato, where eight cultivars of perennial ryegrass representing different ploidy, flowering date, and cultivar age (release date), and one cultivar each of tall fescue and cocksfoot were sown in four randomised complete blocks in autumn each year. This paper reports interim data on spring and autumn pasture yield, composition, and density of 3-year-old, 2-year-old and 1-year-old pastures exposed to the same environmental conditions within the same, single year. There were significant effects on yield, botanical composition, basal cover and tiller density due to cultivar, pasture age, and their interaction. When the confounding effect of year-to-year variation was removed by comparing each age cohort in the same year, the underlying differences among grass species and cultivars, and ages of pasture, is starting to reveal the nature of this influence on pasture persistence.


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