Citation
Grazing evaluation of different genetic types of rye and varieties of ryegrass in mixtures with crimson clover

Material Information

Title:
Grazing evaluation of different genetic types of rye and varieties of ryegrass in mixtures with crimson clover
Series Title:
Jay, AREC research report
Creator:
Bertrand, J. E ( Joseph Ezel ), 1924-
Dunavin, Leonard Sypret, 1930-
Agricultural Research and Education Center, Jay
Place of Publication:
Jay Fla
Publisher:
Agricultural Research and Education Center
Publication Date:
Language:
English
Physical Description:
4 leaves : ; 28 cm

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Ryegrasses -- Florida ( lcsh )
Grasses -- Varieties -- Florida ( lcsh )
Forage plants -- Varieties -- Florida ( lcsh )
Beef cattle -- Feeding and feeds -- Florida ( lcsh )
Grazing ( jstor )
Rye ( jstor )
Calves ( jstor )
Genre:
government publication (state, provincial, terriorial, dependent) ( marcgt )

Notes

General Note:
Caption title.
General Note:
"July, 1986."
Funding:
AREC, Jay research report ;
Statement of Responsibility:
J.E. Bertrand and L.S. Dunavin.

Record Information

Source Institution:
University of Florida
Rights Management:
All applicable rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
Resource Identifier:
62311516 ( OCLC )

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a-d-LV Agricultural Research and Education Center '
Jay, Florida 32565-9524 i

JAY, AREC RESEARCH REPORT WF-86-4 July, 1986

GRAZING EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT GENETIC TYPES OF RYE AND VARIETIES 'OF:,RYEGRASS IN
MIXTURES WITH CRIMSON CLOVER

J. E. Bertrand and L. S. Dunavin1/

SUMMARY

Growing, lightweight (average 447 lb. initially), crossbred (with 1/4 or more
Brahman breeding and the remaining portion comprised of predominately British breed-
ing), feeder, steer calves rotationally grazed cool-season annual pasture mixtures
containing different genetic types of rye with two varieties of ryegrass and crimson
clover. Calves grazing mixtures containing an experimental tetraploid rye gained
slightly faster than calves grazing mixtures containing 'Florida 401' and 'Wrens
abruzzi' diploid ryes (2.42 versus 2.32 and 2.32 lb./head/day, respectively). The
gain per acre was 431, 413, and 413 lb. with calves grazing mixtures containing
tetraploid rye, 'Florida 401', and 'Wrens abruzzi' diploid ryes, respectively. The
cost of gain per hundredweight was $30.82, $32.16, and $32.16 with calves grazing
mixtures containing tetraploid rye, 'Florida 401', and 'Wrens abruzzi' diploid
ryes, respectively. Calves grazing mixtures containing 'Marshall' ryegrass gained
faster (approached significance at P <0.05) than calves grazing mixtures containing
'Gulf' ryegrass (2.47 versus 2.24 lb./head/day). The gain per acre was 440 and 398
lb. with calves grazing mixtures containing 'Marshall' ryegrass and 'Gulf' ryegrass,
respectively. The cost of gain per hundredweight was $30.64 and $32.87 with calves
grazing mixtures containing 'Marshall' ryegrass and 'Gulf' ryegrass, respectively.
The daily gains obtained in this study were somewhat higher than gains obtained in
previous years with lightweight, feeder calves of the same type and size grazing
cool-season annual pastures. This was probably because of a large compensatory gain
and discrepancies in accounting for shrink.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to compare the animal performance and economic
data with growing beef calves rotationally grazing cool-season annual pasture mix-
tures containing different genetic types of rye with two varieties of ryegrass and
crimson clover.

PROCEDURE

Thirty-six lightweight (average 447 lb. initially), crossbred (with 1/4 or
more Brahman breeding and the remaining portion comprised of predominately British
breeding), feeder, steer calves were utilized in this study. All calves were treat-
ed with a 36 mg ear implant of zeranol and allotted at random from breed and weight
groups to six experimental groups of six steers each. The six experimental'groups
were assigned to six treatments on pasture: (la)' Diploid rye ('Florida 401'), 'Gulf'
ryegrass, and 'Dixie' crimson clover mixture, (lb) Diploid rye ('Florida 401'),
'Marshall' ryegrass, and 'Dixie' crimson clover mixture, (2a) An experimental tetra-
ploid rye, 'Gulf' ryegrass, and 'Dixie' crimson clover mixture, (2b) An experimental

1/Animal Scientist and Associate Agronomist, respectively, Agricultural Research and
Education Center, Jay, Florida 32565-9524.


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tetraploid rye, 'Marshall' ryegrass, and 'Dixie' crimson clover mixture, (3a)
Diploid rye ('Wrens abruzzi'), 'Gulf' ryegrass, and 'Dixie' crimson clover mix-
ture, and (3b) Diploid 'rye ('Wrens abruzzi'), 'Marshall' ryegrass, and 'Dixie'
crimson clover mixture. Each group of six calves grazed three 1.25-acre pasture
plots in a rotational system.

The seedbed for all pasture plots was prepared by disking twice. The ryegrass
and crimson clover seed were broadcast on October 15-16, 1985 on the prepared seed-
bed with a tractor-mounted Cyclone electric spreader at the rates of 20 and 15 lb.
per acre, respectively. The rye was seeded in row widths of 7 inches with a grain
drill at the rate of 80 lb. per acre. All pasture plots were then cultipacked to
conserve moisture.

A complete fertilizer (8-24-24) was applied to all pastures prior to planting
at the rate of 250 lb. per acre. Three applications of 100 lb. per acre each of
ammonium nitrate were made at intervals during the grazing season.

Grazing began on December 10, 1985 and was terminated when the forage was
essentially grazed down on April 29, 1986. All calves were removed from pasture
and fed supplemental feed, corn silage and hay, in drylot for an emergency period
of 29 days (January 8 to February 6). Continued cold temperatures over a period of
days killed some of the forage down to ground level; also, cloudy days associated
with the cold temperatures resulted in slow forage regrowth. Individual animal
weights were taken after an overnight shrink (fast from feed and water) at the
beginning and end of the trial period as well .as at the beginning and end of the
emergency feeding period in drylot. Each experimental group of steers was rotated
between the three pasture plots assigned to it as required for best utilization of
good quality forage.

A mineral mixture (consisting of two parts dicalcium/monocalcium phosphate
and one part trace-mineralized salt), plain salt, and clean drinking water were
available to the animals at all times.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Performance and economic data with growing beef calves grazing different
genetic types of rye in mixtures with ryegrasses and crimson clover are listed in
Table 1. Calves grazing mixtures containing an experimental tetraploid rye gained
(2.42 lb./head/day) slightly faster than calves grazing mixtures containing 'Florida
401' (2.32 lb./head/day) and 'Wrens abruzzi' diploid ryes (2,32 lb./head/day). The
average daily gains per head were somewhat higher than gains obtained in previous
years with lightweight, feeder calves of the same type and size grazing cool-season
annual pastures. This was probably because of a large compensatory gain that occurred
during each of the two grazing periods and possibly some discrepancies in accounting
for shrink. The gain per acre was 431 lb. with calves grazing mixtures containing
tetraploid rye, 413 lb. with.calves grazing mixtures containing 'Florida 401' diploid
rye, and 413 lb. with calves grazing mixtures containing 'Wrens abruzzi' diploid rye.

The cost of gain was $30.82 per hundredweight with calves grazing mixtures
containing tetraploid rye and $32.16 per hundredweight with calves grazing mixtures
containing 'Florida 401' and 'Wrens abruzzi' diploid ryes (Table 1).

Performance and economic data with growing beef calves grazing ryes in mixtures
with two varieties of ryegrass and crimson clover are listed in Table 2. Calves graz-
ing mixtures containing 'Marshall' ryegrass gained faster (approached significance


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at P <0.05) than calves grazing mixtures containing 'Gulf' ryegrass (2.47 versus
2.24 lb./head/day). These gains were somewhat higher than gains obtained in previous
years with lightweight, feeder calves of the same type and size grazing cool-season
annual pastures. This was probably because of a large compensatory gain and discrep-
ancies in accounting for shrink as previously mentioned. The gain per acre was 440
lb. with calves grazing mixtures containing 'Marshall' ryegrass and 398 lb. with
calves grazing mixtures containing 'Gulf' ryegrass.

The cost of gain was $30.64 per hundredweight with calves grazing mixtures
containing 'Marshall' ryegrass and $32.87 per hundredweight with calves grazing
mixtures containing 'Gulf' ryegrass (Table 2).


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UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA


3 126207467737 7
TABLE 1. PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC DATA WITH GROWING BEEF CALVES GRAZING DIFFERENT
GENETIC TYPES OF RYE IN MIXTURES WITH RYEGRASSES AND CRIMSON CLOVER
(1985-1986)
Types of Rye
Diploid Diploid
Item 'Florida 401'(a) Tetraploid(b) 'Wrens abruzzi'(c)
No. of animals 12(d) 12 12
Length of grazing, days(e) 111 111 111
Avg initial wt, lb. 449 458 433
Avg final wt, lb. --(f)
Avg gain/animal, Ib. 258 269 258
Avg daily gain, lb. 2.32 2.42 2.32
Animal days/acre 178 178 178
Stocking rate/acre 1.60 1.60 1.60
Gain/acre, lb. 413 431 413
Gain/acre/day, lb. 3.71 3.87 3.71
Pasture cost/cwt gain(g) $ 32.16 $ 30.82 $ 32.16
(a)Mixtures-of 'Florida 401' rye, ryegrasses, and crimson clover.
(b)Mixtures of an experimental tetraploid rye, ryegrasses, and crimson clover.
(c)Mixtures of 'Wrens abruzzi' rye, ryegrasses, and crimson clover.
(d)Two groups of six steer calves each.
(e)A period of 29 days and one of 82 days for a total of 111 days. Calves were
fed for 29 days (January 8 to February 6) on silage and hay in drylot between
the two grazing periods because of inclement weather and poor forage growth.
(f)Not appropriate, see footnote e) above.
(g)Pasture cost = $132.83/acre, does not include interest on investment, manage-
ment, and labor involved in caring for the animals.

TABLE 2. PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC DATA WITH GROWING BEEF CALVES GRAZING RYES IN
MIXTURES WITH TWO VARIETIES OF RYEGRASS AND CRIMSON CLOVER (1985-1986)
Varieties of Ryegrass
Item 'Gulf'(a) 'Marshall'(b)
No. of animals 18(c) 18
Length of grazing, days(d) 111 111
Avg initial wt, lb. 447 447
Avg final wt, lb. --_(e)
Avg gain/animal, lh. 249 274
Avg daily gain, lb. 2.24' 2.47
Animal days/acre 178 178
Stocking rate/acre 1.60 1.60
Gain/acre, lb. 398 440
Gain/acre/days lb. 3.58 3.95
Pasture cost/cwt gain() $ 32.87 $ 30.64
(a)Mixtures of 'Gulf' ryegrass, different genetic types of rye, and crimson
clover.
(b)Mixtures of 'Marshall' ryegrass, different genetic types of rye, and crimson
clover.
(C)Three groups of six steers each.
(d)A period of 29.days and one of 82 days for a total of 111 days. Calves were
fed for 29 days (January 8 to February 6) on silage and hay in drylot between
the two grazing periods because of inclement weather and poor forage growth.
(e)Not appropriate, see footnote (d) above.
(f)Pasture cost = $130.83/acre and $134.83/acre for the mixtures containing
'Gulf' and -Marshall' ryegrasses, respectively. Does not include interest on
investment, management, and labor involved in caring for the animals.


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