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Ryegrass and Orchardgrass-Alfalfa for Annual Forage and Pasture in South-Central Alaska1
Abstract
Dry matter yields and crude protein percentages were determined for spring-seeded common ryegrass (predominantly Lolium multiflorum) and orchardgrass-alfalfa (Dactylis glomerata-Medicago sativa) at progressive midsummer dates and at fixed intervals thereafter during 1963, 1964, and 1965. Yields were consistently higher from the ryegrass swards. Crude protein content was uniformly higher from orchardgrass-alfalfa. Aftermath production from both swards was progressively less as the first harvest was delayed. This production was significantly correlated with mean daily photoperiod, global short-wave radiation, and 10-cm soil temperatures, in addition to length of recovery prior to sampling. Grazing animals displayed a marked preference for ryegrass in the early head stage of maturity; no preference 1 to 2 wk later; and rejected ryegrass in favor of orchardgrass-alfalfa 2 to 4 wk later, when ryegrass was past anthesis and very rank. Both orchardgrass and alfalfa remained vegetative throughout the growing season in these trials.
... Orchardgrass cultivars ranked among the least winterhardy of the major forage grasses at numerous locations in Canada (Ouellet 1976). Previous reports from this location have described potential use of orchardgrass for annual forage production in Alaska (Brundage and Branton 1967;Brundage et al. 1963). ...
... Some potential exists for use of alfalfa as an annual forage (Brundage and Branton 1967;Brundage et al. 1963). Non-hardy southern strains should be preferred for this use because of their more vigorous and productive growth during the seedling year. ...
... The herbage was not damaged by fall frosts; however, it was not winter hardy (Anonymous 1936). Annual ryegrass could be used as a summer annual from mid-summer to late fall to help extend the grazing season in western Canada, (Berkenkamp and Meeres 1988a;Thompson and Stout 1992;Stout et al. 1997;McCartney 2003), in Alaska (Brundage and Branton 1967;Klebesadel 2000) and in eastern Canada (Kunelius 1980(Kunelius , 1991Narashimhalu et al. 1992;Carter and Kunelius 1993;NSCDI 1993;Johnston and Bowman 1998;Kunelius and Boswall 2002). ...
With the current high feed grain costs and other economic uncertainties in the Canadian beef cattle industry, producers are trying to lower their unit costs of production. Costs can be lowered through extension of the grazing season using perennial pastures and annual crops for grazing. Oat (Avena sativa L.) and fall rye (Secale cereale L.) have traditionally been used to a nominal extent for extending the grazing season. However, there is limited information including a small number of animal grazing trials on the use of other annual cereals and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) for low cost grazing systems relative to feeding traditional harvested and stored forages. This review discusses annual cool season crops that show promise for supplementary grazing systems. Systems such as swath grazing of a cereal crop, grazing the regrowth from silage mixtures of spring and winter cereals, or fall grazing annual Italian ryegrass can be used to extend the grazing season. Economic considerations will ultimately determine if there will be an increased role in the future for grazing annual crops on cropping land as a means of extending the grazing season to reduce year-round costs for the beef cow calf operator.
Four grasses: common ryegrass (predominantly Lolium multiflorum), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), timothy (Phleum pratense), and tall oatgrass (Arrhenatherum elatius) were sown both in pure stands and in association with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in 1961 and 1962. They were managed as annual forage crops and compared for herbage production and palatability to grazing dairy cows.
Ryegrass, either alone or with alfalfa, was superior in yield (P < 0.01), with alfalfa contributing little to the mixture. Yields were not significantly different (P < 0.01) from ryegrass-alfalfa and orchardgrass-alfalfa in 1961. Production from the other plots, including orchardgrass-alfalfa, was statistically homogeneous (P < 0.01).
Tall oatgrass ranked highest in palatability in 1961 (P < 0.01). Ryegrass was least palatable, with considerable statistical homogeneity among treatments ranking below tall oatgrass. In 1962, however, ryegrass was comparatively acceptable and no statistical differences among treatments were noted.