Forage seed mixtures adapted to the number of cuts per season

Abstract

Dry matter (DM) yields, concentrations of metabolisable energy (ME), and crude protein (CP) of forages are all important on a dairy farm. This study examined DM yield and concentrations of ME and CP of forage mixtures of early or late maturing cultivars. Three mixtures were used in a randomised block design at Rådde, Länghem, Sweden, for three years. The field trial results were used to calculate silage production costs and diet costs at 38 kg ECM day–1. Mixtures of late maturing cultivars of timothy, red clover and white clover harvested three times resulted in similar yields of DM, ME and CP and concentrations of ME and CP as a forage mixture of earlier maturing cultivars of timothy, meadow fescue, perennial ryegrass, red clover and white clover harvested four times. When comparing number of cuts, four cuts resulted in higher concentrations of ME (+0.35 MJ (kg DM)–1) and CP (+20 g (kg DM)–1) and larger CP yields (+150 kg ha–1) compared to three cuts (P<0.05). Lower machinery costs resulted in lower production costs, but the lower nutritional content of the forage resulted in higher diet costs for three cuts compared to four cuts.

Keywords

cultivars; forage mixtures; number of cuts; nutrient composition; yield; diet cost

Published in

Grassland Science in Europe
2024, number: 29, pages: 597-599
Title: Why grasslands? : Proceedings of the 30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation Leeuwarden, the Netherlands 9-13 June 2024
Publisher: Organising Committee of the 30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation

Conference

30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation Leeuwarden, the Netherlands 9-13 June 2024

SLU Authors

• Holmström, Kristina

  • Hushållningssällskapet Sjuhärad

• Nadeau, Elisabet

  • Department of Applied Animal Science and Welfare, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Hushållningssällskapet Sjuhärad

UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science
Animal and Dairy Science

Publication identifier

• eISBN: 978-90-903-8494-8

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/139973