Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses
Abstract Background Mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) increase herbage intake in grazing cattle. We hypothesized that BFT spatially separated from grasses would increase preferential grazing of BFT and herbage intake compared to grass and BFT in mixed rows. Methods Binary mixtures of BFT were es...
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Wiley
2024-09-01
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| Series: | Grassland Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.12094 |
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| author | Michael D. Peel Blair L. Waldron Jacob T. Briscoe Marcus F. Rose S. Clay Isom Kara J. Thornton Jacob A. Hadfield Kerry A. Rood J. Earl Creech |
| author_facet | Michael D. Peel Blair L. Waldron Jacob T. Briscoe Marcus F. Rose S. Clay Isom Kara J. Thornton Jacob A. Hadfield Kerry A. Rood J. Earl Creech |
| author_sort | Michael D. Peel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) increase herbage intake in grazing cattle. We hypothesized that BFT spatially separated from grasses would increase preferential grazing of BFT and herbage intake compared to grass and BFT in mixed rows. Methods Binary mixtures of BFT were established with orchardgrass, meadow bromegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass in alternating and in mixed rows. Pastures were rotationally stocked with Jersey heifers, and herbage mass, intake, and preferential grazing were estimated. Results Planting BFT in alternating rows did not affect herbage mass, intake, or BFT preference. Regardless of spatial arrangement, pasture production averaged 4116 kg ha−1 per rotation, of which 32% was BFT. BFT comprised 39% of herbage intake in alternating and mixed rows, 7% greater (p = 0.001) than offered, indicating partial preference for BFT. Greatest preferential grazing of BFT was in tall fescue and orchardgrass mixtures, but less than commonly reported for legumes grown in more contrasting spatial arrangements with cool‐season grasses. Conclusions Grazing heifers showed partial preference for BFT over grass. However, the lack of an effect of spatial arrangement on herbage mass, herbage intake, and diet preference indicates that spatial arrangements greater than alternating rows may be needed to increase overall herbage intake. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-053c4c8471954b63ae76dbf16ac414a8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2097-051X 2770-1743 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Grassland Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-053c4c8471954b63ae76dbf16ac414a82025-08-20T01:47:50ZengWileyGrassland Research2097-051X2770-17432024-09-013321922910.1002/glr2.12094Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grassesMichael D. Peel0Blair L. Waldron1Jacob T. Briscoe2Marcus F. Rose3S. Clay Isom4Kara J. Thornton5Jacob A. Hadfield6Kerry A. Rood7J. Earl Creech8USDA Agricultural Research Service Forage and Range Research Laboratory Logan Utah USAUSDA Agricultural Research Service Forage and Range Research Laboratory Logan Utah USAPlants, Soils, and Climate Department Utah State University Logan Utah USAPlants, Soils, and Climate Department Utah State University Logan Utah USAAnimal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department Utah State University Logan Utah USAAnimal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences Department Utah State University Logan Utah USAPlants, Soils, and Climate Department Utah State University Logan Utah USACollege of Veterinary Medicine Utah State University Logan Utah USAPlants, Soils, and Climate Department Utah State University Logan Utah USAAbstract Background Mixtures with birdsfoot trefoil (BFT) increase herbage intake in grazing cattle. We hypothesized that BFT spatially separated from grasses would increase preferential grazing of BFT and herbage intake compared to grass and BFT in mixed rows. Methods Binary mixtures of BFT were established with orchardgrass, meadow bromegrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass in alternating and in mixed rows. Pastures were rotationally stocked with Jersey heifers, and herbage mass, intake, and preferential grazing were estimated. Results Planting BFT in alternating rows did not affect herbage mass, intake, or BFT preference. Regardless of spatial arrangement, pasture production averaged 4116 kg ha−1 per rotation, of which 32% was BFT. BFT comprised 39% of herbage intake in alternating and mixed rows, 7% greater (p = 0.001) than offered, indicating partial preference for BFT. Greatest preferential grazing of BFT was in tall fescue and orchardgrass mixtures, but less than commonly reported for legumes grown in more contrasting spatial arrangements with cool‐season grasses. Conclusions Grazing heifers showed partial preference for BFT over grass. However, the lack of an effect of spatial arrangement on herbage mass, herbage intake, and diet preference indicates that spatial arrangements greater than alternating rows may be needed to increase overall herbage intake.https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.12094cattlediet selectiondry‐matter intakelegumeorchardgrassperennial ryegrass |
| spellingShingle | Michael D. Peel Blair L. Waldron Jacob T. Briscoe Marcus F. Rose S. Clay Isom Kara J. Thornton Jacob A. Hadfield Kerry A. Rood J. Earl Creech Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses Grassland Research cattle diet selection dry‐matter intake legume orchardgrass perennial ryegrass |
| title | Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses |
| title_full | Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses |
| title_fullStr | Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses |
| title_short | Intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool‐season grasses |
| title_sort | intake and diet preference of dairy heifers grazing mixed or alternating rows of birdsfoot trefoil and cool season grasses |
| topic | cattle diet selection dry‐matter intake legume orchardgrass perennial ryegrass |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.12094 |
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