Forage Quality And Utilization Of Kentucky Bluegrass Residue

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Forage Quality And Utilization Of Kentucky
Bluegrass Residue
John Holman Plant, Soil and Entomological
Sciences Carl Hunt Animal and Veterinary
Science Larry Van Tassell Agricultural Economics
and Rural Sociology
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Kentucky Bluegrass Forage Quality

• Post-seed harvest forage value
• Bale
• Graze
• Bale and graze
• Pre-seed harvest forage value (during
  fallowyear)
• Bale
• Graze
• Graze and bale

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Bluegrass Forage Quality - Analogy

• I need to come to this meeting in Spokane but my
  department head only gave me funds for gas
  (energy) to make 85 of the trip. Does that mean
  his offer is of no value to me?
• Of course not, it just means that I have to find
  funds for gas (energy) for the rest of the trip

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Nutritive value of bluegrass straw needs to be
enhanced to support a productive beef cow
Nutrient Bluegrass straw Cow requirement
ME, Mcal/lb .77 .91
Protein, 4.0 9.0
NRC (1996) requirements for a late pregnancy,
1200 lb beef cow
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Methods to Enhance Straw Quality

• Energy and protein supplementation
• Chemical modification Ammoniation
• Physical modification
• Grinding
• Pelleting

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Energy and protein supplementation

• 1200 lb cow, late gestation
• Conventional program
• 19.3 lbs grass hay (75/ton)
• 7.5 lbs alfalfa (96/ton)
• 1.08/cow/day
• Grass straw program
• 14.0 lbs grass straw (40/ton)
• 9.5 lbs alfalfa (96/ton)
• 3.4 lbs barley (102/ton)
• 0.91/cow/day

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Energy and protein supplementation

• What happens with a 10 improvement in straw
  quality?
• Grass straw program
• 14.0 lbs grass straw (40/ton)
• 9.5 lbs alfalfa (96/ton)
• 3.4 lbs barley (102/ton)
• 0.91/cow/day
• Improved straw program
• 14.0 lbs grass straw (40/ton)
• 8.1 lbs alfalfa (96/ton)
• 3.2 lbs barley (102/ton)
• 0.83/cow/day

Or, straw is worth 51.50!
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Ammoniation!!
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How does ammoniation work in the real world
Study with WSU beef herd

• Lbs of ration intake per cow per day
• No difference in performance cow weight, body
  condition, calf weight (45 day), rebreeding

Ration ingredient Ammoniated Non-ammoniated
Alfalfa hay 10.1 13.6
Bluegrass straw 20.8 19.6
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Rumen digestibility 36-h ISDMD
Same as Control (P gt 0.10)
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Pre-seed harvest forage valueWe dont know yet
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Seasonal quality and quantity of grazable forage
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Kentucky Bluegrass (KBG) Forage Study Background

• Baling is an integral component of many reduced
  and non-thermal KBG residue management
  alternatives
• Baling removes 75-80 of the post-harvest residue
  
• Proprietary types produce 1 ton/ac
• Common types produce 2 ton/ac
• Baled residue needs to be utilized for
  alternative methods of residue removal to be
  economically viable

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Kentucky Bluegrass Forage Study Objectives

• Determine if KBG can be hayed or grazed in an
  alternate year production system while
  maintaining system profitability and
  sustainability
• Quantify the decline of KBG quality post combine
• Determine if variety impacts forage quality
• Quantify stem/leaf ratio, C/N ratio, and
  elemental nutrient content
• Quantify the amount and type of nutrients
  removed with the baled residue

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Kentucky Bluegrass Forage Study Methods

• RCB design with 3 replications
• For 2 years under non-irrigated conditions at the
  WSU Turfgrass Research Site
• Varieties Kenblue, Touchdown, Ascot, and
  Limousine
• Collect KBG forage samples at boot, flowering,
  swathing, combining, and 0-21 days post
  combining
• Measure the collected samples for fiber (ADF
  NDF), crude protein, in-vitro digestibility,
  lignin content, C/N ratio, and elemental
  nutrient content

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Kentucky Bluegrass Forage Study Outcomes

• Identify the optimum time to bale post-harvest
  residue
• Identify the type and amount of nutrients
  removed with the baled residue
• Calculate the optimum time of grazing or baling
  KBG in the fallow year of the alternate year
  cropping system to maximize profitability
• Determine KBG forage quality and energy value
• Determine if KBG variety impacts forage quality
• Disseminate information to KBG growers and
  public

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