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Principles of Grazing bP C.T. {bvftitL Part i~ a s ~rir, oFK+/r Continued Irom PRRT I Iea fured in our February issue. Rest duration summer. Growing conditions during The length of the rest period of mid-summer may accelerate crop grazed alfalfa or alfalfa grass pastures maturity requiring grazing of al(al Fa is similar to that recommended for at low yields per acre end with a low harvested crops. During periods o(ac- canopy height. As a consequence, five growth the rest period is deter- more oI the available herbage is below mined by lal the beginning of (lower- the height That limbs intake. ing, or lbl the presence of new crown Limitations of Alfalfa in shoals, orlc)lodging, or till infestation Grazing Systems ofalfalfa weevil or potato leaf hopper, Alfalfa requires a higher intensity oL or le( stress level (such es (hat from ~mana ement than most permanent water deficit or inadequate nutrilio grassland b n the rewar =.re c (hat tend to shorten the rest period by greate~ gly alfalfa does accelerating maturityl. In typical est on the best soils. It may perform years this works out to a 4 l0 5 week poorly on many poorer soils. Ac[ive~ rest period for moss varieties. Longer growth virtually ceases with the first rest periods are necessary when x4F frost in the tall and spring growth growth is slaw or alfalfa management really does not impress until mid- call tar it (eg. first spring grazing, lass April. The tap root of alfalfa helps it grazing in fall(. to survive and produce during dry The (unction of the rest or recovery summers but it is not particularly et- period is to restore the physiological (active in rave osion. n status of the crown end taproot. Car- ero a ' s h erosion otentiel i bohydrate, surplus to the developing - e uced if orwe= = rh a= i•it r°°^• ° stem, is exported from the stem to the ~ or or the crown and tap root where cells are ~ a Falfa. Pala grass pastures should he maintained and ezcess energy are grazed according to management for stores Jas starchl~ Concurrently new pure alfalfa. crown buds are formed and placed in The seasonal productivity of alfalfa reserve as each new stem grows. limits grazing to about seven months Short rest periods reduce root at a maximum. It nitrogen-fertilized reserves, the number of crown buds stockpiled endophyte-free tall fescue and the potential o(Ihe crown and tap pastures are available in the fall 2 Ib root to slave off diseases and other ADC could be sustained up till the stresses as well as encourage weeds. end of December provided stockpiles Eslahlished alfalfa and alfalfa grass are managed properly. Nitrogen (er- stands can sustain a certain level of tilized fall fescue pastures could also mismanagement if herd nutrition is be used for early spring grazing critical. Grazing end culling too Ire- before alfalfa stands are ready. quently, however, almost certainly Stocker management January Through reduces the population and size of March requires use of conserved alfalfa plants and weakens the stand. forage. Surplus al(alia and tall fescue Ulilizelion during spring end early summer High average daily gains and high should go a long way to till this void yields o(liveweight gain per acre are it made info quality hay. Feeding out achievable (or sustained periods in should take place on fields designated slacker systems it alfalfa is grazed for spring cultivation or permanent properly. Average daily gains in ex- pastures, but never on alfalfa stands. cess o(2 Ib are passible provided Alfalfa as a Quality Forage stockers are not forced to consume all Alfalfa "on Ih slump" is probably oldie available forage. Research at the the bust forage in terms o(hoth yield University e(Kentucky indicates that and quality i( grazed at the ap~ slackers can graze alfalfa down to ti~a propriate stage. Alfalfa is characleriz- inches hefore intake is greatly a(- ed by High concentrations of both (acted. 1(al(al(a is grazed al the tor- energy and protein. Cell walls of tact stage the residue consists of the stems and leaves are not readily Nasal stems that are decidely un- digested but they account for a much palatable, often rejected and not par- smaller fraction of the herbage than licularly nutritious. Forcing animals they do in grasses. Fresh alfalfa has to eat them reduces their intake aiid- a high proportion of the highly performance. New 'Lealand research digestible cell contents and These svuh yearling steers indicates Thal make a great contribution to its hveweighl gams of 2 Ih per Jay can nve rail quality. Anol her (actor be achieved with ulJization o(7p oor recognized as an indmalur of the less o(availahle forage. Accord mg W quality u( al (alto is Thai the ingested other research and dry matter leaves and stems are small and small allmvance ut 3°'o u( li veweighl can pa rtides hove yuid.er passage sustain average daily gains c( this through the gastrointestinal Iraq order. New ZealonJ research also in- Muth the small panu.le situ and Ihr dILdIL'S that nIIIIGJilnii U( aS littl' a5 IV\C hl npnrllnll nl I,[II Wall] InCdll lhil 7UY of available forage may be need the rumen empties ywckly aud Ibe ed to achieve these gains in mid- animal can resume eating soenenhar Minch, 19a] d would on forages of poorer quality. Tha intake of plan) protein of a' grazing animal will almost always ex-: teed its rumen degradable protein re- quirement. Ninety-five percent or so of the protein in grazed alfalfa is degraded in the rumen end the excess nitrogen excreted in the urine. If sup- plements are considered for animals grazing al[alfa they should he energy-rich. Potential Problems Associated with Grazing Alfelfe Although alfalfa may be maintain- ed as a permanent pasture under pro- per grazing management its growth habit forces farmer ~ tionaL ate ~~h~=. It also requires the supply of mineral mixes for alfalfa is notoriously deficient in sodium. IE oat does not seem to be a serious pro- mf~C^w° ' ^rsa hermOlles ere pe[- ticularly high in alfalfa with severe (otter diseases. National Alfalfa Symposium Scheduled for Atlanta The 17th National Alfalfa Sym. ppeium will be held at the Manion Gwinnett Plata in Atlanta on March 17th. The symposium will focus on the growing end use of alfalfa as a hay end grazing crop in the Southeastern United States. This is the first lime the sym- posium has ever focused speciCmal- ly on the Southeast. The program will Iealure topics such as using Altal(a as a stocker grazing crop, no-till establishment in sods, end marketing Alfalfa hay in the Southeast. A producer totem of Southeastern grass farmers who have found Alfalfa to [it into their various operations will conclude the symposium. . A Sto registration fee to be paid at the symposium will cover refreshments, meal, proceedings and program. All grass farmers in- from: The Stockman Grass Farmer 44(3); 15. March 1987 ~~~ • ~ •VVVx.rMaaLGV Va VaaV ~~./VV Southeastern GVVrazing Conference If you were unable to attend the 1986 Grazing Conference held at Hinds ]r. College or did attend but simply would like the pro- ceedings for reference, they are now available for $24.95 per copy. The proceedings includes information on the following subjects: "CONTROLLED GRAZING ON FESCUE AND CLOVER" "USING BROILER LITTER AS A FEED SOURCE" "CONTROLLED GRAZING ON FESCUE AND BERMUDA GRASS WITH COW/CAIF" "NIGN MOISTURE FORAGE SYSTEMS" "CONTROLLED GRAZING ON RYEGRASS AND CLOVER" "RETHINKING YOUR GRAZING PRACTICES FOR THE SOUTHERN CLIMATE" "INTEGRATING PINE TREES INTO AN INTENSIVELY MANAGED GRASS FARM" "RUNNING A SEEDSTOCK OPERATION ENTIRELY ON GRASS" To receive your copy, fill in the order forth below and return to- day with your check. Proceedings will be shipped by March I5. Our apologies (or the delay. Name Address City State - Zip Please send me copy(ies) of the 1986 GRAZING CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS Make checks payable to THE sTOCRNAN GRASS PARl9ER. Mail orders io P O. BOX 9607, JACKSON. MS 39206. the hioctman lriarr rrumo ,a /~f