When considering what to use as cattle feed, it is important to choose the best grass that suits your animal’s needs. This article will review several popular choices, including bahiagrass, Tifton 85, Pensacola, Argentine, and Sudan grass. Then, choose from these alternatives based on your animal’s specific nutritional needs. The best grass for cattle feed will vary from operation to operation, so make sure to research the various types and their nutritional benefits before choosing a specific variety for your cattle.
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bahiagrass
If you’re considering growing bahiagrass as a forage crop, you’ll be glad to know that the plant is able to grow in poor soil conditions. This makes it a great choice for both permanent pasture and hay. It grows up to 25 inches tall and can be planted at a rate of fifteen to twenty pounds per acre (ppa) broadcast into the seedbed. Depending on the cultivar, it can reach yields of 50 to 56% TDN.
While it has good growth potential and is easy to grow, bahiagrass does have low nutritional value compared to other plants. For this reason, it is not an optimal choice for cattle feed. Its low nutritional value makes it inappropriate for high-maintenance livestock. However, it can be managed with proper tillage and clipping. It is also tolerant to severe defoliation.
Tifton 85
The Tifton 85 cultivar is among the most widely used pasture plants. Tifton 85 has been known to produce cyanide under certain environmental conditions. This herbicide has been blamed for livestock deaths due to bloat and Prussic Acid Poisoning. In June 2012, 15 cattle died after consuming a Tifton 85-based feed. Despite this, the cattle had been fed this grass for fifteen years without problems.
Tifton 85 is easy to establish and has excellent drought tolerance. In addition, cattle have shown good performance on this grass. There have been millions of cattle grazing this grass without incident. In fact, most experts recommend mixing grass hay with alfalfa. Although alfalfa is beneficial for dairy cows, it can cause bloat in beef cattle. Another excellent choice for cattle is legume hay, which is rich in protein.
Pensacola
Bahiagrass is a perennial grass native to Florida. This grass has long, narrow leaves and tall seed stalks that produce early. It also does well in areas with less fertile soils and poor pasture management. The grass is also tolerant of foot traffic and does not produce excessive thatch. The downside is that it is susceptible to ergot infections, so keep that in mind when selecting this grass for your pasture.
Bermudagrass cultivars can be adapted to local conditions, so it’s important to consider the climate and site conditions before selecting one for your cattle. Bermudagrass cultivars vary in growth habit, ploidy level, and forage production. Tetraploids are more productive and have fewer seed heads, but they are slower to establish and less cold-tolerant. If you have a temperate climate, you’ll want to choose a cultivar with a low ploidy level, and one that’s drought-tolerant.
Argentine
The use of Argentine grass for cattle feed is not new in Argentina. The plant is one of the richest grasslands in the world, with up to 200 species per hectare. Historically, the Pampas ecosystem attracted hundreds of species of birds and unique wildlife. Unfortunately, intensive agriculture is destroying the region’s unique biodiversity. This makes the process of converting it into premium Pampas beef a steep uphill battle. American rancher Mike Skowronek is one of the few who is trying to make the switch.
Since his boyhood, Tomas Leclercq has been working with cattle. He says that beef from Argentina is lean because cattle were raised on grassy plains. Today, much of Argentina’s ranchland is replaced with corn, soybean, and wheat fields. Meanwhile, commodity prices have skyrocketed. One third of the country’s 15 million cattle will fatten in feedlots. As more people turn to grass for cattle feed, Argentine beef may be the next best thing.
Riata
The ‘Riata’ Bermudagrass blend is a superior choice for confined livestock. It offers excellent traffic tolerance and highly palatable forage. It is also less expensive than other varieties, making it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications. It is also a good choice for heavily used areas because it grows well in colder climates. Read on to learn more about this grass. This article explains the differences between the two varieties.
UF-Riata is the highest yielding bahiagrass cultivar on the market. It can be planted farther north than other varieties and is bred for earlier Spring and late Fall growth, offering superior summer forage yields. This grass also has an extended growing season and does not photosensitive to short daylight periods. UF-Riata is available only from Ragan & Massey.
