Evaluation of annual and perennial forages for late fall/early winter stockpile grazing of beef cattle in Manitoba

Abstract

The intent of this study was to evaluate the yield and nutritive value of seven annual forage species, five perennial grass and three perennial legume forage species in pure stands and binary grass-legume mixtures, in an ES (early stockpile) and LS system (late stockpile), for their potential usage for stockpile grazing of beef cows. Forage samples were cut in late October 2014 and 2015 (perennial 2015 only) for DM (dry matter) and yield calculations, which were then ground and analyzed using wet chemistry to determine nutritive value. Corn and C+O (Courtenay + Oxley II) TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) and CP (crude protein) values would meet the nutritional requirements of a dry beef cow (up to 648 kg) in the middle trimester of pregnancy. Corn and C+O on the ES system demonstrated good potential for high yield and adequate nutritive value for extending the grazing season for beef cows in Manitoba.