Comparison of Beef Cattle Performance and Forage Characteristics for Alfalfa or Tall Fescue-Red Clover in a Rotational Grazing System

Abstract

Cow-calf performance and diet composition were compared between established alfalfa and tall fescue-red clover pastures in a rotational grazing system. Eighty cow-calf pairs were randomly allotted to the two dietary mixtures with three replications. Each of the six pastures was subdivided using a six-paddock rotation so that the paddocks were grazed for 6 d and rested for 30 d throughout the 121-d trial. Put-and-take animals were used to evaluate stocking rate. One ruminally fistulated cow was used in each of the six pastures to determine composition of grazed forage from reticulorumen evacuation at the beginning and end of grazing in paddock 1 (on d 0, 6, 36, 42, 72, 78, 108 and 114). Both treatments sustained similar stocking rates. Cow gain and body condition score change were not different due to treatments (P>0.10). However, weight gains of calves grazing alfalfa were 11.5% higher (P<0.05) than those of calves grazing tall fescue-red clover. Calf gain per hectare for the alfalfa pastures also tended to be higher (P=0.15) than that for tall fescue-red clover. This was due to the improved calf performance on alfalfa with similar stocking rates. Alfalfa was lower in NDF and ADF (P<0.05), and higher in CP at the beginning of grazing (P<0.05). After grazing, alfalfa was lower in NDF and higher in CP (P<0.05). Both alfalfa and tall fescue-red clover effectively maintained cow performance, whereas the alfalfa resulted in improved calf gain.