Effect of different agronomical measures on yield and quality of autumn saved herbage during winter grazing - 1<sup>st</sup> communication: Yield and digestibility of organic matter

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to obtain information about the effect of interactions and different agronomical measures on autumn saved herbage of different sites in Central Europe (Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland). Within the different sites, the effect of the factors pre-utilisation (accumulation since June, July or August) and winter harvest date (November, December or January) on dry matter (DM) yield and digestibility of organic matter (DOM) was investigated over three consecutive years. All results were examined by analysis of variance and least-significance differences (LSD) were calculated (with P < 0.05). For all years, date of winter harvest was the most important source of variance. The highest yields were attained in November (varied from 2.3 to 0.8 t/ha), the lowest in January (from 1.5 to < 0.2 t/ha). The highest DOM concentration (from 70.4 to 52.4% of dry matter) was reached in November, and it decreased until January (from 59.6 to 35.2% of dry matter). Predominantly caused by the prevailing climatic conditions, the DM yields of the sites varied considerably during winter, showing a significance for the interaction winter harvest date × site as well as for the factor site. The utilisation of autumn saved herbage, pre-utilised in July, might be the best opportunity providing an adequate quantity and DOM for suckler cows until the end of the year, but the prevailing climatic conditions at different sites inCentral Europe finally decide on the practicability of winter grazing.