Seasonal Mass, Performance under Grazing, and Animal Preference for Irrigated Winter Cereal Forages under Continuous Stocking in a Semiarid, Subtropical Region

Abstract

Winter annual cereal forages perform well in semiarid, subtropical regions forming, a significant component of livestock operations for autumn through spring stocker cattle (Bos taurus) backgrounding in either grazeout or graze-grain systems; however, little information is available about their relative seasonal productivity and animal preference. Seasonal growth and regrowth under grazing and grazing preference of oat (Avena sativa), rye (Secale cereale), triticale (×Triticosecale rimpaui Wittm.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) were compared over two years at New Mexico State University’s Rex E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari. Seasonlong (Nov–Apr) average forage dry matter yield was rye > oat > wheat > triticale (5.03, 4.44, 3.58, and 2.79 Mg ha−1, respectively; p < 0.0001). Rye also had greater average monthly growth than the other cereals, among which there was no difference (1.58, 1.05, 0.96, and 0.85 Mg ha−1 mo−1 for rye, oat, wheat, and triticale, respectively; p < 0.0331). Growth of ungrazed cereals was reduced in mid-winter and regrowth of grazed forage did not equal removal by growing cattle. When given a preference and allowed to deplete available forage, growing cattle preferred oat followed by rye, then wheat and triticale. Regrowth of grazed forage did not differ among cereals.