Yields of protein extracted from irrigated lucerne

Abstract

Abstract When grown under irrigation in Canterbury, New Zealand, lucerne whole herbage gave total nitrogen yields and leaf and stem percentages which were similar for 5-weekJy (preflowering) harvests and early-flowenng harvests. Yields of extractable protem were also similar. although total herbage dry-matter yields were significantly higher from the longer intervals between harvests (195q kg/ha protein from 17 200 kg/ha dry herbage at preflowenng stage; 1880 kg/ha protem from 21 340 kg/ha dry herbage at early-flowering stage). Extractable protein yielded by herbage cut at 4-weekly intervals to a stubble of 10 em length was similar to that obtained from a crop cut less frequently and to a shorter stubble. Total N yield of lucerne was higher when the crop was grazed at 5-weekly intervals than when it was cut at the same mtervals. The yield of extractable protein from a treatment which was cut at 5-weekly intervals, then stocked. with sheep fed chopped green lucerne ad lib. on the. same area for the subsequ...