Cocksfoot Cv Research Articles

Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Australian Prime Lambs Grazing Lucerne and Cocksfoot Pastures Are Enhanced by Supplementation with Plant Oil Infused Pellets

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of pasture (cocksfoot cv. porto (CFP) and lucerne) and supplementation of grazing lambs with pellets with or without plant oil infusion on performance and carcass characteristics. Forty-eight White Suffolk x Corriedale first-cross weaners were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a split-plot experimental design: (1) CFP or lucerne pastures only (control); CFP or lucerne pastures supplemented with pellets infused with oil from (2) canola (CO); (3) rice bran (RBO) and (4) no oil pellets (NOP). Lucerne and CFP pastures were considered as the main plot effect, and played the role of basal pastures. Lambs grazing lucerne or CFP pastures with pellet supplementation achieved carcass weights of >22 kg at 9 weeks, which met the specific requirements of Asian and United States of America export markets. Pellet supplementation did not affect final liveweight, average daily gain, body length, withers height and chest girth of grazing lambs. Dressing percentage of lambs grazing CFP pasture with pellet supplementation and lambs grazing lucerne pasture with RBO supplementation increased compared with lambs on pasture grazing only. Although supplementing lambs on CFP pasture with CO had relatively negligible impact on feed conversion efficiency, it significantly increased over the hook trade value compared with lambs grazing CFP pasture only. In conclusion, lucerne or CFP pasture plus pellet supplementation produced lamb carcasses >22 kg suitable for the export market. CO had relatively low feed cost per unit daily gain (0.9 $AU/kg on CFP pasture and 0.6 $AU/kg on lucerne pasture) and could also be used as a tactical supplementation tool for increasing the carcass weight of lambs grazing CFP pasture.

Time of sowing and the presence of a cover-crop determine the productivity and persistence of perennial pastures in mixed farming systems

Incorporation of perennial pastures into cropping rotations can improve whole-farm productivity, profitability and sustainability of mixed farming systems in southern Australia. However, success in establishing perennial pastures depends on choice of species, time of sowing, method of establishment, seasonal conditions, and whether sowing is under a cover-crop. Field experiments were sown from 2008 to 2010 to determine effects of sowing time and the presence of a cover-crop on the performance of four perennial pasture species, lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), at Yerong Creek, New South Wales (NSW). Results showed that lucerne was the most productive pasture, followed by chicory and phalaris, with cocksfoot being the poorest performer. Under favourable seasonal conditions, lucerne and chicory pastures produced 29.3 and 25.0 t ha–1 of total dry matter (DM), comprising 71% and 52%, respectively, of sown perennial species in the sward in their second growing season, when sown in autumn. Spring-sown pastures produced 24.6 and 18.3 t ha–1 of total DM in the second season, with 55% and 47% of sown species in the sward being lucerne and chicory, respectively. However, spring-sown pastures contained a very low proportion of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) in the sward in the first 2 years, despite efforts to broadcast seeds at the break of season in the following year. It is recommended that non-legume perennial species, such as chicory and phalaris, be sown in autumn with companion annual legumes until methods are developed and tested to establish annual legumes reliably in spring. However, lucerne can be established in autumn or spring because it can fix its own nitrogen and is not reliant on a companion legume. Cocksfoot cv. Kasbah, in general, appears less suitable than the other perennial species for this medium-rainfall environment in southern NSW. Our study showed that pastures sown without a cover-crop had the most reliable establishment, whereas pastures sown with a cover-crop in a dry year had poor establishment or total failure, as well as a significant reduction of grain yield from the cover-crop. In a wet year, pastures established satisfactorily under a cover-crop; however, growth of the cover-crop still suppressed pasture DM production in subsequent years. Research is under way to model our data to determine the likely financial implications of establishing perennial pastures under cover-crops.

White clover selected for enhanced competitive ability widens the compatibility with grasses and favours the optimization of legume content and forage yield in mown clover‐grass mixtures

AbstractWhite clover‐grass mixtures should provide swards with a high dry matter (DM) yield with a clover proportion of at least 0·30. This study assessed the compatibility of one white clover variety selected for competitive ability (Giga) and four other large‐leaved clover varieties (Aran, Espanso, Fantastico and Regal) in mown binary mixtures with each of four grass companions (cocksfoot cv. Padania, hybrid ryegrass cv. AberExcel, Italian ryegrass cv. Crema, and tall fescue cv. Magno) over 3 years in northern Italy. On average, the mixtures including Giga had at least a two‐fold greater clover proportion in the total harvested DM (P < 0·01) and contained fewer weeds (P < 0·10) than those with other clover varieties, and also tended to have the highest total DM yields. On average, mixtures containing AberExcel had clover proportions of >0·25 but gave the lowest total DM yields, whereas those of Magno maximized total DM and had a higher proportion of clover than Padania or Crema. No clover × grass interaction was detected (P > 0·05). The association with Giga allowed the tall fescue‐based mixture to attain a clover proportion 0·331 along with a top‐yielding total DM. This mixture, compared with the only one without Giga that displayed a near‐sufficient clover proportion (Espanso with AberExcel), exhibited a 21·7% higher total DM (P < 0·05) and had far fewer weeds.

Survival and recovery of perennial forage grasses under prolonged Mediterranean drought: II. Water status, solute accumulation, abscisic acid concentration and accumulation of dehydrin transcripts in bases of immature leaves.

Swards of cocksfoot (cvs KM2, Lutetia) and perennial ryegrass (cvs Aurora, Vigor) were grown under full irrigation or severe (80 d) drought in a field experiment in the South of France. Responses of the bases of immature leaves plus enclosed tissues were made during the drought period and after rewatering. By the end of the drought, water content had fallen from 3·0 to 0·8 gwater g-1 dm , and osmotic potential from -1·0 to -4·5 MPa in all cvs. Measured minerals and water-soluble carbohydrates contributed, respectively, c 19 and 44% to osmotic potential in droughted leaf bases. The drought-sensitive cocksfoot cv. Lutetia was characterized by a large proportion of fructans having a low degree of polymerization (DP=3, 4). As drought progressed, accumulation of dehydrin transcripts and ABA were higher in leaf bases of the sensitive cv. Lutetia than in the resistant cv. KM2. After rewatering, the water status of immature leaf bases returned to control levels in 1-2 d, and then increased further as leaves began to grow and new tissue was produced. High-DP-fructans remained unchanged in leaf bases of 'Lutetia' but were depleted by over 55%, and therefore remobilized, in leaf bases of other cvs after 8 d. It is concluded that enclosed immature leaf bases survive drought by tolerating a low water status and that changes conventionally associated with desiccation tolerance are expressed most strongly in susceptible plants least able to maintain their water supply.

Differences between Tasmanian forage genera in the relation between in vitro and in vivo digestibility

In vivo and in vitro organic matter digestibilities (OMD's) were determined on cuts of Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass cv. Tasmanian No. I ) , Lolium perenne (long rotation ryegrass cv. Grasslands ariki), Lolium perenne x L. multiflorum (short rotation ryegrass cv. Grasslands Manawa), Lolium multiflorum (tama ryegrass cv. Grasslands Tama) Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Grasslands Apanui), Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Currie), Festuca arundinacea (tall fescue cv. Demeter), Avena sativa (oats cv., Blythe), Phalaris tuberosa (phalaris cv. Australian), Trifoleum repens (white clover cv. Grasslands Huia) Medicago sativa (lucerne cv. Hunter River), Brassica napus (rape cv. Rangi) and Brassica oleracea (kale cv. Chou moellier). Linear regressions relating in vitro and in vivo OMD were calculated for the individual generic groups. There were no significant differences between the regressions of ryegrass, cocksfoot, phalaris, oats and lucerne (P > 0.05) (group A) or between clover and brassicas (P > 0.05) (group 6). However, the combined regression for group A (y = 0.78 x + 13.0) was significantly different from that of group B (y = 0.76 x + 19.1 ) (P < 0.01 ) and both were significantly different from the fescue regression (y = 1.23 x - 24.4) (P < 0.01 ). The in vitro technique underestimated the in vivo OMD of white clover and the brassicas by about 4.5 units and over-estimated that of fescue by about 3 units, relative to the other species. These differences were not caused by a modification of the in vitro method in which final residues were collected by filtering through sintered glass crucibles rather than by centrifuging. However, the filtering method gave in vitro results averaging 7.2 per cent higher than the centrifuging method.

Gross energy levels in regrowths of six pasture species, and relations with digestibility and chemical composition

Gross energy levels and energy digestibilities were determined on 80 single species pasture samples of known dry matter digestibility. Crude protein, ash and ether extract levels were also determined. The pastures consisted of regrowths of six species, Trifolium repens (White clover cv. Grasslands Huia), Lolium perenne x multiflorum (manawa ryegrass cv. Grasslands Manawa), Lolium (multiflorum x perenne) x L. perenne (ariki ryegrass cv. Grasslands Ari ki), Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass cv. Tasmanian No. 1), Dactylis glomerata (currie cocksfoot cv. Currie) and Dactylis glomerata (apanui cocksfoot cv. Grasslands Apanui), harvested eight times between May 1969 and August 1970. The gross energy levels in pasture dry matter and pasture digestible organic matter were highest with white clover (means 4.64 and 4.98 K cal g-1) and lowest with the ryegrasses (4.50 and 4.80 K cal g-1). They were also higher in the winter (4.60 and 4.91), autumn (4.53 and 4.90) and spring (4.56 and 4.86), and lower in the summer (4.49 and 4.77). Relations between gross energy levels and chemical composition were weak. The strongest relation was with crude protein content (r = +0.41, P < 0.01). Relations of energy digestibility and digestible energy level in pasture dry matter, with dry matter digestibility had high correlations (r = +0.97, P < 0.01, and r = +0.92, P < 0.01) and were similar to previously published relations. However, seasonal differences occurred in both relations and, at low dry matter digestibilities, winter pasture had higher energy digestibilities and higher levels of digestible energy than spring-summer pasture. Species differences occurred in the latter relation and, at high dry matter digestibilities, white clover had higher levels of digestible energy than the grasses.

Digestibility and voluntary intake measurements on regrowths of six Tasmanian pasture species

Pure species swards of Trifolium repens (white clover cv. Grasslands Huia), Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass cv. Tasmanian No. I ) , Lolium perenne x L. multiflorum (short rotation ryegrass cv. Grasslands Manawa), Lolium perenne (long rotation ryegrass cv. Grasslands Ariki), Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Currie) and Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Grasslands Apanui) were mechanically cut in May, August, September-October, and November 1969, and January, March, May, and August 1970. The material from these cuts was artificially dried, and digestibilities and voluntary intakes measured using penned sheep. Overall, the digestibility and voluntary intake of white clover was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of any of the grasses, the digestibility of Apanui cocksfoot was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of the ryegrasses and there were no significant differences (P < 0.05) between the intakes of the various grasses. Under the management system used, the digestibility of the grasses remained relatively stable over the summer, autumn and winter, rose to a peak in early spring and fell in late spring after ear emergence. The digestibility of white clover remained high over the winter and early spring and declined slowly over the summer. The voluntary intakes of all the species were at their lowest levels in the winter, rose to a peak in the spring, fell in the late spring to a stable level over the summer, and fell again in the autumn. At any digestibility level, the intake of spring-summer cut pasture was approximately 20 per cent higher than that of winter cut pasture. The intake of autumn cut pasture was intermediate. The overall relation between intake (I) and digestibility (D) was I = 1.06D + 2.7 � 8.4 (P < 0.01). Within the spring-summer cuts, the relation was I = 1.01 D + 14.6 � 4.0 (P < 0.01) and within the winter cuts it was I = 1.08D - 5.9 � 4.1 (P < 0.01).

Relations between fibre and water soluble carbohydrate contents of pasture species and their digestibility and voluntary intake by sheep

Neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) levels were determined on 80 samples of known apparent dry matter digestibility (DMD) and voluntary intake of dry matter (DMI). The pastures consisted of regrowths of six species: Trifolium repens (white clover cv. Grasslands Huia), Lolium perenne x L. multiflorum (short rotation ryegrass c.v Grasslands Manawa), Lolium perenne (long rotation ryegrass cv. Grasslands Ariki), Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass cv. Tasmania No. I), Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Currie) and Dactylis glomerata (cocksfoot cv. Grasslands Apanui), cut eight times between May 1969 and August 1970. Overall, white clover had a lower NDF and a lower WSC content than the ryegrasses but both groups had similar ADF contents. Cocksfoots had higher NDF and ADF, and lower WSC contents than the ryegrasses. NDF and ADF could be used to predict the DMD of all species in all seasons with residual standard deviations (RSD) of 3.0 and 3.2 DMD units (per cent) respectively. No significant relations (P < 0.05) were present between DMD and WSC content. Seasonal differences were present in the relations between DMI and chemical composition. The RSD of the overall regressions of intake with NDF, ADF, and WSC contents were 9.3, 9.4, and 8.9 DMI units (g/day/kg0.75) respectively. Within seasons, DMI was best predicted by regressions with detergent fibre content and here the RSD had a range of 3.4 to 5.2 DMI units. Within species over all seasons, DMI was predicted best by regressions with WSC content and the RSD had a range of 5.7 to 7.9 DMI units. The usefulness of the chemical composition measurements in explaining the reason for the low intakes, previously found with winter pasture, is discussed.