Winter feed quality of some grasses in the high country

Abstract

Feed quality of 13 grasses was compared on a dry Streamlands soil after regrowth from January, February, or March, and sampled monthly from May to September in three successive years. The grasses were: ryecorn; ‘Grasslands Kara’, ‘Grasslands Wana’, and ‘Grasslands Apanui’ cocksfoot; ‘Grasslands Nui’ and ‘Grasslands Ariki’ ryegrass; ‘Grasslands Maru’ phalaris; ‘Grasslands Roa’ and ‘Syn II’ tall fescue; ‘Grasslands Hakari’ mountain brome; ‘Grasslands Matua’ prairie grass; ‘Grasslands Tiki’ smooth brome; and Russian wildrye. Species and cultivars differed in their prewinter (May) yields, and in their loss in yield, percentage living tissue, and digestibility of living tissue throughout the winter. May yields were highest for ryecorn, cocksfoot, and ryegrass. There was a marked decline in yield of tall fescue, ryegrass, and smooth brome throughout winter. The percentage living tissue in August ranged from 80 (ryecorn) to 26% (smooth brome). The digestibility of living tissue in August was 82–70%.

Keywords:

• frosting
• digestibility
• high country
• cocksfoot
• tall fescue
• ryegrass
• phalaris
• ryecorn
• prairie grass
• mountain brome
• smooth brome