The evaluation of warm-season annual grasses as alternative sources of forage crops for beef cattle diets under northwestern Alberta conditions

ABSTRACT

In recent years, there has been considerable interest in growing warm-season crops in monocultures and in mixtures for beef cattle production. The objective of this investigation was to measure the forage yield and nutritive value for the beef diet of 10 C₄ and two C₃ forage-type cereal crops. Forage yield was greater (P < 0.05) for C₃ than C₄ crops. The C₄ crops generally had greater forage crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrient (TDN) values comparable to C₃ crops. Also, the C₄ crops had higher Ca, P, K, Mg, Fe, and Zn than C₃ crops. Both C₃ and C₄ crops were able to meet the requirements of CP, TDN, and minerals for a dry gestating beef cattle. Considering ease of establishment and forage yield, only four of the 10 C₄ crops [two crown millet (Panicum miliaceum) varieties (red and white proso millets) and two sorghum Sudangrass (S. bicolor × S. Sudanese) varieties (BMR and Grazex III)] would be a fit for swath grazing or pasture.

KEYWORDS:

• New forage sources
• warm season
• nutritive value
• temperate region
• beef cattle

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by the Alberta Government (through the Agricultural Opportunity Fund of the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry), and the municipal district of Fairview #136. Seed donations came from Nutrien Ag Solutions (formerly known as Dynamic Seeds) in Fairview, Imperial Seed (Winnipeg, Manitoba), and Union Forage (through Graeme Finn). The technical help by Peace Country Beef & Forage Applied Research Association staff and summer students and GPRC farm (Fairview campus) is highly appreciated.