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1669
WS Evaluation of Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) as a forage option for grazing beef cattle in the Southern High Plains
In order to assess the potential of Erogrostis tef to provide a late summer supply of forage for livestock production in the Southern High Plains, four 2.66 ha paddocks equipped with subsurface drip irrigation were seeded with Eragrostis tef (‘Tiffany’ teff) at a rate of 3.72 kg/ha. Each paddocks was stocked with commercial beef steers (n = 5; 289 ± 30.38 kg initial shrunk BW) at 51 d post-seeding resulting in an initial forage allowance of 202 kg DM/100 kg BW. Weekly samples of whole plant and canopy structure were obtained to describe DM, OM, and fiber concentrations. Appropriate sample height of canopy for the purposes of estimating selection quality was determined at the most proximal grazing site to each quadrat toss by recognition of a tiller with at least one leaf possessing the flat defoliation pattern characteristic of an ungulate bite. Biweekly samples included analysis of CP and IVTD. Leaf percentage of entire plant was quantified at 21 d intervals. Available DM and OM peaked at day 28 and was lowest at day 56 (P < 0.01). Whole plant and canopy DM (P < 0.01), OM (P < 0.01), NDF (P < 0.01), ADF (P < 0.01), and CP (P < 0.01) differed by day. Only in vitro true digestibility was not affected by maturation of either whole plant (P = 0.12) or canopy structure (P = 0.61). Leaf proportion of whole plant structure aligned with times of peak forage mass availability (P < 0.01). Teff grass stocked at a moderate rate with growing beef calves achieved adequate production with minimal inputs forage with minimal inputs to provide a quality forage base for approximately two months of grazing in the Southern High Plains.
Keywords:
digestibility, forage quality, grazing, teff, water