NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

April 29, 1999

NDSU Study Yields Grass Recommendations for Pasture Planting

A three-year study of 25 cool-season grasses by North Dakota State University researchers is yielding improved recommendations for farmers and ranchers who want to boost production on pastures and rangeland.

"As producers establish or improve pastures, this research gives them options to tailor their grazing system to their needs," says Kevin Sedivec, the NDSU Extension Service rangeland management specialist who directed the research. "We've identified cool-season grasses that are best suited to spring, summer and fall grazing and those that work best for haying."

By matching production and quality of various grasses to forage needs and management systems, producers may be able to start grazing earlier in the spring or extend grazing longer into the fall and winter, Sedivec says. A similar study of warm-season grasses that begins this summer will help researchers round out a list of recommended grasses.

The researchers measured per acre protein production to get an indicator of both production and quality. Based on those results, Sedivec says Nordon crested wheatgrass, Regar meadow bromegrass and Bozoisky Select Russian wild rye are good choices for early season grazing. Magnar basin wild rye, Manska Pubescent wheatgrass and Nordon crested wheatgrass showed good results in the early summer months. Prairieland altai wild rye and Magnar basin wild rye yielded good protein levels through the late summer months. Altai and Russian wild rye had the highest protein production in fall and early winter months.

"Producers need to understand that all of these cool-season grasses reach peak production in July and August, but some have good production or quality earlier in the season and some have good production or quality that continues long after the peak," he says.

Basin wild rye was the top overall performer in the trials, which were conducted near NDSU's Hettinger Research Extension Center. However, Basin is susceptible to leaf rust diseases and is not recommended for use east of the Missouri River.

Researchers are continuing to analyze data on the nutrient and mineral content of the grasses. That information will highlight when there are deficient levels of protein, total digestible nutrients and minerals in all grasses which could cause nutritional imbalances, reproductive problems, suppressed immune systems and hoof problems.

Some general observations have already emerged. Sedivec said all the grasses were deficient in copper and zinc for lactating cows by mid-June. "We can't make broad recommendations based on that, but it does tell us that in southwest North Dakota, copper and zinc deficiency appear to be a problem."

Likewise, very few of the grasses contained enough protein to meet the needs of a lactating cow for the entire grazing season, emphasizing the need for supplementation programs.

Sedivec also notes that palatability was not a part of the study. "Getting cows to eat some of these grasses when you want them to could be an issue. Intake is going to be dependent on what else is available and how the grazing system is managed."

For more information on the research, contact your county office of the NDSU Extension Service.

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Source: Kevin Sedivec (701) 231-7647

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629