Effect of Irrigation Allocation on Perennial Grass Production and Quality

Authors

• Gary W. Hergert, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension CenterFollow
• Karla H. Jenkins, University of Nebraska–LincolnFollow
• James Margheim Margheim, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center
• Alex Pavlista, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension CenterFollow
• Rex Nielsen, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension CenterFollow
• Murali Darapuneni, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension CenterFollow

Date of this Version

2014

Citation

2014 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, UNL Extension MP99, pp. 52-55.

Comments

Copyright © 2014 University of Nebraska.

Abstract

Cool-season grass mixtures and warm-season grass mixtures were evaluated in 2010, 2011, and 2012 under varying irrigation levels to determine dry matter yield, CP, and TDN for beef cattle in the Nebraska Panhandle. As a generalization, when seasonal precipitation was average, irrigation levels over 10 inches resulted in no significant increase in either grass production or quality. Cool-season grasses produced more dry matter yield and maintained greater CP and TDN than warm-season grasses. In all three years, a mixture of wheatgrasses had greater forage yield than an orchardgrass monoculture or a mixture dominated by bromegrasses. In 2010 and 2011, treatments containing switchgrass yielded more DM than a big bluestem/indiangrass mixture.