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COMPARISON OF TALL FESCUE & ORCHARDGRASS FOR GRAZING IN SOUTHERN INDIANA--FOUR YEAR SUMMARY, 1958-1961
SOUTHERN INDIANA FORAGE FARM
Research Progress Report 26 May 1962, Project 914 (Final)
R. C. Peterson, G. O. Mott, M. E. Heath and W.M. Beeson, Agronomy and Animal Sciences Departments
During the first production year for the pastures reported here, the forages were mixtures of alfalfa-tall fescue and alfalfa-orchardgrass. The alfalfa was completely eliminated from the pastures as a result of the 1957-58 severe winter heaving. Since then the pastures have consisted primarily of tall fescue and orchardgrass; thus, this report covers only the 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1961 grazing seasons.
Objectives of Experiment
The experiment was conducted over a 4-year period to obtain the following information:
1.	To compare the production of tall fescue and orchardgrass in terms of average daily gain of yearling Hereford steers and heifers, carrying capacity and beef production per acre.
2.	To determine the effect of sod seeding a cereal in tall fescue and orchardgrass sod upon the seasonal yield and the total production of the perennial sods.
3.	To determine the increase in production due to nitrogen (N) fertilizer. ,
The Experimental Pastures
The pastures used in this experiment (see map next page) are about 2 acres in size, which usually provide sufficient forage for two tester animals. There are 24 pas-
tures in the experiment, 12 of which consist of a pure stand of Alta fescue and 12 a sod of commercial orchardgrass. Six of the 12 pastures of each species are sod-seeded each year about mid-September with 5 pecks per acre of Dual wheat. All pastures received an application of 200 pounds of 5-20-20 fertilizer per acre at the time of sod-seeding.
Two out of each group of six pastures received no additional nitrogen, two received ammonium nitrate at the rate of 75 pounds of nitrogen per acre and two at the rate of 150 pounds nitrogen per acre. Half the designated amount was applied at the time the wheat was sod-seeded, and the remaining increment was applied during the second or third week of the following April.
All pastures were divided into three equal subdivisions and grazed under a rotational system.
The Experimental Animals
Yearling Hereford steers and heifers which were "dropped" and "grown out" on the Forage Farm were used as experimental animals. These cattle averaged 14 months of age and weighed about 600 pounds when they were placed on the grazing trial. All animals were weighed every 28 days. A mineral mixture consisting of 2 parts steamed bonemeal and 1 part cobalt-iodized salt as well as cobalt-iodized salt by itself were fed free choice.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana