Funded by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR)
This project screened perennial forage grasses, legumes, and mixtures for productivity, adaptation, and water use efficiency in strengthening drought survival strategies of perennial forages in the heavy clay soil type of the Peace Country region.
What we did
The trial was conducted at the Debolt site in the MD of Greenview. In total, 24 straight grass varieties, 20 straight legume varieties (including alfalfa and sainfoin) and 15 grass/legume mixtures (simple to complex mixtures) were screened.
The list of grass species and varieties and mixtures screened for the trial are shown in Table 34.
What we found out
Grasses
Results obtained from screening perennial forage grasses for the first production year (2022) in Debolt are shown in Tables 35a,b,c.
Total dry matter (DM) forage yields for grasses differed significantly and ranged between 600 – 6,000 lbs/acre. Higher DM yields were obtained for first cut compared to second cut with ranges of between 6% to 46% of first cut total yields. MBA Meadow brome, AC Knowles Bromegrass and Fleet Meadow Brome produced the highest DM yields in the first cut. Crude protein (CP) also varied significantly between grass varieties and between cuts with mostly higher contents observed for the second cut compared to the first cut. Fibre (NDF and ADF) contents varied significantly between grass varieties. There were generally higher values in the first cut compared to the second cut. Energy values on the first cut ranged from 61.3% - 68.2% and for the second cut from 61.4% - 71.3% and reflected the general higher fibre values obtained in the first cut compared to the second cut. The macro minerals (Ca, P, K, Mg and Na) all varied significantly between grass varieties and across the two cuts with mostly higher contents observed in the second cut samples compared to the first cut samples. Ranges of 0.3 - 1.4 % (Ca), 0.1 - 0.28 % (P), 1.53 - 3.11 % (K), 0.10 - 0.50 % (Mg) were obtained. Micro minerals (Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn) also varied significantly between grass varieties and cuts with mostly higher contents in the second compared to the first. A significant variety by cut interaction observed for most of the yield and quality attributes indicates that different varieties behaved differently with cut.
Legumes
Results obtained from the screening of the 20 different legume species and varieties are shown in Tables 36a,b. Total DM forage yields varied significantly between legume species and varieties and across two cuts. Alfalfa varieties out yielded other legumes (sainfoin, cicer milkvetch and birdsfoot trefoil). The following alfalfa varieties: Algonquin, Boost HG, Trueman and Assalt produced more than 5,000 lbs/acre of forage dry matter across two cuts. Generally, higher dry matter yields were obtained in the first cut compared to the second cut. Crude protein values were high and varied significantly between legume species/varieties with most alfalfa varieties having higher CP contents compared to the other 3 legume species. A significant cut effect on fibre (NDF and ADF) contents was observed with higher values for the first compared to the second cut. This interestingly, did not influence energy values as there were no significant differences between species and varieties and across cuts. All macro minerals (Ca, P, K, Mg and Na) varied significantly between legume species and varieties and from the first to the second cut. Ca and K contents of the legumes were relatively high and ranged from 1.3% - 2.8% and 1.58% - 2.62% respectively while P values were low and ranged from 0.13% - 0.33%. Micromineral contents of the legume forage varied significantly between species and varieties and across cuts (except for Mn).
Mixtures
Results obtained for screening the different forage mixtures for the first production year (2022) are shown in Tables 37a,b,c. Total DM forage yields ranged from 1,660 to 6,500 lbs/acre and varied significantly between mixtures as well as between cuts. Generally, higher yields were obtained for the first cut compared to the second cut. LegumeMaster yielded almost 40% of the first cut yields in the second cut while Grass Mix 20% yielded just about 7% of first cut yields. Crude protein values obtained for various mixtures were relatively high averaging 13.6% and 14.0% in the first cut and second cut respectively. Fibre contents (NDF and ADF) were mostly higher in the first cut compared to the second cut and reflected the higher energy content observed in the second cut samples compared to the first cut. Energy values for all mixtures were > 60.0%. A significant effect of the mixture, as well as cut, was observed in the macromineral concentration in the various mixtures with ranges of 0.3% - 2.5% for Ca, 0.12% - 0.27% for P, 1.4% - 2.7% for K, 0.11% - 0.37% for Mg. Similar effects (significant mixture and cut effects and higher second cut values compared to first cut) to that for macrominerals were observed for the micromineral concentrations in mixtures. Ranges of 2ppm - 10ppm for Cu, 83ppm - 944ppm for Fe, 10.8ppm - 41.7ppm for Zn, 25ppm - 100ppm for Mn were obtained between species and cuts.
In conclusion, perennial grasses yielded far better in the first cut compared to the second cut, highlighting the need to go in just for one cut for perennial grasses under the Peace Country conditions. High yielders amongst the tested varieties were mostly from the brome family of grasses. Most of the tested grasses were moderately high in protein contents and relatively high in energy contents. Mixtures also showed higher first cut yields compared to second cut yields which is the same as the perennial grasses above though some mixtures (LegumeMaster Mix, Haygraze Forage Mixture and HayMix #1 Golden Acres) showed relatively high second cut yields. For the perennial legumes, alfalfa varieties out yielded all the other 3 legume species (sainfoin, cicer milkvetch and birdsfoot trefoil), thus living up to its billing as ‘queen of the legumes’. Here comparable yields were obtained between two cuts for most of the alfalfa varieties but not for the other legume species. For perennial legumes, a second cut may be recommended for alfalfa but not for the other legume species and varieties.
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