COMMODITY: FORAGE CROPS

TITLE: Management of Annual Ryegrass and Cereal Rye In Winter Pastures

CONTACT: Dr. Marcus Eichhorn, Forage Agronomist, Hill Farm Research Station (318) 927-2578

TAKE HOME MESSAGE: When planted mid-October into bermudagrass sod, mid-February to mid-April forage yields of sod-seeded cereal rye were similar to sod-seeded cereal rye plus over-seeded annual ryegrass combination. Seasonal forage yields were not affected by increasing sod-seeded rates of cereal rye from 90 to 120 lb/A. Two plantings made in 6.5-inch parallel or 13-inch perpendicular rows out-yielded a single planting made in 13-inch parallel rows at an additional cost of $12.00/A or 2.3 cents/lb of forage per acre. Neither planting method nor seeding rate in bermudagrass sod provided sufficient forage to initiate livestock grazing prior to mid-February.
 
PROBLEM / TOPIC: In north Louisiana, the majority of the acreage planted annually to annual ryegrass and cereal rye is planted in bermudagrass pastures for grazing cattle. Following summer droughts, there is often a need to expand plantings of these cool-season grasses into bermudagrass hay meadows that failed to produce sufficient hay for winter feeding. This research was undertaken for the purpose of developing cultural management practices that will produce maximum economic yields from bermudagrass sod plantings of annual ryegrass and cereal rye.

ACTION: A cultural study was initiated in the fall of 1996 on a mixed common-Coastal bermudagrass meadow typical of hill land in the Coastal Plain of north Louisiana. All forage crops were planted in mid-October and harvested monthly from mid February through mid-May. Seasonal forage yields from recommended seeding rates of sod-seeded cereal rye at 90 lb/A over-seeded with annual ryegrass at 30 lb/A were compared with those from sod-seeded cereal rye planted alone at seeding rates of 90 lb and 120 lb/A. In addition, three sod planting methods were used for planting cereal rye; a) parallel row spaced 13 inches apart, b) perpendicular rows spaced 13 inches apart, and c) parallel rows spaced 6.5 inches apart.
 

IMPACT: On the basis of this preliminary research, livestock producers will be advised that planting annual ryegrass over a bermudagrass sod-seeded planting of cereal rye will not increase forage production for grazing livestock above that of a sod-seeded planting of cereal rye alone during the winter and early spring growing season. Mid-spring yields, mid-April to May, will be higher provided abundant rainfall is present. Increasing the seeding rate of sod-seeded cereal rye planted alone, from 90 lb to 120 lb/A, will have little, if any, effect on seasonal forage yields. Sod-seeding half of the cereal rye planting rates in 13-inch spaced parallel rows, and the other half of the seeding rates in either 13-inch rows parallel to or perpendicular across to decrease row spacing over all from 13-inch to 6.5 inches will produce similar seasonal yields. However, the yields for each method of planting will be higher than those of seeding rates planted one time in 13-inch spaced parallel rows. The costs of planting a second time for the additional yield may not be cost effective.

TITLE: Poultry Litter-An Alternative For Commercial Fertilizer On Annual Ryegrass Production

CONTACT: Dr. Marcus Eichhorn, Forage Agronomist, Hill Farm Research Station (318) 927-2578
 
TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Livestock producers within the proximity of poultry producers should consider poultry litter use as an alternative for commercial fertilizer on pastures intended for annual ryegrass production on prepared seedbeds. Where soil-incorporated (disked-in) rates of nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and sulfur as stacked broiler litter were compared with those of commercial fertilizer prior to planting annual ryegrass seed, stacked broiler litter was more cost effective than commercial fertilizer for annual ryegrass production.

PROBLEM / TOPIC: Recent expansions in the poultry industry of north Louisiana has provided many cattle producers an opportunity to use stacked broiler litter manure as an alternative to commercial inorganic fertilizer. In view that more than 30,000 acres of annual ryegrass are planted annually for grazing, baleage, and/or hay by livestock producers, a fertilizer study was initiated at this location to determine the beneficial effects of broiler litter manure as an alternative source of fertilizer for annual ryegrass production.

ACTION: A fertility study was initiated in the fall of 1996 on a typical upland Coastal Plain fine sandy loam soil. Annual ryegrass was managed to simulate forage production on pastures. Forage yields and quality, concentrations and uptakes of macro and micro nutrients, and heavy metals by forage were determined for 2 years in the presence of soil-incorporated rates of stacked broiler at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 ton/A and commercial fertilizer equivalent rates of N-P₂O₅-K₂0-S as 18-9-14-3 at 0, .2, .4, .6, .8, 1.2, and 1.6 ton/A. Effects of annual ryegrass cropping and soil-incorporated rates of broiler litter and commercial fertilizer on the fertility status of the soil were also determined.
 
IMPACT: Poultry litter manure is a renewable fertilizer resource that contains all of the plant nutrients required for plant growth and reproduction. In north Louisiana, more than 59,000 tons of poultry litter are generated annually by flocks in broiler houses. Nearly all of this manure is surface applied on pastures and hay meadows while runoff water from these pastures may be a significant carrier of pollutants that impair the designated use of area water bodies. Soil-incorporation of manure reduces the potential for runoff water pollution of water bodies. The majority of livestock producers in north Louisiana plant some acreage in annual ryegrass for grazing livestock and producing baleage, silage, and/or hay. Nearly all producers apply commercial inorganic fertilizers to produce the crop, the cost of which, increases nearly every year. Over the past 2 years of this study, yield of annual ryegrass optimized where 4 ton/A of stacked broiler litter was soil-incorporated each year prior to planting annual ryegrass at a litter cost of $44.00/A/year while yield of soil-incorporated commercial fertilizer optimized at .6 ton 18-9-14-3/A/year at an annual cost of $122.03/A/year. Thus, use of the litter was 2.7 times more cost effective than commercial fertilizer when both were soil-incorporated. Results of the study also showed that no appreciable soil-buildup of phosphorus occurred where yield optimized in the presence of either the applied broiler litter or commercial fertilizer thereby minimizing the potential for phosphorus pollution of water bodies as runoff or ground water.

COMMODITY: FORAGE CROPS

TITLE: Performance of Bermudagrass and Bahiagrass Varieties

CONTACT: Dr. Marcus Eichhorn, Forage Agronomist, Hill Farm Research Station (318) 927-2578
 
TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Yields among bermudagrass varieties, highest to lowest, were Jiggs = Russell = Whitney followed by Coastal, Common, and World Feeder while forage quality, highest to lowest, was Jiggs = Coastal = Common = World Feeder followed by Russell = Whitney. Yields of Tifton 9 and Pensacola bahiagrass were not different; each produced higher yield than Argentine bahiagrass. Forage quality was not different among bahiagrass varieties. Jiggs, Russell, Coastal, and Whitney out-performed World Feeder bermudagrass and all varieties of bahiagrass managed for hay production.

PROBLEM / TOPIC: World Feeder bermudagrass and Tifton 9 bahiagrass have received wide publicity in the farm press while Jiggs bermudagrass has become popular among livestock producers in east Texas. The performance of neither variety had been evaluated at this location. This research was undertaken to find answers to questions posed by numerous livestock producers across north Louisiana. 1) How much better is World Feeder than Coastal, Common, or Russell bermudagrass? 2) How much better is Tifton 9 than Pensacola bahiagrass considering the high seed cost of Tifton 9? 3) I have been visiting friends in Texas; they like Jiggs.---What do you think about Jiggs? Jiggs is grown a lot in Texas; how will it do in north Louisiana?

ACTION: A variety trial was initiated in the spring of 1996 on a typical upland Coastal Plain fine sandy loam soil. Coastal, Russell, Jiggs, World Feeder, and Whitney hybrid bermudagrasses were established from plantings made with sprigs while Common bermudagrass and bahiagrasses Tifton 9, Pensacola, and Argentine were established from plantings made with seed stocks. Thereafter, varieties were fertilized and managed to simulate hay production. Nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and sulfur were applied as 17-5-20-5 at 580 lb/A on April 1 and after each harvest except for the final harvest of the season. Varieties were harvested when the majority of hybrid bermudagrasses attained early seedhead development. At harvest time, yields were recorded and sampled. Samples were forwarded to the Southeast Research Station for forage quality analyses.
 
IMPACT: Livestock producers will be advised not to plant World Feeder bermudagrass in fields intended for hay production or for hay production and grazing cattle. Jiggs and Whitney bermudagrasses will be recommended as potential alternatives for Coastal and Russell bermudagrasses on fields intended for hay production. Small acreage plantings of Jiggs and Whitney, 1 to 5 acres, are recommended, but several more years of evaluation will be required before either variety can be recommended for large acreage plantings. Livestock producers will also be advised to plant Tifton 9 bahiagrass as an alternative for Pensacola bahiagrass if seed costs are about the same. As in the past, Argentine bahiagrass will not be recommended for forage production in north Louisiana.
 

Table 2. Annual forage (FY), crude protein (CPY), and digestible dry matter (DDMY) yield potentials of Whitney bermudagrass genotypes compared with bermudagrass varieties common, Coastal, Jiggs, and Russell, year after establishment, 1998.
 

		FY			CPY			DDMY
			vs.			vs.			vs.
Variety		Total	Whitney		Total	Whitney		Total	Whitney
		lb/A	%		lb/A	%		lb/A	%
Whitney		13540	100		2002	100		8252	100
Common		8652	64		1317	66		5479	66
Coastal		10880	80		1628	81		6809	83
Jiggs		13904	103		2126	106		8811	107
Russell		12104	89		1753	88		7301	88

Mean of four replications of common, Coastal, Jiggs, and Russell fertilized and harvested on similar dates and soil type.
 
 

COMMODITY: FORAGE CROPS, POULTRY LITTER

TITLE: Best Management Practices For Poultry Litter On Bermudagrass

CONTACT: Dr. Marcus Eichhorn, Forage Agronomist, Hill Farm Research Station (318) 927-2578
 
TAKE HOME MESSAGE: Poultry producers and livestock producers who broadcast litter on the surface of hay meadows throughout north Louisiana will be affected by the results of this study. Developed "Best Management Practices" will serve as a basis for poultry waste nutrient management plans on all farms. The beneficial effects of poultry litter use on bermudagrass hay production will also be demonstrated. The results of this study will serve to enhance bermudagrass hay enterprises across north Louisiana.

PROBLEM/TOPIC: Designated uses for water bodies within the western portions of the Quachita River Basin and eastern portions of the Red River Basin have been identified by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality as either partially or fully threatened by nonpoint sources of pollution. Pollutants in runoff and leachate waters originating from pasture lands, especially pasture lands receiving poultry manure, are highly suspected, but unproven, sources of water impairment. Best management practices for poultry litter use on pasture lands have not been fully developed
 
ACTION: A poultry litter application demonstration study was initiated in the spring of 1998 on a typical upland Coastal Plain fine sandy loam soil that had been managed for Coastal bermudagrass hay production. Forage yields and quality, concentrations and uptakes of macro and micro nutrients, and heavy metals by forage were determined in the presence of a control, a recommended commercial fertilizer check, and stacked broiler litter rates of 2, 4, and 8 tons/A. Meanwhile, rainfall and runoff were recorded and infiltrate collected and measured. Samples of runoff and infiltrate were analyzed for concentrations of total and fecal coliform bacteria, non-metals, macro and micro nutrients, and heavy metals.
 
IMPACT: Poultry litter manure is a renewable fertilizer resource that contains all of the plant nutrients required for plant growth and reproduction. In north Louisiana, more than 59,000 tons of poultry litter are generated annually by flocks in broiler houses. Research at this location is being conducted for the purpose of developing the "best management practices" that will improve the conversion of poultry litter manure to bermudagrass hay and minimize the potential for runoff and ground water pollution.

Revised:  April 2, 1999