Forage Utilization and Nitrogen Management of Tall Fescue Stockpiled for Winter Grazing

dc.contributor.authorShireman, Nathan Todden
dc.contributor.committeechairCampbell, Brian Thomasen
dc.contributor.committeememberMcCann, Mark A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberTeutsch, Christopher D.en
dc.contributor.departmentAnimal and Poultry Sciencesen
dc.date.accessioned2015-07-01T08:00:22Zen
dc.date.available2015-07-01T08:00:22Zen
dc.date.issued2015-06-30en
dc.description.abstractThe Southeastern United States offers a beneficial environment for stocker and cow-calf production. Abundant tall fescue grass offers a feed source that has been underutilized. These studies evaluated how nitrogen rate and source can affect yield and nutritional quality of fall stockpiled tall fescue, and how grazing methods impact weight gains, forage utilization, and forage nutritive value. The first study evaluated the impact of N rate and source on the yield tall fescue stockpiled for winter grazing. In mid-September, seven N sources (ammonium sulfate (AS), ammonium nitrate (AN), urea + Agrotain @ 2.1 l/Mg (AG2), urea + Agrotain @ 4.2 l/Mg (AG4), urea + Agrotain @ 6.3 l/Mg (AG6), Nutrisphere (NuS), and urea) were applied at 0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N/ha. Ammonium sulfate produced the highest nutritive values of all N sources. Only yield in 2012 was found to be influenced by N volatilization inhibitors; said products had no effect on nutritive value. The second study evaluated how grazing methods impact nutritive value, ADG, and utilization of tall fescue stockpiled for winter grazing. Three treatments (continuous grazing, moved once per week, and moved twice per week) were used. In year one, cattle moved once and twice per week showed significantly higher ADG (P < 0.05) than the continuous treatment. In year two, cattle that continuously grazed had higher ADG (P <0.05), than cattle moved once and twice per week. Cattle moved once and twice per week showed greater forage utilization (P < 0.05) than cattle that continuously grazed.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:5913en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/53959en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjecttall fescueen
dc.subjectcattleen
dc.subjectgrazingen
dc.subjectforageen
dc.subjectstockpilingen
dc.titleForage Utilization and Nitrogen Management of Tall Fescue Stockpiled for Winter Grazingen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineAnimal and Poultry Sciencesen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Shireman_NT_T_2015.pdf
Size:
754.48 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format

Collections