Ken Andries Kentucky State University

  A cull is a cull no matter what the papers say!!!!!

  Sale barns are for selling – not buying!!!   Reduce herd to fit feed supply – animals don’t

live by acres alone.   When the grass goes away – break out the hay.   Energy and protein are the most needed – hand

feed for best impact.   Hay is like a box of chocolates, test to know

what you have before you feed.

Adapted from Cow Production Philosopy, Ideal Beef Memo – November 1983

  Warm season Forages   Native forages   Warm season annuals   Bermuda grass and others   Some Clovers and other legumes

  Cool Season Forages   Fescue   Orchardgrass   Timothy   Small grains

  Alternative forages are forages that are not normally used in your area.

  They can be either cool or warm season, annual or perennial

  Includes many plants that are considered weeds by others

  Used to help provide better nutrition during some period of time or to provide a known benefit to the animals.

  Warm Season:   Lespedeza – Sericea

or Korean   Sorghum Sudan grass   Pearl Millet   Soybeans   Corn   Alfalfa for grazing   Forage Chicory   Kudzu

  Cool Season:   Cereal Rye or

Ryegrass   Wheat   Oats   Turnips

  Browse   Multi flora rose   Blackberry brambles   Iron weed

  Perennial forb   Rosette growth habit   Most common variety:

‘Puna’   Seeding rate: 3-4 lbs/ac   Produces well under

rotational stocking   Min. grazing height of 2 in.   TDN 65%, CP 15%   Contains sesquiterpene

lactones

(Cichorium intybus L.)

  Annual legume   Maintains quality

through season   Very high quality   Little regrowth   Nutrition is good, 16%

CP and 54% TDN   Good availability of

seed

  Very productive Forage   Regrowth is rapid if

moisture is present   Do not graze when

drought stressed or after frost.

  Good Quality17% CP and 70% TDN possible

  May grow faster than goats can graze

  Summer Annual   Good growth

potential   Not as productive as

Sorghum Sudan grass   Regrowth is good   Goats do like it.   Quality is not as well

known but around 12% CP and 52% TDN.

  Can be used in fall and spring

  Forage or purple top varieties can be used

  Animals often must be forced to consume first time

  16% CP and 69% TDN for quality on tops, may pull bulb and eat as well

  Includes Switch grass, Gamma Grass, Big Blue Stem, Indian Grass, and others

  NRCS may help with establishment.

  Helps with summer slump on cool season

  Quality varies depending on variety.

  Quality drops rapidly on some with maturity

  Multiflora Rose: 18% CP and 72% TDN   Kudzu: 14% CP and 55% TDN   Jeruselum Artichoke: 20.7% CP and 62% TDN   Blackberry: 8.2% CP and 72% TDN   Greenbrier: 12.2% CP and 63% TDN   Bush Honeysuckle: 10.3% CP and 69% TDN   Pigweed: 22.1% CP and 80% TDN   Common Ragweed: 17.4% CP and 75% TDN   Sumac: 13.7% CP and 77% TDN

Tall fescue (E+, E-, novel) Alfalfa Eastern gamagrass Bluegrass Red Clover Big Bluestem Orchardgrass White Clover Indiangrass Tall Oatgrass Birdsfoot Trefoil Bermudagrass Reed Canarygrass Sericea Lespedeza Sorghum Sudan Perennial Ryegrass Kobe Lespedeza Corn Chicory Switchgrass

Goat Forage Grazing Tolerance Trial UK Robinson Station

Provided by David Ditsch

1.  Sorghum Sudan 2.  White Clover 3.  Turnip 4.  Red clover 5.  Chicory 6.  Sericea Lespedeza 7.  Tall Oatgrass 8.  Alfalfa 9.  Warm Season Grasses

(EGG, Switch, BB, Indian)

10.  Reed canarygrass 11.  Orchardgrass 12.  Annual Lespedeza 13.  Novel Endophyte TF 14.  Endophyte Free TF 15.  Infected TF 16.  Bluegrass 17.  Bermudagrass

  Short grazing in year one due to conditions and establishment   Better ADG on Lespedeza on both locations   Very little change in FAMACHA score

  Second year of project   One location only due to drought conditions   Saw slightly better growth on Lespedeza pasture.   Very little difference in FAMACHA score

  Parasite control was not as good as expected but goats had central water and ally that they grazed heaver than pasture, stand was not as pure as desired.

S. Lespedeza Grass Weeds

Method % by wt.

Interseed-Broadcast

18.8 76.3 4.9

Interseed-Drill 18.3 79.6 2.0

Disc-Broadcast 62.8 34.9 2.3

Disc-Drill 35.2 55.2 9.6

Rototill-Broadcast

31.0 24.7 44.4

Rototill-Drill 66.7 0.0 33.3

Burndown-Drill 85.7 0 20.2

Burndown-Broadcast

61.8 0 38.2

Sericea Lespedeza Establishment Trial

  Alternative forages are good choice for your animals

  Benefits of improved nutrition and can help with parasite issues in some cases.

  Proper grazing management is critical to success of alternative forages

  Goats may need to be exposed to some forages before they readily graze them.

  Establishment may be difficult in some locations.   Soil test and proper fertilizer and pH are critical.

Ken Andries E-mail: Kenneth.andries@kysu.edu