Evening star., 1952-11-23
ests Show Value
OF an lntegroted
Pasture Proqrum

1Qe importance OF an integral.
ed pasture program-using adapt.
ed pastures to keep beef produc-
ton high throughout the grazing
season-was shown when the first
phase Of beef grazing trials was
recently completed at the Uni
versity of Maryland Tobacco Ex-
perimental Farm near Upper
Marlboro.
Here Is a comparison of beef
yields per acre this year and last
year: Orchard -ladino clover,
382 pounds this year, 416 pounds
last year; tall fescue- -ladino clo-
yer. 351 pounds this year, 432
pounds last year: Kentucky blue
grass-white clover-timothy $50
pounds this year, 375 pounds last
year; orchard grass-lespedeza, 303
pounds this year, 318 pounds last
year; tall fescue-lespedeza, 246
pounds this year, 220 pounds last
year. The grazing season last
year was 165 days long, while this
year it was 100 days. from April
16 to October %. The chief fac
tor in generally lower beef yields
this year was the loss of some Of
the clover during last winter.
Tall fescue-ladino clover and
the bluegrass mixtures continued
growth longer than the other mix
lures. Ending November 8, the
202-day grazing season for these
mixtures resulted in beef gains
Of 370 pounds per acre for tall
fescue-ladino clover, and 375
pounds for Kentucky bluegrass
white clover-timothy.
Comments on Mixtures.
This points up the advantages
OF an integrated pasture program.
IN the opinion of DR.. A. w. Bur.
ger. the agronomist in charge d.
the experiment.
Here are his comments on each
VI tIlc pasture mixtures.
Orchard graSs-ladino clover:
The balance between grass and
clover was good on about 80 per
cent of the area, probably because
OF better moisture conditions than
on the rest of the area where la
dino was lost during the winter.
Beef production was good through
out the season, especially in early
season. The dry matter produc.
tion was lower this year. com.
pared to last"
Tall fescue- -ladino clover: Poor
moisture conditions is the prob
able reason for losing ladino in
about half the area. The loss of
the legume caused nitrogen STAR
vation for the grass. Beef pro.
throughout the season was
good"
1T appears that these taller.
growing mixtures can be used in.
terchangeably for beef produc.
ton in areas where they are
adapted" DR.. Burger said. Both
require careful management and
must be grazed before they become
coarse. Early pasture production
that can't be grazed will make
good silage."
Kentucky bluegrasS-white clo-
"The stands seemed
to improve each year. Early sea-
son beef and dry matter produc.
ton was excellent. Dry matter
production on low fertility plots
was relatively good compared
with high fertility areas"
Good Midsummer Grazing.
Orchard grass-lespedeza: "Ex-
cellent midsummer beef and dry
matter production. The mixture
this year was approximately 30
per cent lespedeza and 10 per
cent orchard grass. The lespedeza
was seeded twice in these plots"
Tall fescue-lespedeza: This
mixture was hurt by the lack of
lespedeza both in 1851 and 1852.
AS result of poor soil conditions
for lespedeza. the mixture was
composed of approximately 80 per
cent tall fescue. The lespedeza in
This area was seeded once only.
In areas where they are both
adapted, leSpedeza and bluegrass
pastures work hand in hand" DR..
Burger said, "since bluegrass gives
good early season production,
while lespedeza, which comes into
production in July, does best in
ate season. When allowed to re-
seed itself in the fall, lespedeza
may be kept permanently in pas
'ure. Both lespedeza and blue
grass do relatively well in areas
If low fertility"
DR.. John E. Foster, head of the
department. of animal husbandry.
Who assisted in the grazing trials.
said "this experiment points out
he possibilities for tobacco farm
srs in Southern Maryland to in.
crease their farm income by rails.
Ing beef on pastures, utilizing
and not used in tobacco produce
ion.