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Yields and Nutritive Value of Cuttings of Permanent Pasture Harvested as Dried Forage¹

Department of Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802

ABSTRACT

Pour .12-ha plots were outlined in an area of permanent pasture. Two were harvested initially on May 17 and two on May 24. One plot from each then was treated with nitrogen at 56 kg/ha. Three subsequent cuttings were when plant regrowth had reached 25 to 30 cm or when vegetative growth had ceased. Forages were sampled at cutting and after drying in the field and later under a barn roof. Material harvested on common cutting dates was combined and fed to four lactating cows in a series of digestion trials. First harvest on May 17 resulted in higher seasonal yield of dry matter than that for the May 24 cutting, 7,219 versus 5,687 kg/ha. Pasture cuttings averaged 17.2% crude protein, 28.6% acid detergent fiber, and 73.4% in vitro digestibility. Animal digestibilities of the dried pasture cuttings were high for first and fourth cuttings (digestible dry matter 76 to 79%) and lower for midsummer harvest (digestible dry matter 56%).

¹ Authorized for publication on April 19, 1984 as Paper No. 6920 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis 95616.