Location: Luling, Texas

Transcription

1 2017 Small Grain Forage Variety Trial Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Dwight Sexton, CEA-Ag, Gonzales Co.; Julie Zimmerman, CEA-Ag, Caldwell Co.; Rachel Bauer, CEA-Ag, Bastrop Co.; Travis Franke and Jeff Hanselka, CEAs-Ag, Guadalupe Co. Cooperator: The Luling Foundation Farm Location: Luling, Texas Situation: The year round availability of high quality forage is a constant challenge for beef cattle producers. Winter pastures are grown extensively in South Central Texas to provide supplemental feed to stocker cattle, heifers, and mature cows. Most winter pastures consist of oats, wheat, or ryegrass. Major considerations in selecting small grain forage varieties include yield potential, season of optimal growth, and disease resistance. Leaf rust is a problem in most years, with some years much worse than others. Objectives: 1) To demonstrate proper management practices. 2) To compare yields, disease resistance and other characteristics of several small grain forage varieties. Method: Cooperator: The Luling Foundation Farm Tillage: The seed bed was disked twice, and a firm seed bed was established. The seed was drilled, and then a roller-packer followed to improve the seed-soil contact. Planting Date: October 25, 2016 Seeding Rates: Oats 96 lbs/acre Wheat, Triticale 80 lbs/acre Ryegrass 30 lbs/acre

2 Plot size: Plot sizes were 12 feet wide, and had a length of 50 feet, with three replications randomly located in the field. The plots were harvested on two occasions with a sub-sample size collected of 1 square foot. Following the harvest of each sub-sample, the plots were shredded in an effort to simulate grazing and reduce lodging. Fertilizer: 250 lbs. of were applied on 11/2/2016. Harvest: The plots were harvested two times, on March 6, and April 29, These results are listed in Table 1. Multiple Year Averages: An average of previous years harvest is compiled in Table 2 to include multiple years average dry matter yield. Results: Table Luling Foundation Winter Forage Variety Trial Cutting Cutting Variety 3/6/2017 4/29/2017 Total Small Grains Prine Ryegrass ab Sungrazer Ryegrass ab Maximus Ryegrass/Barsica Rape Blend a-d Credence Ryegrass a-d McKinley Ryegrass a-d Maximus Ryegrass/T Raptor Rape Blend a-d Andes Ryegrass a-d Kodiak Ryegrass a-d Sungrazer Plus Ryegrass a-d New Dawn Ryegrass b-e Augusta Ryegrass b-e Heavy Grazer II Oat b-e TAMO 411 Oat b-e Fannin Wheat c-f TAMCALE 5019 Triticale def Means followed by same letter do not significantly differ (P=.05, Duncan's New MRT)

3 Table 2. Luling Foundation Winter Forage Variety Trials Multi-Year Summary Current Varieties* 3Yr or Small Grains** More Variety Average TAMCALE 6331 Triticale Blizzard Ryegrass TAMO 406 Oats Jumbo Ryegrass Fannin Wheat VNS Ryegrass Maximus Ryegrass TAMO 411 Oats Prine Ryegrass Sungrazer Ryegrass Heavy Grazer Oats Sungrazer Plus Ryegrass Tsunami Ryegrass TAMCALE 5019 Triticale Credence Ryegrass TAM 90 Ryegrass Andes Ryegrass Abundant Ryegrass 4646 Angus 1 Ryegrass 5808 Attain Ryegrass 4574 Augusta Ryegrass 2759 Barextra Italian Ryegrass 1742

4 Best For Triploid Ryegrass 5372 Beef Builder Ryegrass Beef Builder III Ryegrass 8255 Big Boss Ryegrass 6679 B Ryegrass 3194 B3-15-G332 Ryegrass 7841 Cyclone Ryegrass 5663 Florida 4N Ryegrass Small Grains Variety Grasshancer Ryegrass 3775 Heavy Grazer Ryegrass Hercules Rygegrass 2468 Hurricane Ryegrass 7260 IS-LWD8 Ryegrass 5227 Kodiak Ryegrass Kowinearly Ryegrass 7550 LA Ryegrass 6534 L X Ryegrass 6534 Marshal Ryegrass 4436 McKinley Ryegrass New Dawn Ryegrass 2904 OECD Bill Ryegrass 6679 Passerl Plus Ryegrass Rustmaster Ryegrass Shiwa Ryegrass Striker Ryegrass 7550 Surry Nova Ryegrass TAMTBO Ryegrass 6098 Maximus Ryegrass & Barsica Rape Blend 3340 Maximus Ryegrass & T Raptor Rape Blend 3340

5 Bob Oats Big Mac Oats BWI VNS Oats 5808 Cayuse Oats 7550 Charisma Forage Oat Coronado Oats Dusky Oats 9148 Harrison Oats 7405 Harrington Experimental Variety Oats 8276 Heavy Grazer II Oats 2614 Horizon 314 Oats Horizon 321 Oats Variety Horizon 474 Oats Magnum Oats 5953 NF Oats TAMO 397 Oats TAMO 405 Oats Bob Oats and VNS Ryegrass 7815 Bob Oats and Blizzard Ryegrass Horizon 314 Oats and Prine Ryegrass 4836 TAMO 397 Oats & Beef Builder Ryegrass Prosper Tall Fescue 3920 Bar Optima Tall Fescue 3630 Common Triticale 8895 Forerunner Triticale 8422 Trit IV Triticale 3787 Triticale

6 Triticale 2700 Triticale 7260 Triticale T T-XTRI Triticale 4539 Wintermaster Triticale 9874 Caudillo Wheat Heavy Grazer Wheat Mit Wheat TAM 203 Wheat TAM 401 Wheat 7115 Elbon Rye 4761 Wintermore Rye 7405

7 Conclusions: The plot was planted into dry conditions in the Luling area. The following growing season included limited moisture, with below average growing conditions. Spring rains came late to affect the conditions for the plots. Rust damage was heavy on the oat, wheat, and triticale varieties. Producers should note that the totals accumulated from this study represent results under the conditions that were present during this trial, and may not see the same results under their own growing conditions. Results over more years are needed to give producers a true indication of trends that can be expected with different varieties. We wish to thank the following groups for assisting with this trial: The Luling Foundation, Mike Kuck, manager, and his staff, for assisting with this trial; W. James Grichar, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension-Beeville for assistance with the statistical analysis; and the following companies for donating seed for this trial: Barenbrug USA, East Texas Seed Company, DLF International Seed, and Pogue Agri-Partners Inc. Disclaimer Clause: Trade names of commercial products used in this report are included only for better understanding and clarity. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Texas A&M System is implied. Readers should realize that results from one experiment do not represent conclusive evidence that the same response would occur where conditions vary.