Forages - Quiz 3

Gasses

What are the 3 major ways forages are classified

1. Grass or legume

2. annual or perennial

3. warm season or cool season

Leaf blade

main leafy portion of the plant and a major part of what grazing animals consume

Node

point on the stem where leaves or buds are attached

Internode

stem segment between two nodes

Apical Bud/growing point

active growing region that can produce the inflorescence or seeded during reproduction

axillary bud

bud associated with a node that can contribute to new shoot growth

tiller

an individual grass shoot

Internodes are very ______ and help keep the growing point ____ to survive grazing

short; low

when do internodes elongate and the apical buds produce seedheads

the reproductive stage

what are three types of grass growing habits

1. Rhizome-producing

2. Stolon-producing

3. Bunch type/bunch grass

Rhizome producing

below-ground spreading stem

Stolon producing

surface/above ground spreading stem

Bunchgrass

tillers clustered in a clump

What are characteristics of grasses

• member of the Poaceae plant family

• herbaceous

• parallel leaf veins

• fibrous root systems

• bear seed on elongated seed stalks

• monocots

what does herbaceous mean

soft, green, flexible stems

what does monocot mean

seeds by one cotyledon

Characteristics of Legumes

• family of Fabaceae

• Netted leaf venation

• Taproot root system

• Seeds produced in a pod

• Dicot

• interact with Rhizobium bacteria to fix nitrogen nodules on roots

Annual

• germinates, grows, reproduces, and dies in one year or one growing season

• reproduces by seeds

perennial

• lives more than one year

• may die back or become dormant

Warm season plants

• begin growth and/or are planted in spring or early summer

• most growth occurs during the warmest months

cool season plants

• begins growth and/or are planted in the autumn, late winter, or early spring

• most growth occurs during the coolest months

Perennial Warm Season Grasses

• Bermudagrass

• Bahiagrass

• Dallisgrass

• Johnsongrass

• Big Bluestem

• Eastern Gamagrass

• indiangrass

• switch grass

Annual Warm Season

• corn

• sorghum

• sundangrass

• sorghum-sudan hybrids

• pearl millet

• brown top millet

• crabgrass

Cool Season Perennials

• Tall Fescue

• Orchardgrass

• Kentucky Bluegrass

• Reed Canarygrass

• Smooth Bromegrass

• Timothy
  
  

  
  

Cool Season Annuals

• Annual ryegrass

• rye

• wheat

• oats

• barley

• triticale

Scientific name of Bermudagrass

Cynodon dactylon

Scientific name of Bahiagrass

Paspalum notatum

Scientific name of Dallisgrass

Paspalum dilatatum

Scientific name of Johnsongrass

Sorghum halepense

Scientific name of Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Scientific name of Eastern Gamagrass

Tripsacum dactyloides

Scientific name of Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans

Scientific name of switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Scientific name of Corn

Zea mays

Scientific name of Sorghum

Sorghum bicolor

Scientific name of Pearl Millet

Pennisetum glaucum

Scientific name of Browntop millet

Panicum Ramosum

Scientific name of Crabgrass

Digitaria sunguinalis

Scientific name of Tall Fescue

Festuca arundinacea

Scientific name of Orchardgrass

Dactylis glomerata

Scientific name of Kentucky Bluegrass

Poa pratensis

Scientific name of Reed Canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea

Scientific name of Smooth Bromegrass

Bromus inermis

Scientific name of Timothy

Phleum pratense

Scientific name of Annual Ryegrass

Folium multiforum

Characteristics of Warm-Season Grasses

• tropical origin

• Frost kills or causes dormancy

• 3 to 8 months of productivity

• potential for very high yields with fertilization

• generally lower nutritive values

• Winterkill is a problem

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)

• Warm season perennial

• Spreads by rhizomes, stolons and seeds (in some species)

• Adapted to Zone A → Some species are adapted to B, C, D

• Drought Tolerant

• Used for pasture and hay

• Pest: armyworms, spittlebug, Bermuda stem maggot, leaf spot

• establishment: seed 5-10 lbs/acre in spring; 10-40 bu/acre in March-april

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: rhizome and seeds

• Adaptation: Zone A and parts of B; tolerates drought, poor drainage, low fertility, soil acidity, and close grazing

• Uses: pasture, hay, erosion control

• Establishment: 15-20 in march or april

• Pest: mole cricket, bahiagrass billbug

Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum)

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: Bunchgrass with short rhizomes

• Adaptation: Zones A, B and parts of C

• Uses: pasture, can be harvested for hay

• Establishment: broadcast 10-15 in march or April

• Pest: ergot, sugarcane borer

what is ergot

a parasitic fungi that reduces seed set and can cause toxicity in cattle

What grass is lower yielding than Bermuda and Bahia?

dallisgrass

Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense)

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: Seeds and Rhizomes

• Adaptation: Zones A, B, C, + D; drought tolerant

• Uses: hay, grazing with careful management

• Establishment: broadcast 20-30; drill 10-15 in april

• Pest: Armyworms

• Nitrate accumulation; prussic acid potential

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: bunchgrass, come rhizomes, grows 3-6 ft tall

• Adaptation: western zones of B, C, and D

• Uses: pasture, hay

• Establishment: 5-10 in April-may

• will not tolerate close, continuous grazing

Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: bunchgrass

• Adaptation: western parts of zones b, c, and d

• Uses: pasture, hay

• Establishment: 8 in April-may; seed production is difficult

• Not tolerant of close, continuous grazing

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: Bunchgrass, spreads by seeds and rhizomes

• Adaptation: Zones B, C, and D; not widely grown in the south

• Uses: pasture, can be harvested for hay

• Establishment: 6-10 in may-april; seedlings grow slowly and compete poorly with weeds

Switchgrass

• Type: Warm-Season Perennial

• Growth: Bunchgrass

• Adaptation: zones A, B, C, and D; tolerates drought and poorly drained soils

• Uses: pasture, hay

• Establishment: 5-6 in may-april; slow seeding establishment

• Horses should not graze → causes saponins

Corn (Zea mays)

• Type: Warm-Season Annual

• Adaptation: Zones, A, B, C, and D

• Uses: silage, grain, some grazing varieties

• Establishment: drilled in wide rows 12-20 lb/acre in march-may

• Pest: corn borer, corn rootworm, corn smut

• Other Characteristics: High forage digestibility

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)

• Type: Warm-Season Annual

• Adaptation: Zones A, B, C, and D; not tolerant of acidic soils

• Uses: silage

• Establishment: drill 4-6; broadcast 15-20 in may-jun

• Pest: leafspots, lesser cornstock borer, sorghum midge

Sorghum grain types

short with large seed heads

Sorghum Forage types

tall with small seed heads

Ratoon Crop

a new crop that grows from the stubble of the crop already harvested

Sudangrass and Sorghum-Sudan Hybrids

• Type: Warm-Season Annuals

• Adaptation: Zones A, B, C, D; Drought tolerant; not tolerant of acidic soils

• Uses: pastures, hay, silage

• Establishment: drill 20-25; broadcast 30-40

• Pest: armyworms

• Other Characteristics: Can accumulate nitrates and prussic acid; can cause equine cystitis

What is prussic acid

a rapidly acting, lethal toxin released by plants under stresses like frost, drought, or chewing

Brown Mid-Rib Sorghum-Sudan Hybrids

• Type: Warm-Season Annuals

• High yield potential; high quality

• less lignin allows for easier digestibility

• hard to manage under grazing

Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

• Type: Warm-Season Annuals

• Adaptation: zones A, B, C, and D; tolerant of drought and acidic soils

• Uses: Pasture, silage, hay, doves

• Establishment: drill 12-25, broadcast 25-30 in April-june

• Pest: armyworms, chinch bugs

Browntop Millet (Panicum ramosum)

• Type: Warm-Season Annuals

• Growth: 60days; 2-3ft tall, leafy, fine-stemmed

• Adaptation: Zones A, B, C, + D

• Uses: Pasture and hay

• Establishment: Drill 15-20; broadcast 25-30 in April-august

• Pest: armyworms

Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis)

• Type: Warm-Season Annuals

• Growth: Creeping-type growth with stolons

• Adaptation: Zones A, B, C + D

• Uses: Pasture- highly nutritious and easily digestible; can be used for hay

• Establishment: seed 4-6 lbs/acre; reseeds well

• Pest: armyworms

Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)

• Cool-Season Perennial

• Growth: bunch grass; short rhizomes

• Adaptation: Zones B.C and D; does well in clay or loamy soils; tolerant of soil acidity, poor drainage, and drought

• Uses: pasture, hay, erosion control

• Establishment: drill 15-20; broadcast 20-25 in aug-oct; can be planted in spring in zones c + d

• Pest: fungal endophyte

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata)

• Cool-Season Perennial

• Growth: bunchgrass

• Adaptation: upper part of zone B, and zones C + D; tolerates shade well

• Uses: pasture and hay

• Establishment: slide list 10-15 in fall

• Pest: armyworms, rust and leafspot disease, nematodes

Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

• Cool-Season Perennial

• Growth: rhizomes, dense sod, best when fertilized or grown with legume

• Adaptation: upper part of zone C and zone D

• Uses: pasture; very nutritious

• Establishment: 10-15 in aug/sep or feb/mar

• Pest: grubs, bluegrass billbug, sod webworms, chinch bugs, frit fly, green bug aphid

Reed Canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea)

• Cool-Season Perennial

• Growth: seedling vigor is poor

• Adaptation: upper part of C and zone D

• Uses: Pasture, hay, silage

• Establishment: 5-8 in Apr/may in zone D or Aug/Sep in zone c

• Pest: tawny blotch, helminthosporium leafspot, frit fly

Smooth Bromegrass (Bromus inermis)

• Cool-Season Perennial

• Growth: Sod-forming grass by rhizomes

• Adaptation: upper part of C and Zone D

• Uses: Pasture, hay, silage; often grown with alfalfa

• Establishment: 15-20 in aug/sep or feb/Apr

• Pest: armyworms, grasshoppers

Timothy (Phleum pratense)

• Cool-Season Perennial

• Growth: bunch grass

• Adaptation: upper parts of C and Zone D

• Uses: Hay (very popular for horses), and pasture

• Establishment: 6-8 lb/acre in aug-sep

Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)

• Cool-Season Annual

• Growth: bunchgrass

• Adaptation: Zone A, B and parts of C

• Uses: Pasture, hay, silage

• Establishment: 10-15 in mixtures; 20-30 alone in September or early October

• Pest: Armyworms, rust disease

What small grains are cool-season annual grasses

• rye

• wheat

• oats

• barley

• triticale

what is the scientific name of rye

Secale cereale

what is the scientific name of wheat

Triticum aestivum

what is the scientific name of oats

Avena sativa

what is the scientific name of Barley

Hordeum vulgare

what is the scientific name of Triticale

x Triticosecale

Small Grains

• Cool season annual

• Growth: Bunchgrass

• Adaptation: Rye/Wheat = Zones A,B,C,+D; Oats = Zones A + B

• Uses: Rye=Pasture; Barley/Oats/Wheat=pasture, hay, silage; triticale=hay, silage

• Establishment: 60-90 lb/acre in mixtures; 90-120 lb/acre alone

• Pest: rust, powdery mildew, viruses, Hessain fly, armyworms

why are winter annuals often called winter annuals

bc they are interceded into warm-season perennial grass pastures to provide winter grazing

Tall fescue Endophyte and Toxicosis

• neotyphodium endophyte produces ergot alkaloid

• causes fescue foot, bovine fat necrosis, and fescue toxicosis

Effects of Tall Fescue Endophyte and Toxicosis in Cattle

• reduced feed intake → decrease weight gain, milk production

• Elevated body temp and respiration rate

• rough hair coat

• More time spent in water/shade → less time grazing

• Low blood serum prolactin concentration

• excess salivation

• lower reproductive performance

Effects of Tall Fescue Endophyte and Toxicosis in Horses

• abortions

• prolonged pregnancy

• foaling problems

• retained placenta

• low or no milk production