Production potential and persistency of perennial forage legumes in low-input grassland
2001
Viiralt, R. | Parol, A. | Kabanen, N. (Estonian Agricultural Univ., Tartu (Estonia). Dept. of Grassland Science and Botany)
The dry matter yield (1996-1999) of the legumes in pure stands was higher and protein content lower when swards were cut 2 or 3 times per year compared to 4 times per year. However, with the exception of T. repens the nitrogen uptake of the above ground biomass was only slightly dependent on the cutting frequency. The most persistent and productive legume species for grazing were M. media cv. Karlu and tetraploid T. pratense cv. Ilte. T. repens was sensible to drought: its proportion in DM yield of pure-sown stand varied in the limits of 20-64 per cent over the 4 years, depending on the humidity of growth season. Alternating cutting and grazing compared with rotational grazing was more favourable for M. media and G. orientalis, but not for T. repens. It is concluded that the more productive legume species and cultivars did not differ substantially in DM yield from pure grass swards given 150 kg ha (-1) of mineral N. The most drought-persistent legume species was M. media. The grass DM yield utilisation rate by cows at grazing (edibility) was somewhat better in legume-grass mixtures compared with pure grass swards
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