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Influence of Cutting Frequency, Species, and Nitrogen Fertilization on Forage Nutritional Value¹

The nutritive value of samples of forage taken every 2 weeks throughout the growing season was evaluated by a 6-hour in vitro rumen fermentation technique, measuring percent dry matter disappearance (% DMD). Species subjected to four cutting systems ranked in the following order: alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.), reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.), bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.), and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.). The overall mean DMD values of all forages cut one, two, three, or four times per season were 13.0, 21.6, 24.9, and 25.4%, respectively. Uncut forage lost nutritive value progressively thronghout the growing season but at a rate characteristic of the species. Morphological condition and moisture content of the forages were not adequate indicators of nutritive value except when the forages were not cut until the end of the growing season. Nitrogen fertilization in the period 1965–1966 did not consistently affect the nutritive value of either common or Siberian reed canarygrass. Common was superior to Siberian reed canarygrass in nutritive value. Considerable year-to-year and within season variation was evident for the nutritive value of the reed canarygrass types.

Key Words: Morphological condition • In vitro rumen fermentation • Medicago sativa L. • Lotus corniculatus L. • Phalaris arundinacea L. • Bromus inermis Leyss. • Dactylis glomerata L. • Nutritive value • Forage moisture

² Formerly graduate assistant in Crop Science (now Assistant Professor of Agronomy, Department of Plant Science, University of Connecticut) and Professors of Crop Science and Dairy, respectively.

Received for publication February 12, 1969.