Performance of steers grazing photoperiod-sensitive and brown midrib varieties of sorghum-sudangrass
Abstract
Sorghum-sudangrass hybrids can be used for stocker cattle grazing during the summer months. This type of vegetation provides an abundance of forage; however, nutritional value can vary among varieties. Brown midrib varieties contain less lignin and are generally more digestible than varieties that do not carry the brown midrib trait. In previous research conducted at the Texas A&M University Bush Farm, Bushland, Texas, stocker cattle grazing a brown midrib variety gained weight more rapidly than those grazing a non-brown midrib variety (Banta et al., 2001). In recent years, more varieties carrying the photoperiod-sensitive trait have been released. The photoperiod-sensitive trait delays initiation of the reproductive stage until daylength is less than 12 hours and 20 minutes, or about mid-September in the Panhandle region. In silage evaluations at Bushland, the photoperiod-sensitive varieties have generally produced higher yields but with relatively lower digestibility than varieties without the photoperiod trait. In the initial year of this grazing study, the photoperiod-sensitive varieties tended to produce lower daily gains but supported more days of grazing per acre. This report summarizes the second year of a grazing trial comparing performance of steers grazing photoperiod sensitive and brown midrib sorghum-sudangrass hybrids.
Subject
NutritionCitation
McCuistion, Kim; McCollum, Ted; Greene, Wayne; Bean, Brent; Van Meter, Rex; Vasconcelos, Judson; Silva, Julio (2004). Performance of steers grazing photoperiod-sensitive and brown midrib varieties of sorghum-sudangrass. AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M University System; Texas A&M University. Libraries. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /200564.