2019 Alfalfa Grazing Tolerance Report
PR-769: 2019 Alfalfa Grazing Tolerance Report
Authored by: Jimmy Henning Gene Olson Ray Smith Chris Teutsch
Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the highest-yielding, highest-quality forage legume grown in Kentucky. It forms the basis of Kentucky's cash hay enterprise and is an important component in dairy, horse, beef, and sheep diets. Recent emphasis on its use as a grazing crop and the release of grazing-tolerant varieties have raised the following question: Do varieties differ in tolerance to grazing? We have chosen to use the standard tolerance test recommended by the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference. This test uses continuous heavy grazing to sort out differences in grazing tolerance in a relatively short period of time. This report summarizes research on the grazing tolerance of alfalfa varieties when subjected to continuous heavy grazing pressure during the grazing season.
Core Details
Categorical Details
Language
English
Peer Reviewed?
Yes