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The Effect of Sward Management on the Mineral Content of Winter Grazed Herbage
Author(s) -
Von Boberfeld W. Opitz,
Banzhaf K.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-037x.2006.00176.x
Subject(s) - lolium perenne , festuca arundinacea , zoology , winter wheat , grazing , agronomy , dry matter , poaceae , chemistry , biology
No information is available regarding the mineral content of autumn‐saved herbage during winter grazing under Central European conditions. Therefore, P, K, Na, Mg and Ca concentrations of autumn‐saved growths of Festuca arundinacea and Lolium perenne were analysed considering the potential influence of pre‐utilization (saved from June or July), date of winter harvest (December, January, February) and year (three winters). For all years date of winter harvest was the main source of variance, whereas date of preceding cut had no relevant effect on the mineral concentrations during winter. Already in December P [2.3 to 4.0 g kg −1 dry matter (DM)], Na (0.3 to 3 g kg −1 DM) and Mg (1.0 to 2.4 g kg −1 DM) concentrations were mostly below the required levels for ruminants. The lowest values were detected in February. K levels ranged between 6.6 g kg −1 DM in February and 23.4 g kg −1 DM in December; on average, K concentrations decreased about 10 g kg −1 DM with advancing winter. Ca concentrations (2.9 to 7.4 g kg −1 DM) hardly changed during winter. Related to higher growth rates of F. arundinacea before December, P and Ca concentrations were diluted, but regarding Mg, more wintergreen F. arundinacea reached higher values than L. perenne especially at the beginning of winter.