Open AccessAnimal evaluation of Aries HD perennial ryegrass selected for high digestibility
Author(s) -
S. J. Bluett,
J. Hodgson,
P.D. Kemp,
T. N. Barry
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
proceedings of the new zealand grassland association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1179-4577
pISSN - 0369-3902
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.1997.59.2244
Subject(s) - perennial plant , lolium perenne , agronomy , biology , cultivar , stocking , grazing , stocking rate , zoology
Aries HD perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) has been selected for increased digestibility in summer and early autumn. It is claimed to be the first commercial perennial ryegrass selected specifically for improved digestibility. The relative performance of weaned Romney lambs over summer was compared using Yatsyn 1 perennial ryegrass as a control cultivar. There were 3 replicates of each cultivar of 0.33 ha initially stocked with 8 lambs/plot (24 lambs/ha). Swards were continuously stocked with lambs with a variable stocking rate to maintain a mean sward surface height of 6 cm. Lambs grazing Aries HD plots consistently achieved higher liveweight gains over the experiment. Liveweight gain was higher on Aries HD than Yatsyn 1 during summer dry conditions 24/1/96 to 4/3/96 (50 vs. 31 ± 7.8 g/ day, P