Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:11:07.005Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of grazing simulation on forage hay and grain yields of spring barleys in a low rainfall environment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. N. Droushiotis
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus

Summary

A 4–year experiment was conducted at two sites in each year to evaluate some of the effects of five harvesting treatments on the forage and grain production and quality of four spring barleys sown in November and grown under rainfed conditions. A single harvest during the growing season at the milk stage of grain produced the highest herbage drymatter and digestible yields.One harvest at tillering reduced significantly the plant height, grain production and dry-matter yields of straw and hay, while the digestibility of the organic matter in the dry matter (D-value) and the crude-protein content of straw, crudeprotein content of grain and the number of tillers were not affected. The weighted mean of D-value and crude-protein content of herbage was increased when a ‘grazing’ cut was taken prior to harvest. In addition lodging was eliminated. Three or four harvests during the growing season resulted in very low forage yields of otherwise excellent quality.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cutler, G. H., Pavez, D. S. & Mulvey, R. R. (1949). The effect of clipping to simulate pasturing winter wheat on the growth, yield and quality of the crop. Agronomy Journal Al, 169173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Day, A. D., Thompson, R. K. & McCaughey, W. F. (1968). Effects of clipping on the performance of spring barley. Agronomy Journal 60, 1112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gardner, F. P. & Wiggans, S. C. (1960). Effect of clipping and nitrogen fertilization on forage and grain yields of spring oats. Agronomy Journal 52, 566568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hadjichristodoulou, A. (1976). Effect of harvesting stage on cereal and legume forage production in low rainfall regions. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 86, 155161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hadjichristlooulou, A. (1983). Dual purpose barley. Technical Bulletin No. 37, 9 pp. Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute.Google Scholar
Hadjipanayiotou, M. & Economides, S. (1982). The energy and protein contents of locally produced feedstuffs – A guide to evaluating alternative feeds for ruminants. Miscellaneous Reports No. 3, 5 pp. Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute.Google Scholar
Holliday, R. (1956). Fodder production from wintersown cereals and its effect upon grain yield. Review article. Field Crop Abstracts 9, No. 3.Google Scholar
Scorda, E. (1977). Effect of clipping on forage, hay and grain production from barley, wheat and triticale. Proceedings of the Fourth Regional WinterCereals Workshop, Barley, vol. 2, pp. 266274 Amman, Jordan, 24–28 April.Google Scholar
Sprague, A. M. (1963). Cereals as forage. In Forages (ed. Hughes, H. D., Heath, M. E. and Metcalfe, D. S. pp. 337345. Iowa State University.Google Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. & Terry, R. A. (1963). A two stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 104111.Google Scholar
Washko, J. B. (1947). The effects of grazing winter small grains. Journal of the American Society of Agronomy 39, 659666.CrossRefGoogle Scholar