Bahiagrass

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) Tolerates broad pH range (5.5-6.5 best) Tolerates low fertility Tolerates close grazing Resistant to most diseases and has few pests Prefers sandy soils Thick vigorous rhizomes Competitive Propagated by seed, but dormancy and slow germination problems

Bahiagrass Bahia less cold tolerant than bermuda Usually established in early spring (to decrease weed competition) No grazing in establishment year (weak seedlings) Legumes limited by competitive ability of bahia white, crimson, arrowleaf clovers OK, but need to bring pH up and fertilize

UF-Riata Pensacola-type Less sensitive to daylength High yields, slightly improved digestibility Seed available through Ragan and Massey (www.raganandmassey.com) Dr. Ann Blount, Univ. of FL

TifQuik Bahiagrass Faster establishment in early spring Aids competition with weeds Fits with crop rotation Improved grazing in est. year Vigorous seedlings Seed available: Shiloh Farms (shilohfarmsinc.com)

Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg. over 2006-2008)

Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg. over 2006-2008)

Beef Production on Bahiagrass ADG Gain Stocking Rate Grazing Time (lbs/hd/d) (lb/acre) (hd/acre) (days) Pensacola (bahia) 0.95 222 1.5 131 Coastal 1.08 331 2.5 Coastcross I 1.50 469 Tifton 78 1.43 704 3.2 169 Tifton 85 1.47 1032 4.4 (top) Utley et al., 1974. J. Anim. Sci. 38:490-495. (bottom) Hill et al., 1993. J. Anim. Sci. 71:3219-3225. Photo credit: Clemson Univ.

Bahia vs. Bermuda Bahia Longer growing season Requires less fertilizer More drought-tolerant Requires less management Easier/cheaper to establish

Bahia vs. Bermuda Bermuda Higher production More easily over-seeded Requires more fertilizer More responsive to higher management

Bahiagrass vs. Bermudagrass

Bahiagrass vs. Bermudagrass Fertilization Potassium Lo Med High V. High Phosphorus *-80-80 *-80-40 *-80-0 *-40-80 *-40-40 *-40-0 *-0-80 *-0-40 *-0-0 Bermuda grass Potassium Lo Med High V. High Phosphorus *-60-120 *-60-65 *-60-30 *-60-0 *-30-120 *-30-65 *-30-30 *-30-0 *-0-120 *-0-65 *-0-30 *-0-0

Two Financial Considerations for Making this (or any other) Decision Annual costs/net returns Start-up/establishment costs

Assumptions Bahia-No fertilizer Bahia - High Common Bermuda-Low Common Bermuda-High Hybrid Bermuda-Low Hybrid Bermuda-High Establishment Costs $154 $313 $298 $473 Annual Maintenance Costs $0 $98 $173 $146 $221 See UGA forage extension pubs for specific fertilization and seeding recommendations Prices for fertilizer : N= $0.75, P=$0.65, and K =$0.60 Bahia seed = $7.50/lb., Bermuda seed = $10.00/lb., and Bermuda sprigs = $125/acre.

Results

Results for 100 Acres Bahia-No fertilizer Bahia - High Common Bermuda-Low Common Bermuda-High Hybrid Bermuda-Low Hybrid Bermuda-High Acres/cow 3 2 2.5 1.75 1.25 Net $/Cow $840 $533 $596 $538 $584 $563 Cows on 100 acres 33 50 40 57 80 Net $ from 100 Acres (excluding rent) $27,720 $15,375 $23,850 $30,673 $33,292 $45,075 Revenue figured on 525# calf sold for $160/cwt.

Results for 100 Cows Bahia-No fertilizer Bahia - High Common Bermuda-Low Common Bermuda-High Hybrid Bermuda-Low Hybrid Bermuda-High Value of 100 calves $84,000 Acres required for 100 cows 300 200 250 175 125 Fertilizer + Rent $7,500 $20,375 $16,000 $21,625 $19,000 $25,250 Total Expenses (incl. interest) $7,763 $21,088 $16,656 $22,382 $19,665 $26,134 Net $ $76,238 $62,912 $67,440 $61,618 $64,335 $57,866 Revenue figured on 525# calf sold for $160/cwt. Rent figured at $25/acre

Quality Differences in the Major Forage Species High Production Mod. Production Maint.

Georgia Forages: Grass Species Over 35 forage grasses. Cool Season Annuals Cool Season Perennials Warm Season Annuals Warm Season Perennials

Forage Systems with Highest ADG High ADG ≠ High Profitability Rank Forage System ADG (lbs) 1 Tall Fescue (NE + White Clover) 2.61 2 Alfalfa 2.16 3 Tall Fescue (endo. free ≈ NE) 2.13 4 Sericea Lespedeza (cont.) 1.87 5 Orchardgrass w/Ladino 1.83 6 Orchardgrass 1.77 7 Sericea Lespedeza (rotat.) 1.65 8 Oats & Crimson Clover 1.60 9 Rye, Ryegrass & Crimson Clover 1.57 10 Tall Fescue w/Ladino Clover 1.53 This illustrates the earlier concept that rye + ryegrass gives more gains earlier and can provide cheaper over all gains. O = oats, R = rye, T = triticale, W = wheat and RG= Ryegrass Production is vanity… Profit is sanity! Adapted from Ball and Prevatt (2009) and other studies presented herein.

Forage Systems with Lowest Cost Pasture Cost Rank Forage System $/Ac $/lb 1 Tall fescue w/ladino 172.26 0.30 2 Orchardgrass w/ladino 172.08 3 Tall fescue w/BF trefoil 173.28 0.44 4 Bermudagrass w/h. vetch 230.75 0.47 5 Sericea lespedeza (cont.) 148.84 0.49 6 Sericea lespedeza (rotat.) 0.54 7 0.60 8 Rye & ryegrass 318.34 9 Bermudagrass w/rye 328.35 0.62 10 Rye, oats & crimson clover 352.78 0.65 Low Cost ≠ High Profitability This illustrates the earlier concept that rye + ryegrass gives more gains earlier and can provide cheaper over all gains. O = oats, R = rye, T = triticale, W = wheat and RG= Ryegrass You get what you pay for! (Usually.) Source: Ball and Prevatt (2009).

Forage Systems with Highest ADG Rank Forage System ADG (lbs) 1 NE Tall Fescue w/White Clover 2.61 2 Alfalfa 2.16 3 EF Tall Fescue (≈ NE) 2.13 4 Sericea Lespedeza (cont.) 1.87 5 Orchardgrass w/Ladino 1.83 6 Orchardgrass 1.77 7 Sericea Lespedeza (rotat.) 1.65 8 Oats & Crimson Clover 1.60 9 Rye, Ryegrass & Crimson Clover 1.57 10 Tall Fescue w/Ladino Clover 1.53 This illustrates the earlier concept that rye + ryegrass gives more gains earlier and can provide cheaper over all gains. O = oats, R = rye, T = triticale, W = wheat and RG= Ryegrass Adapted from Ball and Prevatt (2009) and other studies presented herein.

Forage Systems with Lowest Cost Pasture Cost Rank Forage System $/Ac $/lb 1 Tall fescue w/ladino 172.26 0.30 2 Orchardgrass w/ladino 172.08 3 Tall fescue w/BF trefoil 173.28 0.44 4 Bermudagrass w/h. vetch 230.75 0.47 5 Sericea lespedeza (cont.) 148.84 0.49 6 Sericea lespedeza (rotat.) 0.54 7 0.60 8 Rye & ryegrass 318.34 9 Bermudagrass (hybrid) w/rye 328.35 0.62 10 Rye, oats & crimson clover 352.78 0.65 This illustrates the earlier concept that rye + ryegrass gives more gains earlier and can provide cheaper over all gains. O = oats, R = rye, T = triticale, W = wheat and RG= Ryegrass Source: Ball and Prevatt (2009).

Forage Systems with Highest Profitability Rank Forage System 1 Tall fescue w/ladino 2 Orchardgrass w/ladino 3 Bermudagrass (Hybrid) + 320 lbs N 4 Rye, ryegrass & crimson clover 5 Bermudagrass w/vetch 6 Rye & ryegrass 7 EF Tall Fescue (≈ NE) 8 Bermudagrass w/rye 9 Bermudagrass (Hybrid) + 160 lbs N 10 Oats & crimson clover NE Tall fescue + w. clover NE Tall fescue This illustrates the earlier concept that rye + ryegrass gives more gains earlier and can provide cheaper over all gains. O = oats, R = rye, T = triticale, W = wheat and RG= Ryegrass Verify by using the costs per acre and estimates of gain per acre from Ball and Prevatt (2009) and market price for selling calves.

THE SEVEN LOWEST PASTURE COSTS/LB OF GAIN INVOLVED LEGUMES 4 OF THE TOP 5 MOST PROFITABLE FORAGE OPTIONS USE LEGUMES EXTENSIVELY!!!

Primary Types

Stocker performance on ‘Pensacola’ bahiagrass and preferred bermudagrass varieties in selected research trials in the Coastal Plain. State ADG Gain Stocking Rate Grazing Period (lbs/hd/d) (lb/acre) (hd/acre) (days) Pensacola (bahia) GA1 1.0 222 1.5 131 Coastal 1.1 331 2.5 TX2 279 3.0 92 GA3 641 168 Tifton 44 1.6 681 Tifton 78 GA4 1.4 704 3.2 169 Tifton 85 1032 4.4 1.7 465 This illustrates the earlier concept that rye + ryegrass gives more gains earlier and can provide cheaper over all gains. O = oats, R = rye, T = triticale, W = wheat and RG= Ryegrass 1 Utley et al., 1974. J. Anim. Sci. 38:490-495. 2 Rouquette et al., 2003. Beef Cattle Research in Tx. pp. 62-66. 3 Utley et al., 1981. J. Anim. Sci. 52:725-728. 4 Hill et al., 1993. J. Anim. Sci. 71:3219-3225.

Option - Stocker Calves on Bahiagrass ADG Gain Stocking Rate Grazing Time (lbs/hd/d) (lb/acre) (hd/acre) (days) Pensacola (bahia) 0.95 222 1.5 131 Coastal 1.08 331 2.5 Coastcross I 1.50 469 Tifton 78 1.43 704 3.2 169 Tifton 85 1.47 1032 4.4 (top) Utley et al., 1974. J. Anim. Sci. 38:490-495. (bottom) Hill et al., 1993. J. Anim. Sci. 71:3219-3225. Photo credit: Clemson Univ.

Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) Tolerates broad pH range (5.5-6.5 best) Tolerates low fertility Tolerates close grazing Resistant to most diseases and has few pests Prefers sandy soils Thick vigorous rhizomes Competitive Propagated by seed, but dormancy and slow germination problems

Warm season grass Cool season grass Bundle Sheath Cells Mesophyll Cells Vascular Tissue Mesophyll Cells Cool season grass

Bermudagrass leaf after incubation in rumen fluid for 48 hr Tall fescue leaf after incubation in rumen fluid for 48 hr