1. Bahiagrass

2. Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)
Tolerates broad pH range ( 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

3. 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

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

5. 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)

6. Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg
Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg. over )

7. Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg
Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg. over )

8. 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., J. Anim. Sci. 38:
(bottom) Hill et al., J. Anim. Sci. 71:
Photo credit: Clemson Univ.

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

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

11. Bahiagrass vs. Bermudagrass

12. 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 *
*-60-65
*-60-30
*-60-0 *
*-30-65
*-30-30
*-30-0
*-0-120
*-0-65
*-0-30
*-0-0

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

14. 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.

15. Results

16. 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.

17. 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

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

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

20. 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.

21. 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).

22. 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.

23. 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).

24. Forage Systems with Highest Profitability
Rank
Forage System 1
Tall fescue w/ladino 2
Orchardgrass w/ladino 3
Bermudagrass (Hybrid) 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) 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.

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

26. Primary Types

27. 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., J. Anim. Sci. 38:
2 Rouquette et al., Beef Cattle Research in Tx. pp
3 Utley et al., J. Anim. Sci. 52:
4 Hill et al., J. Anim. Sci. 71:

28. 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., J. Anim. Sci. 38:
(bottom) Hill et al., J. Anim. Sci. 71:
Photo credit: Clemson Univ.

29. Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)
Tolerates broad pH range ( 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

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

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