Selecting Grass Varieties

1. Selecting Grass Varieties Dr. Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin

2. Selecting a Good Grass Variety Mixed with Alfalfa Less NFC than corn silage or alfalfa In Pastures Greater differences exist among grass varieties than among corn hybrids and soybean varieties

3. Selecting Grass VarietiesYield range of grass varieties in UW trials

4. Selecting Grass varieties -Yield difference among varieties

5. Selecting Grasses • Bromegrass not recommended • 60 to 70 % of growth first cutting • Overwhelms alfalfa 1st cut – little impact later • Timothy not recommended • Short stand life, 2 to 4 years • Lowest yielding grass

6. Selecting Grasses • Orchardgrass and tall fescue • Want winterhardy types

7. Selecting Grasses • Orchardgrass and tall fescue • Want winterhardy types • Want rust resistant types

8. Rust in grass trials

9. Selecting Grasses • Orchardgrass and tall fescue • Want winterhardy types • Want rust resistant types • Want late maturing types

10. Selecting Grasses • Orchardgrass and tall fescue • Want winterhardy types • Want rust resistant types • Want late maturing types • Want good seasonal distribution of yield

11. Seasonal variation in Orchardgrass variety yield

12. Seasonal variation in Tall Fescue variety yield

13. % season yield in first cut vs β for orchardgrass varieties, UW Arlington

14. % season yield in first cut vs β for Tall Fescue varieties, UW Arlington

15. Web Resources UW Extension A1525 Newspapers UW Extension Forage Resources www.uwex.edu/ces/forage