Teff Grass as a Warm Season Forage for Backgrounding Calves in the Shenandoah Valley

1. Teff Grass as a Warm Season Forage for Backgrounding Calves in the Shenandoah Valley Brian Jones – Agronomy Jason Carter – Animal Science

2. Background • Teff is a warm season C4 annual grass • African origin, used as a grain crop • Gaining popularity as a summer annual forage • Primarily marketed as high quality horse hay

3. The Teff plant

4. Objective To compare the weight gain and profitability of calves rotationally grazing a Teff grass forage system to calves continuously grazing a typical Shenandoah Valley cool season pasture

5. Establishment • Seeded following barley (wrapped haylage) • May 23: Turbo-till • May 25: Pasture harrow • May 31: Fertilizer • 64 lb 0-0-62.5 • 83 lb 10-34-0 • 52 lb 30% UAN • May 31: Herbicide • 1.5 qt/A Gramoxone

6. Establishment • Seeded June 3 • 7 lbs/A • “Tiffany” teff • Coated seed • 1.3 million seeds/lb

7. Establishment • Brillion seeder • Must seed no deeper than ¼”

8. First Cutting July 10 • 37 Days after planting • Analysis: CP: 16.5% TDN: 66% RFV: 94

9. Experimental Design • “Gate cut” two groups of calves • 48 in each group • Calves weaned 30 days prior to study • Calf data: • Weight • Frame score • Switch length

10. Experimental Design • Group A • Rotationally grazing Teff grass pasture • 20 acres • Group B • Continuous grazing cool season pasture (fescue/OG/clover) • 40+ acres • Grazed for 69 days (September 30)

11. Calf Beginning Weights

12. Start Grazing July 27 • 17 Days after cutting • Teff 20” tall • Rotational system • 8 2.5A paddocks • Portable water trough • 3-4 day rotation

13. Water Consumption • Water meter to measure calf H2O intake • Drank 5 gal/hd/day • Typical intake is 10.2 gal/hd/day

14. August 3Teff grew 16” in 23 days after cutting!

15. August 13

16. August 18

17. Finished Grazing Sept. 30 • Teff pasture was completely utilized • Pulled calves, sorted, weighed

18. Efficiency of Gain

19. QUESTIONS?

20. Tolerance of Teff (Eragrostis tef) var. “Tiffany” to Several Selective Herbicides Brian JonesAgronomy Extension Agent

21. Objective • Limited literature exists on selective weed control in teff • Objective was to examine the effect of several common selective forage herbicides on teff growth and yield

22. Establishment • Variety: “Tiffany” teff • Planting date: 3 June, 2009 • Seeding rate: 7 lb/A • Seeding tool: Brillion seeder • Previous crop: Barley harvested as silage • Site prep: • Turbo-till vertical tillage (23 May) • Pasture harrow (25 May) • Fertilizer applied 31 May: • 64 lb 0-0-62.5 • 83 lb 10-34-0 • 52 lb 30% UAN • Burndown herbicide applied 31 May • 1.5 qt/A Gamoxone Nteon

23. Herbicide Treatments • Treatments applied on 10 August in a randomized complete block design with four replications

24. Teff on 10 August • Treatments applied to teff after 17 days of re-growth occurred from hay cutting

25. Weed Species Composition • Number of common forage weed species present, including • Canada thistle • Bull thistle • Pigweed spp. • Horsenettle • Broadleaf dock • Weed composition and cover varied between treatments • Teff stand was consistent and above 90% ground cover in all treatments

26. Teff Yield • Teff harvested on 22 September (6 WAT) • Sample weight and dry matter determined

27. P ≤ 0.05 NS NS NS NS NS

28. Milestone Grazon P+D Control Rifle 2,4-D

29. Summary • No difference in teff yield observed between treatments • No visual difference in teff performance noted between treatments • A more thorough investigation of herbicide application at different teff growth stages should be performed

30. QUESTIONS?