Palatability of Cool-Season Forage Grasses

Specie

Variety (maturity^)

Palatability*

Orchardgrass

TAKENA (l)

4.3

Timothy

CLIMAX (l)

4.3

Perennial Ryegrass

KEMAL

4.2

Orchardgrass

BARIDANA (l)

4.0

Orchardgrass

DAWN (m)

4.0

Perennial Ryegrass

ANACONDA

4.0

Timothy

COLT (l)

3.9

Smooth bromegrass

BLIZZARD (l)

3.8

Perennial Ryegrass

BARNHEM

3.8

Perennial Ryegrass

RESPECT

3.8

Perennial Ryegrass

WFL96

3.8

Orchardgrass

BENCHMARK (e)

3.7

Timothy

DOLINA (l)

3.7

Perennial Ryegrass

GRAND DADDY

3.7

Orchardgrass

HAYMATE (l)

3.5

Festulolium

TANDEM

3.2

Orchardgrass

WARRIOR (m)

3.0

Orchardgrass

STAMPEDE (m)

2.9

Smooth bromegrass

ALPHA (e)

2.3

Tall fescue

BARCEL

2.0

Tall fescue

EI KY31 (m)

1.9

Festulolium

FELINA

1.6

Tall fescue

KY 31 (m)

1.4

Tall fescue

BRONSON (m)

1.2

Tall fescue

TF 33 (l)

1.2

Tall fescue

SELECT (m)

1.0

Tall fescue

KORA (m)

1.0

Festulolium

HYKOR

1.0

Tall fescue

SEINE

0.6

*Palatability rating 0=0% grazed, 1=20%, 2=40%, 3=60%, 4=80%, 5=100% grazed.

Palatability of grasses under grazing is determined by visual estimation of percent defoliation of plots.

The visual determination is made midway during mob grazing by beef cows of the grass plots for yield determination.

^ maturity: e=early, m=medium, l=late, rating is relative within a specie