Spring Regrowth and Steer Performance on Tifton 85 and Coastal Bermudagrass Pastures Following Sod-Seeding with Ryegrass

Effects of autumn sod-seeded ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum; cv. Passerel; 37.7 kg/ha) in bermudagrass pastures (Cynodon spp.; cv. Coastal and cv. Tifton 85) on grazing steer performance were determined. Ryegrass was sod-seeded in three of six .81 ha pastures of each bermudagrass. Forage height was adjusted to10 cm during spring. Stocking rates were unaffected by ryegrass in Tifton 85 pastures, but they were higher (P \u3c .05) for Tifton 85 than Coastal. Ryegrass increased tester steer average daily gains by 34% (.86 vs .64 kg/day; P \u3c .01), and gain/ha by 26% (387 vs 306 kg/ha; P \u3c .05). Higher stocking rates resulted in 22% more grazing days (515 vs 421 days/ha; P \u3c .01), and 30% higher gain/ha (391 vs 301 kg/ha; P \u3c .05) for Tifton 85 than Coastal pastures. Ryegrass did not affect stocking rates or steer performance on Tifton 85, but it depressed both on Coastal pastures