Comparative Feeding Value of Pelleted Pensacola Bahiagrass,

Coastal Bermudagrass and Coast-Cross-1 Bermudagrass

Harvested at Four and Eight Weeks of Age
P. R. Utley, R. S. Lowrey, W. H. Marchant, R. E. Hellwig, J. L.
Butler and W. C. McCormick

J ANIM SCI 1971, 33:147-150.

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 COMPARATIVE FEEDING VALUE OF PELLETED PENSACOLA
BAHIAGRASS, COASTAL BERMUDAGRASS AND COAST-
CROSS-1 BERMUDAGRASS HARVESTED AT FOUR
AND EIGHT WEEKS OF AGE 1
P. R. UTLEY,2 R. S. LOWRY.Y,5 W. H. MARCHANT, 3 R. E. HELLWm,4
J. L. B U T L E R 4 A N D W . C . M c C o R M I C K 2
Georgia Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Ti]ton 31794

p ENSACOLA bahiagrass (paspalum nota-

turn var. saurae Parodi), and Coastal ber-
at approximately 8-week intervals for three
harvest periods. All plots were uniformly fer-
mudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L) Pers) are tilized with approximately 45 kg N, 15 kg
grown extensively in the Southeast for use as P205, and 30 kg K20 for subplots harvested
pasture (Stephens and Marchant, 1959; at 4-week intervals and 90 kg N, 30 kg P205
Stephens and Marchant, I950) and hay (Mc- and 60 kg KeO for subplots harvested at 8-
Cormick, Marchant and Southwell, 1967). week intervals, initially and following each
Recently Coastcross-1 bermudagrass (Coastal harvest except the last. The grasses were direct
x Kenya 56 :~ 14 bermudagrass hybrid) was cut with a forage harvester set to give a 6.4
released by the Coastal Plain Experiment Sta- mm theoretical chop. The forage was trans-
tion as an improved forage bermudagrass. In pgrted to the processing plant, dried to about
replicated clipping experiments conducted at 6% moisture in a triple pass dehydrator,
Tifton, Coastcross-1 bermudagrass has con- ground through a 3.2 mm screen and extruded
sistently been more digestible when measured into pellets through a 9.5 mm die. A 200 g
by the nylon bag technique (Lowrey et al., sample was collected from each harvest for
1968) and has yielded as much forage per chemical analyses. Subsequently, 10% ali-
hectare as Coastal bermudagrass or Pensacola quots of the pelleted forages were removed
bahiagrass. from each cutting for use in a digestion trial.
This study was initiated to compare the The remainder of each harvest was composited
feeding value of Pensacola bahiagrass, Coastal in separate bins for each grass variety and
bermudagrass and Coastcross-1 bermudagrass age at harvest for use in a feeding trial.
harvested at 4 weeks or 8 weeks of age and Digestion Trial. Six yearling Hereford
pelleted. steers, averaging 250 kg in weight, were con-
fined to metabolism crates and fed the six
Materials and Methods pelleted forages shown in table I. Steers and
type of forage were arranged in a 6 x 6 latin
Comparable 0.8 ha plots of Pensacola bahia- square design as outlined by Cochran and
grass, Coastal bermudagrass and Coastcross-1 Cox (1957). The steers were subjected to
bermudagrass were limed February 10, 1969, their respective treatment for a 12-day pre-
with 2.24 tons of dolomitic limestone per hec- liminary period followed by a 7-day quantita-
tare, burned February 28 to control weeds tive fecal collection period. Total fecal collec-
and remove stubble and subsequently dragged tions were made daily according to standard
with a tine harrow to scatter ant hills. On procedures for balance trials. Each steer was
March 24, the bermudagrass plots were fed a constant restrictive amount (2.3 kg)
treated with 2.24 kg and the bahiagrass plot of the respective age and variety of grass pel-
with 1.12 kg of 2, 4-D per hectare. lets twice daily during all six periods. Water
Each 0.8 ha plot was subdivided into 0.4 was offered to each steer prior to. both the
ha subplots and harvested at two frequencies. mornin~ and evening feedings.
One subplot of each grass was harvested at Feeding Trial. A growth and feed intake
approximately 4-week intervals for six harvest study was conducted with 36 yearling Here-
periods and the other subplot was harvested ford steers that initially weighed approxi-
Jonrnal Series P~per No.. 933, University of Georgia Col- mately 300 kiIograms. The steers were ran-
lege of Agriculture Experiment Stations, Coastal Plain Station,
Tifton. domly allotted to six dietary treatments in a
Department of Animal Science. 2 x 3 factorial design and individually fed
3 Department of Agronomy.
Agriculture Engineering Research Division, A.R.S., U.S.D.A. pelleted 4- or 8-week-old forage of each grass
5Department of Animal Science, University of Georgia,
Athens. variety (table 1) for 77 days. The pelleted
147
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, vol. 33, no. I, 1971

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148 UTLEY E T AL.
T A B L E 1. D R Y M A T T E R CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF PENSACOLA BAHIAGRAS$,
COASTAL BERMUDAGRASS AND COASTCROSS-1 BERMUDAGRASS HARVESTED
AT 4- OR 8-WEEK INTERVALS AND PELLETED

Pensacola bahiagrass Coastal bermudagrass Coastcross-1 bermudagrass

Item 4-weeks 8-weekb 4-week a 8-weekb 4-weeks 8-weekb
Crude protein ( % ) 15.2~1.12 c 11.3_+1.67 16.8• 12.5-+-1.52 17.5+1.06 13.7-t-1.24
Ether extract ( % ) 4.1• 3.0• 3.8• 3.1__+0.82 4.3_-~0.24 2.6-t-0.10
Crude fiber ( % ) 26.2+1.12 28.6• 27.7+1.17 30.3• 26.2+0.75 32.1•
Nitrogen free extract (%) 45.9+1.11 49.1+1.63 44.1~0.90 47.0_+1.41 42.8~0.92 44.0-+-2.25
Ash ( % ) 8.6~0.86 7.9+0.14 7.9• 7.0~0.21 9.2• 7.3-t-0.44
Cellulose (%) 29.3+0.89 31.8• 27.4• 29.5~1.04 27.4-t-0.78 32.4+_0.69
Acid detergent fiber ( % ) 35.5+1.I8 38.4+2.69 34.4~1.41 36.8+1.79 32.8+1.13 39.4-1-0.92
Acid detergent lignin (%) 3.9 _T0.31 4.7• 4.9• 6.2• 4.2-+-0.13 6.2~0.31
Cell wall 67.7-+-1.38 70.6• 68.5• 72.6+0.93 65.4• 71.6+0.92
a Average of six harvests.
b Average of three harvests.
e Mean+standard error of mean.

forages were offered daily in excess of con- vest season. In contrast, the uniformity of
sumption thus providing ad libitum intakes. A forage production (figure 1) was similar for
mineral mix (composed of 50% trace mineral all three grass varieties and the two harvest
salt and 50% defluorinated rock phosphate) intervals in this study.
and water were offered free choice. The average chemical analyses for the three
Proximate analyses for the metabolism trial grass varieties cut at 4- and 8-week intervals
and chemical analyses of forage constituents are shown in table 1. The crude protein con-
were determined by the methods of the tent was negatively ( P < . 0 1 ) correlated with
A.O.A.C. (1960), Van Soest (1963) and Van the cellulose (r-=--.614) and acid detergent
Soest and Wine (1967). Analysis of variance fiber ( r z - - . 7 5 5 ) content of the forages. A
(Snedecor, 1956) was used to detect differ-
reduction in crude protein paralleled an in-
ences between forage varieties and harvesting
intervals. When F tests indicated significant
28--
main effects and no age x variety interaction 4-WEEK HARVEST INTERVAL
( P < . 0 5 ) , Duncan's multiple range test (Dun- --~'-- PENSACOLA BAHIA
- - 0 - - COASTAL BERMUDA
can, 1955) was used for mean separation. - ' 0 " - COASTCROSS-I BERMUDA ~ -
Correlation among variables was obtained ~4 8-WEEK HARVEST INTERVAL /
from the residual mean squares and cross PENSACOLA BAHIA / /El
products of a least square analysis. p- 9--O-- COASTAL BERMUDA /
O ---t3-- COASTCROSS-- I / /
~2o BERMUDA / / ,,.,0
Results and Discussion o)
Z
0
Forage Yield and Characterization. Har- I..-

vesting at 8-week intervals compared with 4- r,-16

week intervals increased the total dry matter
production of both Coastal bermudagrass and
Coastcross-1 bermudagrass by about 39% / I/.P"
but increased the production of Pensacola ba-
hiagrass only 8% (figure 1). The quantity O

of dry matter produced by the three varieties

was also very different. When the grasses were
ill K,I,'/,'
->s
harvested at 4-week intervals, Coastal ber-
mudagrass produced 35% and Coastcross-1
bermudagrass yielded 22% more dry matter
than Pensacola bahiagrass. At 8-week harvest
intervals, these differences were larger. if' / /,"
Coastal bermudagrass and Coastcross-1 ber- a"
mudagrass produced 74% and 60% more o , I I I I I
forage, respectively, than did the Pensacola 5/:)2 6/16 7/15 8/15 9 / t l 10/9
DATE OF HARVEST (1969)
bahiagrass plot. Beaty, Powell and Edwards
(1969) reported more consistent production ~igure 1. Accumulative dry matter production
of Pensacola bahiagrass, Coastal bermudagrass
from Coastal bermudagrass than from Pensa- and Coastcross-1 bermudagrass harvested at 4-
cola bahiagrass during the growing and har- and 8-week intervals.

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 F E E D I N G VALUE OF PELLETED GRASSES 149
TABLE 2. A P P A R E N T DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF STEERS FED THE THREE
GRASS VARIETIES HARVESTED AT 4- OR 8-WEEK INTERVALS AND PELLETED

Pensacola Coastal Coastcross-1

bahiagrass bermudagrass bermudagrass

Item 4-week 8-week 4-week 8-week 4-week 8-week

Dry matter 65.0" 60.4 b~ 62.0 b 51.4 a 65.4" 58.1 c

Crude protein 63. i b 52.4 a 6 8 . 7 '~ 57.4 ~ 70.3 ~ 62.7 b
Ether extract 63.2 ~ 63.0 a 62.9" 55.0 b 65.3 ~ 68.1 ~
Crude fiber 71.1 a 67.4 ab 64.7 b 49.8 a 69.5" 60.0 c
Nitrogen free extract 6 5 . 3 '~ 61.8 ~b 61.2 b 51.4 a 6 4 . 1 "b 55.5 r
Cellulose 73.4 a 68.8 b~ 67.8 c 53.7 ~ 7 1 . 9 ab 61.9 a
Calculated TDN ~ 64.0" 60.0 b~ 61.2 b 50.2 a 64.2 ~ 57.8 ~
a, b, e, a, e Means on the same line not bearing the same superscript letter are different ( P < . 0 5 ) .
T n N = T o t a l digestible n u t r i e n t s z ( % Protein x D i g . ) - } - ( % Fiber x Di~')-r N-Free Ext. x D i g . ) + 2 . 2 5 ( % Fat x D i g . ) .

crease in cellulose and acid detergent fiber. for Coastcross-1 bermudagrass and lowest
Harvesting the various grasses at 4-week in- ( P < . 0 5 ) for Coastal bermudagrass. Lowrey,
tervals contrasted to 8-week intervals in- Knox and McCormick (1969) conducted a
creased the crude protein, ether extract and similar study with Coastal bermudagrass and
ash content of the material. Nitrogen free Pensacola bahiagrass harvested at 3-, 5- and
extract, crude fiber, cellulose, acid detergent 7-week intervals and obtained similar apparent
fiber, acid detergent lignin and cell wall con- digestibility coefficients.
tent were all considerably lower in the younger Feeding Trial. The average daily gains and
forage. forage intakes of steers fed the three grasses
Digestion Trial. The apparent digestibility harvested at 4- or 8-week intervals and pel-
coefficients for Pensacola bahiagrass, Coastal leted are shown in table 3. Both grass variety
bermudagrass, and Coastcross-1 bermudagrass and age at harvest were significant sources of
harvested at 4- and 8-week intervals are variation ( P < . 0 1 ) and no age x variety inter-
shown in table 2. Cellulose digestibility was action was found ( P > . 0 5 ) when tested by
highly ( P < . 0 1 ) correlated to the digestibility analysis of variance. Steers fed pelleted Coast-
of dry matter ( r ~ . 7 0 6 ) , crude fiber (r=.672) cross-1 bermudagrass gained 42% faster
and cell wall content (r=.627). With the ex- ( P < . 0 1 ) than steers fed Coastal bermuda-
ception of ether extract digestibility by steers grass and 12% faster ( P < . 0 5 ) than animals
fed Pensacola bahiagrass and Coastcross-1 fed Pensacola bahiagrass. Coastcross-1 ber-
bermudagrass pellets, all nutrients tested were mudagrass harvested at 4-week intervals pro-
more digestible ( P < . 0 5 ) when the forage was duced 18% greater gains than Pensacola ba-
harvested at 4-week intervals compared with hiagrass and 52% greater gains ( P < . 0 5 )
8-week intervals. When comparisons were than Coastal bermudagrass. The same trend
made between varieties, the dry matter diges- was noted when the grasses were cut at 8-
tibilities of Pensacola bahiagrass and Coast- week intervals but the mean gains for grass
cross-1 bermudagrass were greater ( P < . 0 1 ) varieties were not different ( P > . 0 5 ) .
than for the Coastal bermudagrass within both Average daily gain tended to parallel
age groups. The crude protein digestibilities voluntary intake. More forage ( P < . 0 5 ) was
of the two bermudagrasses were similar and consumed by steers fed Coastcross-1 bermuda-
higher ( P < . 0 5 ) than for Pensacola bahiagrass grass than was consumed by animals fed Pen-
when harvested at 4 weeks of age. The variety sacola bahiagrass or Coastal bermudagrass.
differences were magnified with 8-week har- Harvesting Coastcross-i bermudagrass at 4
vesting intervals. The digestibility of crude weeks, contrasted to 8 weeks of age, increased
protein in the older forages was 9% greater the voluntary consumption of this grass ( P <
( P < . 0 5 ) for Coastcross-1 bermudagrass than .05). In comparison, age at harvest did not
for Coastal bermudagrass and the crude pro- affect ( P > . 0 5 ) the intake of Pensacola bahia-
tein fraction in Coastal bermudagrass was grass or Coastal bermudagrass pellets. Feed
10% more digestible ( P < . 0 5 ) than in Pensa- required per kilogram of steer weight gain
cola bahiagrass. The apparent digestibility of was less ( P < . 0 5 ) for 4-week-old grass com-
the nitrogen-free extract, crude fiber and cel- pared with 8-week-old forages of all three
lulose fractions was greatest ( P < . 0 5 ) for varieties. Four-week-old Coastcross-1 bermu-
Pensacola bahiagrass, intermediate ( P < . 0 5 ) dagrass and Pensacola bahiagrass were util-

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150 U T L E Y E T AL.
TABLE 3. MEAN AVERAGE DAILY GAIN, FEED INTAKE AND FEED EFFICIENCY
OF STEERS FED TWO AGES OF PELLETED PENSACOLA BAHIAGRASS,
COASTAL BERMUDAGRASS ANDCOASTCROSS-1 BERMUDAGRASS
Pensacola Coastal Coastcross-1
bahiagrass bermudagrass bermudagrass
Item 4-week 8-week 4-week 8-week 4-week 8-week
Avg daily gain
(kg/day) 0 . 7 9 "b 0 . 6 2 be 0.61 b~ 0.50 c 0.93 ~ 0.65 bc
Avg daily feed intake
(kg/day) 7.99 b~ 7.49 ~ 7.87 bed 7.44 d 8.73 ~ 8.25 ~
Kg feed per kg gain 10.11 ~ 12.08 b 12.90 b 14.88 ~ 9.38 ~ 12.84 b
Kg TDN per kg gain 6.47 ~ 7.24 b 7.89 b 7.46 b 6.02 ~ 7.42 b
a, ~. c. a Meanson tlle same line not bearingthe same superscriptletter are different (P<.05).

ized most efficiently; whereas, 8-week-old grass than for Coastal bermudagrass. Steers
Coastal bermudagrass was least efficiently fed pelleted Coastcross-1 bermudagrass gained
converted to animal gain ( P < . 0 5 ) . faster ( P ~ . 0 5 ) than steers fed Pensacola ba-
McCormick et al. ( 1 9 6 7 ) attributed an in- hiagrass and faster ( P ~ . 0 1 ) than steers fed
creased average daily gain in calves fed Pensa- Coastal bermudagrass. Four-week-old Coast-
cola bahiagrass h a y compared with Coastal cross-1 bermudagrass and Pensacola bahia-
bermudagrass hay to a greater total digestible grass were most efficiently converted ( P ~ . 0 5 )
n u t r i e n t ( T D N ) content. T a b l e 2 shows that to animal gain; whereas, &week-old Coastal
Pensacola bahiagrass and Coastcross-1 ber- bermudagrass was least efficiently utilized
mudagrass pellets contained greater percent- (V<.05).
ages of T D N ( P < . 0 5 ) than Coastal bermuda-
Literature Cited
grass pellets. W h e n efficiency was expressed
in terms of kilograms of T D N per kilogram of A.O.A.C. 1960. Official Methods of Analysis (Sth
gain (table 3), Pensacola bahiagrass and Ed.). Association of Official Agricultural Chemists.
Washington, D. C.
Coastcross-1 bermudagrass harvested at 4- Beaty, E. R., John D. Powell and James It. Edwards,
week intervals were more efficiently utilized Jr. 1969. Forage and animal gains of Coastal
than the other forages tested. bermuda and Pensacola bahia. J. Range Manage.
22:318.
Cochran, W. G. and G. M. Cox. 1957. Experimental
Summary Design. (2nd Ed.). John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
New York.
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Coastal bermudagrass and Coastcross-1 ber- F tests. Biometrics 11:1.
Lowrey, R. S., G. W. Burton, J. C. Johnson, Jr.,
mudagrass were harvested and pelleted at 4- W. It. Marchant and W. C. McCormick. 1968. In
or 8-week intervals during the growing season vivo studies with Coastcroas-1 and other bermudas.
and used to determine apparent digestibility, Ga. Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 55.
v o l u n t a r y intake and body weight gains when Lowrey, R. S., F. E. Knox and W. C. McCormick.
1969. Effect of age on nutritive value of Coastal
steers were fed these various forages. Pellets bermuda and bahiagrasses. J. Anim. Sci. 28:142.
from grasses harvested at 4-week intervals (Abstr.).
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crude protein and ether extract b u t were well. 1967. Coastal bermudagrass and Pensacola
bahiagrass hays for wintering beef calves. Ga. Agr.
lower in nitrogen-free extract, crude fiber, Exp. Sta. Res. Bull. 19.
cellulose, acid detergent fiber, acid detergent Snedecor, G. W. 1956. Statistical Methods (5th Ed.).
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of rates of nitrogen on Coastal bermudagass. Ga.
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.01) than for Coastal bermudagrass. The Stephens, J. L. and W. H. Marchant. 1960. Bahiagrass
crude protein content of the two bermuda- for pasture. Ga. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. N.S. 67.
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ysis of fibrous feeds. II. A rapid method for the
protein in Pensacola bahiagrass. Apparent di- determination of fiber and lignin. J. Ass. Official
gestibilities for alI fibrous constituents were Agr. Chem. 46:829.
greater ( P ~ . 0 5 ) for Pensacola bahiagrass Van Soest, P. J. and R. H. Wine. 1967. Use of deter-
than for Coastcross-1 bermudagrass and gents in the analysis of fibrous feeds IV. Determina-
tion of plant cellwall constituents. J. Ass. Official
greater ( P ~ . 0 5 ) for Coastcross-1 bermuda- Agr. Chem. 50:50.

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