Plant Composition and Feeding Value of Sudangrass and Sorghum-Sudangrass in a Controlled Grazing System

Abstract

Sixteen lactating Holstein cows were utilized in a pasture comparison between greenleaf sudangrass and sorghum-sudan hybrid SX-11. Pastures were grazed for 50 days with 10 day grazing periods per plot compare milk production and body weight change. Production of 4% fat-corrected milk was similar (P > .05) for two cow groups. However, milk production of the cows grazing sudangrass was generally more persistent during the trial. Cows grazing sudangrass gained more (P < .01) body weight during the trial. Digestion coefficients with Holstein steers receiving immature sorghum-sudangrass hay, for dry matter, crude protein, and energy were 59.8, 68.8 and 65.6. Differences in dry matter, crude protein, and fiber contents of the grazed forages not significant, but hydrocyanic acid content was higher (P < .05) in the sorghum-sudangrass forage. No toxicity problems were encountered during the trial. © 1971, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.