"Grass Fed" Grass Grows Better Beef, Dairy

Grass Fed Grass Grows Better Beef, Dairy LIVESTOCK Beef 33-4-40 European-bred "grass fed" grasses can extend grazing seasons, improve drought resistance, and improve palatability, says seed dealer Stan Vander Kooi of Eagle Seed. The Minnesota seed company specializes in European-bred crops for intensive grazing and forage production. "The Dutch seed companies have been breeding grass for grazing for a long time," says Vander Kooi. "One company that we work with is Barenbrug. They have research stations in 7 countries and are ahead of the U.S. in developing forages that are highly digestible and productive." He says one of the differences is that European forages are bred to produce forage, not seed. They mature late and put less energy into seed production. One example of such a late maturing grass, Vander Kooi cites, is STF43, a soft-leaf, tall fescue. "It produces impressive dry matter yields with exceptional levels of digestible fiber," he says. "The tall fescues have high fiber levels that improve cow health, but also have high energy for dairy cows, grass-finished beef or other ruminants." Vander Kooi adds that STF43 is well suited for hay and haylage production. The endophyte-free fescue also works well for interplanting with a legume. "Our old grasses would mature ahead of alfalfa," he says. "With tall fescue, it matures with the alfalfa." Another popular forage grass is Green Spirit, an Italian ryegrass. Vander Kooi recommends rotating it with corn for silage instead of corn on corn. He says it can out-yield second year corn. He compares the European biennial to conventional annual ryegrasses available in the U.S. "Annual ryegrasses go reproductive in the fall, trying to set seed heads, and that lowers digestible fiber," he explains. "Italian ryegrasses won't go reproductive their first year and, in our climate, just keep growing into the fall. Forage tests of Green Spirit show energy levels similar to barley grain." Vander Kooi suggests direct seeding of Green Spirit at about 30 lbs. per acre or using it as a cover crop at about three to five lbs. per acre. "Use Green Spirit when seeding down alfalfa, and you can get as many as three crops of grass silage off before the alfalfa is up," he says. Green Spirit and other Italian ryegrasses are priced at around $1.25 per lb., while prices for tall fescues range from $2.50 to $3.00 per lb. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Stan Vander Kooi, 1499 30th St. S.E., Buffalo, Minn. 55313 (ph 612 290-8436; stan @vkfarmmgp.com; www.grassfedisbest. com).

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