14 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 388 



Experiments at Amherst with Pasture Seeding Mixtures. (W. G. Colby.) 

 For the purpose of studying different strains of grasses and legumes under actual 

 grazing conditions, three series of plots were laid out in 1940, on land which had 

 been brought to a high state of fertility through the liberal use of lime, manure, 

 and commercial fertilizer. Two series of 19 plots each were seeded August 23, 

 1940, and a third series of 13 plots was seeded April 18, 1941. The same mixtures 

 were included in each series as far as possible. In several instances, limited seed 

 supplies prevented the use of certain mixtures in more than one or two of the 

 three series. 



The object of the experiment was to compare a systiem of hay-pasture manage- 

 ment with pasturing alone and to test summer seeding of pasture mixtures against 

 spring seeding. During 1941, Series I was subjected to four periods of intensive 

 grazing by a small herd of dairy cows: in May, July, August, and October. 

 Series II was first cut for hay before being subjected to three periods of grazing, 

 which coincided with the last three grazing periods of Series I. The spring-seeded 

 series (III) was grazed only lightly at the same time as Series II. The following 

 observations and results deserve mention: 



1. Brome grass and meadow fescue (Svalof's early) showed the most promise 

 as being desirable companion grasses for Ladino Clover. The cutting of an 

 early hay crop followed by several periods of intensive grazing appeared to be the 

 most desirable way of utilizing these grasses. 



2. Hay t3'pes of orchard grass (Scandia and Commercial) as well as the less 

 vigorous pasture types (S26 and S143) did not combine well with Ladino Clover. 

 The orchard grass, irrespective of how it was managed, tended to crowd out the 

 clover even during the first season. This occurred partly because orchard grass 

 grows vigorously throughout the season and partly because it produces tussocks 

 or bunches. Animals grazing on Ladino Clover mixtures with this grass tended 

 to graze the clover growing between the bunches of orchard grass much more 

 closely than they did the clumps of grass, even though the orchard grass was kept 

 in a young, active vegetative growth stage at all times. As a result of preferential 

 grazing, the stand of orchard grass continually improved and the stand of clover 

 deteriorated. 



These observations may explain why, in Massachusetts, orchard grass in 

 Ladino Clover seeding mixtures invariabl}- crowds out Ladino Clover, com- 

 pletel}^ after three or four years and results in a pure stand of orchard grass. 



The most promising mixtures using orchard grass were those which included 

 alfalfa and which were cut for hay before being grazed. For this purpose, the 

 later-maturing pasture strains (S26 and S143) were much superior to the hay 

 strains. There is a real need for a hay strain which will mature from a week to ten 

 days later than do any strains now available. 



3. The hay-pasture system of management rather than pasture alone appears 

 to have excellent possibilities as a way of utilizing a number of these early matur- 

 ing grasses (brome, meadow fescue, orchard) not only in producing a good early 

 hay crop but also in providing e.xcellent feed for midsummer grazing. In these 

 experiments, about two tons of dry hay were cut to the acre in the middle of June, 

 followed roughly by three quarters of a ton of dry herbage as grazing the latter 

 part of July, about the same quantity again late in August, and another half ton 

 early in October. 



4. Observations on palatability indicated that timothy ranked first among 

 the grasses, followed in order by brome grass, meadow fescue, red top, orchard 

 grass, and tall fescue (Alta strain). Alfalfa, red clover, and alsike, although quite 

 palatable as young plants, became less palatable than Ladino Clover as the plants 

 became older and developed woody stems. The woody, unpalatable stem growth 

 of alfalfa is a serious handicap to the use of this plant for grazing purp&s;;s. 



