A twelve-month grazing program for the rice area of Louisiana

Transcription

1 Luisiana State University LSU Digital Cmmns LSU Agricultural Experiment Statin Reprts LSU AgCenter 1946 A twelve-mnth grazing prgram fr the rice area f Luisiana Rufus K. Walker Fllw this and additinal wrks at: Recmmended Citatin Walker, Rufus K., "A twelve-mnth grazing prgram fr the rice area f Luisiana" (1946). LSU Agricultural Experiment Statin Reprts This Article is brught t yu fr free and pen access by the LSU AgCenter at LSU Digital Cmmns. It has been accepted fr inclusin in LSU Agricultural Experiment Statin Reprts by an authrized administratr f LSU Digital Cmmns. Fr mre infrmatin, please cntact gcste1@lsu.edu.

2 b Luisiana Bulletin N. 407 September, 1946 A Twelve-Mnth Grazing Prgram fr the Rice Area f Luisiana By R. K. Walker and M. B. Sturgis Kbe Lespedeza after Rice n Oberlin Silt Lam. Luisiana State University AND Agricultural and Mechanical Cllege Agricultural Experiment Statin W. G. Taggart, Directr

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4 A Twelve-Mnth Grazing Prgram fr the Rice Area f Luisiana R. K. Walker and M. B, Sturgis In the prairie rice area f suthwestern Luisiana rice prductin and cattle raising are the tw mst imprtant agricultural enterprises. When the land is nt planted t rice, it is allwed t lie idle and grw weeds and grasses which are grazed by beef cattle. This practice has been carried n s lng and with s little regard fr the maintenance f the fertility f the sil that the yields f rice and beef are t lw t supprt the mst prfitable agriculture. Research during the past few years has shwn that the sils have lst ver half f their riginal amunt f rganic matter and are lw in available nitrgen, phsphrus and ptassium (4, 5).^ Flding during the grwth f rice and the large surface drainage lsses fllwing the remval f the crp increase sil depletin. It is particularly cmmn t find the available nitrgen very lw within three weeks after the rice is flded (6). In rder t prvide a high level f available nitrgen thrughut the grwing perid f rice, it was fund that increasing the rganic matter in the sil culd be expected t give the best results (3, 5). Since there is a shrtage f feed fr cattle in the area and the prductin f beef n the extensive, unimprved, weedy pasture land which is being rtated in rice is smewhat less than 50 punds f beef per acre per year, bviusly the establishment f imprved clver and grass pastures wuld increase the beef prductin (2) and the rtatin f these pastures with rice wuld restre the als in- sil rganic matter. Lcal bservatins and wrk in Alabama (1) dicated that ats planted in early September culd be used fr supplementary grazing thrugh the winter mnths. In rder t develp methds fr imprving pastures and pasture management and t test the value f turning under pasture sds n the imprvement f sil fertility, experiments were lcated in the distinctly different sil areas. There are at least fur sil series grups in the prairie rice area (4). Mre particularly, the purpses f this investigatin were t establish and study imprved clver and grass pastures receiving different treatments, t determine the value f at and lespedeza pastures as supplements t the mixed pastures, t evaluate the different pastures and treatments in terms f beef prductin and the effects the sd frm each pasture n the increase in the yield f rice, and t determine the effects f fertilizers applied directly t rice fllwing the different pastures. f 1 Figures in parenthesis refer t "Literature Cited." 3

5 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE AND RESULTS Experimental pastures were established at five different lcatins as indicated by data in the tables that fllw. The fllwing practices were used at each experiment. Water fr the stck was supplied fr each pasture and each pasture was equipped with a cattle-prf fence. The seedbed preparatin cnsisted f breaking, discing, harrwing, and packing. The animals in each pasture were weighed at 30-day intervals. The number f animals grazed was determined by the cnditin f the pastures at the beginning and by the cnditins f the animals and pastures as grazing prgressed. As animals were finished thers were substituted. Except fr the experiment lcated at Kinder, the grazing data fr the year during which the pastures were planted has nt been ineluded in the tables. All pastures were mwed t cntrl weeds. Refertilizatin after the establishment as indicated was preceded immediately by scarifying the sd with a disc r a rtary pasture cultivatr. All the experiments were lcated n land which had been crpped t rice in alternate years and frm which a rice crp had been harvested preceding the planting f the pastures. Pastures n Oberlin Silt Lam A pasture-rice rtatin experiment was lcated at Welsh, Luisiana, n Oberlin silt lam sil in Twenty-acre pastures were used and they received varius treatments as indicated in Table 1. The seed mixture and the rate f seeding per acre was 4 punds f white clver, 2 punds f Persian clver, 10 punds f cmmn lespedeza, 6 punds f carpet grass and 4 punds f Bermuda grass, except pasture 4, which received 6 punds f white clver, 10 punds f cmmn lespedeza, 10 punds f Dallis grass, and 2 punds f Bermuda grass. The data in Table 1 shw that the pastures which were fertilized culd be grazed fr a lnger perid. They supprted mre animal units per acre and prduced much mre beef per acre than did the pasture which was seeded nly. The pastures that were treated with grund limestne in sufficient amunts t raise the ph t 6.2 and were seeded and fertilized gave higher yields f beef than the pastures which were nt limed. In terms f beef yield liming, fertilizing and seeding prduced 229 punds per acre; fertilizing and seeding, 137 punds per acre; and seeding nly, 58 punds per acre. The seasnal distributin f gains f the variusly treated pastures is shwn in Figure 1. The gain f beef per acre per day n the limed, fertilized, and seeded pasture was high in March, April, and May due especially t an excellent grwth f clvers during this perid. A sharp decline ccurred in June and July, a perid during which dry weather is usually encuntered and during which the clver disappears. When the lespedeza was making a gd grwth in August, 4

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9 the gains rse and remained fairly cnstant, and abut 0.6 pund per acre per day was prduced until frsts ccurred in Nvember. The gains frm the pasture that received fertilizer and seed nly fllwed a similar pattern, except that the grazing peak was later and yields were lwer wing t the absence f clver, which did nt survive in the unlimed pastures. The pasture that was seeded nly reached its relatively lw peak in June and then fell t a lwer level fr the remainder f the grazing seasn. 2.(1 u 8. limed, fertilized and seeded 3 seeded nly fertilized and seeded lined, fertilized and seeded 4 I I 1.0 a & O 5.i April May July Aug. <!ept. Figure 1 Seasnal Distributin f Gain frm Pastures n Oberlin Silt Lam at Welsh, Luisiana, A similar pasture-rice rtatin experiment was begun at Kinder, Luisiana, in 1942 n Oberlin silt lam. Fur 20-acre pastures that received treatments as shwn in Table 2 were established. The seed mixture cnsisted f white clver, hp clver, Persian clver, cmmn lespedeza, and carpet grass. Data in Table 2 shw that in beef prductin fr the grazing perid an average f 14 punds per acre was received frm the check pasture, 28 punds per acre frm the pasture that was seeded nly, 93 punds per acre frm the pasture that was seeded and fertilized, and 172 punds per acre frm the pasture that was seeded, fertilized, and limed, while the number f animal units grazed per acre averaged 0.10, 0.15, 0.29, and 0.37, respectively. Figure 2 shws that the prductin f beef per acre per day was much higher in April and May n the pasture that was seeded, fertilized, and limed, wing t its being the nly pasture in which clver survived. The general seasnal trend in the ther tw treated pastures was the same except the gains were lwer. The prductin f beef per acre per day was extremely lw thrughut the grazing seasn n the check pasture. After three years f grazing, these pastures were planted t rice. The yields f rice after the variusly treated pastures and frm the fertilizer treatments at time 8

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11 An increase f 6.0 barrels f rice f planting rice are shwn in Table 3. was received frm 200 punds f at time f planting after the sd Increases f 1.1 barrels f rice frm sd nly and f the check pasture. 7.8 barrels f rice frm sd and 200 punds per acre f after the check pasture were received. After the pasture that had been seeded and 2.0 check - n treatment April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nv. Figure 2 Seasnal Distributin f Gain frm Pastures n Oberlin Silt Lam at Kinder, Luisiana, fertilized increases f 5.0 barrels frm sd and 9.0 barrels frm sd and fertilizer were received; while after the pasture that had been seeded, fertilized and limed an increase f 11.1 barrels was received frm sd and 13.2 barrels frm sd and fertilizer. In 1944 a pasture f ats rtated with Kbe lespedeza was established at Welsh, Luisiana, in cnnectin with the imprved pasture experiment. Kbe lespedeza was seeded at the rate f 30 punds per acre and fertilized with 300 punds f A yield f 1.1 tns f lespedeza hay was harvested. Oats were seeded n this pasture in Octber. The cattle that had been grazed n the permanent pastures were remved Nvember 7, 1944, and placed in the rice stubble fields, where they cntinued t gain until January 2, when they were placed in the ats pasture and grazed until March 8. Five heifers gained 440 punds n eight acres, r an average gain f 0.90 pund per acre per day. The ats were tp-dressed with 200 punds f nitrate f sda, and 21 bushels f ats were harvested. A vlunteer crp f lespedeza which yielded 1 5 tns f lespedeza hay per acre was prduced in Oats fr winu.c grazing were seeded in Octber, Pastures n Lake Charles Silty Clay Lam In 1943 a pasture-rice rtatin experiment was lcated at Chle, Luisiana, n Lake Charles silty clay lam. It cnsisted f fur 16-acre pas- 10

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13 tures treated as indicated in Table 4. The seed mixture was cmpsed f white clver, cmmn lespedeza, carpet grass, Dallis grass, and Bermuda grass. The data in Table 4 shw that the pasture that received seed and 400 punds f per acre prduced mre beef per acre and had a larger grazing capacity than any f the ther pastures. Liming prved unnecessary n Lake Charles silty clay lam, as the ph was 6.55 and 7.10 in the surface and subsil, respectively, befre liming. The data in Table 4 als shw that the pasture that received nitrgen in the fertilizer treatment prduced 293 punds f beef per acre cmpared t 200 punds per acre prduced n the pasture that was fertilized with The seasnal distributin f gains expressed in punds f beef per acre per day is shwn in Figure 3. The clver peak ccurred in March and April. The clver disappeared in late May and early June and the rise in beef yields in July due t gd grwth f lespedeza is similiar t the seasnal distributin in gains frm pastures n Oberlin silt lam. Clver was well established n all pastures that received phsphate and ptash fertilizer, while it did nt survive in the pasture that was seeded nly. An at and lespedeza supplemental pasture was established in cnnectin with this pasture experiment in Kbe lespedeza was seeded at the rate f 30 punds per acre and fertilized with 300 punds f A crp f 1.1 tns f hay per acre was harvested, and ats were planted in Octber and fertilized with 300 punds f The animals that had been grazed n the imprved pastures were remved and placed Feb. ' Harcb ' kprll ~' \^ ' June ' JVOy ' IHg! ' Sept. ' Oct. ' ijvi Figure 3 Seasnal Distributin f Gain frm Pastures n Lake Charles Silty Clay Lam at Chle, Luisiana,

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15 ! A in the rice stubble fields Nvember 5, 1944, where they cntinued t gain until the secnd grwth f rice and grasses was cleaned up. The cattle were placed n the ats December 19, 1944, with an average f ne animal unit t 1.4 acres and were grazed cntinuusly until March 5, 1945, when the permanent pastures were again ready t be grazed. The animals gained an average f 92 punds f beef per acre during the 76- day perid n ats. The animals were remved and 200 punds per acre f nitrate f sda were applied t the ats. were harvested in June. Twenty-five bushels f ats Pastures n Crwley Silty Clay Lam pasture-rice rtatin experiment was lcated at Abbeville, Luisiana, n Crwley silty clay lam in The 20-acre pastures were grazed 246 days in The check pasture prduced 77 punds f beef per acre and carried 0.17 f an animal unit per acre. The pasture which was seeded nly prduced 101 punds f beef per acre and carried 0.24 f an animal unit. The pasture that was seeded and fertilized with 400 punds per acre f prduced 173 punds f beef per acre and supprted 0.30 f an animal unit; while the pasture that was seeded, fertilized with 400 punds f , and limed with 1 tn f grund limestne prduced 214 punds f beef per acre and furnished grazing fr 0.35 f an animal unit. Rice was planted at the Abbeville lcatin in 1944 fllwing tw years f grazing, and the yields btained are shwn in the data in Table 5. An increase f 0.6 barrel f rice per acre was btained frm 200 punds f after the check pasture. An increase ver the check pasture f 1.3 barrels f rice due t sd and 2.3 barrels due t sd and fertilizer was received fllwing the pasture that was seeded nly. An increase in yield ver that f the check pasture f 0.4 barrel due t sd and 0.9 barrel due t sd and fertilizer was received frm the pasture that had been seeded and fertilized with 400 punds f After the pasture that received seed, 400 punds f and 1 tn f grund limestne per acre an increase in the yield f rice f 6.5 barrels was btained ver the check pasture. Of this increase 6.4 barrels were due t the effect f the pasture sd. Anther pasture-rice rtatin experiment was lcated at Rayne, Luisiana, in 1943 n Crwley silty clay lam. Here 10-acre pastures were treated as shwn in Table 6. The seed mixture cnsisted f 6 punds per acre f white clver, 10 punds f cmmn lespedeza, 12 punds f Dallis grass, and 2 punds f Bermuda grass. The data in Table 6 shw that the check pasture that received n treatment prduced an average f 59 punds f beef per acre and carried an averge f 0.19 f an animal unit per acre; the pasture that received nly seed prduced an average f 106 punds f beef per acre and carried an average f 0.30 f an 14

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17 animal unit per acre. The pasture that was fertilized with 400 punds per acre f in additin t being seeded prduced 246 punds f beef per acre and carried 0.45 f an animal unit. A yield f 269 punds f beef per acre was btained and 0.42 f an animal unit was. grazed n the pasture that received 1 tn f grund limestne in additin t fertilizer and seed. Figure 4 shws that the limed, fertilized and seeded pasture gave the mst unifrm seasnal distributin f grazing, with a gradual decline in gains after the clver perid was ver in June. The fertilized and seeded pasture was quite erratic in its prductin, with a relatively high gain in March and a decline until July, after which a rise ccurred which can be attributed t a gd grwth f lespedeza. The tw pastures that were nt fertilized gave smewhat higher yields in March, April, and May than in succeeding mnths. Figure 5 shws the average seasnal distributin f gain f beef per acre btained frm three treatments that were used in all the experiments. Frm March t July the gain was cnsiderably higher n the limed and fertilized pastures than n the ther pastures. Frm July t the end f the grazing seasn the limed, fertilized, and seeded pastures and the pastures that were fertilized and seeded were similar except that the gains frm the frmer were cnsistently higher. Gains n the pastures that were seeded nly averaged abut 0.5 pund f beef per acre per day in the spring and drpped ff fairly evenly frm July t Nvember, when the yield was nly abut check - n treatment seeded nly fertilized and seeded lined, fertilized and seeded April May June July lug. Sept. Oct. Nv. Figure 4 Seasnal Distributin f Gain frm Pastures n Crwley Silty Clay Lam at Rayne, Luisiana,

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19 seeded nly fertilised and eeeded lied, fertilized and needed I I 1 I July Aug. Sept. Oe%. «v. Figure 5 Average Seasnal Distributin f Gain frm Pastures at Welsh, Kinder, Chle, and Rayne, Luisiana, SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Pasture-rice rtatin experiments cnducted in three different sil areas f the prairie rice area f Luisiana have shwn that a twelvemnth grazing prgram can be develped. The rtatin f imprved pastures with rice is definitely the best means fund thus far fr increasing the yields f rice and fr imprving the sil prductivity f the area. Imprved clver-grass-lespedeza pastures have been established n Oberlin silt lam, Lake Charles silty clay lam and Crwley silty clay lam by seedbed preparatin, seeding, fertilizing with cmplete fertilizers high in phsphrus and ptassium, and liming where the ph f the sil is belw 6.2. These imprved pastures have prduced frm 172 t 293 punds f beef per acre during an apprximately eight-mnth grazing perid. The yields f the imprved pastures exceeded the yields f the unimprved pastures ver 150 punds f beef per acre. The turning under f the imprved pasture sds ahead f rice crps increased the yields f rice 6.4 and 11.1 barrels per acre. Supplementary at and lespedeza pastures runded ut the yearlng grazing perid and furnished a surce f grain and hay which culd have further supplemented the mixed pastures during perids f lw grazing capacity. The grazing value f the ats as a pasture was 92 punds f beef per acre during the perid frm December t March. 18

20 Literature Cited 1. Baker, K. G., and Maytn, E. L. A year-arund grazing prgram fr the alkaline sils f the black belt f Alabama. Jur. Amer. Sc. Agrn., 36: Cmbs, Jseph P. Grwing Pastures in the Suth, pp. 1-30, University f Nrth Carlina Press. Chapel Hill Reed, J. Fielding, and Sturgis, M. B. A study f the fertilizatin f rice. La. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui., Chemical characteristics f the sils f the rice area f Luisiana. La. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui., Sturgis, M. B. Changes in the xidatin-reductin equilibrium in sils as related t the physical prperties f the sil and the grwth f rice. La. Agr. Exp. Sta. BuL, Willis, William H., and Sturgis, M. B. Lss f nitrgen frm flded sil as affected by changes in temperature and reactin. Sil Sci. Sc. Amer. Prc, 9:

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