Over the past several years, there has been increasing interest in cultivating alternative grasses to produce hays suitable for horses. Switchgrass can offer the base for high quality, diverse whitetail bedding habitat. Switchgrass — Because of its role in bioenergy, switchgrass may be the most familiar of these grasses. Switchgrass is a source of low-quality fodder for animals, and with hay prices expected to be in the $80-per-ton range (at 15% moisture), switchgrass might be more valuable as livestock feed than as a cellulosic feedstock. Switchgrass is a native, warm-season perennial grass. When managed properly, warm-season grass hay can provide good quality forage, especially for beef cattle. Cultipacking after planting helps establish good contact with soil and speeds germination. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a native warm-season grass that is a leading biomass crop in the United States. Two warm-season grasses that are adapted to Pennsylvania are switchgrass and big bluestem. The calcium may be higher in Alfalfa, but the Phosphorus is about the same as grass. good quality warm-season pasture and hay for livestock. The sheep would seek out the darkest locations. Switchgrass begins growth 2 to 3 weeks earlier than big bluestem, which is about a week earlier than indiangrass (Figure 1). Switchgrass roots deeply and can withstand flooding, so it’s a good option if you’re concerned about erosion on your property. 3. Warm-Season Grasses for Hay and Pasture Switchgrass, Indiangrass, and big bluestem are warm-season grasses that are a suitable alternative for sum-mer pasture in Iowa. As a verb hay is to cut grasses or herb plants for use as animal fodder. Switchgrass is an excellent candidate for biofuel production. ND-Switchgrass Biomass Yields in the Northern Great Plains (PAVI2) ND-Switchgrass as a Bioenergy Crop (PAVI2) NE-Developing Switchgrass Into a Biomass Fuel Crop (PAVI2) NE-Switchgrass for Grazing and Hay (PAVI2) OH-Ohio State University Seed Biology (PAVI2) OK-Noble Foundation Plant Image Gallery (PAVI2) OK-Oklahoma Forages (PAVI2) It is higher in calcium which can be good and bad. Switchgrass can be harvested for use as hay feed or biofuel production, but its height and simple beauty make it a good choice for the home garden as well. Alfalfa has 3 times more calcium then grass hay. New leaves begin developing in early spring using energy reserves stored in the roots. More than 70 years of experience with switchgrass as a hay and forage crop suggest switchgrass will be productive and sustainable on rain-fed marginal land east of the 100th meridian. In digestibility trials conducted at Penn State over a three-year period, warm-season grasses were 65 percent digestible and orchardgrass was 68 percent digestible. Switchgrass should be planted in the spring after soil temperature is above 60°F. Switchgrass definition is - a tall North American panic grass (Panicum virgatum) that is used for hay and forage. NWSG forage production varies over the season. Obviously, horses need calcium, but too much can be unhealthy. After feeding the hay a week or two, the sheep started exhibiting extreme sensitivity to light and muscle tremors/twitching. Switchgrass is very productive, is very drought tolerant, and can grow on particularly wet sites. Panicum virgatum, commonly known as switchgrass, is a perennial warm season bunchgrass native to North America, where it occurs naturally from 55°N latitude in Canada southwards into the United States and Mexico.Switchgrass is one of the dominant species of the central North American tallgrass prairie and can be found in remnant prairies, in native grass pastures, and naturalized along roadsides. Two warm-season grasses adapted to Pennsylvania are switchgrass and big bluestem. This warm-season grass is an exceptional forage for pasture and hay for livestock. Avoid stemmy, mature growth. If the cereal hay is harvested after the grain is removed, it is no longer considered hay but straw. It is also provides erosion protection in plantings as vegetative barriers and buffer strips. One of the options is to feed hay. Adapted Varieties. The proceedings of the 2003 Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society symposium reports scientific research on three forages that may be of interest to horse producers: big bluestem, Indiangrass, and eastern gamagrass. Delivery or pickup is available. Switchgrass grows best on well-drained soils with good moisture supply; however, it will grow on droughty or moderately wet soils and will tolerate occasional flooding. There are other potential markets for switchgrass as an energy crop: Pellets for fuel. Hey, hay is for horses! Switchgrass can also be used as livestock feed (either hay or pasture) during summer while most cool-season grasses experience summer slump. Be cautious if feeding hay to cattle on switchgrass pastures during late winter and early spring. It should be noted though, that switchgrass hay should not be fed to horses because of a potential for phytotoxicity and liver damage. No-till planting of switchgrass has also been successful in Wisconsin. Deer Need Quality Cover To Hide In . Since it’s less nutrient-dense than legume hay, horses have to eat more grass hay to fill their bellies, which makes grass hay a good tool for keeping a stall-bound horse from getting bored. It is better to use switchgrass during just two of the three summer months. This is counter intuitive for most horse people, but is certainly something to keep in mind in regards to your horse. It is a valuable soil stabilization plant on strip-mine spoils, sand dunes, dikes, and other critical areas. It is also suitable for low windbreak plantings in truck crop fields. As nouns the difference between hay and switchgrass is that hay is (uncountable) grass cut and dried for use as animal fodder or hay can be the name of the letter for the h sound in pitman shorthand while switchgrass is a tall north american perennial grass, , used as forage and to make hay. Following is the technical information on stand establishment and management of switchgrass. Located in Burlington Ontario, Halton Hay is a producer and supplier of premium agricultural products including hay and switchgrass bedding. This is not an issue with the other four species of NWSG. It stabilizes soil on strip-mine spoils, sand dunes, dikes, construction sites and other critical areas. The good thing about them is that the overweight horse lost weight, the other two, much bigger, are in perfect weight, I make sure they never run out of hay, no more excitement when I come with the"grain"( no grain at all, soaked hay pellets with supplements). A good quality cereal hay is harvested when the grain is immature (soft dough stage) and the leaves and stems are still green, and therefore higher in digestible nutrients. good warm-season pasture and high quality hay for livestock. “Switchgrass can be harvested and sold as a biomass crop for ethanol production or as fuel for power plants. When managed properly, warm-season grass hay can provide good quality forage, especially for beef cattle. Switchgrass is not good as the only forage source for all of June, July, and August. Cave-n-Rock switchgrass is a perennial, warm season native grass that grows an average of 3-5 feet tall, but in some regions, can reach up to 6 feet tall at maturity. Quality of switchgrass is good if grazed early but very poor if grazing is delayed until heading. The Phosphorus (essential mineral for horses) ratio should be 2:1. It is highly adaptable to a wide range of soils and growing conditions. While the lower relative nutrition level of grass hay makes it a good filler, it does have relatively more carbohydrates. This means that grass hay, not alfalfa hay, is a more dangerous food for an obese horse, or a horse with laminitis concerns. Erosion Control: Switchgrass is a valuable native grass on a wide range of sites. 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