Yearling Beef Heifer Performance on Limpograss Pastures Grazed to Different Heights

Grazing height of limpograss pastures is thought to be important in determining pasture performance and cattle weight gains, but this has not been tested under continuous grazing. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of grazing limpograss pastures (continuous grazing) to heights of 8, 16, or 24 in during two summers and providing a non-protein nitrogen supplement to yearling beef heifers on forage characteristics, heifer average daily gain (ADG), and invasion of the pasture by grass weeds (vaseygrass and bermudagrass). Limpograss crude protein (CP) and digestibility (IVOMD) were generally higher with shorter grazing heights. Average daily gain was greatest for cattle grazing 16-in pastures and increased due to supplementation only for cattle grazing 8and 24-in tall pastures. Number of vaseygrass plants in the pasture declined for all grazing heights, but the decline was greatest for the 8-in height. When grazed to 8 in, however, common bermudagrass invasion of pastures was greatest. Continuous grazing of limpograss pastures to approximately a 16-in height during summer appears to provide better pasture persistence and heifer performance than the other heights tested. Introduction