Innovative Forage Production Approach for Beef Cattle

Beef has become high quality livestock product and its demand is continuously increasing in developed nations. Use of innovative forage production techniques is need of hour to cater the increasing demand of livestock products. A study was designed in Republic of Korea to evaluate the influence of intercropping triticale with legumes under different manure levels for optimum forage yield and carrying capacity of Hanwoo beef cattle in a split plot design with 3 main and 4 sub-plots. Triticale was cultivated as monocrop, mixed cropped with hairy vetch and winter pea under 3 main plots. Four manure levels were also evaluated under 4 sub-plots: 0 kg N (nitrogen)/ha (control), 50, 100 & 150 kg N/ha. The collected data were analyzed using general linear model procedure through Statistical Analysis Software. Findings showed that intercropping scheme with little manure application is an innovative approach for higher forage yield under limited land resources. The optimum yield of triticale-hairy vetch and triticale-winter pea could be met with application of manure at 50 kg N/ha level, whereas optimum crude protein yield and Hanwoo carrying capacity could be achieved even without manure application. Possible reason behind optimum forage yield might be efficient rhizobial symbiosis between two cereal and leguminous intercropped species. Additionally, manure application might play significant role in maintaining nutrient balance and soil physical properties. It was concluded based on findings that adequate forage yield can be achieved for beef cattle through intercropping cereal crops; triticale with legumes (hairy vetch and winter pea) under 50 kg N/ha cattle manure level.