Higginbotham, Billy

Whiteman, W. M.

English

Texas A&M University

Evaluation of Cool Season Forage Combinations for White-Tailed Deer

Texas A&amp;M Repository

    PUBLICATIONS 1990 EVALUATION OF COOL SEASON FORAGE COMBINATIONSFOR WHITE-TAILED DEERW. M. Whiteman and B. J. HigginbothamSUMMARYWinter forage plantings to supplement wildlife food sources can be evaluatedbased upon a number of criteria. These include pounds of forage produced per acre,crude protein content during the utilization period, cost of production, response toextremes of weather and grazing pressure. All cereal grain combinations testedproved satisfactory. Differences were seen in total production (poundage), crudeprotein content, animal preference, cost of production and response to weatherconditions, but none were significant to warrant favoring one variety over another.Recommendations for winter planting (based upon a one year study) would lendthemselves to a combination of cereal grains (approximately 50% oats and 50%wheat or rye) plus an overseeding of ryegrass and arrowleaf clover. A foragestrategy of oats for early grazing and concentration of deer for hunting, wheat,ryegrass and rye for maximum production and cold weather tolerance and arrowleafclover for a 8 to 9 month grazing program that also returns up to 80 pounds ofnitrogen to the soil per acre per year should prove successful in East Texas.INTRODUCTIONEast Texas landowners and hunting clubs members are placing an everincreasing value on wildlife as evidenced by their efforts to enhance the quality ofthis resource. The white-tailed deer is considered by many to be the most valuableof these wildlife resources. One accepted method of enhancement of this "renewableresource" is the planting of high quality food plots to increase the level of nutritionavailable and reduce stress association with winter weather. The large investmentof capital and labor involved in developing food plots requires careful evaluation ofvarious plants to compare their productivity and food values. The purpose of thisdemonstration was to evaluate combination plantings of oats/arrowleaf clover,wheatlarrowleafclover, elbon ryelarrowleafclover and ryegrass/arrowleafclover withregards to weight of dry matter produced, utilization and quality of forage (percentcrude protein).211PROCEDURESA demonstration site was selected at the Pine Island Hunting Club inAngelina County. The site is on an island of several thousand acres of prime deerhabitat containing a well managed deer population.Soil samples were taken in August 1988. In September 1988 (underextremely dry conditions), the site was plowed, disked and fertilized according torecommendations. Test plots were planted with cereal grains or ryegrass onSeptember 20, 1988. Planting rates were 100 pounds of grain per acre or 40pounds of ryegrass per acre. Plots were 25 feet by 30 feet in size with 3 repetitionsof the 4 treatments. On October 20, 1988, plots were overseeded with inoculatedarrowleaf clover at a rate of 10 pounds per acre. A grazing exclosure was placedon each plot to monitor each 30 days regrowth. Plots were visually evaluated andsampled every 30 days. Samples were taken from each plot exclosure, air dried andweighed. Results were converted to yields (pounds per acre) and samples were thenforwarded to Texas A&M for protein analysis. Special notations were made of deernumbers, utilization and plant conditions throughout the demonstration. Plots weretop dressed with 33-0-0 at the rate of 100 pounds per acre on December 20, 1988.RESULTSAnalysis of this demonstration based strictly upon forage production wouldfavor wheat/clover with total production of 8,390 lbs/acre. These yields werefollowed by rye/clover with 7,801 pounds/acre, oats/clover with 6,244 pounds/acreand ryegrass/clover with 6,155 pounds (Figure 1). However, there are otherparameters such as preference by deer and nutritional value that must also beconsidered. All plant species were readily consumed by deer and other wildlife andall contained an average protein value in excess of the 18% required by deer forsatisfactory growth and antler development (Figure 2).Deer showed a preference for wheat, oats and rye over ryegrass. Utilizationwas heavy until spring green-up in March, then resumed in May and June inresponse to arrowleaf clover availability. By day 210 (April), oats, wheat and ryehad matured in the exclosures while ryegrass did not mature until day 240 (May).Arrowleaf clover matured in late June.Cost of planting and establishment is also a concern to hunters, landownersand deer managers, especially in this time of extreme seed price fluctuation. Costof establishment per acre excluding seed was $66.10. Cost of seed for the 4combinations was $40.60 oat/clover; $24.60 for wheat/clover; $26.50 rye/clover; and212$25.30 for ryegrasslclover. Per acre costs for arrowleaf clover in combination withoats, wheat, rye and ryegrass were $106.70, $90.70, $92.60 and $91.40, respectively.Cost of forage produced in this demonstration was $0.01-$0.02llb (dry weight) forall combinations.Another consideration when selecting supplemental winter forages is theirsusceptibility to winter kills. Estimates of winter kill in this demonstration wereup to 60% on oats, 25% on wheat and ryegrass, and none on rye. No damage wasobserved on arrowleaf clover. Oats are typically affected by winter kill in AngelinaCounty one winter in three; one winter in five, stands are lost completely due toextreme cold. This alone may warrant the use of a combination of cereal grains.When all data are taken into consideration, we found no definite answer tothe question of which combination out performed other combinations. There is aneed for cold tolerance, high percent protein, maximum production and least costwhen selecting forage for establishment. These criteria point to a recommendationof combinations of grains and clover: (1) Oats for early fall production to draw andhold deer during hunting season, (2) wheat for maximum production, (3) rye for coldhardiness, and (4) ryegrass for landowners in no-till situations. Arrowleaf cloverextends the grazing period by providing supplemental forage 45 to 60 days pastcereal grain and ryegrass maturation. Plans have been made to follow up thisdemonstration with another study comparing varying combinations of ryegrass,cereal grains and arrowleaf clover.CONCLUSIONSCool season forage combinations utilizing arrowleaf clover and oats, wheat,rye and ryegrass extend the period of forage availability as compared tomonoculture plantings. Furthermore, production, utilization and quality of theseforage combinations were considered to be at or above levels suitable for white-tailed deer.Additional demonstrations are needed to evaluate combinations of smallgrains and ryegrass and their interaction with arrowleaf clover. Furthermore,future trials designed to evaluate combinations of small grainslryegrass plantedadjacent to stands of arrowleaf clover should be compared with the results of thisdemonstration to determine if differences in management requirements, utilizationand production costs exist.213

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Evaluation of Cool Season Forage Combinations for White-Tailed Deer

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Texas A&M University

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Evaluation of Cool Season Forage Combinations for White-Tailed Deer

Abstract

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Full text

Available Versions

Texas A&M University

Texas A&amp;M Repository

Texas A&M Repository