Table 3.  Forage quality of an alfalfa-orchardgrass mixture with sulfur fertilization at Lake Park, MN, in  

              2006.

 

Quality component†

Treatment

CP

ADF

NDF

HEMI

RFV

 

------------------------------ % of dry weight ------------------------------

 

 

 

First cutting (June 5)

Check (no fertilizer)

10.0

33.2

51.5

18.3

114.0

Ammonium sulfate

15.5

30.5

45.4

15.0

133.7

Zinc sulfate

15.2

33.8

46.6

12.8

126.7

Gypsum

16.8

29.3

43.1

13.8

143.5

S-15

16.5

31.4

44.3

12.9

135.5

Elemental sulfur

15.2

31.1

46.0

14.9

131.0

Zinc sulfate + Max-In

16.8

30.2

42.7

12.6

142.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Mean

15.2

31.1

45.4

14.3

133.6

    LSD 0.05

3.2

NS

NS

NS

NS

    CV, %

10.0

7.6

7.5

11.8

10.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third cutting (August 11)

Check (no fertilizer)

16.9

23.1

32.8

9.7

201.6

Ammonium sulfate

21.4

20.2

30.6

10.4

223.6

Zinc sulfate

21.3

20.6

31.0

10.4

220.6

Gypsum

22.8

21.3

36.0

14.6

188.1

S-15

21.2

21.5

34.5

13.1

196.9

Elemental sulfur

21.3

21.3

30.7

9.3

219.5

Zinc sulfate + Max-In

21.8

21.2

32.0

10.8

215.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Mean

21.0

21.5

32.5

11.1

208.5

    LSD 0.05

1.7

NS

NS

NS

NS

    CV, %

3.4

5.3

6.7

15.0

7.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

CP=crude protein, ADF=acid-detergent fiber, NDF=neutral-detergent fiber,        HEMI=hemicellulose, RFV=relative feed value

Sulfur applied at 20 lb/acre in 2005 fall and following second harvest in 2006.