Quality development in regrowths of timothy, meadow fescue and red clover

摘要

Meadow fescue, red clover and timothy were grown in mixed swards at three sites in Norway. First cuts were taken at three different developmental stages, and succeeding regrowths sampled according to accumulated heat sum units. There was a consistentrelationship between the age of regrowth and fibre digestibility and energy content. The decrease in quality by age was steeper for clover and timothy than for fescue. If high quality (in terms of digestibility and energy content) is a target, second cuts after early first cuts from these types of swards ought to be taken before the accumulation of 600 ddeg (base temperature 0 deg C).