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First Bite vs. Second Bite fiber and protein content of Native Warm Season Grasses (NWSG) in Northwest Missouri

Animal Science

James Humphrey
Field Specialist in Livestock
University of Missouri
Savannah

Abstract

This study is a collaborative effort involving the University of Missouri (MU) Hundley-Whaley Extension and Education Center, the Missouri Department of Conservation, MU State Wildlife and Fisheries Specialist, and MU Extension State Forage and Grazing Specialist. Native warm-season grasses (NWSG), including Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides), have gained popularity as forage species for beef producers in northwest Missouri. These species, which form a key component of the tallgrass prairie restoration efforts in the region, exhibit unique growth characteristics, such as deep root systems exceeding 10 feet in fertile soils and above-ground forage heights surpassing 8 feet, enabling them to thrive during the hot, dry summer months. Notably, Big Bluestem is the state grass of Missouri.

In Spring 2020, four experimental plots (25 ft × 130 ft) previously planted with soybeans in 2019 were selected for NWSG establishment. The plots were disked, and seeds of the respective NWSG species were broadcast and harrowed to ensure optimal seed-to-soil contact. During the summers of 2020 and 2021, mowing was employed as a management tool to control competitive vegetation. In Spring 2023, 2024, and 2025, each plot was burned to further manage undesirable plant species.

Forage samples were collected in May, June, and July of 2023 and 2024 for each species (Big Bluestem, Indiangrass, Switchgrass, and Eastern Gamagrass) with four linear replications per species. The samples were analyzed for fiber and protein content at MU campus laboratories. Additionally, yield data were recorded for Big Bluestem, Switchgrass, and Indiangrass plots. These plots have served as demonstration sites, providing educational opportunities to over 500 attendees, highlighting the potential of these NWSG species as viable forage options as well as their benefits for wildlife habitat in northwest Missouri.

Authors: James Humphrey, Shawn Deering, Ellen Herring, Jennifer Miller, Harley Naumann, Robert Pierce
  1. James Humphrey Field Specialist in Livestock, University of Missouri Extension, Missouri, 64485
  2. Shawn Deering Field Specialist in Livestock, University of Missouri Extension, Missouri, 64402
  3. Ellen Herring Lead Research Specialist-Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, Missouri, 65201
  4. Jennifer Miller Director, Hundley-Whaley Extension and Education Center, University of Missouri Extension, Missouri, 64402
  5. Harley Naumann Extension State Specialist, Forage and Grazing Management, University of Missouri, Missouri, 65211
  6. Robert Pierce State Wildlife and Fisheries Specialist, University of Missouri, Missouri, 65201