Digestible Energy and Protein Content of Gulf Cordgrass following Burning or Shredding

Abstract

Digestible energy and crude protein content of green gulf cordgrass forage was significantly increased for 30 to 90 days after burning or shredding on the Coastal Prairie. Within 30 days after treatment, digestible energy content ranged from 2,414 to 2,891 kcal/kg in regrowth on burned areas, and from 1,879 to 2,602 kcal/kg on shredded areas compared to 1,612 to 1,917 kcal/kg in green leaves of plants from untreated areas. Crude protein content at the same time was 9 to 11% following burning or shredding compared to 4 to 5% in green plant material from untreated areas. Differences in the nutritional components varied more with time after sampling within a season of treatment when they varied among seasons of treatment or between methods of treatment. Therefore, both burning and shredding have potential for increasing nutritional value of gulf cordgrass during the cool season, a period when other green forages are scarce on the Coastal Prairie.