The University of Florida has a specific team of researchers that are devoted to improving forages for Florida livestock. Bermudagrass is the most commonly planted forage species in the Southeastern US, covering at least 30 million acres. It is a warm-season perennial grass with higher protein and total digestible nutrient concentrations than bahiagrass, however it does require consistent fertilization with nearly double the nitrogen requirement that offers higher nutritional value than most other warm-season perennials. The newest development is a bermudagrass variety known as ‘Mislevy’ (which rhymes with ‘Chevy’, for pronunciation purposes). It was developed and cultivated by Dr. Paul Mislevy in 2000/2001 and intense research over the past couple decades has shown that it has great potential for early-spring forage production. Studies reported by Drs. Vendramini, Dubeux, and Rios (Mislevy-Bermudagrass published in The Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal in December 2019) indicate that ‘Mislevy’ performs quite similarly to ‘Jiggs’ bermudagrass in terms of annual herbage accumulation and nutritional value. Like the Jiggs, it is well adapted to poorly drained soils. Structurally, it has thinner stems than ‘Tifton 85’ and will dry faster in the field when baling for hay.
Dr. Mussoline coordinated an effort with Dr. Marcelo Wallau and two local hay producers to transplant new forage material in the TCAA. One acre of ‘Mislevy’ was harvested from Gainseville on July 1, 2020 and transplanted within the TCAA for access to local hay producers. The acre yielded a little more than six 54-inch round bales that were spread over approximately six tilled acres for re-establishment. Upon establishment, cuttings will be made available to interested growers in the area. Additionally, one acre of limpograss (0.5-acre plot of ‘Gibtuck’ yielding 5 bales and 0.5-acre plot of ‘Kenhy’ yielding 4.5 bales) was harvested and transplanted within the TCAA. Limpograss grows well on flatwood soils, is cold-tolerant, and maintains it’s digestibility for longer periods of time than bermudagrass and bahiagrass. These newer varieties provide increased grazing tolerance, greater productivity, and nutritive value compared to previously released limpograss varieties, according to Dr. Marcelo Wallau.
Both of these forages are planted using sprigs rather than seed. In order to transfer the material, a relatively mature stand of grass should be mowed and baled while it is still wet. The bales should be transported and immediately (i.e. same day) unrolled and spread onto ground that has been tilled and prepared as a seedbed. It is anticipated that these plantings will be established and available for other producers that may want to obtain material for their own pastures by Summer 2021.
Chuo Kikuu cha Florida kina timu maalum ya watafiti ambao wamejitolea kuboresha malisho kwa mifugo ya Florida. Bermuda ni aina ya mimea ya kawaida ya kulima katika eneo la Kusini Mashariki mwa Marekani, na inashughulikia angalau ekari milioni 30. Ni nyasi ya majira ya joto yenye protini ya juu na jumla ya lishe ya lishe ya lishe kuliko bahiagrass, hata hivyo inahitaji mbolea ya mara kwa mara na karibu mara mbili ya mahitaji ya nitrojeni ambayo hutoa thamani ya lishe ya juu kuliko mimea mingine ya majira ya joto. Maendeleo ya hivi karibuni ni aina ya bermudagrass inayojulikana kama <unk>Mislevy<unk> (ambayo inafanana na <unk>Chevy<unk>, kwa madhumuni ya matamshi). Mti huu ulizaliwa na kukuzwa na Paul Mislevy mnamo mwaka wa 2000 na utafiti mkubwa uliofanywa katika miongo miwili iliyopita umeonyesha kuwa una uwezo mkubwa wa kuzalisha chakula cha mapema. Uchunguzi ulioripotiwa na Dakt. "Vendramin, Dubeau na Rios, ""Mislevy-Bermudagrass"" iliyochapishwa katika jarida la Florida Cattleman and Livestock mnamo Desemba 2019, inaonyesha kuwa ""Mislevy"" hufanya sawa na ""Jigg"" bermudagrass katika suala la mkusanyiko wa mimea ya kila mwaka na thamani ya lishe." Kama vile Jiggs, imejipatanisha vizuri na udongo usio na maji mengi. Kwa muundo, ina shina nyembamba kuliko <unk>Tifton 85<unk> na itauka haraka katika shamba wakati wa kufunga kwa nyasi. Daktari Mussolini, pamoja na Daktari Marcelo Wallau na wazalishaji wawili wa nyasi, walifanya juhudi za kupandikiza chakula kipya katika eneo la TCAA. "Mimea ya ""Mizizi"" ilivunwa kutoka Gainesville mnamo Julai 1, 2020 na kupandwa ndani ya TCAA kwa ajili ya upatikanaji wa wazalishaji wa nyasi wa ndani." Kwa mfano, katika eneo la ekari moja, kulikuwa na mizigo ya mawe yenye urefu wa inchi 54 iliyopandwa kwa urefu wa ekari 6 ili kuhifadhiwa. Baada ya kuanzishwa, cuttings itakuwa zinazotolewa kwa wakulima nia katika eneo hilo. Kwa kuongezea, ekari moja ya limpograss (kiwanja cha ekari ya Gibtuck cha kuzaa balu tano na kiwanja cha ekari ya Kenhy cha kuzaa balu nne na tano) kilivunwa na kupandwa ndani ya TCAA. Limpograss hukua vizuri kwenye udongo wa mbao tambarare, huvumilia baridi, na huhifadhi digestibility yake kwa muda mrefu kuliko bermudagrass na bahiagrass. Aina hizi mpya hutoa uvumilivu wa kulisha ulioongezeka, uzalishaji mkubwa, na thamani ya lishe ikilinganishwa na aina za limpograss zilizotolewa hapo awali, kulingana na Dk. Marcelo Wallau. Mimea hiyo miwili hupandwa kwa kutumia matawi badala ya mbegu. Ili kuhamisha nyenzo hiyo, nyasi iliyokomaa inapaswa kukatwa na kufungwa wakati bado ikiwa mvua. Bales lazima kusafirishwa na mara moja (yaani Siku hiyo hiyo, mimea hiyo ilifunikwa na kuenezwa kwenye ardhi iliyotengenezwa na kutayarishwa kama kitanda cha mbegu. Inatarajiwa kuwa mimea hii itaanzishwa na inapatikana kwa wazalishaji wengine ambao wanaweza kutaka kupata nyenzo kwa malisho yao wenyewe ifikapo majira ya joto ya 2021.