Tekapo Orchardgrass Data

Tekapo Information Chart

Seeding Rate: 12-15#/acre
Grazing Use: Beef, Dairy, Sheep, Horse, Ratite
Maturity: Medium
Hay: Good
Silage/Green Chop: Good
Controlled Grazing: Excellent
Set Stocking: Excellent
Hill Land Pasture: Excellent
Crop Land Pasture: Excellent
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Wet Soil Tolerance: Moderate
Recommended pH: 5.9-7.0
Fertility Requirements: Low-High




Testimonials and Trial Results

Tekapo4-150px.jpg

Click on photo to enlarge.

Trial Locations
- Colorado, Colorado State Univ, Fruita
- Kentucky, Univ of KY, Princeton - Hay
- Kentucky, Univ of KY, Quicksand - Hay
- Kentucky, Univ of KY, Quicksand mine site - Hay
- Kentucky, Univ of KY, Lexington - Grazing
- University of Missouri
- New York, Cornell Coop Extension
- New Zealand, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Oregon, Klammath Falls Experimental Station, OR
- Oregon, Lebanon, OR
- Ohio, The Ohio State, Columbus
- Ohio, The Ohio State, Wooster (13 acres rotational grazing)
- Pennsylvania, Penn State, Rock Springs
- Wisconsin, Univ of Wisconsin, Lancaster - Grazing

- See also Other Testimonials

Guysville, OH

"The oldest Tekapo seeding is 2 yrs. old. It was broadcast on newly cleared brush land and trampled in August of "95. No fertilizer. By June of '96 there was a strong stand of grass that withstood heavy grazing that summer. This year it looks even stronger and thicker. One benefit of the dense sod formation is an increased drought resistance because the ground has such a complete cover to help contain moisture, and of course the earthworms love this condition too."
   - Rick Duff

University of Maryland - Frederick, MD

"Tekapo stand is good to excellent. Growth habits seem to be very similar to Benchmark. No problems with animal acceptance - good palatability."
    - Stanley W. Fultz; Extension Agent, Dairy Science, Cooperative Extension Service, Frederick County

University of Missouri

"Among orchardgrass entries, 'Tekapo' and 'Mammoth' exhibited superior stand persistence. 'Cambria' established in the seedling year, but was almost entirely lost during the first winter. Another note on 'Tekapo' OG. This is one of the very few forage grasses developed in New Zealand that we have actually had persist at an acceptable level in our environment."
   - Jim Gerrish, Forage Systems update Vol. 10, No. 1 found here.

60 miles N. of Omaha

Has 4 acres w/sheep. Planted Tekapo along with Zero Nui and Fuego. Zero Nui got overgrazed and died. Fuego not as palatable as Tekapo. Planted another ryegrass and it winter killed. Soil is poor and heavy. Tekapo was well liked and does not show any clumpiness. "Looks like a lawn" 5/19/97
   - Don Donnely

Tree Top - Prosser (2000) Crop Yield Trial Final Results

Cultivar Nitrogen Removed (lb/acre) Dry Matter Produced (lb/acre) Average Crude Protein%
Matua Prairie Brome 380 23,347 9.9
Tekapo Orchardgrass 386 20,393 12.4
Overland Orchardgrass 364 21,158 11.3


University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY -1997, sown 8/23/96

Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Cut 4 1997 Total
(5/20) (7/8) (8/21) (11/13)  
0.77 3.59 0.97 0.55 5.88


University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY -1998, sown 8/23/96

Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Cut 4 1997 Total
(5/21) (7/10) (8/17) (10/29)  
2.22 1.32 0.30 0.20 4.03


University of Kentucky, Princeton, KY -1998, sown 9/2/94

Maturity 5/9 1995 Total Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Cut 4 1996 Total
    (5/9) (7/13) (8/15) (10/31)  
Early Head 5.36 0.75 0.49 0.48 0.79 2.51


University of Kentucky, Quicksand, KY -1998, sown 8/24/94

Maturity 5/15 1995 Total Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Cut 4 1996 Total
    (5/15) (7/14) (8/16) (10/29)  
Early Head 4.14 1.46 0.99 1.11 0.74 4.29


Christchurch, New Zealand

Tekapo has been 11% better than Wana for two years and then 17% better in 1997 in sheep trials. The trials are purely measured on animal live weight gains or wool weight gains.

The Ohio State -Columbus, OH

Seeded 4/2/97 at 10 lbs/acre, Tekapo yielded 1.81 Tons dry matter/acre with a cutting on July 2 and Aug 25 of 1.10 snf .71 respectively. Pennlate scored a 1.90 yield, Warrior 1.94 and Bengal 2.01. The LSD was .19. In the early maturing varieties Potomac and Benchmark yielded 1.65 and 1.54 respectively.

Klamath Experiment Station, Klamath Falls, OR -1996

Protein 16.8-22.4%
TDN 56.9-63.7%

Lebanon, OR - April, 1998 . Pasture seeded Fall '96. Analysis by wet chemistry

Protein ADF NDF RFV
17.03% 31.52% 53.66%  


Penn State-Rock Springs, PA -1997

Cut 1 Cut 2 Cut 3 Cut 4 1998 Total % Stand 10/30
(5/19-5/26) (6/23-7/10) (7/28-8-7) (9/23)    
1.18 0.66 0.99 1.08 3.86 92.2%
Protein ADF NDF      
17.19% 32.30% 58.87%      


Penn State Hay trials – Rock Springs, Pennsylvania

Seeded August 1, 1997
Comparison of ten commercially available orchardgrass varieties

Variety

Cut 1 5/8-5/31

Cut 2 6/14-7/5

Cut 3 7/20-8/8

Cut 4 9/19

2000 Yield

1999 Yield

1998 Yield

1998-00 Average

Stand 10/2/00

Highest score

1.94

1.08

1.48

1.32

5.31

5.07

4.67

4.80

85.8

Tekapo

1.48

0.97

0.88

1.32

4.65

4.37

3.40

4.14

82.5

Lowest score

1.27

0.81

0.68

0.71

4.13

4.28

3.40

4.14

81.80

LSD

0.27

0.20

0.19

0.28

0.52

0.47

0.48

0.31

5.2


Feed values - First cut of 1998

Remember, for ADF and NDF, the LOWER the score the better.

Variety

Cut Date

% Protein

ADF

NDF

Highest Score

5/22

17.19

38.58

64.81

Tekapo

5/19

17.19

32.20

58.87

Lowest Score

5/19

12.82

32.20

58.87


Feed values - First cut of 2000

Remember, for ADF and NDF, the LOWER the score the better.
Additionally, Feed values were taken on the first cut of 2000.

Variety

Date of 1st Cutting

% Protein

ADF

NDF

Highest Score

5/10

15.6

35.7

64.5

Tekapo

5/12

12.7

34.3

59.9

Lowest Score

5/10

11.9

30.4

56.8

Varieties in this trial include Tekapo, Stampede, Warrior, Condor, Baridana, Takena, Bengal, Pennlate, Haymate, and Okay.



University of Wisconsin, Lancaster, WI - Grazing trial -1997

Planted in 1996, the 1997 Grazing Season had 6 Grazing periods where cattle intake of forage measured in tons of dry matter per acre was collected by using pasture plate measurements. Three measurements per plot were taken before and after each grazing period and the difference was then analyzed using a randomized complete block design. Results for Tekapo was a total intake of 1.50 tons/dm/acre intake. The highest orchardgrass was 1.94 (Benchmark) and the lowest was 1.06 with a LSD of .16. Potomac and Duke scored 1.56 and 1.61, respectively. All tall fescue entries and all but one PR entry scored lower. Smooth/Meadow brome entries were very similar (1.50-1.84). Timothy varieties Clair and Colt were similar at 1.81 and 1.53, respectively.

University of Wisconsin, Lancaster, WI - Grazing trial -1997

Grazing Period 1 Grazing Period 2 Grazing Period 3 Grazing Period 4 Grazing Period 5 Grazing Period 6 Total Intake
0.12 * 0.07 0.28 0.38 0.44 0.21 1.50

(*measurement of ton/acre intake)



University of Wisconsin, Lancaster, WI - Grazing trial -1998

Grazing Period 1 Grazing Period 2 Grazing Period 3 Grazing Period 4 Grazing Period 5 Total Intake % Stand
May 21 June 16 July 15 Aug 20 Oct 7 0.21 1.50
0.92 .022 0.54 no measure 0.41 2.13 5.88
  60% ** 40% ** 40% ** 60% **    

*measurement of ton/acre intake
** Palatability measurement - percent grazed after 6 hours