Effect of seasonal temperature on the yield and chemical composition of a lucerne-timothy mixture

Abstract

1. The yield and mineral composition of a timothylucerne mixture at different stages of maturity were determined in selected growing periods under the climatic conditions of Northern Ontario.2. An alteration in temperature from cool to warm or from warm to cool conditions appeared to favour increased forage production, but the rate of increase in dry-matter yields declined more under cooler conditions.3. Forage yields obtained on a second cutting increased with delayed harvesting of the first cut, and yield reductions from an early harvest were not economically compensated for by increased yields of dry matter of the second cutting.