In Virginia Polytechnic Institute research, seeded bermudagrass varieties established quickly, produced a significant amount of forage the seeding year and yielded well in dry and wet growing seasons.
Eleven varieties seeded in June 2001 were evaluated over seven years. They were fertilized with 100 lbs/acre of nitrogen at green-up and after each cutting except the last. On average, they yielded between 6 and 8 tons/acre of dry matter, averaging 64% NDF, 30% ADF, 15% crude protein and 66% TDN. “These data indicate that well-managed seeded bermudagrass could supply dependable summer grazing for cow-calf operations in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.,” the researchers say.