Classification & Growth Characteristics

Question 1

What is forage?

Answer 1

Edible parts of plants, other than
separated grain, that provide feed for animals or
can be harvested for feeding

Question 2

What is herbage?

Answer 2

Leaves, stems, roots, and seeds of non-
woody species

Question 3

What are cultivated forages?

Answer 3

Plants that are seeded and/or grown using agricultural practices such as tillage, irrigation, and fertilization to produce herbage for consumption (can be grazed or packaged and fed as hay or silage) by domestic animals

Question 4

What is the importance of cultivated forages?

Answer 4

Comprise the majority of nutrients fed to domestic livestock including cattle, sheep, and horses

Question 5

What are cereal grasses?

Answer 5

Annuals, high seed production; up to ½ yield as seed
– Examples: Corn, sorghums, millets, wheat, oats, rye

Question 6

What are forage grasses?

Answer 6

Mostly perennials; less than 10% as seed
– Examples: Smooth brome, orchardgrass, tall fescue

Question 7

What are grass-like plants?

Answer 7

Sedges and rushes

Dominant species in mountain meadows

Question 8

Legumes

Answer 8

Plants capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen

Question 9

Hebaceous Dicots

also know as forbs

Answer 9

Legumes: Alfalfa, clovers, birdsfoot trefoil
Non-legumes: Brassicas (turnips, rape, kale), forage chicory

Very few non-legumes are cultivated for forage

Question 10

Dicots

Answer 10

Broadleaf plants, leaves have net veins, showy flowers

Question 11

Monocots

All are herbaceous

Answer 11

Narrow leaves with parallel veins, generally have inconspicuous flowers

Question 12

Woody Dicots

Also know as browse

Answer 12

More important when grazing native rangeland (Willows, four-wing saltbush, antelope bitterbrush)

Question 13

What are annuals?

Answer 13

Plants that grow from seed and complete their life cycle within a single year or growing season.

Question 14

What are perennials?

Answer 14

Plants that survive from year to year without reseeding.

Question 15

What are biennials?

Answer 15

Plants that complete their life cycle in 2 years.

Question 16

Photosynthetic pathway

What are characteristics of cool-season plants?

C3

Answer 16

• Optimum growth occurs at lower temperatures (range from 60 to 85oF with optimum near 70oF)
• Can still grow slowly at 35oF
• Growth can be maximized at moderate light levels, can become light saturated
• Water use efficiency is lower (lbs H2O/lb dry matter increase)
• Tend to be less drought tolerant

Question 17

Photosynthetic pathway

What are characteristics of warm-season plants?

C4

Answer 17

• Optimum growth occurs at higher temperatures (range from 85 to 104oF with optimum near 90oF)
• Little growth occurs below 60oF
• Require higher light levels for optimum growth, do not become light saturated
• Water use efficiency is higher
• Tend to be more drought tolerant

Question 18

What are the types of annuals?

Answer 18

• Winter annuals - Planted in the late summer or early fall, overwinter in a vegetative state, and complete life cycle by early summer.
• Summer annuals - Cool-season species planted in the early spring and complete life cycle by mid summer or warm-season species planted in late spring or early summer and complete life cycle by late summer/early fall.

Question 19

What are the types of perennials?

Answer 19

• Short-lived - Survive for 3 to 5 years
• Moderately long-lived - Survive 5 to 10 years
• Long-lived - Survive longer than 10 years