Performance of cows and their calves creep-grazed on rhizoma perennial peanut

Where tropical grasses such as bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) make up the base forage, creep-grazing legumes should be beneficial to calf performance. Treatments of creep with rhizoma perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) and no creep were set-stocked (n = 24, 20, and 32 cow/calf pairs per treatment/replicate combination in 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively) for an 84-d grazing period (June-September). Base pasture forage dry matter (DM) availability was similar all 3 yr (avg. 2.81, 2.63, and 3.13 Mg ha(-1) for 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively) and for both treatments (2.84 and 2.87 Mg ha(-1) for creep and no creep, respectively). Forage DM availability in the creep areas averaged approximately 3.0 Mg ha(-1) and was composed of about 60% grass and 30% rhizoma perennial peanut (RPP). Nutritive value of RPP was usually 60 mg kg(-1) higher for crude protein (CP) and 200 mg kg(-1) higher for in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) compared with the associated grass (97.7 mg kg(-1) CP and 415.8 mg kg(-1) IVOMD). Utilization of creep area varied with year and breed of calf (Angus < 10% vs. Romosinuano > 50%). As a consequence, performance of Angus calves was not affected, but average daily gain (ADG) for Romosinuano calves with access to creep area was higher (+0.14 kg d(-1)) than that for calves with no creep. Also, body condition score (BCS) that was higher in August and September for creeped-Romosinuano calves. Creep grazing the calves had no effect on cow performance (weight, ADG, or BCS).