I've got both, but the bahia seems to be much hardier than the bermuda. Bahia seems to take over the bermuda unless a lot of fertilizer is used. Bahia is about 9.6% protein, less than bermuda, and it's about 57% TDN. When my cows are one it they do well, and their stools stay very loose which tends to make me think that protein is not a problem. Anybody know much about bahia?
bahia v. bermuda
- Thread starter redangus
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I know my cows think it and the hay make from it is candy. My horses like it too but I only give the horses Bahia with out any weeds in it.
I had several fields in Coastal years ago but the Bahia took over and I couldn't find a good source for Coastal sprigs so I never went back. I would like to a field or two for horse hay.
I had several fields in Coastal years ago but the Bahia took over and I couldn't find a good source for Coastal sprigs so I never went back. I would like to a field or two for horse hay.
For volume and quality, you can't beat brumuda. A hay field of brumuda compared to a field of behia with the same input, such as lime and fertilizer, the brumuda will out produce the behia by a factor of 4 or 5. The brumuda is also easier to maintain as we have several herbicides to choose from to control weed grasses. Brumuda is king for hay in the southeast. However, behia will survive in un maintained pasture and is commonly used for pasture.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
alabama":1vz1ycof said:
Had a guy ask me one time what is the best kind of grass to grow for his cows, I said the kind that grows here and feeds cows with the least amount of input.
I will never argue yields of bermuda versus bahia, in East Texas bahia is king.
Texan
Well-known member
My experience with Bahia is just the opposite. Side by side with Coastal, my Bahia has lost some ground over the last two dry years. I had thought that I would have to spray a couple of Coastal meadows this year to knock the Bahia back, but since so much of it died back because of the dry weather and was taken over by the Coastal, I might can wait another year or two. That tells me which one is best under drought conditions.3MR":31a5l1hx said:
Granted, Bahia might be king in East Texas pastures with no fertilization and no management, but I doubt if it's king in East Texas hay meadows. Grow what works for you, but if you have a choice, I believe Coastal is the superior forage in every respect.
There were some good research links regarding the differences between Bahia and Coastal in a thread we had here a year or so ago about getting rid of Bahia. I'll try to find it when I have a chance and post a link to it.
According to my old Forage Production prof at AU, Bahia and Bermuda are pretty equal when it comes to nutrition. Bahia usually isn't usually as pretty as Bermuda hay, and horse folks prefer bermuda to Bahia. South of Montgomery, AL. Bahia is found all over the place.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
I have tried and tried to grow coastal because it yields so much better than bahia. After enough mornings of banging your head you just find it easier to go with mother nature and try to improve on what you are given.
That is one of the main reasons I am experimenting with sorhgums and millet in trying to improve hay yields.
Good pastures and hay fields are just like women you have to constantly fuss over them or they will up and leave you.
That is one of the main reasons I am experimenting with sorhgums and millet in trying to improve hay yields.
Good pastures and hay fields are just like women you have to constantly fuss over them or they will up and leave you.
here are a couple of articles discussing the two:
http://commodities.caes.uga.edu/fieldcr ... july02.pdf
it's pdf so may be slow to load but here are some highlights (there are pretty good charts on page 3 & 4):
"Note that hybrid bermudagrass produced approximately 30% more forage per unit of water than common bermudagrass or bahiagrass. This demonstrates the value of elite forage varieties even when environmental conditions are suboptimal."
"Several producers have suggested that bahiagrass is more productive than bermudagrass in drought situations because bahiagrass appears to green up more rapidly following a rain. This rapid green up can be misleading.........This Georgia study showed that hybrid bermudagrass utilized rainfall more efficiently than bahiagrass during a dry summer. This efficiency may be related to the deeper roots of Coastal bermudagrass or its higher yield potential."
http://harris-cnty.tamu.edu/walker/ag/l ... page11.htm
and some highlights from this one:
"Bahia is not as drought tolerant as Coastal bermudagrass because its heavier root system is not as well distributed through the soil as bermuda roots. Bahia will survive limited drought, but makes little growth when ample moisture is not available. Due to its low growth habit, bahia is more adapted for grazing than hay production. Approximately 40 percent of it's growth is in the lower four inches."
"Bahiagrass.........is commonly grown on those poor soils when the stockmen cannot or do not wish to use sufficient fertilizer for good production from bermuda."
http://overton.tamu.edu/evers/Seeded%20 ... rasses.pdf
http://forages.tamu.edu/PDF/scs2001-12.pdf
http://commodities.caes.uga.edu/fieldcr ... july02.pdf
it's pdf so may be slow to load but here are some highlights (there are pretty good charts on page 3 & 4):
"Note that hybrid bermudagrass produced approximately 30% more forage per unit of water than common bermudagrass or bahiagrass. This demonstrates the value of elite forage varieties even when environmental conditions are suboptimal."
"Several producers have suggested that bahiagrass is more productive than bermudagrass in drought situations because bahiagrass appears to green up more rapidly following a rain. This rapid green up can be misleading.........This Georgia study showed that hybrid bermudagrass utilized rainfall more efficiently than bahiagrass during a dry summer. This efficiency may be related to the deeper roots of Coastal bermudagrass or its higher yield potential."
http://harris-cnty.tamu.edu/walker/ag/l ... page11.htm
and some highlights from this one:
"Bahia is not as drought tolerant as Coastal bermudagrass because its heavier root system is not as well distributed through the soil as bermuda roots. Bahia will survive limited drought, but makes little growth when ample moisture is not available. Due to its low growth habit, bahia is more adapted for grazing than hay production. Approximately 40 percent of it's growth is in the lower four inches."
"Bahiagrass.........is commonly grown on those poor soils when the stockmen cannot or do not wish to use sufficient fertilizer for good production from bermuda."
http://overton.tamu.edu/evers/Seeded%20 ... rasses.pdf
http://forages.tamu.edu/PDF/scs2001-12.pdf
G&L Cattle
Well-known member
Bahia grass hay is basically all we've ever fed. Cows like it. We love it! Coastal is much more drought tolerent. Its not hard to see that right now.
What a Mighty God We Serve!
G&L
What a Mighty God We Serve!
G&L
Central Fl Cracker
Well-known member
Our predominant grass for pasture around here is bahia. Like my father said you can't kill bahia even if you pour gas on it. :lol:
Ive noticed that bahia does tend to green up faster after a needed rain and earlier than most bermudas in the spring. however, it does not stand up as well in a drought as bermuda. it can make a real comeback after a drought with adequate rainfall though. however, after a needed rain it tends to be mostly seedhead. would not a combination of the two be ideal for a pasture situation? they say that tift 9 has a very deep root system making it more drought tolerant than pensacola.
