new coastal bermuda variation?

[uga.danny]

I've recently heard about a new coastal bermuda variation that has come out. Has anyone heard of it and how much better is it than the original one?
Thanks

 

[Jogeephus]

Are you referring to CoastCross?

 

[gabby]

Russell? That's the one I want to use next spring, if we ever get rain.

 

[uga.danny]

I don't think so Jogeephus. Coastcross has been around for a while and this new coastal, if it's true, has just been introduced. It may not be on the market yet. I'll ask the fella' that I heard about it from about the specifics and get back to ya.

 

[Beefy]

uga.danny ask him what the name of it is while you are at it.

 

[Jogeephus]

Coastcross II is still in the testing phase unless they just released it. I have a meeting Monday to look at the plots. Coastcross I doesn't have any cold tolerance. CC II does. Supposed to have the digestibility of T85 but with a finer stem. Also told it is similar to Russell but does not form as dense of a root mat as Russell - which I like for overseeding purposes.

Unless something comes up, I'll post some pictures Monday. I'm interested in both Russell and Coastcross II.

 

[uga.danny]

you’re right on the money Jogeephus, he was talking about Coastcross II. Are the plots in Quitman?
Here's a link if anyone is curious:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/Publications.htm?seq_no_115=164097

 

[SSS Angus]

Coastcross II is still in the testing phase unless they just released it. I have a meeting Monday to look at the plots. Coastcross I doesn't have any cold tolerance. CC II does. Supposed to have the digestibility of T85 but with a finer stem. Also told it is similar to Russell but does not form as dense of a root mat as Russell - which I like for overseeding purposes.

Unless something comes up, I'll post some pictures Monday. I'm interested in both Russell and Coastcross II.

So how did the meeting go? Any pictures?

 

[Jogeephus]

Coastcross II is still in the testing phase unless they just released it. I have a meeting Monday to look at the plots. Coastcross I doesn't have any cold tolerance. CC II does. Supposed to have the digestibility of T85 but with a finer stem. Also told it is similar to Russell but does not form as dense of a root mat as Russell - which I like for overseeding purposes.

Unless something comes up, I'll post some pictures Monday. I'm interested in both Russell and Coastcross II.

So how did the meeting go? Any pictures?

Meeting went well. Was pretty interesting. Here are a few pictures I took. The experiment is a digestibility study comparing Coastcross II, Russell and Tift 85. This study is ongoing so I don't have any data as to its results and all the info I can give is just what I'm told by the grazing manager so it might not be scientific but he has been raising cattle for a long time and I value his opinion.

The first photo is a shot of Coastcross II beside Russell. You can see the Roundup kill line seperating the two plots if you look closely. From a distance I could not see much difference in the two. (By the way, the cows had just been taken off the plots Thursday)

Close Up of CoastCross II

Close Up of Russell

Here is a shot of Russell beside Tift 85

Closeup of T85

My observation is that the Coastcross and Russell are very similar. Russell looked a little finer stemmed than coastcross. However, russell formed a very thick mat on the ground which could cause some problems if you don't have a no till drill and you overseed your pastures and hayfields. Coastcross, like T85, had a lot more bare ground between the plants. Also, Russell seemed to be a very agressive spreader and was working its way over into the Coastcross bed. Could indicate its easier to establish - I don't know.

Since all the plots received the same treatment, I thought it was encouraging that Russell seemed to have a darker green color to it than the others but it also seemed there was a higher percentage of brown stem in the lower portions of the grass.

Also, Van told me that each afternoon when he checked on the cows, probably 75% of them were grazing the Russell. Now I don't know if this means its more digestible or that the stem was just finer and easier on their mouths. It will be interesting to see what the study results are.

I probably could have asked a lot more questions but some heifers were calving and we got kinda side-tracked and watched the miracle of birth. But I did ask one question that I think might sum things up, I asked which one he liked the best. He said Russell. It will be interesting to see what the digestiblity is of these grasses in comparision. If either of these two are anywhere close to T85, then they are both fine grasses.

Sorry I didn't get more scientific info but maybe the pics will help out some. Oh, we haven't had any rain in about a month so all the fields are looking a bit under the weather.