Effects of multiple mowing on hay yield and nutritional quality of oat in the Loess Plateau

Presently, oat (Avena sativa) is the most abundant imported commercial grass of Gramineae in China, and the volume of such import is still increasing; however, the forage production gap in China is widening. It is of great practical significance to explore the management strategies of high hay yield and nutritional quality of oats for promoting the sustainable development of animal husbandry in China. In this study, a 2-year field experiment was carried out in the Loess Plateau of China, where the effects of multiple mowing on oat hay yield and nutritional quality were studied. The results showed that 1) the average plant height, tiller number, and hay yield of multiple mowing in two years were significantly lower than those of normal mowing (P < 0.05). Nonetheless, the 2-year average plant height accumulation, total tiller number, and total yield increased by 99.6%, 315.0%, and 255.5%, respectively, compared with normal mowing (P < 0.05). The tiller number and hay yield of the second mowing (M₂) were significantly higher than those of the other mowing treatments (P < 0.05). 2) The multiple mowing treatment significantly reduced the average NDF and ADF content and increased the average CP and Ash content. The CP content of M₂ was the highest in the five times mowing. Compared with normal mowing, multiple mowing significantly increased the total yield of Ash, CP, EE, decreased the total yield of NDF and ADF. 3) Under multiple mowing conditions, the oat hay yield was positively correlated with NDF, ADF and CP content (P < 0.01). In conclusion, multiple mowing in the Loess Plateau can increase the oat hay yield and its nutritional quality. Thus, multiple mowing is a suitable management strategy for oat grassland in this area.