In a field where deer generally feed, are particular forage species or forage mixtures better than others?
In areas unprotected from deer feeding, pure orchardgrass and alfalfa-orchardgrass mixtures had greater total yields than pure alfalfa (Table 2). Weed infestation in the second year of the study was greatest in pure alfalfa which had the greatest deer feeding and least in pure orchardgrass which had the least deer feeding in the first year of the study. Forage quality was not affected by deer feeding within the unprotected plots but was affected by the proportion of alfalfa to grass in the mixture. Alfalfa-orchardgrass mixtures had greater economic returns than pure alfalfa but only when alfalfa was seeded at 50% of the mixture (Table 2).
