Orchard Grass (Dactylis glomerata) is a cool-season perennial bunchgrass native to Eurasia, widely cultivated across temperate regions as a forage crop. It is valued in agriculture for hay and pasture production due to its rapid spring growth. This article evaluates the value of Orchard Grass for deer, focusing on its palatability, nutritional composition, and function in wildlife land management.
Deer Preference and Palatability
Deer will consume Orchard Grass, but their preference for it is highly influenced by the plant’s maturity and the availability of other food sources. Consumption is highest during the early spring and summer when the leaves are young, tender, and most succulent. As a cool-season grass, it is one of the first forages to green up, offering an early-season food option when other plants are dormant.
Palatability decreases significantly once the plant matures, becoming stemmy and coarse, which deters grazing animals. Compared to high-preference forages, such as legumes like Ladino or white clover, Orchard Grass is often considered a secondary food choice. In food plots where preferred legumes or browse are present, deer may largely ignore the grass. However, it is utilized more heavily when preferred forages are depleted or scarce, particularly during periods of low natural forage availability.
Key Nutritional Components
The nutritional value of Orchard Grass is directly tied to its stage of growth, declining rapidly as the plant matures. When managed properly and harvested at the vegetative stage, its quality is high, which is when deer find it appealing. Crude Protein (CP) levels typically range from 8% to 18%, depending on soil fertility and plant age.
For instance, studies show the highest CP content, near 11.87%, occurs when the grass is cut at the vegetative stage, before flowering. The Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) also peak at this early stage, reaching values around 65.68%, indicating a high energy-to-fiber ratio.
The fiber content, measured by Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), rises with maturity, decreasing digestibility. NDF, which reflects the total cell wall content, can range from 55.87% in young grass up to 64.31% in mature grass. The ADF fraction, which includes cellulose and indigestible lignin, follows a similar trend, increasing from 31.65% in the vegetative stage to almost 40% when fully mature. This increase in fiber reduces the amount of forage a deer can consume and digest, making the less mature, lower-fiber grass the most valuable.
Role in Wildlife and Land Management
Despite being a secondary forage, land managers utilize Orchard Grass because of its durability and structural benefits. It is a long-lived, cool-season perennial with a deep root system, making it effective for erosion control and stand persistence. The deep roots also help it withstand drought conditions better than some other grasses, allowing for consistent growth.
Orchard Grass is frequently used as a companion grass in food plot mixtures, most commonly seeded with perennial legumes like clover. The grass provides a supportive structure for the clover and helps prevent weeds, while the legume compensates for the grass’s lower protein content. Its dense growth habit also offers value as bedding or escape cover for wildlife. This function is important during winter when other herbaceous cover has died back, providing shelter for deer and fawns.