본 시험은 이탈리안 라이그라스 조숙 내한성 품종을 육성하기 위하여 1999년부터 2005년까지 축산과학원 조사료자원과에서 수행되었다. 이탈리안 라이그라스 신품종 ‘코스피드’는 2배체 품종으로서 엽색은 녹색이며, 월동 전 초형은 반직립, 봄의 초형은 직립형이다. ‘코스피드’는 5월 1일경에 출수하는 조숙성 품종이다. 또한, ‘코스피드’는 ‘Florida 80’ 보다 지엽의 폭이 0.2mm 넓고, 지엽의 길이가 1cm 길며, 출수기 초장은 85m로 ‘Florida 80’ 보다 1cm 정도 작다. 줄기의 두께는 ‘화산 101호’와 ‘Florida 80’과 같이 중간이었다. ‘코스피드’의 내한성은 ‘Florida 80’ 보다 강한 품종이었다. ‘코스피드’의 건물수량은 13,257kg/ha로서 ‘Florida 80’과 대등하였다. ‘코스피드’의 사료가치는 in vitro 소화율이 73.2%, TDN이 65.3%로서 ‘Florida 80’ 보다 각각 2.1% 및 1.7% 높았고, ADF와 NDF는 29.1 및 53.1%로서 ‘Florida 80’ 보다 각각 2.1% 및 2.3% 낮았다.This experiment was carried out to breed the cold-tolerant variety of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) in Grassland and Forage Crops Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan from 1999 to 2005. New variety, ‘Kospeed’ is a diploid variety with green in leaf color, and has semi-erect and erect growth habit in late autumn and early spring, respectively. 'Kospeed' was on 1 May in heading date as a early-maturing variety. Also ‘Kospeed’ was wider by 0.2mm in flag leaf width, longer by 1cm in flag leaf length and shorter by 1cm in plant length than those of ‘Florida 80’, respectively. Stem width of ‘Kospeed’ was similar to that of ‘Florida 80’ and ‘Hwasan 101’. Cold tolerance of ‘Kospeed’ was better than that of 'Florida 80'. Dry matter (DM) yield (13,257kg/ha) of ‘Kospeed’ was similar to that of ‘Florida 80’. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and total digestible nutrient (TDN) of ‘Kospeed’ were 73.2% and 65.3% which are 2.1% and 1.7% higher than those of ‘Florida 80’, respectively. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of ‘Kospeed’ were 29.1% and 53.1% which are 2.1% and 2.3% lower than those of ‘Florida 80’, respectively.