Beef Up Your Forage Management!

Joe Sellers Brian Peterson

Why are forages important?• We are losing grazing and hay acres

– Soil erosion and water quality losses– Cow-calf, sheep, goat, dairy industries are

important• Ruminant production costs are escalating

– As corn and land goes up, so does everything else

– Squeezing more grazing days or pounds per acre is even more important

Winter Feeding• Large part of cow costs• Need different diet for stages• Need different diet for young, thin cows• Adjust as needed• Move to grass when ready

BRaNDS

Calving Season• Early

– Cow requirements high when feeding needed– Colder weather– Bedding, sanitation– Calf in dry lot+ Calves hit earlier market+ Avoid planting time

Calving Season• Later calving

+ Match cow requirements to grass production+ Calve on pasture, not in lots+ May be less health problems– Calves are later, smaller in fall– May miss seasonal high fed cattle markets– Breeding in hot of summer (fescue)

Calving time sanitation• Do you calve in the lot or barn?

– Is it well bedded?– Ventilation, humidity, moisture– Do you move out to larger group soon?– Facilities, labor

Calving time sanitation• Do you calve on pasture?

– Checking cattle more complicated– Do you move out cows who have not calved,

pairs, or leave in group until all are calved?– Damage to pastures?– Less manure to handle

Sacrifice Paddock

• Easy access for feeding• Limited slope• May require rock or heavy use areas• Feeding area >200’ from water sources• Maintain vegetative cover• Reseed if needed• Remove manure accumulations

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Seasonal Growth Pattern of Cool-Season Grasses

Seasonal Growth Pattern of Forage Legumes

Transition• Move cows to improve calf health, reduce

feed costs• Continue to feed early on grass?• Grass tetany – high Mag minerals?• Graze fescue first?• Move through paddocks rapidly

Cool Season Annual ForagesCrop Planting Seeding Maturity Yield %Crude   Date Rate Date (DM T/A) Protein

Winter rye Sept 1-2 bu m-May 3-3.5 12-13

Winter wheat Sept 1-1/2 bu l-May 3-3.5 11-12

Winter triticale Sept 1-2 bu e-June 3-3.5 11-12

Barley, sp tirticale, sp wheat, oats mid-April

1-2 bu 2-3 oats m-June 2.5-3 12-13

Barley, sp tirticale & peas, oats mid-April

1-2 bu 2-3 oats l-June 2.5-3 15-16

Wheat (spring) mid-April 1 1/2 bu e-July 2.5-3 11-12

Forage rape/ turnip — tops m-Jun/July 3-6 lb Sept 2-3 20-25

Tops and roots     Oct .5 16-20

Oats, barley, sp triticale Aug1-2 bu 2-3 oats Oct 1-2 10-11

Wheat (winter) Aug 1-2 bu Oct 0.5-1 12-13

Mixed winter wheat & oats Aug¾ bu &1-2 bu Oct & May 3-5 10-13

Fescue• Keep vegetative• Introduce legumes• Careful with N fertilization• Fescue toxicosis is a health disorder, not

nutritional, but --• You must meet cow mineral requirements• Dilute with other feeds, forages• Renovate with spray/smother/spray

Fescue• Good calving pastures• Hay will have 50% alkaloid level compared

to grazed • If stockpile, do it from August 1• New varieties, Endophyte-free or Novel-

Endophyte• Mineral additives – some data finds

response, but mixed results

Seedstock selection• If you want to rely more on grass –

– Select for moderate size– Select for longevity with low feed resources– Select for easy fleshing ability– Use visual appraisal to continue to look at

• Depth and volume• Confirmation• Structural soundness

DO NOT• Use individual data to replace genetic

predictions (use that data to supplement Expected Progeny Differences)

• Believe only “heritage” breeds can work

• Pay more for genetics that may be flawed

Start Planning For Added Forage• In the summer when grass is short, will

you graze hay fields?

• Graze CRP?

• Warm season grass?

• Summer annuals?

Seasonal Growth Pattern of Warm-Season Grasses

Warm Season Annual ForagesCrop Planting Seeding Maturity Yield %Crude   Date Rate Date (DM T/A) Protein

Forage sorghum June 1 15-20 m-Sept 6-9 10-11

Forage sorghum July 1 15-20 m-Sept 2-4 10-11

Sudangrass & Japanese millet June 1 20-25 m-July 3-5 11-13

Sudangrass & foxtail millet July 1 20-25 m-Aug 2-3 11-13

Sorghum X sudan hyb & hyb pearl June 1 20-30 m-July 4-6 12-14

Sorghum X sudan hyb & hyb pearl July 1 20-30 m-Aug 3-5 12-14

Grain sorghum & soybeans June 1   Sept 6-7 11-12

Annual or Short Lived Grasses

• Italian Ryegrass

• Corn

• Perennial Ryegrass

• Others???

Quality vs Quantity• Stockers or grass fed

– Need higher energy, leafier material– May be able to get high gains with “best” of grass mix– May be able to justify using annuals or short lived

perennials that are more costly• Cow calf – can use lower energy grasses to

meet needs– Cereal grains, sorghum, etc can work well– Need to have longevity of perennial forage stands– Dry cows and even pairs can “clean up” behind

stockers

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Seasonal Growth Pattern of Cool-Season Grasses

Seasonal Growth Pattern of Forage Legumes

Matching Species and Class to Forage

• Leader follower– Stockers followed by pairs– Pairs followed by dry cows– Lambs followed by dry ewes– Selectively graze best parts of plant by

growing animals; Use mature animals to clean up and set up for regrowth

Take 1/2, leave 1/2

Selective vs Quantity• For grass fed beef you need more

selectivity and higher quality – they need the leafy material, not stems

• For beef cows you do not need that level of quality, but need to graze when ready and leave enough leaf area

• Just going to highly intensive (more paddocks, less selective), will actually reduce individual gains while increasing production per acre

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Seasonal Growth Pattern of Cool-Season Grasses

What plants are higher in energy?

• Leafier grasses (rye grass, bermuda, etc)

• Leafy legumes (alfalfa, white and red clovers)

• The more immature, leafy parts of all plants

Extend Grazing - Winter• Stockpile

• CRP Split Grazing Option

• Corn stalks

• Winter annuals

Stockpiled fescue

Stretching with Stockpiled Feed

• Length of feeding program

• Grazing standing corn

• Winter annuals

Stockpiled Forages• Some studies show 1000 lb added DM with N,

not quite that much at McNay on average• Add pounds with nitrogen fertilizer

– Fertilize 40lbs N, after haying in July, 3 yr ave• Smooth brome/red clover

– Fertilized, 2751 lbs DM/acre– Unfertilized, 2425 lbs DM/acre

• Tall fescue/red clover– Fertilized, 3368 lbs DM/acre– Unfertilized, 2729 lbs DM/acre

Grazing stockpile• Reduces Hay 2390/lbs per cow compared

to dry lot (three year average)

• Stockpile from around August 1 for beef balance of yield and quality

• Graze cornstalks first, then stockpiled fescue (quality, less alkaloids in fescue)

Stockpiled legume/fescue

Does Supplementation Pay?

Joe Sellers

Grass Quality• As grass matures, protein content

decreases, NDF and ADF (fiber) increase(energy decreases)

• Not true that protein is never limiting

• Not true that more mature grass has high energy

Fiber and Energy• High fiber – lower energy

– More vegetative, less fiber– Legumes, less fiber

• Looking for ways to break down cell walls– Effect of both animal, diet, and rumen

contents– Research still on-going– Lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose

Emerging issues in grazing• Animal adaptation to lower energy, high

fiber diets from young age• Effects of excess protein (blood urea

nitrogen)• Need for specific amino acids for higher

rates of gain (supplements)• Balance of rumen degraded and by-pass

proteins (supplements)

Supplement to extend grass• Corn and soybean co-products fit grazing

• With higher land charges it may pay to stock heavier and substitute feed for grass

• Delivery methods may be limited

What should you use?• Corn – economical, higher starch, do you

need protein?• Corn gluten pellets – higher in protein,

lower in starch• Distillers grains – higher in protein and fat,

bypass protein• Soybean hull pellets – more fiber,

intermediate in protein and energy

What’s DDG Got to Offer?

• Economical (?)• High Protein• High Energy• Positive

associative effects• But can be

variable

How much grass can you replace?

• Most studies find 1 lb DM of distiller’s grains will replace ½ lb of grass DM

• Individual performance should go up with supplement

• May help dilute effect of fescue

Value added programs

Joe Sellers

Alternatives• Market through very effective local auction

barns• Retain ownership as grain fed, natural, or

grass fed• Join supply chain to supply calves to

programs• Market into branded programs, food

coops, or direct to consumer

What determines value?• Quality and yield grade

• Carcass specifications

• Production standard

• Age and process verification

Quality Grading• Quality grades indicate expected

palatability or eating satisfaction of the meat

• Quality grading is a voluntary service packers request and pay for on an hourly fee basis.

• Don’t confuse this with meat inspection, which is mandatory and ensures safety and wholesomeness of our meat supply.

The USDA Quality Grades

Fed Beef GradesPrimeChoiceSelectStandard

NonFed Beef GradesCommercialUtilityCutterCanner

“House Brands”: No Roll, CAB, Sterling Silver, etc.

Factors in Quality Grading

• Major factors under consideration:–Maturity - estimation of carcass age–Marbling - the flecks of fat in the lean

• Other factors in Quality Grading–Lean color–Lean texture–Lean firmness

Marbling Scores for 4 USDA Quality Grades that are Deterministic in Grid Markets

Marbling = SlightQuality = Select

Marbling = SmallQuality = Choice -

Marbling = ModestQuality = Choice 0

Marbling = Slightly AbundantQuality = Prime -

99 out of 100

98 out of 100 92 out of 100

83 out of 100

What difference does Quality Grade make?

• Rising beef demand– Up more than 20% since 1998

• Nearly 50% of the cattle marketed today are priced on their individual carcass merit in the food chain

• Commodity beef production is dying• Movement from commodity to products

– Predictability, traceability, and integrity

The USDA Yield Grades

Yield Grade % Retail Product– 1 70.0%– 2 ` 65.3%– 3 61.3%– 4 57.0%– 5 53.0%

Calculating Yield Grade

1. Fat Thickness2. Hot Carcass Weight3. Rib Eye Area4. % Kidney, Heart &

Pelvic Fat

Factors used to calculate

USDA Yield Grading

Carcass Merit Grid and Premiums Tyson 2010

Quality Grade

Yield Grade 1

Yield Grade 2

Yield Grade 3

Yield Grade 4

Yield Grade 5

Prime $174.00 $172.00 $170.00 $155.00 $145.00

Choice 0 or + $158.00 $156.00 $154.00 $139.00 129.00

Choice - $154.00 $152.00 $150.00 $135.00 $125.00

Select $145.00 $143.00 $141.00 $126.00 $116.00

Standard $130.00 $130.00 $130.00 $115.00 $105.00

Grain fed• Still want to optimize gains on forage

phase

• Low cost rations and use of co-products

• Retain ownership on your own, or participate in programs like MACEP and TCSCF

Grassfed• USDA, program standards• Direct marketing vs supply chain• Nutritional differences compared to grain

fed• Growing but still small market share• Does not have smaller carbon footprint• May be hard to get winter gains

Natural• Programs have criteria• Generally no antibiotic or growth

promotants• Implants and ionophores do reduce costs• Quality advantages to natural• Market your own program with direct

Examples

Natural programs

Laura’s Lean BeefGrass Run FarmsColeman’sMarket your own

Age and process verified• Japan Export Verification• Generally grain fed• Premiums of $15 to 35/head• Midcrest Area Cattle Evaluation Program

and Tri County Steer Carcass Futurity – Tyson Quality System Assessment

• Process Verified Program

Direct marketing – local foods• Differentiated products

– Buy from producers you know, who use management you like

• Keep dollars local, help local producers

• Not improved food safety– Traditional and local are both very safe

Assistance• Leopold Center

• Practical Farmers of Iowa

• Iowa Food Cooperative

Summary• Iowa will continue to feature grain fed and

use of co-products• Southern Iowa and Missouri will continue

to feature cow calf and feeder cattle sales• Grassfed, natural, and local marketing will

continue to grow• Position your operation to be flexible and

reach for the higher price and profit• Meat has many market points

Contact IBC for help• www.iowabeefcenter.org

• Joe Sellers, 641-203-1270• sellers@iastate.edu

• Other staff - http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/content/aboutstaff.html