utilizing stockpiled bermudagrass to reduce hay feeding costs
DESCRIPTION
Utilizing Stockpiled Bermudagrass to Reduce Hay Feeding Costs. Why all the interest in stockpiling?. “Cow/calf enterprise has been profitable 9 out of past 16 years.” Cattle Fax We must do something different!. Cost of feeding hay? . Cost of feeding hay? 1200 lb round bale example. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Utilizing Stockpiled Bermudagrass to Reduce Hay
Feeding Costs
Why all the interest in stockpiling?
• “Cow/calf enterprise has been profitable 9 out of past 16 years.”Cattle Fax
• We must do something different!
Cost of feeding hay?
Cost of feeding hay?1200 lb round bale example
Nutrients removed $13.68Harvesting $14.00Stacking and feeding $ 2.32Storage loss $ 6.00Feeding loss $ 4.00Total $40.00
Or $66.67 per tonSource: Redmon, OSU and Coffey, Noble Foundation
Harvested forage is used to preserve forage quality and fill
gaps in forage availability
Can we manage standingforage for adequate qualityand availability to maintain gestating cows?
Stockpiling is not a newidea for Oklahoma cattlemen
Can we do this at a lower cost compared to feedinghay?
How well does bermuda quality hold up?
Likely dependant on weather, fertility and stage of maturity at frost.
Bermuda Yield by N Fertilization Rate
0
1
2
3
4
5
0 50 100 150 200N fertilizer/Lb. per acre
DM
Yie
ld, T
ons
per A
cre
Source: OSU Fact Sheet 2587
Late Summer FertilizationHarvest: October 23
0
2
4
6
8
10
0 50 100 150
N fertilizer/Lb. per acre
Cru
de P
rote
in, %
Source: Woods, OSU
Late Summer Fertilized Bermuda: Protein Content
02468
101214
Nov Dec Jan FebSampling Date
Cru
de P
rote
in, %
Source: Taliaferro, OSU
Current 2 Year Study:Current 2 Year Study:
Materials and MethodsMaterials and Methods
Objectives:Determine forage production and quality of late summer fertilized bermuda
Determine supplemental protein required to maximize forage utilization throughout the winter
Management Timeline
Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
DeferFertilize
Graze Cool Season or Native
Graze Bermuda
Locations
StillwaterStillwater
HaskellHaskell
Average wt.=1203 lb.Average wt.=1203 lb.Average BCS=5.5Average BCS=5.5
Pasture Preparation
• Pastures were grazed heavily through August to remove standing forage
• Excess forage at Stillwater was clipped both years
• Last week of August, 50 LB of actual N fertilizer per acre was applied to the pastures.
Grazing Management
• Grazing period– Experiment 1 Nov. 4 to Jan. 22 (77 days)– Experiment 2 Nov. 3 to Feb. 2 (90 days)
• Grazing technique– Stillwater Frontal grazing – Haskell Rotational– 7-14 day forage allowance
TreatmentsCONT = no supplement
L = 2 lbs of 12.5% CP supplement
M = 2 lbs of 25% CP supplement
H = 2 lbs of 37.5% CP supplement
Supplement Composition, % of Dry Matter
Treatments L M HSoyhulls 92.5 60.4 30.6
SoybeanMeal 0 31.9 62.2
Molasses 3.6 3.6 3.6Dical P 2.5 2.0 1.0Ca CO3 0.5 1.0 2.0
Feeding• Cows were individually
fed in portable supplement wagons.
• Supplements were prorated to 4 d/wk feeding.
• No harvested forages were fed throughout the experiment.
ResultsResults
Weather, Forage Production and Utilization
Mean Temperature Versus 10-yr Average
0
510
15
2025
30
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Month
Tem
pera
ture
C
Mean Yr. 1 Yr. 2
05
1015
2025
30
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan FebMonth
Mean Yr. 1 Yr. 2
Stillwater Haskell
Mean Precipitation Versus 10-yr Average
0
2
4
6
8
10
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Month
Prec
ipita
tion,
inch
es Mean Yr. 1 Yr. 2
0
2
4
6
8
10
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb
Month
Mean Yr. 1 Yr. 2
Stillwater Haskell
Forage ProductionForage Production
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Exp 1 Exp 2
Lbs
per a
cre
StillwaterHaskell
Location effect P < .05
Stock Density and Harvest Efficiency
Exp 1 Exp 2Stw Hsk Stw Hsk
Stocking DensityAU/Acre .73 .57 .40 .85
HarvestEfficiency, % 61 60 65 62
Forage Quality
Forage QualityCrude Protein
02468
10121416
Nov Dec Jan Feb
Cru
de P
rote
in, %
of D
M
Exp 1Exp 2Cow Req.
Forage QualityDegradable Protein
02468
10121416
Nov Dec Jan Feb
DIP
, % o
f DM
Exp 1Exp 2Cow Req.
Cow requirement assumes diet is 50% TDN
Forage QualityDigestibilitya, Exp 1
30
40
50
60
70
Nov Dec Jan Feb
TDN
, % o
f DM
Exp 1Cow Req.
aIn vitro dry matter disapearanceLinear decline P < .05
Forage QualityDigestibilitya, Exp 2
30
40
50
60
70
Nov Dec Jan Feb
TDN
, % o
f DM
Exp 2Cow Req.
aIn vitro dry matter disapearanceQuadratic decline P < .05
Animal Performance
Period Wt. ChangeExperiment 1
46 444640
-84
-33-20 -20
-100-80-60-40-20
0204060
CONT LOW MED HIGH
Period 1Period 2W
eigh
t lbs
.W
eigh
t lbs
.
Period 2 C VS Sup P < .01Period 2 C VS Sup P < .01Period 2 Protein Effect P<.05Period 2 Protein Effect P<.05
Treatment
Overall Wt. ChangeExperiment 1
25.026.013.0
-50.0-40.0-30.0-20.0-10.0
0.010.020.030.0
CONT LOW MED HIGH
C VS Sup P < .05C VS Sup P < .05
Wei
ght.
Lbs.
Wei
ght.
Lbs.
-44.0-44.0
Treatment
Period Wt. ChangeExperiment 2
4 7 10 13
57 545755
2
27 31
16
010203040506070
CONT LOW MED HIGH
Period 1 Period 2 Period 3
Wei
g ht l
bs.
Wei
ght l
bs.
Periods 2 and 3 C VS Sup P < .01Periods 2 and 3 C VS Sup P < .01
Treatment
Overall Wt. ChangeExperiment 2
8397
91
61
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
CONT LOW MED HIGH
C VS Sup P < .05C VS Sup P < .05
Wei
ght.
Lbs.
Wei
ght.
Lbs.
Treatment
Summary of Animal Performance
• Only during period 2 of Exp. 1 did increased supplemental protein further increase performance over 12.5%.
• In both trials, any supplement improved forage intake and animal performance.
• Supplemental energy was the limiting nutrient as suggested by forage quality data and cow performance.
Comparison of Beef Cow Wintering Systems
Cowboy EconomicsAssumptions
• 120 days summer grazing120 days summer grazing• 100 days fall / winter grazing100 days fall / winter grazing• Forage availabilityForage availability 2800 lb / acre2800 lb / acre• Harvest efficiencyHarvest efficiency 60%60%• Stocking rate Stocking rate 1.6 acres / cow1.6 acres / cow
.63 cows / acre.63 cows / acre• Annual rental rate (bermuda)Annual rental rate (bermuda) $18 / acre$18 / acre• Fall N Fertilizer at 50 lb/acreFall N Fertilizer at 50 lb/acre $12.00$12.00• Stockpiled BermudaStockpiled Bermuda $20.18 / acre$20.18 / acre
Cowboy EconomicsAssumptions, Cont.
• Native pasture rentNative pasture rent $10 / acre$10 / acre• Native stocking rateNative stocking rate 10 acres / cow10 acres / cow• Bermuda hayBermuda hay $50 / ton$50 / ton• 25% cubes25% cubes $130 / ton$130 / ton• 38% cubes38% cubes $170 / ton$170 / ton
Native Pasture + Supplement
3 acres deferred pasture = 3 acres deferred pasture = $27.40$27.402 lb. 38% supplement, 75 d =2 lb. 38% supplement, 75 d = $12.75$12.75Total = Total = $40.15$40.15
“Good” Bermuda Hay OnlyNo Supplement Required
100 d at 25 lb. per day = 100 d at 25 lb. per day = $62.50$62.50Hay feeding waste @ 15%Hay feeding waste @ 15% $ 9.38$ 9.38Total = Total = $71.88$71.88
Hay, Native Grass (50/50) and Supplement
1.5 acres pasture = 1.5 acres pasture = $13.70$13.7012.5 lb. bermuda hay =12.5 lb. bermuda hay = $31.25$31.25Hay feeding waste @ 15%Hay feeding waste @ 15% $ 4.69$ 4.691.0 lb. 38% sup, 75 d =1.0 lb. 38% sup, 75 d = $ 6.38$ 6.38Total = Total = $56.02$56.02
Hay, Native Grass (25/75) and Supplement
2.0 acres pasture = 2.0 acres pasture = $18.27$18.276.25 lb. bermuda hay =6.25 lb. bermuda hay = $15.63$15.63Hay feeding waste @ 15%Hay feeding waste @ 15% $ 2.34$ 2.341.5 lb. 38% sup, 75 d =1.5 lb. 38% sup, 75 d = $ 9.56$ 9.56Total = Total = $45.80$45.80
Stockpiled Bermudagrass + Supplement
1.6 acres pasture = 1.6 acres pasture = $32.29$32.292 lb. 25% supplement, 70 d =2 lb. 25% supplement, 70 d = $ 9.10$ 9.10Total = Total = $41.39$41.39
Summary• Native pasture and supplement $40.15• Stockpiled bermudagrass $41.39• Hay, native pasture 25/75 $45.80• Hay, native pasture 50/50 $56.02• Hay only $71.88
Short Term Grazing• Objective:
Utilize stockpiled forage within 60 days (late Oct. through late Dec.) before moving to different forage base
• Assumptions: Same as 100 day grazing program with following
exceptions:Harvest efficiency = 65%Stocking rate = 1.2 cows per acre
= .83 acres per cow
Stockpiled Bermudagrass + Supplement (60 days)
.83 acres per cow = .83 acres per cow = $16.75$16.752 lb. 25% supplement, 30 d =2 lb. 25% supplement, 30 d = $ 3.90$ 3.90Total = Total = $20.65$20.65
Or...$.34 per head per day