Utilizing Stockpiled Bermudagrass to Reduce Hay Feeding Costs

1. Utilizing Stockpiled Bermudagrass to Reduce Hay Feeding Costs

2. 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!

3. Cost of feeding hay?

4. Cost of feeding hay?1200 lb round bale example Nutrients removed $13.68 Harvesting $14.00 Stacking and feeding $ 2.32 Storage loss $ 6.00 Feeding loss $ 4.00 Total $40.00 Or $66.67 per ton Source: Redmon, OSU and Coffey, Noble Foundation

5. Harvested forage is used to preserve forage quality and fill gaps in forage availability

6. Can we manage standing forage for adequate quality and availability to maintain gestating cows? Can we do this at a lower cost compared to feeding hay? Stockpiling is not a new idea for Oklahoma cattlemen

7. How well does bermuda quality hold up?Likely dependant on weather, fertility and stage of maturity at frost.

8. Bermuda Yield by N Fertilization Rate DM Yield, Tons per Acre N fertilizer/Lb. per acre Source: OSU Fact Sheet 2587

9. Late Summer FertilizationHarvest: October 23 Crude Protein, % N fertilizer/Lb. per acre Source: Woods, OSU

10. Late Summer Fertilized Bermuda: Protein Content Crude Protein, % Sampling Date Source: Taliaferro, OSU

11. Current 2 Year Study: Materials and Methods

12. Objectives: Determine forage production and quality of late summer fertilized bermuda Determine supplemental protein required to maximize forage utilization throughout the winter

13. Fertilize Defer Graze Bermuda Graze Cool Season or Native Management Timeline Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

14. Locations Stillwater Average wt.=1203 lb. Average BCS=5.5 Haskell

15. 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.

16. 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

17. Treatments CONT = 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

18. Supplement Composition, % of Dry Matter Treatments L M H Soyhulls 92.5 60.4 30.6 Soybean Meal 0 31.9 62.2 Molasses 3.6 3.6 3.6 Dical P 2.5 2.0 1.0 Ca CO3 0.5 1.0 2.0

19. 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.

20. Results

21. Weather, Forage Production and Utilization

22. Mean Temperature Versus 10-yr Average Stillwater Haskell

23. Mean Precipitation Versus 10-yr Average Stillwater Haskell

24. Forage Production Location effect P < .05

25. Stock Density and Harvest Efficiency Exp 1 Exp 2 Stw Hsk Stw Hsk Stocking Density AU/Acre .73 .57 .40 .85 Harvest Efficiency, % 61 60 65 62

26. Forage Quality

27. Forage QualityCrude Protein

28. Forage QualityDegradable Protein Cow requirement assumes diet is 50% TDN

29. Forage QualityDigestibilitya, Exp 1 aIn vitro dry matter disapearance Linear decline P < .05

30. Forage QualityDigestibilitya, Exp 2 aIn vitro dry matter disapearance Quadratic decline P < .05

31. Animal Performance

32. Period Wt. ChangeExperiment 1 Weight lbs. Treatment Period 2 C VS Sup P < .01 Period 2 Protein Effect P<.05

33. Overall Wt. ChangeExperiment 1 Weight. Lbs. -44.0 Treatment C VS Sup P < .05

34. Period Wt. ChangeExperiment 2 Weight lbs. Treatment Periods 2 and 3 C VS Sup P < .01

35. Overall Wt. ChangeExperiment 2 Weight. Lbs. Treatment C VS Sup P < .05

36. 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.

37. Comparison of Beef Cow Wintering Systems

38. Cowboy EconomicsAssumptions • 120 days summer grazing • 100 days fall / winter grazing • Forage availability 2800 lb / acre • Harvest efficiency 60% • Stocking rate 1.6 acres / cow .63 cows / acre • Annual rental rate (bermuda) $18 / acre • Fall N Fertilizer at 50 lb/acre $12.00 • Stockpiled Bermuda $20.18 / acre

39. Cowboy EconomicsAssumptions, Cont. • Native pasture rent $10 / acre • Native stocking rate 10 acres / cow • Bermuda hay $50 / ton • 25% cubes $130 / ton • 38% cubes $170 / ton

40. Native Pasture + Supplement 3 acres deferred pasture = $27.40 2 lb. 38% supplement, 75 d = $12.75 Total = $40.15

41. “Good” Bermuda Hay OnlyNo Supplement Required 100 d at 25 lb. per day = $62.50 Hay feeding waste @ 15% $ 9.38 Total = $71.88

42. Hay, Native Grass (50/50) and Supplement 1.5 acres pasture = $13.70 12.5 lb. bermuda hay = $31.25 Hay feeding waste @ 15% $ 4.69 1.0 lb. 38% sup, 75 d = $ 6.38 Total = $56.02

43. Hay, Native Grass (25/75) and Supplement 2.0 acres pasture = $18.27 6.25 lb. bermuda hay = $15.63 Hay feeding waste @ 15% $ 2.34 1.5 lb. 38% sup, 75 d = $ 9.56 Total = $45.80

44. Stockpiled Bermudagrass + Supplement 1.6 acres pasture = $32.29 2 lb. 25% supplement, 70 d = $ 9.10 Total = $41.39

45. 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

46. 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

47. Stockpiled Bermudagrass + Supplement (60 days) .83 acres per cow = $16.75 2 lb. 25% supplement, 30 d = $ 3.90 Total = $20.65 Or...$.34 per head per day