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