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? Stockpiling is not a new idea for Oklahoma cattlemen Can we do this at a lower cost compared to feeding hay?

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 N fertilizer/Lb. per acre DM Yield, Tons per Acre Source: OSU Fact Sheet 2587

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

10. Late Summer Fertilized Bermuda: Protein Content Sampling Date Crude Protein, % 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. Management Timeline AugSeptOctNovDecJanFeb Defer Fertilize Graze Cool Season or Native Graze Bermuda

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

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 1Nov. 4 to Jan. 22 (77 days) –Experiment 2 Nov. 3 to Feb. 2 (90 days) Grazing technique –StillwaterFrontal grazing –HaskellRotational –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 MH Soyhulls92.560.430.6 Soybean Meal 031.962.2 Molasses3.63.63.6 Dical P2.52.01.0 Ca CO 3 0.51.02.0

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 StillwaterHaskell

23. Mean Precipitation Versus 10-yr Average StillwaterHaskell

24. Forage Production Location effect P <.05

25. Stock Density and Harvest Efficiency Exp 1Exp 2 StwHskStwHsk Stocking Density AU/Acre.73.57.40.85 Harvest Efficiency, %61606562

26. Forage Quality

27. Forage Quality Crude Protein

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

29. Forage Quality Digestibility a, Exp 1 a In vitro dry matter disapearance Linear decline P <.05

30. Forage Quality Digestibility a, Exp 2 a In vitro dry matter disapearance Quadratic decline P <.05

31. Animal Performance

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

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

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

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

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 Economics Assumptions 120 days summer grazing120 days summer grazing 100 days fall / winter grazing100 days fall / winter grazing Forage availability2800 lb / acreForage availability2800 lb / acre Harvest efficiency60%Harvest efficiency60% Stocking rate 1.6 acres / cowStocking rate 1.6 acres / cow.63 cows / acre Annual rental rate (bermuda)$18 / acreAnnual rental rate (bermuda)$18 / acre Fall N Fertilizer at 50 lb/acre$12.00Fall N Fertilizer at 50 lb/acre$12.00 Stockpiled Bermuda $20.18 / acreStockpiled Bermuda $20.18 / acre

39. Cowboy Economics Assumptions, Cont. Native pasture rent$10 / acreNative pasture rent$10 / acre Native stocking rate10 acres / cowNative stocking rate10 acres / cow Bermuda hay$50 / tonBermuda hay$50 / ton 25% cubes$130 / ton25% cubes$130 / ton 38% cubes$170 / ton38% 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 Only No 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