1. Grazing Management to Minimize Cost
Bob Woods
Area Extension Agronomy Specialist,
NE Oklahoma
Master Cattleman Summit 2009

2. Grazing Management to Minimize Cost?
Manage to Graze!

3. Planning grazing management
Stocking Rate
Stockpiled Forages
Grazing Systems

4. Stocking Rate Explained
High
Gain/animal
Net Return/acre
Gain/acre
Zero
Moderate
Heavy
Very light
Light

5. Typical Hay Feeding Season
> 90% of NE OK ranches are overstocked or under fertilized!

6. Time, Consumption, Forage Availability
Stocking Rate
Time, Consumption, Forage Availability

8. Forage Requirement for a Spring Calving herd under 4 different management options
This table is based on a standard animal unit of 26 pounds per day for a 1000 pound cow. This shows that a cow unit might require between 14,000 and 17,000 pounds of dry matter per year. All but the 2nd option where all calves are sold at weaning include the cow, her share of the bull, and 20% of the heifers retained as replacements. The annual dry matter requirement will increase approximately 1000 pounds/year/cow for every 100 lb increase in cow weight above a 1000 pound cow. As and example the 1st option would increase to 14,780 for 1200 pound cows.
AUE = (BODY WEIGHT + 100) ÷ 1,000
or, for animals of 1,100 lbs. or more,
AUE = (BODY WEIGHT-100) ÷ 1,000
1200 pound cow -100 =1100/1000 = 1.1
26 X 365 = 9490 X .1 increase for 1200 pound cow above a cow that weighs 900 – 1100 pounds. So add 950 lbs for each 100 pound increase in cow weight above 1100 lbs.
Each 100 pound increase in cow weight adds
950 pounds to yearly DM requirement

9. Determining Stocking Rate on Native Range (or Unfertilized Pasture)
Web Soil Survey - Home
Forage Availability

10. Web Soil Survey

11. Lbs X 25% X Acres = harvestable yield 4900 X .25 X 16.3= 19967
79870
26035
91875
1875
173,646
Lbs X 25% X Acres = harvestable yield
4900 X .25 X 16.3=
6350 X .25 X 4.1 =
5250 X .25 X 17.5 =
1875 X .25 X 1 =
Total /39 = 1280 lbs/A

12. Lbs X 25% X Acres = harvestable yield
Total /39 = 1280 lbs/A
1100 lb cow, keeping 20% of heifers for replacements
Requires pounds/1280 = 11.5 Acres per cow unit

13. Forage Expense in Relation to S.R. (5/19/09)
A/Cow
Forage T/A
N Reg Lbs/A
NPK Total $ / Cow
Forage Expense $/Cow
Sales - Forage Expense 10 .6
195
374 5
1.2 30
144
314
255 4
1.5 50
145
290
279 3 2 70
131
251
318
2 T litter ($22)
222
342
227
120
160
This is based on OKC cattle prices and fertilizer prices on May 18, Gross sales value includes 90% calf crop, 525 pound weaning weight, ($110/cwt.and 10% cull cow sales($50/cwt) for gross sales per cow of $569. The hay expense is custom harvest for 2 round bales per cow ($45). Litter is valued at $37. Assumed 40 pounds of both P and K annually where N is applied. At the 5, 4, 3 acre stocking rates a 2X N rate per acre is used and only ½ of the acreage fertilized to save on P and K expense. All 3 acres receive litter in the 2T example.
The last column is the amount left per cow above forage costs for other cow expenses such as vet-med, labor, land, supplemental feed and mineral, and equipment.
The ($22) below 2T litter is the amount that can be payed for litter to equal the commercial fertilizer price on an annual basis. This does not value the P and K available for improving soil test P values.
7 year pay at 8% on $700 cow is $135, overhead at $75. $209 subtracted from last column - ?
16.40 per acre income on native versus $36/A income on 3A/cow option.
N 37¢, P 29¢, K 59¢, $45 Hay/cow, $15 native rent, $25 introduced rent
40 lbs P and K/A, $569 gross sales per cow

14. Stocking Rate with Introduced Pastures
Yield dependent on fertilizer
Determine yield goal then fertilize accordingly

15. Rainfall for Payne County (1971-2000)
Fertilize
warm season grass
Fertilize
cool season grass
Fertilize
Warm or cool season grass

16. Rainfall Comparisons 5 Counties

17. Multiple Options - 760 Acres (560 native, 200 Introduced)
No fertilizer, grow all forage – 74 cows
No fertilizer, buy hay 60 days, 90 cows
Cows on native and fertilized introduced, buy hay for 60 days, 158 cows
Fertilize bermudagrass and fescue, 83 cows stockers on native , 316 head (IES)
Add a recreation component
Multi-species grazing

18. Forage Growth Stockpiled Forage (standing, hay, silage)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cool-season Grass
Cool-season legume
Bermudagrass
Native Range
Stockpiled Forage (standing, hay, silage)

19. Native Range

20. 78 grazing days/A for a 1200 lb. cow
3803 lbs/A, 317 lbs/inch
78 grazing days/A for a 1200 lb. cow

21. Fall Fertilized Fescue 2001
Cherokee
Craig
Delaware
Mayes
Muskogee
Nowata
Okfuskee
Ottawa
Wagoner
Washington
Unfert.
Lbs/A
865
1108
778
885
1117
659
1329
1382
723
Fertilized
Lbs/A
3803
2174
2111
2281
3201
2419
3733
4520
5480
1574
Increase
Lbs/A
2938
1067
1333
1396
2084
1760
2404
3138
4596
851

23. Fall Fertilized Bermudagrass

24. Estimate 5000 lbs. DM/A
120 grazing days for a 1200 lb cow

25. Small Grains Planting Dates
Picture taken 11/30/99
9/10/99
11/4/99
10/7/99
10/21/99
9/23/99
First planting was clipped 10/27/99
removing 1,880 lb/a of forage

26. Objective Based Grazing Management
Bermudagrass or OWB Rotation to control maturity
Cool Season Grasses Rotation to increase grazing days
Cool Season Legumes Short residue height in fall and winter
Native Range Year long grazing Season Long IES grazing
Multiple paddocks can be peace of mind (easier to count days remaining)
Grazing Plan should fit the forage type and animal

27. Native Range
Fence or Patch Burn?

28. Forage Growth Number of paddocks?
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Cool-season Grass
Cool-season legume
Bermudagrass
Native Range
Number of paddocks?
How many pieces you have in your puzzle?

29. Avoid “Locked In Mode” It won’t work on my place!
I need to plant more____!
I have to have “X number” of cows.
I have to spray weeds!
Conventional wisdom can change!

30. The Ranch That Feeds Less Hay Wins!