1. Managing Stockpiled Tall Fescue to Extend the Grazing Season
Mark Kennedy
Kennedy Grassland Services, LLC
Reeds Spring, MO

2. Background
The largest single expense in cow/calf production is feed cost
Typical MO producer feeds hay 90 to 120 days during winter
Management of forage during the winter to reduce hay feeding will improve profitability
Stockpiling fescue can be our competitive advantage

3. The managed accumulation of new growth
Stockpiling:
The managed accumulation of new growth

4. Fescue - competitive advantage
Fall regrowth accumulates a high concentration of carbohydrates (high quality)
Waxy layer on leaf makes it resistant to weathering
Fall regrowth has lower levels of toxins from endophyte
Ergovaline concentrations drop more rapidly than forage quality through the winter

5. Keys to Success Growing the stockpiled fescue
Proper utilization of stockpile

6. Stockpiling Recipe
Start with fescue pastures that have 3 to 6 inches of leaf in August or 60 to 90 days prior to the end of the growing season.
Apply lbs. N
Defer grazing until growth stops (late Nov to early Dec.) or until needed
Utilize all other pastures in rotation for fall grazing until fully utilized and grass growth stops

7. Impact of rate and timing of nitrogen fertilization on dry matter yield of stockpiled tall fescue.
4000
3500
3000
2500
Yield (lbs/A)
2000
120 80
120
120
1500 40 80 80 40 40
1000
500
North MO
South MO
August 1 -
August 15 -
August 29 -
August 15
August 29
September 12

8. Stockpiling Try to stockpile up to 1 acre per mature cow.
Rule of thumb: 1 acre of properly stockpiled tall fescue will meet the nutrient requirements of a 1000 lb. beef cow for 75 days or more
How much can you afford to stockpile?

9. How much can you afford to stockpile?
1000 lb. cow eats 10,950 lbs./year
50% utilization – 21,900 lbs. needed on offer
7000 lb./ac total production
3.2 acres needed per cow per year
1.6 acres needed/cow April – June
3.2 acres needed/cow July – August
2.0 acres needed Sept. – Nov
1 – 1.2 acres left to stockpile
3000 lb. x .70 = 2100/26 = 80 cow days grazing

10. Utilizing the stockpiled forage
High Tensile Electric Fence
Treat as “hay on the stump”
Allocate out in 1 to 3 day feed supplies by stripgrazing
improves utilization
From 35% for 2 weeks to 70%+ for 3 days or less
stretches forage supplies
40%more grazing days per acre
helps maintain quality
Cows aren’t damaging frozen plant tissue
Temp Fence
Temp Fence
Experimental Unit for all measurements in animal performance was the group of cow-calf pair
Animal and forage measurements collected the start and end period
Strip Grazing =grazing method that allots small amounts of pasture that can be grazed in a relatively short time
decreases wastage by preventing trampling of the forage
Water Source 13

11. Water source
Break fence

12. Move polywire to expose 2 to 3 days worth of grazing at a time
Move polywire to expose 2 to 3 days worth of grazing at a time ... greatly increases utilization and preserves quality..
Calculate forage available per acre, figure daily herd intake requirement, factor in 70% utilization if moving every 2 days, calculate size strip required

13. Economics - average conditions
26# per cow per day
$70 per ton good grass hay
$.70 per pound for 60#/ac=$42.00/ac
60# should give 10” 300# per inch = 3000#/ac

14. Haying
$70 / 2000# = $.035 per pound
$.035 x 26# = $0.91 per cow per day
if you factor in a 20% wastage this bring the cost up to $1.09 per cow per day

15. Stockpile Fescue, Open Grazing
% utilization = 1050#
$42.00/ac / 1050 = $.04 per pound
$.04 x 26# = $1.04 per cow per day
1050 / 26# = 40 aud/ac

16. Stockpile Fescue, Stripgrazing
70% utilization = 2100#
$42.00/ac / 2100 = $.02 per pound
$.02 x 26# = $0.52 per cow per day
2100# / 26# = 80 aud/ac

17. Seasonal Costs Haying: $1.09/day x 80 days = $87
Stockpile + Stripgraze:
.52/day x 80 days = $41.60
$45.40/cow savings/year
Less than half the cost of feeding hay

18. Stripgrazing costs Polywire and tread in posts for .25 mile = $145
Strip grazing portable energizer = $150 (if not using electric fencing already)
Depreciated over 5 years = $59/year cost

19. Stripgrazing Pay $0.57 avg. savings/cow/day 100 head cow herd
15 minutes per day moving fence
= $228/hour pay for moving fence

20. How to calculate for stripgrazing
Estimate forage yield
Determine utilization efficiency
Determine livestock intake needs
Calculate daily herd requirement
Calculate acres needed/grazing period
Calculate strip size

21. Calculations for grazing stockpiled fescue
Estimate Forage Yield
Low density 150 – 250 lbs./acre/inch
Medium density 250 – 350 lbs.
High density 350 – 450 lbs.

22. Calculations for grazing stockpiled fescue
Determine harvest efficiency
2 week allocation 30 – 35%
Weekly allocation 40 – 50%
<3 day allocation 65 – 70%

23. Calculations for grazing stockpiled fescue
Determine desired livestock intake rate
Dry animals 2.0 – 2.5%
Lactating animals 2.5 – 3.5%
Growing animals 3.0 – 3.5%
Determine herd needs/day
# cows x average weight x intake rate

24. Example: forage available and utilization
Forage average height = 10”
Medium density
10” x 400 lbs/in = 4000 lb. total dry matter
2 day forage allocation = 70% harvest efficiency
4000 lbs. x .70 = 2800 lbs. available for intake

25. Example: intake & herd needs
1100 lb. fall calving cows
3.0% bw intake rate
1100 x .03 = 33 lbs. intake/cow/day
25 cows in the herd
25 x 33 = 825 lbs. daily herd needs

26. Example: acres needed 2800 lbs. forage available
825 lbs. per day herd intake needs
825/2800 = .29 acres needed per day
2 day allocation
2 x .29 = .58 acres allocated every other day

27. Example: size of strip 25 acre field stockpiled – 1320’ x 825’
.58 acres needed every other day
.58 x 43560/825 = width of strip needed every other day
How long will it last?
25 acres/.29 acres per day needed = 69 days

28. What about the Quality?
Is the stockpiled fescue adequate to meet animal nutritional needs?
Won’t I still need to supplement?

29. Stockpiled Tall Fescue Crude Protein25 22 20 20 18 18 16 15 15 14 13
Percentages 12 11 10 10 9 5
October
November
December
January
February
March
Months

30. Stockpiled Tall Fescue D O M52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68
November
December
January
February
March
Months

31. Ergovaline concentration in stockpiled, endophyte-infected tall fescue.
Kallenbach, Missouri,

32. Protein Intake vs. Requirement
September Calving Beef Cows lb.- Southern Missouri 7
6.57 6
5.73
4.91 5
4.09
Intake
Requirement 4
Pounds
3.26 3
2.87
2.3
2.28
2.23
2.17
2.13
2.09 2 1
October
November
December
January
February
March
Months

33. Energy Intake vs. Requirement
Fall Calving Beef Cows lb. - Southern Missouri 30
27.8
26.16 25
24.56
22.81
20.83
19.86 20
15.85
15.86
15.79
NEM (Mcal/day)
15.46
15.21
14.89 15 10 5
October
November
December
January
February
March
Months

34. Advantages of Stockpile Grazing
Reduced Labor
Reduced Costs
Reduced Time
Putting up hay and feeding out hay
High Quality Forage
Usually better than grass hay
Good Manure Distribution