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 $13.68

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

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 50 100 150 200

N fertilizer/Lb. per acre

DM

Yie

ld, T

on

s p

er

Ac

re

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

Pro

tein

, %

Source: Woods, OSU

Late Summer Fertilized Bermuda: Protein Content

02468

101214

Nov Dec Jan Feb

Sampling Date

Cru

de

Pro

tein

, %

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

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

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

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

5

10

15

20

25

30

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

Month

Tem

per

atu

re

C

Mean Yr. 1 Yr. 2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

Month

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

Pre

cip

itat

ion

, in

ches 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

Lb

s p

er

ac

reStillwater

Haskell

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

0

2

4

68

10

12

14

16

Nov Dec Jan Feb

Cru

de

Pro

tein

, %

of

DM

Exp 1

Exp 2

Cow Req.

Forage QualityDegradable Protein

0

2

4

68

10

12

14

16

Nov Dec Jan Feb

DIP

, %

of

DM

Exp 1

Exp 2

Cow Req.

Cow requirement assumes diet is 50% TDN

Forage QualityDigestibilitya, Exp 1

30

40

50

60

70

Nov Dec Jan Feb

TD

N, %

of

DM

Exp 1

Cow Req.

aIn vitro dry matter disapearanceLinear decline P < .05

Forage QualityDigestibilitya, Exp 2

30

40

50

60

70

Nov Dec Jan Feb

TD

N, %

of

DM

Exp 2

Cow 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

0

20

40

60

CONT LOW MED HIGH

Period 1

Period 2Wei

gh

t lb

s.W

eig

ht

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

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

CONT LOW MED HIGH

C VS Sup P < .05C VS Sup P < .05

Wei

gh

t. L

bs.

Wei

gh

t. L

bs.

-44.0-44.0

Treatment

Period Wt. ChangeExperiment 2

4 7 10 13

57 545755

2

2731

16

010203040506070

CONT LOW MED HIGH

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3

Wei

gh

t lb

s.W

eig

ht

lbs.

Periods 2 and 3 C VS Sup P < .01Periods 2 and 3 C VS Sup P < .01

Treatment

Overall Wt. ChangeExperiment 2

83

9791

61

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

CONT LOW MED HIGH

C VS Sup P < .05C VS Sup P < .05

Wei

gh

t. L

bs.

Wei

gh

t. L

bs.

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