Growth performance of stocker calves backgrounded on sod-seeded winter annuals or hay and grain.
Economically viable options for retaining ownership of spring-born calves through a winter backgrounding program are somewhat limited in the southeastern United States. Although sod-seeded winter annual forages produce less forage than those same forages planted using conventional tillage practices, sod-seeded winter annual forages have the potential to provide a low-cost, rapid-gain, ecologically and economically viable option for retaining ownership of fall-weaned calves. A study was conducted during the winters of 1998, 1999, and 2000 using 180 crossbred calves (261 +/- 2.8 kg initial BW; n = 60 each year) to compare sod-seeded winter annual forages with conventional hay and supplement backgrounding programs in southeast Arkansas. Calves were provided bermudagrass hay (ad libitum) and a grain sorghum-based supplement (2.7 kg/d) on 1-ha dormant bermudagrass pastures or were grazed on 2-ha pastures of bermudagrass/dallisgrass overseeded with 1) annual ryegrass, 2) wheat plus annual ryegrass, or 3) rye plus annual ryegrass at a set stocking rate of 2.5 calves/ha. Calves grazed from mid-December until mid-April but were fed bermudagrass hay during times of low forage mass. Mean CP and IVDMD concentrations were 19.0 and 71.1%, respectively, across sampling dates and winter annual forages, but three-way interactions among forage treatments, year, and sampling date were detected (P < 0.01) for forage mass, concentrations of CP, and IVDMD. The IVDMD of rye plus ryegrass was greater (P < 0.05) than that of ryegrass in yr 2. A forage treatment x sampling date interaction was detected for forage CP in yr 1 (P < 0.05) and 2 (P = 0.05) but not in yr 3 (P = 0.40). Forage mass did not differ (P > or = 0.22) among winter annual treatments on any sampling date. During the first 2 yr, calves fed hay plus supplement gained less (P < 0.05) BW than calves that grazed winter annual forages; gains did not differ (P > or = 0.23) among winter annual treatments. During the 3rd yr, undesirable environmental conditions limited growth of the winter annual forages; total gain did not differ (P = 0.66) among the four treatments. Winter annual forages offer potential to provide high-quality forage for calves retained until spring, but consistent forage production and quality are a concern when sod-seeding techniques are used.
Coffey
K P
KP
University of Arkansas, Department of Animal Science, Fayetteville 72701, USA. kcoffey@uark.edu
Coblentz
W K
WK
Montgomery
T G
TG
Shockey
J D
JD
Bryant
K J
KJ
Francis
P B
PB
Rosenkrans
C F
CF
Gunter
S A
SA
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis* / Q000592:standards; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000592:standards; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D008129:Lolium; D008297:Male; D006109:Poaceae; D012621:Seasons; D015430:Weight Gain
D004044:Dietary Proteins