Evaluation of Stockpiled Berseem Clover and Brown Midrib Sorghum x Sudangrass as Supplements for Grazed Cornstalks in Beef Cow Wintering Systems

Berseem clover and oats were incorporated into a corncorn- oat/berseem clover rotation in 1994 and 1995. Two cuttings of oat-berseem clover hay were harvested during the summer before forage was allowed to stockpile for winter grazing. In 1995, a brown midrib sorghum x sudangrass hybrid was seeded into a field adjacent to a corn field. After corn grain harvest in 1994 and 1995, Charolais x Angus x Simmental cows in midgestation were allotted to replicated fields containing corn crop residues with no complementary forages at 2.5 acres/cow, or corn crop residues and stockpiled berseem clover (2:1) at 2.5 acres/cow to simultaneously graze, or to a drylot. In 1995, cows were allotted to fields containing corn crop residues and brown midrib sorghum x sudangrass (7:3) at 2.5 acres/cow. Berseem clover had greater concentrations of digestible organic matter and crude protein than corn crop residues at the initiation of grazing, but had a more rapid decrease in digestible organic matter concentration than corn crop residues. Brown midrib sorghum x sudangrass forage also had a higher initial concentration of digestible organic matter, but an equal rate of decrease in digestible organic matter concentration to corn crop residues in ungrazed areas of the field. Cows grazing berseem clover with corn crop residues had greater body condition score increases during the first half of the grazing season than cows grazing corn crop residues without complementary forages. Cows grazing corn crop residues without complementary forages required 2,786 and 1,412 less lb hay per cow than cows maintained in a drylot in 1994 and 1995. In 1994, simultaneous grazing of berseem clover with corn crop residues did not reduce hay feeding more than feeding corn crop residues alone. However, in 1995, grazing berseem clover or brown midrib sorghum x sudangrass with corn crop residues reduced the amount of hay required to maintain cows by 358 and 376 lb hay per cow compared with grazing corn crop residues without complementary forage.

Evaluation of Stockpiled Berseem Clover and Brown Midrib Sorghum x Sudangrass as Supplements for Grazed Cornstalks in Beef Cow Wintering Systems

Berseem clover and oats were incorporated into a corn-oat/berseem clover rotation in 1994-1996. Two cuttings of oat-berseem clover hay were harvested during the summer before forage was stockpiled for winter grazing. In 1995, brown midrib sorghum x sudangrass hybrid was seeded into a field adjacent to a corn field. This was repeated in 1996 with a standard sorghum x sudangrass hybrid. After corn harvest in 1994–1996, Charolais x Angus x Simmental cows and heifers in midgestation were allotted to corn crop residue, corn crop residue-berseem clover, and corn crop residue-sorghum x sudangrass fields at 2.5 acres/cow, or to a drylot. Berseem clover had greater concentration of digestible organic matter and crude protein than corn crop residues. Corn crop residue digestible organic matter concentration was lower than berseem clover and the brown midrib sorghum x sudangrass, but was higher than that of the standard sorghum x sudangrass hybrid in 1996. Cows grazing corn crop residues without complementary forages required an average of 2,374 less lb. hay per cow than cows maintained in a drylot in 1994-1996. In 1994 and 1996, simultaneous grazing of berseem clover with corn crop residues did not reduce hay feeding more than feeding corn crop residues alone, yet did significantly reduce the amount of hay needed in 1995 to maintain cows by 358 and 376 lb. hay per cow compared with grazing corn crop residues without complementary forage.

Evaluation of Condition Scoring of Feeder Calves as a Tool for Management and Nutrition

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of body condition scores of beef calves on performance efficiency and carcass characteristics. In Experiment 1, 111 steer calves were stratified by breed and condition score (CS) and randomly allotted to 14 pens. The study was analyzed as a 2 x 3 factorial design, with two breeds (Angus and Simmental) and three initial CS (4.4, 5.1, and 5.6). In Experiment 2, 76 steer calves were allotted to six pens by CS. The resultant pens averaged 3.9, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0, 5.1, and 5.6 in CS. Calves in both studies were fed a corn-based finishing diet formulated to 13.5% crude protein. All calves were implanted with Synovex- SÒ initially and reimplanted with Revalor-SÒ. In Experiment 1, 29-day dry matter intake (lb/day) increased with CS (17.9, 18.1, and 19.1 for 4.4, 5.1, and 5.6, respectively; p < .04). Daily gain (29 days) tended to decrease with increasing CS (4.19, 3.71, and 3.26; p < .13). Days on feed decreased with increasing CS (185, 180, and 178d; p < .07). In Experiment 2, daily gains also increased with decreasing initial CS for the first 114 days (p < .05) and tended to increase overall (p < .20). In Experiment 1, calves with lower initial CS had less external fat at slaughter (.48, .53, and .61 in. for CS 4.4, 5.1, and 5.6, respectively; p < .05). This effect was also noted at slaughter (p < .10), as well as at 57 days (p < .06) and at 148 days (p < .06) as measured by real-time ultrasound. Measurements of intramuscular fat and marbling were not different in either study. These data suggest that CS of feeder calves may be a useful tool for adjusting energy requirements of calves based on body condition. Also, feeder cattle may be sorted into outcome or management groups earlier than currently practiced using body condition and/or real-time ultrasound.