Farms.com Home   News

OSU Analyzes Cattle Grazing Systems To Maximize Production

With drought and the high cost of land, Oklahoma State University has been looking at alternatives for cattle producers to maximize their grazing resources. OSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Dr. Dave Lalman has been evaluating two different grazing systems. The extensive approach utilizes moderate grazing over a large number of acres or a more intensive system that utilizes cropland to reduce the amount of pastureland needed. Lalman said they evaluated both options to determine which system allowed them to have comparable beef production.

With one acre of cropland, Lalman said they used the forage as a supplement or as a summer forage source. OSU planted a cover crop for summer grazing, then limit grazed wheat during the winter months.

“That’s the intensification, is basically using that one acre of cropland about six months out of the year, where the native grassland could rest,” Lalman said.

The more extensive system uses more pasture or grazing land with minimum inputs. This system uses a moderate to low stocking rate of 13 acres per cow-calf unit. Lalman said a lot producers stock heavier than that, but then they will also feed more hay.

“The extensive system was designed to minimize inputs, so very little hay feeding, just a little bit of protein supplement during the winter,” Lalman said.
 

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

This is Making Harvest a Pain!

Video:

Harvesting the soybean fields this year feels more like driving our farm equipment through a maze than a field, because of the 13 inches of rain in June and replanted areas. Join me today as I take the reins of the combine and harvest the areas of the fields that are dry. Learn about why we drive around the wet soybeans and the current plan to harvest them. Also, see John Deere's Machine Sync in use between the combine and the grain cart tractor. It's pretty evident that harvesting the soybeans this year is going to take longer than years past because of how much our productivity is lessened due to all the extra turning around and driving in a random fashion.