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Title: WINTER AND SPRING PERFORMANCE OF STEER CALVES REARED IN TEMPERATE OR SUB-TROPIC ENVIRONMENTS AND USED AS STOCKERS ON WINTER WHEAT PASTURES IN OKLAHOMA

Author
item Phillips, William
item Grings, Elaine
item Coleman, Samuel
item Short, Richard
item Riley, David
item Chase, Chadwick - Chad
item Mayeux Jr, Herman
item Heitschmidt, Rodney

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2002
Publication Date: 7/21/2002
Citation: PHILLIPS, W.A., GRINGS, E.E., COLEMAN, S.W., SHORT, R.W., RILEY, D.G., CHASE, C.C., MAYEUX, H.S., HEITSCHMIDT, R.K. WINTER AND SPRING PERFORMANCE OF STEER CALVES REARED IN TEMPERATE OR SUB-TROPIC ENVIRONMENTS AND USED AS STOCKERS ON WINTER WHEAT PASTURES IN OKLAHOMA. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE. 2002. v. 80(Suppl.1): Abstract p. 147.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only.

Technical Abstract: Rather that owning the calves, winter wheat pasture producers may decide to act as subcontractors, who are paid by the amount of gain accumulated by each calf. The objective of this experiment was to compare the weight gains of steers from temperate and sub-humid environments as stockers for grazing winter wheat pastures. On Oct. 23, 2000, Angus (N=34) and Romosinuano (N=36) steers born and reared at Brooksville, FL were transported 2025 km to El Reno, OK. On Nov. 14, 2000, cross-bred steers of temperate breeds born in February (N=24), April (N=11) or June (N=18) and reared at Miles City, MT were transported 1710 km to El Reno, OK. Because winter wheat pasture was limited due to drought conditions, all steers were combined into a single group, placed on a 28-ha dormant warm season grass pasture, and given ad libitum access to a mixed diet formulated to support an ADG of 0.8 kg for the winter period (Oct. or Nov. to April). In April, steers were moved to winter wheat pasture for a 63-d spring grazing period Angus steers were 26 kg heavier (433 vs 407; P=0.11) upon arrival and gained more weight (P < 0.01) during the winter (297.5 vs 221.6 kg) than Romosinuano steers. During the spring when temperatures were warmer, Romosinuano steers gained more weight (P < 0.01) than Angus steers (36.9 vs 26.0 kg). Cross-bred calves born in Feb. were heavier (P < 0.01) than calves born in April or June (244 > 197 and 175 kg) and gained more (P < 0.02) weight during the winter than calves born in June (139 vs 123 kg). Overall gain (winter + spring) was similar among the three age groups (151 kg). In general, calves from temperate breeds performed better as winter stocker calves than calves from a tropically adapted breed.