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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164709
Title: EFFECTS OF STOCKING METHOD AND RATE ON SEASONAL COW-CALF PERFORMANCE AND FORAGE QUALITY

Author
item WYATT, W - LA ST U AG CENTER
item Venuto, Bradley
item GILLESPIE, J - LA ST U AG CENTER
item BLOUIN, D - LA ST U AG CENTER

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/2004
Publication Date: 7/25/2004
Citation: Wyatt, W.E., Venuto, B.C., Gillespie, J.M., Blouin, D.C. 2004. Effects of stocking method and rate on seasonal cow-calf performance and forage quality [abstract]. American Society of Animal Science Annual Meeting. 8(1):139.

Interpretive Summary: ABSTRACT ONLY

Technical Abstract: Effects of stocking method and rate on cow-calf performance and forage quality were evaluated by the following treatments: continuous-stocked pastures at a low (1.2; CL), medium (2.0; CM), and high rate (2.7 cows per ha; CH) and rotational-stocked pasture (8 paddocks) at a high rate (2.7 cows per ha; RH). Brangus cows and calves were stocked on replicated treatment pastures (experimental units) on a year-around basis for three years. Cows were weighed prior to calving (January), prior to breeding (April), at weaning (October), and again the following January. Spring-born calves were weighed at birth, in April, and at weaning. Seasons corresponding to weigh periods were February-April (ES), May-June (LS), and July-October (S). The LS period represented a transition from annual ryegrass (principal forage in ES) to common bermudagrass-dallisgrass (principal forages in S) forage bases. Statistical analyses were conducted using a generalized linear mixed-model procedure. The linear model included pasture group (replicate) as a random effect and year, pasture management treatment, and calf gender (calf data only) as fixed effects. Cow weight gains and calf ADG were similar (P>.2) among treatments in ES. In LS, CL cows lost less weight than CM (P<.01; -33 vs -48 kg), and CH cows lost less weight than RH (P<.01; -39 vs -54 kg). Calf ADG in LS was greater for CL than for CM (P<.01; .93 vs .8 kg) and was greater for CM than for CH (.72 kg; P<.01), but similar (P=.54) between CH and RH calves. In LS, forage CP (12.7 vs 11.1%) and IVTD (60.9 vs 57.3%) were greater for CH than for RH (P<.05). In S, CM cows gained more weight than CL cows (P<.05; 34 vs 28 kg) and than CH cows (P<.01; 34 vs 18 kg) and CH cows gained more weight than RH cows (P<.01; 18 vs 11 kg). In S, CL and CM calves had similar ADG (P=.76; .98 and .96 kg), but CM was greater than CH (.78 kg; P<.01) and CH was greater than RH (.7 kg; P<.05). In S, forage CP was greater for CH than for RH (P<.01; 13.3 vs 11.7%). Selected forage IVTD tended (P<.1) to be higher for CM than for CH. Stocking rate and method affected cow-calf performance and forage quality in late-spring and summer (warm-season, perennial grasses), but had less impact during the early-spring (cool-season, annual grasses).