Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

K. Harmoney opened the meeting at 8:30 a.m. on May 20 with a welcome and a review of the agenda. Kansas State University provided the first state report. - J. Moyer reported on the performance of legumes interseeded into tall fescue as a method of improving tall fescue stands. - L. Lomas reported on supplementation of grazing stocker cattle with distillers grains on smooth bromegrass. - K. Harmoney reported on research that hypothesized that grazing animals on less costly forages, such as native rangeland or seeded forage crops, before placing in the feedlot would help to add value to animals being placed in the feedlot by increasing size and reducing the time on feed and need for grain for finishing. He also presented a summary of a study that hypothesized that by using intensive-early stocking at less than double the density, and then allowing some animals to remain on pasture season-long, that land use efficiency and gains per acre could be increased without limiting individual animal gain potential. S. Smart, from South Dakota State University, reported on three studies. - Evaluation of six cool-season grasses for fall/winter stockpiling (orchardgrass responded most favorably to fall fertilization). - Suppression of smooth bromegrass in the year after legume establishment in grass (grazing appeared to be a good suppression method). - Patch grazing as an alternative to patch burning and grazing. University of Nebraska-Lincoln made the final state report. - B. Anderson reported on evaluation of production and quality of warm-season annual forages. - W. Schacht reported on the effect of grazing system on diet quality and animal performance in the Nebraska Sandhills. - Terry Klopfenstein reported on research related to the utilization distillers grains. A review and discussion of the education objective followed the tour. For the past year, a number of accomplishments were identified: - Further revision of the Kansas Grazer, KSU. - Further revision and publication of the Grazing and Hay Records Spreadsheet, UNL. - Summary analysis of grazing yearling response to distillers grains in 2007 UNL Beef Cattle Report. Much of the research referred to in the report was associated with NC-1020. - Much of the information presented at the Ethanol Co-Products Storage and Utilization Conference in May 2008 at UNL is based on research associated with this project. - There was an emphasis on utilization of distillers grains at the 2008 Four-State Beef Conference and at the KOMA (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas) Conference. Much of the information presented was based on research associated with this project. Educational accomplishments for the upcoming year will include: - Joint sponsorship of the Ethanol Co-Products Storage and Utilization Conference in May 2009 in Grand Island or Kearney, Nebraska. The committee will meet immediately before the conference. - Joint sponsorship of a section in the agenda of the 2009 Four-State Cow-Calf Conference on distillers grains. - Include an article in the Kansas State Cattlemen based on the distillers grains summary in the 2007 UNL Beef Cattle Report. - Write a manuscript for submission to a scientific journal and for use in extension publications on annual forage crop research conducted by committee members. B. Anderson will check with Ken Moore, ISU, on forage quality analysis. - Other forms of distribution of project outputs will be explored, including: the beefstockerUSA.org website and Beef Cast on beefcast.com (an Elanco supported website). A discussion of the next 5-year project. All agreed that there is excellent justification for a new project. There is increasing worldwide demand for beef, increasing grain prices, increasing food prices, increasing concerns about the effects of agricultural production on the environment, and an increasing demand for efficient resource use and food production. The product of the discussion was the following outline of the new project. Sustaining Forage-based Beef Cattle Production in a Bioenergy Environment Statement of Issues Rising costs of fuel, land, harvested feedstuffs & Justification Legumes and bioenergy coproducts can be used to alleviate & Objectives 1) Reduce use of commercial fertilizer a. Interseeding of legumes in grass pastures i. Establishment  identifying barriers that are involved failures 1. Use of fungicides, pesticides, sterilization of soil etc. 2. Sod suppression (physical or chemical) 3. Soil fertility (phosphorus) 4. Moisture (supplemental irrigation vs none) 5. Rhizobia (interaction with soil microhabitat) 6. Seeding techniques (overseeding, drilling) ii. Production response  grazing studies (animal and forage productivity) 1. What percent of the stand should be legume? 2. What grazing strategy should be used? 3. Include grass-N fertilized control. b. Look at the effect of nutrients added from feeding the mixture of distillers grains and low quality forages (e.g., estimated to be 35 lb/acre N) on pasture productivity and species composition. 2) Use of biofuel coproducts in forage based diets to optimize utilization of forage resources. This project will address the situations of summer drought, summer slump (cool-season dominated pastures), and winter grazing whereby feeding biofuel coproducts will increase the efficiency of livestock production systems. a. Supplementation of forages to improve efficiency of grazing livestock production. i. Feeding of distillers on pasture. ii. Feeding a mixture of distillers grains and low quality forages (wheat straw, corn stalks, low quality hay, etc.). b. Substitution of grass. S. Smart is the chair of the writing committee with S. Smart and B. Anderson leading in the development of the legume establishment objective, A. Stalker and L. Lomas leading in the development of the co-product objective, and W. Fick and W. Schacht integrating environmental factors in the project proposal. Each member of the writing committee is to submit his components to S. Smart for compilation and development of the Statement of Issues and Justification. Jerry Volesky will become chair for 2009. Walt Fick was elected secretary for 2008/2009. The 2009 annual meeting will be held in Nebraska in association with the Ethanol Co-Product Storage and Utilization Conference.

Objective 1a- To develop strategies that better match nutrient requirements of grazing cattle to the quantity and nutritional value of the forage supply in the North Central Region by evaluating the adaptability, yield, and quality of summer annual forages across the NCR for use in complementary forage systems. At the KSU Southeast Research Center in 2007, oat, Italian ryegrass, berseem clover, and forage rape were not were not planted because soil was wet through the earlier planting period. For the same reason, mid-vegetative yields corn and soybean were not obtained. Forage yields of sudangrass, millet, and crabgrass were similar when cut at the vegetative stage, in terms of initial growth, regrowth, and total production. At the reproductive stage, total yields of the five species were highest for corn, and sudangrass, with pearl millet and soybean intermediate. Crabgrass production at the reproductive stage was lowest of the five species. Sudangrass was the only species grown in 2007 that produced harvestable regrowth after the initial cutting at the reproductive stage. In the three years of the study at this location, forage production was greatest for corn, millet, and sudangrass. In the two years that the earlier-spring-seeded species were grown, oat appeared more productive than berseem clover, rape, and ryegrass. During 2007, North Platte, NE plots received 100 lbs N/acre and 10.96 inches of irrigation to supplement the 16.01 inches of growing season (Apr.-Sep.) precipitation. Just over one-third of the precipitation occurred in June. Daily temperatures and other pertinent weather information were gathered at each site. All species, except Italian ryegrass increased yield substantially between vegetative and reproductive stages of growth. Warm-season annual grasses including sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrid, pearl millet, and crabgrass exhibited the greatest amount of regrowth following either a vegetative or reproductive stage first harvest. An additional study was initiated at North Platte that evaluated production of 5 warm-season annual grass entries, including teff, crabgrass, and foxtail millet. Total yield of teff varieties and Red River crabgrass averaged 0.62 tons/acre greater than foxtail millet. Across multiple harvests, quality of teff was greater than that of the other species. Objective 1b- To evaluate the forage quality potential of 24 monoculture perennial forages allowed to accumulate forage following a July harvest when stockpiled and utilized from September through March. No activity took place on this objective, as evaluation had already been summarized and previously reported for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 winter seasons in past NC 1020 minutes. Objective 1c- To develop strategies that better match nutrient requirements of grazing cattle to the quantity and nutritional value of the forage supply in the North Central Region by evaluating the ability of the grain processing co-product, distillers grains, to substitute for forages in summer and winter grazing systems of growing cattle. At the KSU Southeast Research Center, stocker steers that grazed smooth bromegrass and were supplemented with dried distillers grains at 0.5 or 1.0% of body weight per head daily had greater grazing body weight gains than those that received no supplementation. Grazing body weight gains were similar for steers supplemented with dried distillers grains at 0.5 or 1.0% of body weight. Supplementation with dried distillers grains during the grazing phase had no effect on subsequent finishing body weight gains or carcass traits. Steers that were supplemented with dried distillers grains during the grazing phase maintained their weight advantage through the finishing phase. Stocker steers that grazed bermudagrass pastures and were supplemented with dried distillers grains at 0.5% or 1.0% of body weight per head daily had greater grazing body weight gains than those that received no supplementation. Steers that were supplemented with dried distillers grains at 1.0% of body weight had greater body weight gains than those that were supplemented with dried distillers grains at 0.5% of body weight. In a three year study in Nebraska, dried distillers grains (DDG) were evaluated as a substitute for forage and N fertilizer in yearling steers grazing smooth bromegrass. One hundred and thirty-five steers (332 ± 10 kg) were used in a randomized complete block design to measure animal and pasture performance of DDG supplementation and N fertilization. Steers were initially stocked at 6.8 AUM"ha-1 on non-fertilized smooth bromegrass pastures (CONT), 9.9 AUM"ha-1 on smooth bromegrass pastures fertilized with 90 kg N"ha-1 (FERT), or 9.9 AUM"ha-1 on non-fertilized smooth bromegrass pastures with 2.3 kg (DM) of DDGS supplemented daily (SUPP). Pasture was the experimental unit and was replicated three times within year. Pastures were strip-grazed within each of the 5 cycles while put and take cattle and days within each strip were adjusted to maintain similar grazing pressure among treatment pastures. In vitro DM digestibility and TTDMD declined quadratically (P < 0.01), while crude protein, standing crop per head, and standing crop per ha showed cubic responses (P < 0.01) through the grazing season. Crude protein was higher (P < 0.05) for FERT compared to CONT and SUPP. Standing crop per ha was 18% greater (P < 0.01) for FERT than CONT and 10% greater (P < 0.01) than SUPP. However, standing crop on a per hd basis was greater (P < 0.01) for CONT compared to FERT and SUPP. Calculated AUM"ha-1 were significantly (P < 0.01) more for FERT and SUPP compared to CONT. Final BW was increased (P < 0.01) for SUPP steers compared to CONT and FERT steers, respectively. Body weight gain increased (P < 0.01) 34% with SUPP compared to CONT for the entire grazing period. Similar results were observed in ADG values with SUPP steers gaining more (P < 0.01) compared to CONT and FERT. On a per hectare basis, total gain increased (P < 0.01) by 53% for FERT and more than double for SUPP (105%). Feedlot ADG was similar among treatments (P = 0.08) and steers maintained their weight advantage through the finishing phase. Dried distillers grains can be used to effectively substitute for N fertilizer by increasing performance of yearlings grazing smooth bromegrass. An economic analysis was conducted on the three year study. A fourth scenario was calculated with fertilizer (90 kg N"ha-1) and DDG (2.3 kg DM) and analyzed (F+S). Total costs per steer were significantly (P < 0.01) lower for FERT, intermediate for CONT, and highest for SUPP and F+S. However, the additional weight gain from DDG decreased (P < 0.01) costs of gain for the SUPP and F+S compared to CONT and FERT. Costs of gain were not different for CONT and FERT (P = 0.07). Profitability was lowest for CONT, intermediate for SUPP, and highest for FERT and F+S. The weight advantage (9%) of steers supplemented with DDG during the grazing period was maintained through the finishing period (9%). Finishing performance was similar (P = 0.88) among treatments. Supplemented and F +S steers had higher (P < 0.01) feed costs, but similar (P = 0.66) costs of gain. Slaughter values were significantly (P < 0.01) greater for SUPP and F+S because of the additional weight maintained through the feeding period. Total production system breakevens were lowest (P < 0.01) for SUPP and F+S and profitability was significantly (P < 0.01) greater for SUPP and F+S compared to CONT and FERT. Cost of gain breakpoints for cash rent and fertilizer prices were $21.2 AUM-1 and $1.13 kg-1 N, respectively, for FERT compared to CONT. Cost of gain breakpoints for DDG were $226 Mt-1 and $257 Mt-1 for SUPP compared to FERT and CONT, respectively. Profitability for steers supplemented with DDG at the end of the gazing period was significantly reduced, despite an exceptional performance advantage, due to the price slides on heavier cattle. Therefore, to maximize profits from DDG supplementation in the grazing period, ownership of the steers through the finishing period must be maintained to avoid weight slides and loss of profitability. In a second Nebraska study, 120 individually fed growing steers (BW=314 ± 21 kg) were used to compare corn distillers solubles (SOL) to corn wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) when ensiled with corn stalks. In addition, the effect of feeding ensiled WDGS and stalks was compared to feeding the mix of WDGS and stalks fresh daily. The byproducts and stalks were mixed and bagged in a 50:50 ratio (DM basis) and fed to provide byproduct level in the diet of 15, 20, 25, and 30% DM. The byproduct mix was blended with grass hay at feeding time to achieve the desired levels of byproduct in the diet. A 2 x 4 factorial treatment design was used with factors of byproduct type (solubles and WDGS) fed at 4 levels (15, 20, 25, 30). An additional treatment was included where 30% WDGS was fed fresh daily to compare performance of ensiled vs. non-ensiled WDGS and stalks. Steers were assigned randomly to treatments with 11 steers per treatment for the 2 x 4 factorial treatment design. However, 22 steers were fed ensiled WDGS fed at 30 % and 21 steers fed 30% WDGS that was fed fresh daily (non-ensiled). Excluding non-ensiled diets, there were no type by level interactions for final BW (P=0.90), ADG (P=0.97), and G:F (P=0.24). There were linear increases in ADG and G:F with increasing levels of byproduct (P<0.05). Calves fed SOL diets gained less (0.47 vs. 0.57 kg/d) and had lower G:F (0.064 vs. 0.080) compared to calves fed WDGS diets. Diets mixed at feeding had lower DMI (5.5 kg/d), ADG (0.46 kg/d), and G:F (0.084) than ensiled WDGS diets (6.4, 0.65, and 0.102, respectively). Feeding ensiled byproducts, solubles or WDGS, with stalks can be effective when backgrounding calves, and WDGS have higher feeding values than SOL. Ensiling WDGS with corn stalks appears to be better than mixing fresh daily, as DMI and ADG were improved. A 56-d grazing study was conducted to quantify the effect of supplementing cows with wet distillers grains mixed with grass hay during the summer grazing season on 1) grazed forage intake and 2) cow and calf performance. The study was conducted at the University of Nebraska Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory from June to August, 2007. Cows and calves were supplemented 55% wet distillers grains plus solubles and 45% grass hay that was mixed and stored for forty-five days (MIX). Twenty-four three year old lactating, non-gestating cows were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 1) grazing upland range at the recommended stocking rate of 1.48 AUM/ha with no supplementation (CON), 2) grazing upland range at double the recommended stocking rate (2.96 AUM/ha) and supplemented 6.64 kg/hd daily of MIX to replace 50% of daily intake (SUPP), and 3) grazing upland range at double the recommended stocking rate (2.96 AUM/ha) with no supplementation (2X). Cattle were rotated through seven paddocks. Forage utilization was determined by clipping twenty, 1-m2 quadrates pre- and post-grazing. Forage IVOMD, CP, and NDF were determined from masticate diet samples collected at grazing period mid-point using espohageally fistulated cows. There was no difference in cow ADG between CON and 2X (P=0.29) (-0.45 and -052 kg/d); however, SUPP had higher ADG (0.25 kg/d; P<0.01) than non-supplemented groups. Supplemented calves had higher ADG (1.07 kg/d; P<0.01) than CON or 2X; CON tended to gain more than 2X calves (0.92 vs 0.75 kg/d; P=0.07). Forage utilization (% standing green) was 18.3% less for CON than for SUPP (P,0.01) and 24.0% less for CON than 2X (P<0.01 ). The IVOMD was 57.26%, 52.47%, and 50.54% for CON, SUPP, and 2X, respectively. Supplemented cows and calves grazing Sandhills rangeland during the summer gained more weight than the non-supplemented cattle; however, MIX did not replace grazed forage such that range conditions can be positively maintained at double stocking rate. A meta-analysis of grazing trials in which cattle were supplemented dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) was conducted to determine the effects of supplementation on daily gain and final body weight in pasture grazing situations. Additionally, pen studies were evaluated to determine supplementation of DDGS on cattle intake, forage replacement, daily gain, and final BW. In both the pasture and the pen studies, daily gain and final BW were increased quadratically with increased level of DDGS supplementation. Feeding DDGS quadratically decreased forage intake even though total intake for cattle supplemented DDGS quadratically increased with increased level of supplementation. Objective 1d- To develop strategies that better match nutrient requirements of grazing cattle to the quantity and nutritional value of the forage supply in the North Central Region by evaluating the economic and environmental potential of alternative forages and/or distillers grains in cow-calf production systems with different resource or animal management systems. Extreme volatility and fluctuation has occurred in grain markets the last two seasons. With the current emphasis on renewable fuels, grain ethanol production has driven grain prices rapidly upwards, thus greatly increasing the cost of feed when finishing animals in a feedlot. It has been hypothesized that grazing animals on less costly forages, such as native rangeland or seeded forage crops, before placing in the feedlot would help to add value to animals being placed in the feedlot by increasing size and reducing the time on feed and need for grain for finishing. A two year study at Hays, KS has evaluated two different production systems for marketing fall born calves. In 2006 and 2007, 40 angus and angus X steers in each of two treatments were either placed directly in the feedlot after spring weaning or placed on native shortgrass rangeland for summer grazing prior to being placed in the feedlot. Steers were all fed to an endpoint of 0.40 inches of backfat, and feedlot only animals were harvested in early or mid-November, while steers from the rangeland treatment were harvested in mid- to late March. Average steer weight was similar between treatments at the experiment inception. Animals from the rangeland treatment gained 220 lbs/hd on grass prior to entering the feedlot. Slaughter weights and carcass weights were 81 and 57 lbs/hd greater for the rangeland treatment. Days on feed was less for the rangeland treatment group, but grain intake during finishing for each group was similar at 70.5 and 70.9 bu/hd for the feedlot only and rangeland groups, respectively. Using actual market values for both years, budgets showed that steers in the feedlot only treatment lost $12.10 /hd averaged over both years, while steers grazing rangeland before entering the feedlot lost $25.74 /hd more than the feedlot only treatment. This translates into an added value of $-12.74 /acre when stocked at 3.5 acres/hd. Other Nebraska studies showed that utilizing dry distillers grains in replacement heifer diets promoted moderate animal gains and enhanced AI conception and overall pregnancy rates. Supplementing distillers grains in beef cow diets on cornstalks during late gestation did not affect calf birth or weaning weights, cow weight before calving, or calving interval. Supplementation may help to increase cow body condition score from pre-calving to pre-breeding and may possibly initiate ovarian activity more quickly following calving. In Kansas, 3 grazing systems {native range (NR), western wheatgrass/native range (WW/NR), and tall wheatgrass/native range (TW/NR)} were compared for beef cow/calf production in 2007. It was hypothesized that sequential grazing of cool-season complementary forage then warm-season dominated rangeland would increase cow/calf production compared to grazing warm-season dominated rangeland alone. The NR treatment will allow 10.6 ac/ hd, while the WW/NR and TW/NR will allow 8.2 ac/hd on native rangeland and 2.4 ac/hd on seeded complementary forage, equaling 10.6 ac/hd for all treatments. Cows were weighed, condition scored, and insonated for backfat, marbling, and muscle depth prior to grazing and at each transition from grazed forage sources. Cows on the WW, TW, and NR only treatments all had similar cow and calf gains April through July. All three treatments also had similar cow and calf gains from July through November. Cow body condition score change from April to November was within 0.20 scoring units from each other, and backfat changes were within 0.10 inches in all three treatments. Much above average precipitation during the spring of 2007 resulted in cool-season grass yields of nearly 130-170% of the expected average. Abundant spring rainfall also resulted in 25-28% western-wheatgrass composition in the native rangeland only treatment, which produced an abundant grazable cool-season grass component at the same time period that complementary cool-season grasses were being grazed in the WW and TW treatments. On Kansas shortgrass rangeland, intensive-early stocking (IES) using double stocking the first half of the grazing season was found to have no production advantage over continuous season-long (CS) stocking from May to October. It was hypothesized that by using IES at less than double the density, and then allowing some animals to remain on pasture season-long, that land use efficiency and gains per acre could be increased without limiting individual animal gain potential. A comparison was made for 6 years between CS stocking of steers May to October from 2002-2007on shortgrass native rangeland at a rate of 3.5 ac/steer, and modified IES at 2.0 ac/steer from May to July, then removing the heaviest animals and stocking at 3.5 ac/steer until October. Removal of heavy animals from the IES system occurred mid-July each year. No difference has been found between average daily gains and total animal gain for the CS and 1.6X + 1 systems during the first or last half of the season. Unlike a previous modified 2x + 1 IES study, animal gains were not reduced during either part of the grazing season, and total season-long gain from animals that remained on pasture from May to October in both the CS and the modified 1.6X + 1 systems were equal. Because animal gains were similar yet stocking rate was greater for the modified 1.6X + 1 IES system, beef production per acre was greater for the modified IES system than the CS system (85 lb/acre vs. 69 lb/acre). The increased beef production also created an increase in net income above CS of $9.84/acre above purchase and interest costs. The only difference thus far in vegetative production or composition has been that buffalograss composition in the modified 1.6X + 1 IES system has increased by 0.5 percentage points per year more quickly than the SLS system. The total season stocking rate with the modified 1.6X + 1 system is about 20-25% greater than the CS stocking rate, and is likely at the maximum level expected to not reduce animals gains or vegetative productivity since 3X IES and 2X + 1 IES, with stocking rates 50% greater than CS rates, have resulted in rapid declines in animal gain and vegetative productivity. It was hypothesized that total season animal production would initially increase from greater initial stocking, but that less desirable vegetation would eventually increase and pasture productivity would eventually decrease from annual use of the 1.6X + 1 system because of the greater total season stocking rate. The latter expectation has not yet happened, and animal and vegetative responses between stocking treatments have remained consistent across years. Objective 2a- To develop educational materials and programs to improve decision-making for grazing-based beef production systems by creating databases that can be used to expand the relevance of (i) 1996 Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle model to grazing conditions in the NCR and (ii) existing models/decision support tools for forage management and utilization (e.g., KansasGrazer and Grazing Land Applications) to annual and perennial forages in the NCR. The Grazing and Hay Records Spreadsheet template and companion publication was developed for producers to maintain and summarize pasture grazing records as well as records of hay fed to livestock. Based on input data for individual pastures, it calculates the planned and available animal unit months (AUM) of grazing, days of grazing, stocking rates in AUM and animal unit days (AUD) /acre, used and remaining AUM. In addition, report sheets are generated that summarize seasonal distribution of grazing for each pasture, stocking rates for each pasture and entire ranch, hay fed from both pasture and drylot situations, and pasture forage demand (AUM). The template and publication are available for download from the UNL Extension publications website (http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/ec165.pdf). The KansasGrazer software by John Fritz has been made available on the web (http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/forage/ksgrazer.htm). Revisions and improvements to this program were made in 2007. The program uses grazing models developed from state-wide data to calculate monthly carrying capacity in terms of AUMs and compares to animal requirements. Objective 2b- To develop educational materials and programs to improve decision-making for grazing-based beef production systems by conducting systems-based educational programs on integrated forage/cattle management systems for cattle producers. South Dakota State University released a Rangeland and Pasture Grazing Records booklet that provides producers with valuable information regarding carrying capacity of range and pasturelands throughout the state, animal unit equivalents, and stubble height or estimated utilization charts for desired 50% utilization of grazing lands. A record template was also included that helps producers document seasonal use of pastures and to score their pastures for plant vigor and health based on species, time of use, extent of use, and pasture precipitation. Objective 2c- To develop educational materials and programs to improve decision-making for grazing-based beef production systems by developing an educational program on the utilization of grain co-products. The Ethanol Co-Products Storage and Utilization Conference was held in May 2008 at UNL. The conference featured presentation of compiled data from the states involved in the project. A summary analysis of grazing yearling response to distillers grains was published in the 2007 UNL Beef Cattle Report. Much of the research referred to in the report was associated with NC-1020. There was an emphasis on utilization of distillers grains at the 2008 Four-State Beef Conference (Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri) and the KOMA (Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas) Beef Conference. Much of the information presented was based on research associated with this project. Several additional workshops and conferences are planned for the coming year.

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