Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

NC-1020 and NC-1021 held a joint meeting in Kansas City on June 7-8, 2006. We agreed that we would pursue a two year extension of the current 3 year projects. NC-1020 and NC-1021 agreed that they would stay as separate committees. A letter was drafted to request this two year extension citing many reasons why the two committees would not merge into one. Justifications for the two year extension are as follows: " The agronomic evaluation of alternative forages in NC-1020 requires at least two more growing seasons for successful completion. " Over one-half dozen studies using distillers grains to supplement grazing cattle are on-going, with preliminary data published from most of them in state research reports. " Time is needed to incorporate forage composition data that has been gathered into the Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle model to enhance its usefulness under grazing conditions. " Regional educational programs being planned by NC-1020 are unlikely to be ready for presentation until 2008. Committee officers were elected. Dr. Keith Harmoney (KSU) was elected as the new Secretary. Dr. Sandy Smart (SDSU) moved up as Chair. Next meeting will be held on July 18-19, 2007 in Brookings, SD.

Objective 1a) Evaluate the adaptability, yield, and quality of summer annual forages across the NCR for use in complementary forage systems. Accomplishments: Nine summer annual forages were tested in replicated trials across nine research locations in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska in 2005. Results varied by location and more data are needed to analyze mechanisms underlying the consistency of establishment, yield, and quality over many environments. This study will be repeated in 2006. Objective 1b) Evaluate forage quality from September to March of different cultivars from 24 perennial forage species grown in monoculture and stockpiled form mid-July. Accomplishments: Kansas. Stockpiled forage that was harvested from the winters of 2003-05 and 2004-05 at the Southeast Research Center was greatest from tall fescue cultivars. However, forage durability, as indicated by January: December yield ratios, was similar for the cultivars harvested. Objective 1c) Evaluate the ability of the grain processing co-product, distillers grains, to substitute for forages in summer and winter grazing systems of growing cattle. Kansas. Trials were initiated at Manhattan and at the Southeast Research Center. Dried distillers grains can be supplemented to cattle grazing winter or summer pasture and increase average daily gain, stocking rate, and gain per acre. Levels of supplement can be fed as high as 1% live body weight. Nebraska. Trials were initiated to evaluate developing replacement heifers using diets with excess UIP from distillers grains. Distillers grains tended to improve conception rates when artificially insemination was used. Trials were initiated to evaluate the use of distillers grains to extend range capacity. Distillers grains can increase ADG and decrease forage utilization. Seven studies where distillers grains were supplemented to grazing cattle were summarized. Distillers grains were fed from 0.5% to 1.0% of BW. Average daily gains increased by 0.49 to 0.88 lb per day over the control when 0.5% or 1.0% BW of distillers grains was fed, respectively. Stocking rate studies are being proposed to evaluate forage utilization. Objective 1d) Evaluate the economic and environmental potential of alternative forages and/or distillers grains in cow-calf production systems with different resources or animal management systems. Accomplishments: Nebraska. Trials were initiated to evaluate supplementation of pregnant beef cows with distillers cube while grazing cornstalks and the effect on cow performance and profit potential. South Dakota. Trials were initiated to evaluate dried distillers grains with solubles as a feedstuff for heifers in the last trimester of gestation. Dried distillers are as effective as soybean hulls as a forage replacement at this critical production period to meet the nutritional needs for heifers and can be supplemented at 40 percent of the diet with no negative affects on cow performance, calf birth weight, or calving difficulty. Objective 2a) Create databases that can be used to expand the relevance of (i) 1996 Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle model to grazing conditions in the NRC and (ii) existing models/decision support tools for forage management and utilization to annual and perennial forages in the NRC. Accomplishments: Kansas. The KansasGrazer software by John Fritz has been made available on the web (http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/forage/ksgrazer.htm). The program uses grazing models developed from state-wide data to calculate monthly carrying capacity in terms of AUMs and compares to animal requirements. Capabilities of the software were illustrated at field days and national and international meetings. Objective 2b) Conduct systems-based educational programs on integrated forage/cattle management systems for cattle producers. Accomplishments: Information disseminated at various meetings. 4-State Beef Conference (Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska) Range Beef Cow Symposium Numerous workshops held in each state (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota) Objective 2c) Develop an educational program on the utilization of grain co-products. Accomplishments: Mini-symposium at Midwest Animal Science meetings targeted at extension educators. Plans for upcoming year: Annual forages study will continue in 2006 and 2007. Data will be analyzed and summarized. Several trials investigating feeding grain co-products to cattle will continue in Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. System-based educational programs on integrated forage/cattle management systems for producers and extension staff will continue in each state. Plans for developing grain co-product educational programs will be discussed. Next NC 1020 meeting will be held in Brookings, SD in July 2007.

Geisert, B.G., T.J. Klopfenstein, D.C. Adams, and J.A. Musgrave. 2006. Determination of diet protein and digestibility of native Sandhills Upland Range. Proc. Western Section, ASAS, Vol. 57. Geisert, B.G., T.J. Klopfenstein, D.C. Adams, and J. C. MacDonald. 2006. Comparison of in vivo digestibility of five forages fed to steers. Midwest ASAS abstracts. Gustad, K.H., T.J. Klopfenstein, G.E. Erickson, J.C. MacDonald, K.J. Vander Pol, and M.A. Greenquest. 2006. Dried distillers grains supplementation to calves grazing corn residue. Midwest ASAS abstracts. Lomas, L.W., and J.L. Moyer. 2006. Distillers grains supplementation for grazing stocker cattle. p.1-5. In: 2006 Agricultural Research, Southeast Agricultural Research Center. Kansas Agric. Exp. Stn. Report of Progress 960. 78p. Morris, S.E., J.C. MacDonald, D.C. Adams, T.J. Klopfenstein. R.L. Davis, and JR. Teichert. 2006. Effects of supplementing dried distillers grains on performance of cattle grazing smooth bromegrass pastures. Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. MP 84:30-32. Moyer, J.L., and E.C. Brummer. 2006. Dry matter of stockpiled forages. p.37-39. In: 2006 Agricultural Research, Southeast Agricultural Research Center. Kansas Agric. Exp. Stn. Report of Progress 960. 78p. Moyer, J.L., J.O. Fritz, and S.L. Fogleman. 2006. Using KansasGrazer to aid in pasture management decisions. AFGC Proceedings 15:112-116. Moyer, J.L., and K.J. Moore. 2006. Growing annual crops for summer forage. p.34-36. In: 2006 Agricultural Research, Southeast Agricultural Research Center. Kansas Agric. Exp. Stn. Report of Progress 960. 78p. Stalker, L.A., D.C. Adams, and T.J. Klopfenstein. 2006. Influence of dried distillers grains supplementation frequency on forage digestibility and growth performance. Nebraska Beef Cattle Report. MP 84:33-35.