Anticipated outcomes of the proposed project include improvements in beef production efficiency, better educated forage-beef producers, new tools for predicting grazing animal intake, improved forages for livestock production, more sustainable forage-beef production systems, and improved collaboration among participating scientists leading to external grant proposals that are more competitive.

Cost savings for beef cattle producers adopting systems that improve grazing is one expected outcome. We project that beef cattle producers can expect a minimum of $50/calf savings from matching the cow's nutrient requirements to the nutrient density in grazed forages. If only 10% of the producers in the four-state region adopt these practices, annual costs would be reduced by about $30 million. Cost savings and improved profitability are also expected from adopting systems emphasizing the use of crop residues and stockpiled forages to extend grazing. Even if one-half ton of hay per cow is saved from some of these practices, the net savings to a producer could be substantial. Improved profitability of forage-based cow-calf production should sustain rural communities by providing needs for support industries such as veterinarians, fencing supply dealers and meat processing. Furthermore, improved profitability of forage-based cow-calf production enterprises will provide the incentive to maintain or increase the land area planted with forages that enhance environmental quality by preventing soil erosion and reducing pesticide use.

An improved ability to design effective beef cattle systems for a wide range of climatic zones will also be an important outcome. Through an improved understanding of forage intake and the role of iNDF plays, forage systems of more appropriate quality can be designed. Furthermore, the data will be used to develop the nutrient balance component of a grazing system decision support model that could be made available to the public as software. Knowing the impacts of winter grazing on plant vigor and yield of range grasses during summer grazing will contribute necessary information to assist researchers, educators and producers in designing sustainable winter grazing systems in the range areas of the region.

Systems that incorporate winter annuals may improve soi1 conservation as well as profitability for the beef enterprise. The winter annuals will provide high-quality forage to grazing beef cattle and protect vulnerable soils from water and wind erosion. Manure will be redistributed to the cropped area, thus improving soil fertility.

Tall fescue is highly productive in large parts of the study area. A better understanding of how this resource can effectively be utilized by beef cattle will enhance local economics and improve opportunities for more winter grazing. Improvement in forage quality from adding RBFT to fescue pastures will be another useful outcome of the proposed research. Data generated from the RBFT research plots and grazing trials should indicate a number of adaptability and utility criteria for RBFT compared to other legumes. The criteria for these locations would particularly related to the clayplan soils of southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri, northeast Oklahoma, and other soils that have poor internal drainage, shallow topsoil, and acid, low-P clay subsoils in a climate characteristic of the central plains. Specifically, relative ease of establishment and compatibility of RBFT with the highly competitive endophyte-infected tall fescue should be indicated from the results. Later, the persistence and ability to ‘spread’ under those conditions should become apparent. Finally, the relative potential of RBFT to produce forage of the amount and quality needed in pastures of the region should be determined.

Accomplishments during the conduct of the project will be evaluated at periodic meetings of the subcommittees for each objective, the Technical Committee and the Executive Committee of the regional project (see below). The significance of the end results of the project will be evaluated on the bases of: 1) accepted statistical analyses of biological results; 2) economic analyses of alternative systems and management practices, and 3) effectiveness of outreach efforts measured by producer surveys at project-sponsored field days and clinics, producer demand for publications, videotapes and other educational materials developed from the project, and producer use of the project web page.

In order to expand the scope of the proposed research, investigators in the four states will leverage regional funds by both individually and jointly seeking external grant support for their respective objectives. Major granting sources that are being considered are NRI Ag Systems and North Central SARE programs. Several of the participants have been successful in obtaining funding from these agencies in the past. The four-state group is emphasizing a systems approach to cow-calf production including the disciplines of forage, animal, and economic sciences. We believe the combined multi-disciplinary nature and systems orientation of this project group will be highly competitive in the grants arena.

Dissemination of project results to both producers and peers is an important part of the effort. Input on the proposed research and ways of disseminating the results to producers is being sought from various stakeholders including cattlemen's associations, forage and grassland councils, agency personnel such as Natural Resources Conservation Service staff, etc. Each state will extend the results of the research through demonstrations and other outreach methods such as field days, publications in university extension sources and popular press, and other means including radio, television and distance education media. Many of the participating faculty hold partial extension appointments, and this will aid in the ability to deliver results to producers and others via meetings, conferences, newsletters, etc. The in-depth systems workshops will provide an innovative means of delivering research-based management strategies to producers across the region. Participating scientists will also conduct training for county and area extension staff. Peer reviewed research reports and journal articles, plus presentations at professional meetings will be expected from faculty in each of the states participating in this project.