W.E. Wyatt

The Roles of Labor and Profitability in Choosing a Grazing Strategy for Beef Production in the U.S. Gulf Coast Region

Comparisons are made concerning labor required and profitability associated with continuous grazing at three stocking rates and rotational grazing at a high stocking rate in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. A unique data set was collected using a time and motion study method to determine labor requirements. Profits are lowest for low stocking rate– continuous grazing and high stocking rate–rotational grazing. Total labor and labor in three specific categories are greater on per acre and/or per cow bases with rotational-grazing than with continuous-grazing strategies. These results help to explain relatively low adoption rates of rotational grazing in the region.

Effects of year-round stocking rates and stocking methods on performance of cow-calf pairs grazing dallisgrass-common bermudagrass pastures overseeded with annual ryegrass1

Beef producers throughout the United States frequently are restricted to a fixed land area that varies considerably in carrying capacity throughout the year. Much of the research that has focused on stocking rate and methods (continuous, rotational) has failed to recognize the inability of most producers to use a variable stocking rate. Two sets of 4 adjacent pastures, each containing a mixed warm-season, perennial grass sod [common bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; dallisgrass, Paspalum dilatatum Poir.] were overseeded to ‘Marshall’ annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in the autumn of 3 consecutive years. Within each set of 4 pastures, one of the following grazing treatments was randomly assigned each pasture: continuous stocked at a low, medium, or high stocking rate (CL, CM, and CH) and rotational stocked (8 paddocks) at a high stocking rate (RH). Low, medium, and high stocking rates were 1.25, 2, and 2.75 cows/ha, respectively. Brangus cows and their suckling calves were stocked on treatment pastures in February 1999. Available forage mass tended to be greater (P = 0.10) for CL than CM in the late spring and was greater (P < 0.05) for CL than CM in the summer grazing season. Differences in forage nutritive value were largely associated with the stocking method comparison, favoring CH in the early spring (percent CP, percent in vitro true digestibility, and percent ADF; P < 0.01) and summer (percent CP and percent ADF; P < 0.01) grazing seasons. Cow-calf productivity, as measured by kilograms of calf wean weight per hectare, increased (P < 0.01) in response to increases in stocking rate, but was similar between the continuous and rotational stocking methods at the high stocking rate.

Effects of year-round stocking methods and stocking rates on seasonal forage response and cow-calf weight gain in the gulf coast region of the United States1

The present research is the second phase (2 yr) of a multiyear cow-calf study employing fixed stocking rates and examining the effect of stocking method, i.e., continuous and rotational, and stocking rate on beef cattle production. Two sets of 4 adjacent pastures, each containing a mixed warm-season, perennial grass sod [common bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; dallisgrass, Paspalum dilatatum Poir.], were overseeded to ‘Marshall’ annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in the autumn of 2 consecutive years. Within each set of 4 pastures, one of the following grazing treatments was randomly assigned each pasture: rotationally stocked (8 paddocks) at a low, medium, or high stocking rate and continuously stocked at a moderate stocking rate. Low, medium, and high stocking rates were 1.25, 2, and 2.75 cows/ha. Brangus cows and their suckling calves were stocked on treatment pastures in March 2004. Stocking treatment affected prebreeding cow BW (P < 0.01) and tended to affect precalving (P = 0.13), postbreeding (P = 0.07), weaning (P = 0.11), and subsequent precalving cow BW (P = 0.08). Stocking-method treatments were similar in forage allowance in the early- and late-spring periods (P = 0.67 and P = 0.65, respectively), but in the summer period, rotationally stocking at a medium stocking rate was greater (P < 0.01) than continuously stocking at a moderate stocking rate. There was a consistent trend across seasons for the percent CP in the simulated bite sample DM to be greater (P < 0.1) for the continuously stocking at a moderate stocking rate compared with the rotationally stocking at a medium stocking rate stocking methods. Based upon cow BW outcomes in this research, stocking rate is the most important consideration in design of a grazing program.

Effects of year-round stocking rate and stocking method systems on cow-calf production in the gulf coast region of the United States: Costs, returns, and labor considerations1

ABSTRACT The present research examines the effect of stocking method, i.e., continuous and rotational, and set (fixed) stocking rate on labor requirements, costs, and profits in cow-calf beef production. Two replicates of 4 adjacent pastures each, containing a mixed warm-season, perennial grass sod [common bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; dallisgrass, Paspalum dilatatum Poir.], were overseeded to ‘Marshall’ annual ryegrass [Lolium multiflorum (Lam.)] in the autumn of 2 consecutive years. Within each replicate of 4 pastures, one of the following grazing treatments was randomly assigned each pasture: rotationally stocked (8 paddocks) at a low, medium, or high stocking rate (RL, RM, and RH) and continuously stocked at a moderate stocking rate (CM). Labor activities, expenditures, sales, and equipment usages were recorded throughout the study. On a per-cow basis, total labor usage declined (P 0.90) and would not justify the additional labor associated with rotational grazing management.

P re- and postweaning calf performances in crossbred cattle from Hereford, Braford, and Bonsmara sires and Angus and Brangus dams 1

Growth traits were evaluated on 560 calves (288 male and 272 female calves) to determine the source and extent of tropical adaptation affecting calf preweaning and postweaning growth performances. Calves with Brangus dams were sired by Braford (BFBN; n = 115; 38% Brahman), Hereford (HEBN; n = 92; 19% Brahman), and Bonsmara (BOBN; n = 139; 19% Brahman and 31% Africander) sires. Calves with Angus (AN) dams were sired by Hereford (HEAN; n = 95) and Bonsmara (BOAN, n = 119; 31% Africander) sires. Growth performances of BFBN and HEBN calves were similar (P > 0.15) for an array of growth traits. However, BFBN and HEBN either tended to (P < 0.10) or had (P < 0.05) greater adjusted birth BW, postweaning ADG, and adjusted 452-d BW when compared with BOBN. Calves with AN dams and Bonsmara sires had greater preweaning ADG (P < 0.05), adjusted 205-d BW (P < 0.01), and adjusted 452-d BW (P < 0.01) than HEAN calves. Among calves with Brangus dams, extent (BFBN vs. HEBN) of tropical adaptation was not important in terms of growth, but source (BFBN vs. BOBN and HEBN vs. BOBN) of tropical adaptation did not favor those calves with Africander breeding. However, for calves with AN dams, the use of Bonsmara sires (BOAN) imparted a growth advantage relative to the HE sires (HEAN). It is important that tropical adaptation, in terms of Brahman and Africander breeding, be imparted to the calf directly but more importantly, that Brahman breeding is imparted maternally.

Effects of temperament on growth and reproductive performance in heifers12

ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the effect of temperament on heifer BW, postweaning gain, and pregnancy status. Temperament was evaluated on 259 Angus-sired and 173 Brahman-influenced heifers. Temperament was assessed on heifers at weaning (FALL) and when they were yearlings (SPR) by chute score (CS), exit velocity (EV), and a combination of CS and EV (COMB). Chute scores were categorized into low (CS 1 and 2), moderate (CS 3), and high (CS 4 and 5). Based upon the mean and SD of each, EV was categorized into 3 levels of slow, moderate, and fast, and COMB score was categorized into 3 levels of low, moderate, and high. The FALL assessment of EV (slow, moderate, and fast), affected (P

Growth and reproductive performances in F1 crossbred heifers from Hereford, Braford, and Bonsmara sires and Angus and Brangus dams12

The objective of this research was to evaluate source and extent of tropical adaptation affecting heifer BW and productivity traits. The F1 heifers with Brangus (BN) dams were sired by Braford (BFBN; n = 44), Hereford (HEBN; n = 29), and Bonsmara (BOBN; n = 58) sires. The F1 heifers with Angus (AN) dams were sired by Hereford (HEAN; n = 32) and Bonsmara (BOAN, n = 40) sires. The F1 heifer breeds did not differ (P > 0.22) for pregnancy and weaning rate. Calving rate was similar (P > 0.26) among F1 heifer breed types, but there was a tendency (P 0.17) for BFBN and HEBN F1 cows and for HEBN and BOBN F1 cows but was greater (P 0.25) among BFBN, HEBN, and BOBN F1 cows but was greater (P 0.35) of any particular breed type based on calf:dam weaning BW ratios.