J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1974. 38:249-255.
© 1974 American Society of Animal Science
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A Comparison of Drylot and Conventional Cow Herd Management Systems1

T. W. Perry, R. C. Peterson2 and W. M. Beeson

Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana

Abstract

Three cow herd management systems compared for a 4-year period, 1967 to 1970, were as follows:

Herd I bluegrass pasture (perennial), cornstalk pasture and hay.
Herd II perennial pasture, summer annual pasture, perennial pasture and corn stover silage with Supplement A.
Herd III corn silage and Supplement A, fed in drylot throughout the year.

Satisfactory calf crops and reasonable calf weaning weights resulted from each system.

Herd I utilized pasture that had no other alternative. Cornstalks were harvested by the cattle. An average of 1,485 lb. (675 kg) of hay was fed per cow. The feed cost for a cow-calf unit in this system was $40.42 per year.

Herd II utilized some perennial pasture in the early spring and late fall. The summer pasture was a sorghum-sudan hybrid which was rather expensive but is necessary under certain circumstances. This herd was fed corn stover silage during the winter period of 1969 to 1970. Weather conditions prevented the making of corn stover silage in 1967 to 1968 and hay was substituted. Stover silage is a high risk crop because of the weather during corn harvest and its competitiveness with corn harvest. Feed cost per cow-calf unit for this system was $82.16.

Herd III was kept in drylot continuously and fed corn silage on the basis of its nutritional need. The feed cost per cow-calf unit was $100.78.

Footnotes

1 Department of Animal Sciences Journal Paper No. 5103. Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station.

2 Superintendent, Lynnwood Purdue Agricultural Center, Carmel, Indiana.






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Copyright © 1974 by the American Society of Animal Science.