Journal of Animal Science, Vol 76, Issue 2 404-415, Copyright © 1998 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Potential of stockpiled perennial forages in winter grazing systems for pregnant beef cows

A. C. Hitz and J. R. Russell
Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA.

We conducted a 3-yr study to measure herbage masses and chemical compositions of stockpiled perennial forages and corn crop residues and compare performance of cows grazing these forages or maintained in a drylot during winter. Midgestation, mature, medium-framed crossbred beef cows (mean BW, 506 kg; mean condition score, 5.3) 1) strip-grazed replicated fields containing stockpiled tall fescue-alfalfa, 2) strip-grazed stockpiled smooth bromegrass without (yr 1) and with (yr 2 and 3) red clover, 3) strip-grazed corn crop residues at 1.2 cows/ha, or 4) they were confined in a drylot for 129 to 141 d. All cows were offered grass-legume hay as large round bales to maintain a condition score of 5 on a 9-point scale. Mean initial amounts (P < .05) and daily changes (P < .01) of OM mass were greater in corn crop residues than in stockpiled perennial forages during the winter grazing seasons. Initial in vitro organic matter disappearance (IVOMD) and CP concentrations were greater (P < .05) and initial NDF, ADF, and ADIN concentrations in stockpiled forages were lower (P < .01) than those in corn crop residues. Mean changes in IVOMD, CP, NDF, and ADF concentrations during the grazing season were -.09, -.004, .10, and .11 percentage units OM/d, and they did not differ (P > .05) among forage species or grazed and nongrazed areas. Cows grazing stockpiled tall fescue-alfalfa had greater (P < .05) BW gains than those in other systems and greater (P < .05) body condition score increases than cows grazing corn crop residues. Because cows grazed stockpiled tall fescue-alfalfa, smooth bromegrass-red clover, and corn crop residues for 85, 83, and 57 d before beginning hay supplementation, cows grazing these forages required 1,069, 1,031, and 627 kg/cow less hay DM to maintain body condition than cows confined in a drylot.

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