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Reduce Winter Hay Feeding & Expenses By Stockpiling Fescue

Animal Science

Mark Keaton
Retired
MOUNTAIN HOME

Abstract

The winter hay feeding season in Arkansas is usually from November 15 - March 31. By optimizing forage management and grazing technology, this period could be shortened significantly.\r\n\r\nArkansas Beef Improvement Projects (ABIP) and Cooperative Extension Focus programs have successfully demonstrated these practices on a statewide scale. However, many producers in Arkansas have been reluctant to adopt these practices because of the incorrect perception that fertilizer applied during hot weather is ineffective.\r\n\r\nThe major expense of maintaining the cow herd is feed costs. Production and feeding cost of hay is probably the single largest expense of maintaining a beef herd. With the high price of fertilizer and fuel, this has also increased producers expenses.\r\n\r\nBased upon a survey of cow-calf producers, Cattle-Fax(R) reported on the cash costs to carry a cow in various regions of the United States in 2004. In the southeast the total cash cost per cow was $282 with feed cost average per cow $165 (58.5%).\r\n\r\nTall fescue can be stockpiled during fall to use as pasture later in the winter. The leafy forage of fall grown fescue makes excellent quality forage. In the stockpiled fescue demonstrations conducted in Baxter County, the forage quality was adequate for the nutrient requirements of the cattle grazing the forage. Also, the grazing season was extended an average of 56 days and had a savings of $48.08/animal unit (AU). Authors: Keaton, M.
  1. Keaton, M. Cea-StaffChair, U of A Cooperative Extension Service-Baxter County, Arkansas, 72653