Managing Stockpiled Tall Fescue to Extend the Grazing Season Mark Kennedy Kennedy Grassland Services, LLC Reeds Spring, MO

Background The largest single expense in cow/calf production is feed cost Typical MO producer feeds hay 90 to 120 days during winter Management of forage during the winter to reduce hay feeding will improve profitability Stockpiling fescue can be our competitive advantage

The managed accumulation of new growth Stockpiling: The managed accumulation of new growth

Fescue - competitive advantage Fall regrowth accumulates a high concentration of carbohydrates (high quality) Waxy layer on leaf makes it resistant to weathering Fall regrowth has lower levels of toxins from endophyte Ergovaline concentrations drop more rapidly than forage quality through the winter

Keys to Success Growing the stockpiled fescue Proper utilization of stockpile

Stockpiling Recipe Start with fescue pastures that have 3 to 6 inches of leaf in August or 60 to 90 days prior to the end of the growing season. Apply 40 - 60 lbs. N Defer grazing until growth stops (late Nov to early Dec.) or until needed Utilize all other pastures in rotation for fall grazing until fully utilized and grass growth stops

Impact of rate and timing of nitrogen fertilization on dry matter yield of stockpiled tall fescue. 4000 3500 3000 2500 Yield (lbs/A) 2000 120 80 120 120 1500 40 80 80 40 40 1000 500 North MO South MO August 1 - August 15 - August 29 - August 15 August 29 September 12

Stockpiling Try to stockpile up to 1 acre per mature cow. Rule of thumb: 1 acre of properly stockpiled tall fescue will meet the nutrient requirements of a 1000 lb. beef cow for 75 days or more How much can you afford to stockpile?

How much can you afford to stockpile? 1000 lb. cow eats 10,950 lbs./year 50% utilization – 21,900 lbs. needed on offer 7000 lb./ac total production 3.2 acres needed per cow per year 1.6 acres needed/cow April – June 3.2 acres needed/cow July – August 2.0 acres needed Sept. – Nov 1 – 1.2 acres left to stockpile 3000 lb. x .70 = 2100/26 = 80 cow days grazing

Utilizing the stockpiled forage High Tensile Electric Fence Treat as “hay on the stump” Allocate out in 1 to 3 day feed supplies by stripgrazing improves utilization From 35% for 2 weeks to 70%+ for 3 days or less stretches forage supplies 40%more grazing days per acre helps maintain quality Cows aren’t damaging frozen plant tissue Temp Fence Temp Fence Experimental Unit for all measurements in animal performance was the group of cow-calf pair Animal and forage measurements collected the start and end period Strip Grazing =grazing method that allots small amounts of pasture that can be grazed in a relatively short time decreases wastage by preventing trampling of the forage Water Source 13

Water source Break fence

Move polywire to expose 2 to 3 days worth of grazing at a time Move polywire to expose 2 to 3 days worth of grazing at a time ... greatly increases utilization and preserves quality.. Calculate forage available per acre, figure daily herd intake requirement, factor in 70% utilization if moving every 2 days, calculate size strip required

Economics - average conditions 26# per cow per day $70 per ton good grass hay $.70 per pound for nitrogen @ 60#/ac=$42.00/ac 60# should give 10” growth @ 300# per inch = 3000#/ac

Haying $70 / 2000# = $.035 per pound $.035 x 26# = $0.91 per cow per day if you factor in a 20% wastage this bring the cost up to $1.09 per cow per day

Stockpile Fescue, Open Grazing 3000 # @ 35% utilization = 1050# $42.00/ac / 1050 = $.04 per pound $.04 x 26# = $1.04 per cow per day 1050 / 26# = 40 aud/ac

Stockpile Fescue, Stripgrazing 3000# @ 70% utilization = 2100# $42.00/ac / 2100 = $.02 per pound $.02 x 26# = $0.52 per cow per day 2100# / 26# = 80 aud/ac

Seasonal Costs Haying: $1.09/day x 80 days = $87 Stockpile + Stripgraze: .52/day x 80 days = $41.60 $45.40/cow savings/year Less than half the cost of feeding hay

Stripgrazing costs Polywire and tread in posts for .25 mile = $145 Strip grazing portable energizer = $150 (if not using electric fencing already) Depreciated over 5 years = $59/year cost

Stripgrazing Pay $0.57 avg. savings/cow/day 100 head cow herd 15 minutes per day moving fence = $228/hour pay for moving fence

How to calculate for stripgrazing Estimate forage yield Determine utilization efficiency Determine livestock intake needs Calculate daily herd requirement Calculate acres needed/grazing period Calculate strip size

Calculations for grazing stockpiled fescue Estimate Forage Yield Low density 150 – 250 lbs./acre/inch Medium density 250 – 350 lbs. High density 350 – 450 lbs.

Calculations for grazing stockpiled fescue Determine harvest efficiency 2 week allocation 30 – 35% Weekly allocation 40 – 50% <3 day allocation 65 – 70%

Calculations for grazing stockpiled fescue Determine desired livestock intake rate Dry animals 2.0 – 2.5% Lactating animals 2.5 – 3.5% Growing animals 3.0 – 3.5% Determine herd needs/day # cows x average weight x intake rate

Example: forage available and utilization Forage average height = 10” Medium density 10” x 400 lbs/in = 4000 lb. total dry matter 2 day forage allocation = 70% harvest efficiency 4000 lbs. x .70 = 2800 lbs. available for intake

Example: intake & herd needs 1100 lb. fall calving cows 3.0% bw intake rate 1100 x .03 = 33 lbs. intake/cow/day 25 cows in the herd 25 x 33 = 825 lbs. daily herd needs

Example: acres needed 2800 lbs. forage available 825 lbs. per day herd intake needs 825/2800 = .29 acres needed per day 2 day allocation 2 x .29 = .58 acres allocated every other day

Example: size of strip 25 acre field stockpiled – 1320’ x 825’ .58 acres needed every other day .58 x 43560/825 = 30.62 width of strip needed every other day How long will it last? 25 acres/.29 acres per day needed = 69 days

What about the Quality? Is the stockpiled fescue adequate to meet animal nutritional needs? Won’t I still need to supplement?

Stockpiled Tall Fescue Crude Protein 25 22 20 20 18 18 16 15 15 14 13 Percentages 12 11 10 10 9 5 October November December January February March Months

Stockpiled Tall Fescue D O M 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 November December January February March Months

Ergovaline concentration in stockpiled, endophyte-infected tall fescue. Kallenbach, Missouri, 1999 - 2001

Protein Intake vs. Requirement September Calving Beef Cows - 1100 lb.- Southern Missouri 7 6.57 6 5.73 4.91 5 4.09 Intake Requirement 4 Pounds 3.26 3 2.87 2.3 2.28 2.23 2.17 2.13 2.09 2 1 October November December January February March Months

Energy Intake vs. Requirement Fall Calving Beef Cows - 1100 lb. - Southern Missouri 30 27.8 26.16 25 24.56 22.81 20.83 19.86 20 15.85 15.86 15.79 NEM (Mcal/day) 15.46 15.21 14.89 15 10 5 October November December January February March Months

Advantages of Stockpile Grazing Reduced Labor Reduced Costs Reduced Time Putting up hay and feeding out hay High Quality Forage Usually better than grass hay Good Manure Distribution