2006 Annual Report Beef Section | Dickinson
Research Extension Center 1089 State Avenue Dickinson, ND 58601 |
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Effects of Grazing
Alfalfa and Birdsfoot Trefoil on
Since
the cattle industry is ever changing, producers need to be open to new
strategies concerning beef production.
With this in mind our objective was to measure the difference in production
when rotationally grazing yearling beef steers on alfalfa (Medicago
sativa; ALF) versus birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus;
BFT). Twenty-four steers (body weight=
707 ± 49 lbs; body condition=
6.4 ±.5) were randomly
allotted into one of six groups (4 steers/group). Groups were then randomly assigned to one of
two forage treatments (3groups/treatment) The ALF system consisted of a newly
seeded ALF field with a wheat (Triticum aestivum) intercrop and a 2nd year ALF
field: the BFT system consisted of a 2nd year BFT field and
permanent grass stand. The grazing plan
involved grazing 2-yr stands for 3 weeks and the other field for 2 weeks and
then repeating the sequence (10 week total grazing period). Steers were weighed and condition scored weekly.
The steers then grazed standing corn (Zea mays) for 12 weeks.
During this time the steers were weighed and ultrasounded
three times. Ultrasound data was used to estimate rump fat thickness, back fat
thickness, ribeye area, and intramuscular fat concentration. Steers grazing BFT were heavier at weeks 5
(P=.04) and 10 (P=.07) compared to those grazing ALF and were numerically
heavier at all weeks. Body condition
(P<.1) increased during the summer but did not differ (P>.18) between
forage treatment. The numerical weight
advantage of the steers that had grazed BFT was maintained through the corn
grazing phase. Sonographic
estimates of carcass measurements did not differ between treatments with the
exception that a larger ribeye area (P=.04) was found
in steers (late in the corn grazing phase) that had grazed ALF before going
onto the corn treatment. Steers grazing
BFT tended to be heavier than those grazing ALF. However, the steers grazing BFT did not
appear to have an improved carcass through a corn grazing phase compared to
steers previously grazing ALF. The
steers grazing ALF had a larger ribeye area than
those grazing BFT. Both grazing systems
are effective for increasing the amount of forage used to grow steers before
sending them to a feedlot for finishing.
This should lessen the amount of conventional harvested feed needed to
grow a steer to finish.
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