Sustainable Pasture and Beef Cattle Production

7/29/2019 Sustainable Pasture and Beef Cattle Production

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Sustainable Beef Production

Options for Small Acreages

Jeff CarpenterCounty Extension Director


2/31

What is sustainable beef production?

The capacity to endure John Pollack,

Director - USDA Meat Animal Research Center

fill the needs of today without compromising

the future Cristain Barcan, BASF

economic viability, environmental

stewardship and social responsibility Kim

Stackhouse, NCBA


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Environmental Stewardship

Protect the land

Make it better every year (water quality, soil

fertility, animal welfare, .)

Comparing resources consumed vs. produced

(forages, purchased feeds, water used, carbon

footprint)

Stocking Rates


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What contributes to Environmental

Sustainability?

Production methods and stocking rates have

greatest impact maybe?

All grass fed/some concentrate use/mostly

forages/..?

What about water use and quality? (streams

vs ponds vs. stream exclusion)


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Currently no law against using

surface waters

Most herds still access streams or other surfacewaters

Some contribution of nutrients and sedimentwhen animals have access to streams

Monitoring studies have shown impact onlyoccurs when animals are actually IN the stream

Studies have shown a positive impact when

animals are excluded Similar benefits just by offering an alternative

water source (Poore, others)


6/31

Options for water needs

Well and pump, water lines, tanks

Spring developments (gravity systems)

Outflow from ponds (gravity) Rams, sling pumps, solar pumps, nose pumps

Any of these can work with or without stream

exclusion


7/31

Water needs for livestock

Design it for peak demand (highest animal

numbers at hottest time of the year)

Cow calf pairs 20 gpd

600 lb steers 15 gpd

Bulls 20 gpd


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Recovery time for systems

If all animals drink at once can your system

recover quickly enough so they dont have to

wait for water?

Example: 550 foot well producing 1 gpm

32 cow calf pairs, 16 1st calf heifer pairs, 24

replacement heifers, 7 tanks each with 75 gallon

storage 450 feet of storage in well with pump 30 feet from

the bottom


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Equipment Needs for Beef Production

What do you really NEED?

Equipment costs can quickly outpace income

stream

Maintenance and ownership costs are real

Less is more! Iron can drag you down!


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Marketing Information/Sites

NCDA market news

Hodge Livestock Network

Southeast Livestock Network Mid Atlantic Cattle Sales


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Be Realistic

Cattle operations wont provide for large

withdrawals for family living expenses

Its a chance to build equity over time

A good fit to provide the lifestyle you want for

your family

Consider the land investment as a separate

entity with different goal

Some annual income if managed well


15/31

Stocking Rates

2 acres per cow should provide enough

supplemental forage for winter feed needs

1 acre per cow is pushing the limit

Heifer development or stocker cattle

production allows for higher density (smaller

animals held for shorter periods of time allow

for more intensity)


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Other considerations for stocking rates

Is purchase of hay a possibility?

Do neighbors have excess hay (or no cattle?)

Are you considering maintaining a cow herd ormore short term production ideas (stockers,

backgrounding, finishing, heifer development,

)

What type of forage species will you offer?

Straight grass with N, grass legume mixtures?


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Warm Season vs. Cool Season Forages

Cool season forages offer the greatest forage

production in terms of length of the grazing

season

Warm season forages offer the maximum

production during warm months of the year

but are dormant/reduced from September

through April


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Cool Season Forages

Fescue is the most forgiving

Need to consider endophyte infected (KY 31)

vs. endophyte friendly

Other best option is Orchardgrass

Addition of clover will reduce the nitrogen

needs & improve production but may require

lower stocking rates (and weed control issues)


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Warm Season Forages

Bermuda (seeded or hybrid)

Switchgrass or Gammagrass

Annuals such as millet, sudan, Need to consider a winter annual to

compliment these (small grain, ryegrass,

crimson clover or mixtures of these)


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What is the ideal mix?

Most experts suggest 25% of acreage be in

warm season grasses for the Piedmont

Allows for maximum production during July

and August

Opportunity for overseeding during

September for winter grazing


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Consider what grows best on your

farm!

There is no miracle forage

Whats growing on your farm is there for a

reason

Dont fight Mother Nature

Work with what you have and what will

persist on your farm

Make it sustainable (continuous replanting is

NOT sustainable)


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Whats an ideal system?

30-50% cool season grass, conventional

fertilization

20-40% grass/clover mixtures, limited N

20-30% warm season grasses, overseeded

with winter annuals, conventional fertilization

the first year plant only fence posts


23/31

Fencing Options

Permanent perimeter fence with electric

Make subdivisions temporary until you know

for sure

Barbed or woven wire

High tensile electric

High tensile woven wire


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Barbed or Woven Wire

Initial cost high

Maintenance medium/high

Shorter post spacing Dependability medium/high


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High Tensile Electric

Initial cost low/medium

Maintenance low/medium

Wide post spacing Energizer is the key component

Lightning may be an issue


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High Tensile Woven Wire

Initial cost medium/high

Maintenance low/medium (better than

conventional)

Wide post spacing

Offers the dependability of a strong physical

barrier but withstands abuse

Can/should be combined with electric

component


27/31

Temporary fencing materials

Great selection of temporary tread in posts

Flexible poly/steel wire

Can be stored on reels that can be playedout/rolled up as needed

Moving fence requires no more time than

feeding hay

Main benefit is the length of the rest period


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Financial Sustainability

Cow-calf

Stocker/wintering/grazing

Backgrounding Heifer development

Look at the Budgets!


29/31

Cow-Calf Operations

Need a minimum size to be most efficient

Maintaining the cow herd comprises the most

expense equipment, land area, forage needs

The cows are a family/operational asset

Buy or raise replacements? Additional

acreage required

Replacing the bull is a concern for small

operations


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Stocker/Backgrounding/Grazing

Buy in fall/graze in winter/sell in spring is traditionalarrangement

Summer grazing requires fewer feed inputs but worksagainst the price cycle

Can usually run more head due to lower maintenancerequirements

Its a margin business!

Health issues the first 3 weeks is biggest challenge Offers flexibility for weather or financial issues

Contract grazing is a possibility


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Heifer Development

Take in weaned calves and raise them to

breeding or bred status

May work out a long term arrangement with a

neighbor

Might purchase heifer calves/grow and

develop/breed/market

May be a good option to partner with several

neighbors?

Documents

Sustainable Pasture and Beef Cattle Production