A Livestock Production System Less Reliant on the Use of Publicly Owned Lands

A Livestock Production System Less Reliant on the Use of Publicly Owned Lands

Summary

Objectives
1.Develop a year around beef cattle and/or sheep production system that will allow farmers and ranchers in areas where public land use issues may result in curtailment of livestock grazing to remain in the livestock production business.
2.Determine the effects of an accelerated calf and/or lamb growth production system on the longevity of mother cows and ewes as well as the economic ramifications of this change. The wellbeing of the mother cows and ewes nurturing offspring capable of accelerated growth could also a factor.
3.Determine the efficiency of cattle and sheep production under an accelerated calf/lamb growth system on improved and unimproved pastures and meadows.
4.Develop a system to efficiently and effectively disseminate information from this study to farmers and ranchers.

Abstract
During January of 1996 an extension agent from Emery County, Utah, brought a group of producers from his area to observe current research projects being conducted at USU’s Logan Agricultural Experiment Station. During the discussion that ensued following the tour of this project, one of the producers suggested early weaning of the rapid-growth calves may be more efficient than allowing the calves to remain with their dams until normal weaning time. It was decided that this hypothesis would be tested. The strategy was simple. Rapid-growth calves were stratified into two similar groups based on body weight, sex and sire. One group was weaned early (September 15, 1997) while the other group remained with their dams until weaned at the normal time of October 31, 1997. The early-weaned calves were simply removed from their dams and placed in a drylot with free-choice access creep feed and average-quality alfalfa hay. The dams of the early-weaned calves received free-choice access to average-quality forage. By normal weaning time early-weaned calves were 8.5% heavier than those remaining on pasture with their dams (816 versus 752 lbs.). An accounting of metabolizable energy (ME) inputs for both cows and calves showed the early-weaning system to be 45.62% more efficient (8.24 versus 12.00 Mcal ME/lb. calf gain). Most of the difference in ME input appeared to be due to the higher intake of lactating cows versus dry cows.

Impending curtailment of the grazing of public lands has prompted many states in the Intermountain West to form pasture committees. Input from farmers and ranchers to these committees indicate that information is needed on production efficiency on pastures and meadows before and after improvement and/or renovation. This information will aid farmers and ranchers in making decisions as to improvements necessary to remain economically viable.

Information gained from this study will be disseminated through an annual written report distributed via the cooperative extension service in the Intermountain West. The system would also involve annual field days and visits to demonstration sites arranged through the cooperative extension service. Field days would involve presentation of data with question and answer periods as well as on-site visits to observe pastures and animals. There will be demonstration herds in strategic areas that typify production parameters on privately owned pastures and meadows in the Intermountain West and annual field day visits to each of the demonstration herds.

Economic Analysis
The economic aspect of an accelerated calf and/or lamb growth production system on the longevity of mother cows and ewes is related to the fact that a major portion of the annual cow/ewe cost is associated with the development of replacements. An increased replacement rate would thus have economic ramifications.

Potential Contributions
The impacts of this project are hypothesized to be mainly on farm-ranch economy. The reviewer is referred to the last page of the summary attached at the end of this report. These are actual costs associated with the study conducted at the Experiment Station this past year. Some costs had to be estimated due to the fact that the study was conducted at a university setting, i.e. land ownership costs. These estimates indicated a net return per cow of $164. There could be environment impacts associated with this project as it stresses efficient use of privately-owned pastures and meadows, which would likely reduce grazing pressure on publicly owned lands while maintaining the economical viability of the producer.

Farmer Adoption and Direct Impacts
This subject will not be able to be addressed until the conclusion of the demonstration herd portion of the study. At the inception of the project, it was felt that farmers and ranchers would best be served and convinced by on-ranch demonstrations followed by summary field days. As mentioned earlier, four demonstrations have been developed. Nearly 400 calves will be born this coming spring (1997) that are associated with this project.
Reported in 1997

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