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TENNESSEE VALLEY CATTLEMEN HEAR AU RESEARCH REPORTS
BELLE MINA, Ala.__-- AU Triumph, a variety of fescue developed by researchers
in Auburn University's Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, continues
to be the top producing fungus-free fescue in tests at the Tennessee
Valley Substation, according to Auburn researcher David Bransby.
Speaking to a group of about 65 Tennessee Valley area cattlemen, Bransby
noted that AU Triumph was bred for early growth. This characteristic
gives it an initial advantage over other fungus-free varieties. Ongoing
research at the Tennessee Valley Substation indicates that the new forage
grass maintains the advantage throughout the season and in subsequent
growing seasons.
The cattlemen, who were attending a Beef and Forage Field Day at the
Tennessee Valley Substation in Belle Mina, were shown the test area
for fungus-free varieties. At stocking rates of one and two steers per
acre, there was little visual difference among AU Triumph, fungus-free
Kentucky 31, and Forager varieties. However, when the stocking rate
was upped to two and one-half animals per acre, or five per two-acre
pasture, Forager and Kentucky 31 were "grazed down to the deck,"
while AU Triumph maintained ample forage.
In tests last year, Bransby pointed out that the top yield of animal
gain per acre came from AU Triumph at the 2.5 animals per acre stocking
rate. Last year's top gain was 500 pounds per acre. This year, in only
98 days of grazing, AU Triumph is still the top producer, but at current
growth levels, animal gain per acre on these pastures could exceed 600
pounds per acre, according to the Auburn researcher.
In a test at the Substation to determine the effects of hay supplements
on steers grazing rye/ryegrass pastures, Bransby noted that leaving
hay in the pasture year around produced both the best daily gain per
animal and total gain per acre. This treatment was compared to taking
steers off pasture in the winter and finishing in a feedlot and leaving
steers on pasture, but providing hay only in the winter.
At stocking rates of two steers per acre, leaving cattle and hay in
the pasture year around produced 437 pounds of gain in 179 days. Providing
hay only in the winter produced 408 pounds per acre and taking steers
off pasture and feeding hay produced 404 pounds per acre. Bransby noted
that at other locations in the state, where climatic and soil conditions
aren't as ideal as at the Tennessee Valley Substation, the amount of
gain among the three treatments was much greater, and favored leaving
hay on the pasture year around.
Dan Snyder, a parasitologist at the U.S.D.A. Animal Parasitology Lab
in Auburn, noted that his research at the Substation should dispel some
myths about the effects of internal parasites in cattle. He stressed
that cattle with high levels of worms don't eat as much as noninfected
animals and infected animals usually don't look any different than noninfected
animals. What high levels of internal parasites, primarily worms, do
cause is depressed feed intake, reduced digestibility and reduced metabolic
rate--all of which result in reduced production.
Snyder showed the cattlemen results of a study conducted at the Tennessee
Valley Substation in which all cattle were treated prior to grazing,
then one group was given medicated supplement blocks three and six weeks
after grazing. The nontreated cattle averaged 1.39 pounds of gain per
day grazing infected Kentucky 31 tall fescue. For 28 days after treatment,
the treated cattle, grazing the same type pasture, produced 2.50 pounds
of gain per day.
The Field Day was co-sponsored by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment
Station and the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. Hosts for the
meeting were W.B. Webster, superintendent of the Tennessee Valley Substation;
Ellis Burgess, associate superintendent; and Chet Norris, assistant
superintendent.
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By:
Roy Roberson
May 14, 1991
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