| E. E. Grings, R. K. Heitschmidt, R. E. Short, and M. R. Haferkamp |
| Authors are Research Animal Scientist, Supervisory Rangeland Scientist, Research Physiologist, and Rangeland Scientist, USDA-ARS, Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, Mont. 59301. |
Abstract |
| A 3-year study was conducted to evaluate grazing strategies for production of growing cattle during summer on Northern Great Plains rangeland. Crossbred yearling steers (N = 123 per year, avg initial weight = 275 kg) were allotted to 1 of 2 treatments replicated in 3 pastures. Treatments were season-long grazing of pastures at recommended stocking rates assuming a 4-month grazing period or intensive-early grazing of pastures stocked at the same rate assuming only a 2-month grazing season. Precipitation in 1993 was 169% of normal resulting in greater forage quality than in other years and no differences were observed in weight gains between treatments during 1993. In 1994 and 1995, steers in the intensive-early stocked pastures gained less weight during the 2 months of grazing than did those in the season-long stocked pastures; however, gain per hectare was greater in the intensive-early stocked pastures. Intensive-early stocking with growing steers may be a viable means to overcome limited forage quality during late summer in the Northern Great Plains and to maximize forage utilization in years of abundant forage. |
| Key Words: grazing management, beef cattle, protein supplementation Resumen |