Integration of Cool- and Warm-Season Grass Pasturing Systems into Cattle Finishing Programs

In a previous report (ISRF01-10), we reported on a study that demonstrated that fall-born steer calves pastured on bromegrass for either portions of or all of the grazing season and then finished in drylot, outperformed calves placed directly into the feedlot in terms of profit/head at harvest. Areas consisting of highly productive soils, interdispersed with highly erodible land, are well suited for this kind of production practice. Production systems of this nature are quite consistent with the concepts of sustainable agriculture. In an effort to capture more grazing potential, it was decided to incorporate warmseason grasses into the pasture program so that forage production would be enhanced during the hot summer months of July and August when cool-season grasses may become nearly dormant. Therefore, the objective of this multiyear study was to compare steer calves provided a combination of cool- and warm-season grass pastures with calves provided cool-season grass pastures only and followed by all calves being finished in drylot. Growth performance and carcass composition, were compared among treatments

Triticale-based Diets for Market Pigs in Deep-Bedded Hoop Barns: A Progress Report

Triticale-based diets were fed to pigs in deep-bedded hoop barns for a swine feeding study. Finishing pigs (240 head) were used to evaluate the dietary effects of triticalebased diets. The experiment was a randomized complete block design. There were four blocks (two summer, two winter); each block had three dietary treatments, with two replications per treatment. Each replication consisted of a pen of ten pigs (five barrows and five gilts). Addition of triticale up to 80% of the diets for finishing pigs greater than 160 pounds to market weight in deepbedded hoop barns, compared with a corn-soybean meal diet, resulted in pigs that weighed slightly less, grew similarly, needed more feed per unit of liveweight gain, had more backfat and slightly smaller loin eye areas. Feed intake appeared to increase as triticale inclusion increased. Preliminary review of pork quality characteristics indicates no dietary effects. There may be several factors that lead to these results. Because triticale-based diets are less energy dense than corn-based diets, pigs will compensate by consuming more feed. Although growth rate was similar for the experimental diets, pigs consuming triticale based-diets required more feed per liveweight gain. More research is warranted in this area

The development and technology transfer of software engineering technology at NASA. Johnson Space Center

The United State's big space projects of the next decades, such as Space Station and the Human Exploration Initiative, will need the development of many millions of lines of mission critical software. NASA-Johnson (JSC) is identifying and developing some of the Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology that NASA will need to build these future software systems. The goal is to improve the quality and the productivity of large software development projects. New trends are outlined in CASE technology and how the Software Technology Branch (STB) at JSC is endeavoring to provide some of these CASE solutions for NASA is described. Key software technology components include knowledge-based systems, software reusability, user interface technology, reengineering environments, management systems for the software development process, software cost models, repository technology, and open, integrated CASE environment frameworks. The paper presents the status and long-term expectations for CASE products. The STB's Reengineering Application Project (REAP), Advanced Software Development Workstation (ASDW) project, and software development cost model (COSTMODL) project are then discussed. Some of the general difficulties of technology transfer are introduced, and a process developed by STB for CASE technology insertion is described

Progress Report: Pasture Finishing of Beef Steers Using Contemporary Feedlot Protocols

Environmental regulations in Iowa can place animal population restrictions on a given site. This study explores the possibility of finishing cattle in a remote pasture location to handle an overflow of animals and yet remain in compliance with environmental mandates

Progress Report: Effects of Condensed Corn Distillers Solubles on Steer Performance and Carcass Composition

Condensed, corn, distillers solubles provides an effective energy supplement for finishing cattle across a number of finishing systems

Integration of Cool- and Warm-Season Grass Pasturing Systems into Cattle Finishing Programs

Previously we reported on a study that demonstrated that fall-born steer calves pastured on bromegrass for either portions of or all of the grazing season and then finished in drylot, significantly outperformed calves placed directly into the feedlot in terms of profit/head at harvest time. Areas consisting of highly productive soils, interdispersed with highly erodable land, are well suited for this kind of production practice and in turn production systems of this nature are quite consistent with the concepts of sustainable agriculture. In an effort to capture more grazing potential, it was decided to incorporate warm-season grasses into the pasture program so that forage production would be enhanced during the hot summer months of July and August when cool-season grasses normally become nearly dormant. Therefore, the objective of this multi-year study is to compare steer calves provided a combination of cool- and warm-season grass pastures with calves provided cool-season grass pastures only and followed by all calves being finished in drylot

Progress Report: Effects of Condensed Corn Distillers Solubles on Steer Performance and Carcass Composition

This study looked at the use of condensed corn distillers solubles (CCDS) as a feed source for steers backgrounded on pasture as well as steers being fed in the feedlot. In addition, a treatment group was finished on pasture with CCDS as a part of their ration. The two feedlot rations were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The pasture finishing steers were fed a ration based on the feedlot ration containing CCDS but were not fed any hay. The goal of this study was to establish the benefits, as well as the limitations, of feeding CCDS to feedlot and backgrounded steers

Effects of Condensed Corn Distillers Solubles on Steer Performance and Carcass Composition

Condensed corn distillers solubles (CCDS) have become a prevalent feed source in Iowa. In this study, we looked at the impact of CCDS in finishing steer rations and the influence CCDS had on steer performance as well as carcass composition. In the first year of the study, 112 steers were randomly sorted into four equal groups where each group contained four pens and 7 steers per pen. The second year of the study was a repeat of the first year however a fifth treatment was added in which 28 steers were placed on pasture and provided a finishing grain diet. The first of the four treatments consisted of the feedlot group (F), which was placed directly in to the feedlot and fed shelled corn, alfalfa hay, a protein, vitamin, and mineral supplement, and molasses. The second treatment was feedlot + CCDS (F+CCDS). This treatment group was placed directly into the feedlot and received shelled corn, alfalfa hay, a protein, vitamin and mineral supplement, and CCDS. The third treatment group was backgrounded on pasture for the duration of the summer (P), and then put into the feedlot where they received the same ration as the F group. The fourth treatment group was backgrounded on pasture for the duration of the summer, and while on pasture had access to free choice CCDS via a lick tank (P+CCDS). In the fall this group was placed into the feedlot and received the same ration as the F+CCDS group. In the second year, a fifth treatment was added, called the pasture finishing group (PF). The steers in this treatment received the same shelled corn, and protein, vitamin and mineral supplement, and CCDS as the cattle in the F+CCDS treatment, minus the alfalfa hay. Grass consumption for the PF cattle was estimated using the 2007 BRANDS program. Although the study is not yet completed, it appears as though CCDS can be implemented in feedlot rations successfully. The existing trends of the study would indicate that a feedlot ration containing CCDS will slightly increase steer ADG and improve F:G, without effecting QG