Effects of Level of Concentrate and Forage Availability on the Performance of Beef Cows Grazing Winter Range

Two winter grazing trials were conducted on consecutive years to determine the effect of level of concentrate supplement and amount of forage available on performance of cows grazing dormant winter range. Simmental x Angus cows were fed concentrate supplements containing combinations of corn and soybean meal at either high, medium or low levels. Supplements were formulated to provide .7 Ib of crude protein during year 1 and .51 Ib of rumen degradable crude protein in year 2. Two pastures with differing amounts of available forage were grazed each year. In year 1, the amount of available forage had a greater effect on body weight and condition score change than did level of concentrate fed. Cows receiving higher levels of supplement actually gained less weight. The interaction between level of supplement and amount of available forage showed higher levels of concentrate supplement may be more detrimental when amount of available forage is limited. The amount of available forage was considerably greater in both pastures the second year with cows gaining more weight on the high available forage pasture. Cows receiving higher levels of concentrate supplement gained more weight and body condition than those receiving lower levels of supplement. There was no interaction between forage availability and level of concentrate in year 2

Crude Protein Content of Diet of Cattle Grazing Native and Introduced Pastures

Crude protein contents of diets were compared for steers grazing introduced, high condition native and low condition native grass pastures under spring-deferment or season-long grazing systems. This study was conducted at the SDSU Cottonwood Research Station near Cottonwood, SD, in 1990, 1991, and 1992. Esophageally fistulated steers were used to obtain diet samples throughout the grazing season on all treatments. Esophageal samples were analyzed for crude protein content and data were compared among grazing treatments within each year. In all three years, cattle diets were not limiting until late summer. Contrary to what was expected, diets of cattle on introduced grass pastures were typically higher in crude protein throughout the summer than diets of cattle grazing native pastures. Average daily gains were similar for all pastures and grazing systems for all years

Effects of Level of Concentrate and Forage Availability on the Performance of Beef Cows Grazing Winter Range

A winter grazing study was conducted using 120 pregnant Simmental x Angus cows to determine the effect of level of concentrate supplement and amount of available forage on cow performance. Concentrate supplements were fed at a high, medium and low level which included corn, corn-soybean meal and soybean meal, respectively, and were formulated to provide .7 Ib of crude protein per cow daily. Two winter pastures with distinctly different amounts of available forage were used in the trial. The amount of available forage had a greater effect on body weight and condition score change than did level of concentrate supplement fed. Cows receiving higher levels of supplement actually gained less weight. The interaction between level of supplement and amount of available forage showed that high levels of concentrate supplement may be more detrimental when amount of available forage is limiting

Improving numeracy through values affirmation enhances decision and STEM outcomes

<div><p>Greater numeracy has been correlated with better health and financial outcomes in past studies, but causal effects in adults are unknown. In a 9-week longitudinal study, undergraduate students, all taking a psychology statistics course, were randomly assigned to a control condition or a values-affirmation manipulation intended to improve numeracy. By the final week in the course, the numeracy intervention (statistics-course enrollment combined with values affirmation) enhanced objective numeracy, subjective numeracy, and two decision-related outcomes (financial literacy and health-related behaviors). It also showed positive indirect-only effects on financial outcomes and a series of STEM-related outcomes (course grades, intentions to take more math-intensive courses, later math-intensive courses taken based on academic transcripts). All decision and STEM-related outcome effects were mediated by the changes in objective and/or subjective numeracy and demonstrated similar and robust enhancements. Improvements to abstract numeric reasoning can improve everyday outcomes.</p></div