2 pp., 1 figurePasture forages for beef cattle are of five types--warm-season perennials, warm-season annuals, cool-season annuals, cool-season perennials and legumes. This publication discusses the five types and proposes a year-round forage management system that combines types according to a particular producer's needs

Bade, David H.

Dorsett, Donald J.

Texas A&M University

Pasture forages for beef cattle can be roughly divided
into five categories—warm-season perennials, warm-sea-
son annuals, cool-season perennials, cool-season annuals
and legumes for pastures. Each of these forage types
can meet the nutritional requirements of beef cattle
when they are at their peak production (Figure 1).
However, none are able to satisfy the nutritional needs
of a cow with calf or a growing animal, which are at
their low point in production.
Warm-Season Perennials
Warm-season perennial pastures tend to be the best
grasses for a cow-calf operation because they do not
have to be planted each year. Once established, these
pastures continue to produce for many years. The 
annual grasses are the most expensive grasses for forage
because they must be planted each year, the seed is
costly, there is a limited production season and they
require high rates of fertilizer.
Warm-season perennial pastures, such as bermuda-
grass, bahiagrass or kleingrass, generally have a longer
growing season than cool-season plants. Since they are
perennial plants, they regrow from roots each year.
Because they do not have to re-establish yearly, they
maintain top forage production for longer periods. They
also tend to be lower in digestibility and in protein
because of the fiber buildup during the warmer part of
the growing season.
E-169
9-02
*Professor and Extension Forage Specialist and Associate Professor
Emeritus
1,600 (80)
1,000 (50)
1,400 (70)
1,200 (60)
D
ig
es
tib
le
 e
ne
rg
y,
 
K
CA
L/
LB
 (%
 TO
N
)
Warm
season
perennial
grasses
Cool
season
perennial
grasses
Warm
season
annual
grasses
Cool
season
annual
grasses
Legumes
First calf heifer
Beef cow/calf, wean 600 lb.
Beef cow/calf, wean 500 lb.
Dry, pregnant cow gaining condition
Figure 1. Variation in energy content of various forages relative to the requirements of various classes of cattle.
Forages for Beef Cattle
David Bade and Donald J. Dorsett*
Warm-season perennial grasses respond well to fertil-
ization and, with heavy fertilization, can produce large
amounts of hay or grazing per acre. If fertilized and
managed properly, they work well in almost any live-
stock production program.
Warm-Season Annuals
Warm-seasoned annual grasses, such as the sudans 
or forage sorghums, play definite roles in livestock pro-
duction. Being annual plants, they are expensive
because land must be prepared and seeded annually.
They offer higher quality (digestibility) grazing than
perennial warm-season plants, but their production
period is shorter. They use less fertilizer, will serve as
temporary pasture and maintain a relatively high carry-
ing capacity of two or three animals per acre for 30- to
45-day periods. Their prime role in forage production,
however, is for high quality hay. 
Cool-Season Perennials
Cool-season perennial plants have limited use in
Texas. Tall fescue and tall wheatgrass are the only cool-
season perennial plants that adapt to Texas climate.
They generally do not offer high quality nutrition for
maximum animal performance.
Cool-Season Annuals
Although cool-season annual plants, such as oats,
wheat, rye, barley, triticale and ryegrass, are expensive
pastures because of the cost to establish each year, 
they are high in nutritional value. Winter annuals are
best adapted to stocker operations or to cow-calf combi-
nation programs. Because of their expense, annual 
pastures may not be the best types of pastures for dry
pregnant cows, which can be maintained very well on
less expensive forages such as high quality hay.
Legumes
Legume forages might also be considered for a live-
stock operation. Temperate legumes include clovers,
medics, peas, vetch and alfalfa. They can be over-
seeded into permanent pastures or seeded with winter
annual pastures. Legumes have the unique ability to fix
their own nitrogen if they are properly inoculated
(nitrogen-fixing bacteria is added to the legume seed
before planting). They require high levels of phospho-
rus, potassium and, in acid soil, lime. Cool-season or
temperate legumes produce most of their growth during
the late winter-spring period, when they are very useful
in beef cattle operations. Warm-season or tropical
legumes, such as cowpea, soybean, and peanut, can 
provide high quality forage during the summer.
However, they are used as a salvage crop in drought
years when they do not “yield” well as a row-crop.
A Year-round Forage System
No grass meets the production and quality require-
ments of livestock year-round. Consequently, livestock
producers can benefit by combining two or more forage
plants into a forage system. By growing adapted sum-
mer and winter forage species, livestock producers can
furnish grazing for most of the year. Although this
requires management and planning, it reduces hay and
feed costs.
Sodseeding or overseeding legumes or small grains in
conjunction with a warm-season perennial pasture
offers several advantages over clean-tilled or prepared
seedbed cool-season pastures:
 Sodseeding allows a longer productive period for
any given acre of ground. The cool-season grass
may not be as productive as on a clean-tilled
seedbed, but using with a warm-season perennial
plant, the sodseeded pastures will extend the
spring green-grazing period by as much as 60 days. 
 If winter pastures are adequately fertilized, the
base grass or warm-season grass also benefits. 
 Sodseeded pastures offer a higher level of nutrition
and enhance animal performance.
Any warm-season perennial grass (bermudagrass,
bahiagrass, kleingrass or even native grasses) can be
overseeded. The problem is competition in late spring
between an overseeded pasture and a warm season
perennial pasture that is beginning to grow. There is
direct, heavy competition in this overlap growth 
period for nutrients, moisture and sunlight. During 
dry springs, an overseeded winter pasture takes the 
elements for growth and might completely retard the
growth of a warm-season grass. Heavy competition with
the warm-season grasses may result in a thinning of
native or bunch grass stands when they are continually
overseeded.


English

Forages for Beef Cattle

Pasture forages for beef cattle can be roughly divided into five categoriesâ€”warm-season perennials, warm-season annuals, cool-season perennials, cool-season annuals and legumes for pastures. Each of these forage types can meet the nutritional requirements of beef cattle when they are at their peak production (Figure 1). However, none are able to satisfy the nutritional needs of a cow with calf or a growing animal, which are at their low point in production

Bade, David

Texas A&amp;M Repository

Pasture forages for beef cattle can be roughly dividedinto five categories—warm-season perennials, warm-sea-son annuals, cool-season perennials, cool-season annualsand legumes for pastures. Each of these forage typescan meet the nutritional requirements of beef cattlewhen they are at their peak production (Figure 1).However, none are able to satisfy the nutritional needsof a cow with calf or a growing animal, which are attheir low point in production.Warm-Season PerennialsWarm-season perennial pastures tend to be the bestgrasses for a cow-calf operation because they do nothave to be planted each year. Once established, thesepastures continue to produce for many years. The annual grasses are the most expensive grasses for foragebecause they must be planted each year, the seed iscostly, there is a limited production season and theyrequire high rates of fertilizer.Warm-season perennial pastures, such as bermuda-grass, bahiagrass or kleingrass, generally have a longergrowing season than cool-season plants. Since they areperennial plants, they regrow from roots each year.Because they do not have to re-establish yearly, theymaintain top forage production for longer periods. Theyalso tend to be lower in digestibility and in proteinbecause of the fiber buildup during the warmer part ofthe growing season.E-1699-02*Professor and Extension Forage Specialist and Associate ProfessorEmeritus1,600 (80)1,000 (50)1,400 (70)1,200 (60)Digestible energy, KCAL/LB (% TON)WarmseasonperennialgrassesCoolseasonperennialgrassesWarmseasonannualgrassesCoolseasonannualgrassesLegumesFirst calf heiferBeef cow/calf, wean 600 lb.Beef cow/calf, wean 500 lb.Dry, pregnant cow gaining conditionFigure 1. Variation in energy content of various forages relative to the requirements of various classes of cattle.Forages for Beef CattleDavid Bade and Donald J. Dorsett*Warm-season perennial grasses respond well to fertil-ization and, with heavy fertilization, can produce largeamounts of hay or grazing per acre. If fertilized andmanaged properly, they work well in almost any live-stock production program.Warm-Season AnnualsWarm-seasoned annual grasses, such as the sudans or forage sorghums, play definite roles in livestock pro-duction. Being annual plants, they are expensivebecause land must be prepared and seeded annually.They offer higher quality (digestibility) grazing thanperennial warm-season plants, but their productionperiod is shorter. They use less fertilizer, will serve astemporary pasture and maintain a relatively high carry-ing capacity of two or three animals per acre for 30- to45-day periods. Their prime role in forage production,however, is for high quality hay. Cool-Season PerennialsCool-season perennial plants have limited use inTexas. Tall fescue and tall wheatgrass are the only cool-season perennial plants that adapt to Texas climate.They generally do not offer high quality nutrition formaximum animal performance.Cool-Season AnnualsAlthough cool-season annual plants, such as oats,wheat, rye, barley, triticale and ryegrass, are expensivepastures because of the cost to establish each year, they are high in nutritional value. Winter annuals arebest adapted to stocker operations or to cow-calf combi-nation programs. Because of their expense, annual pastures may not be the best types of pastures for drypregnant cows, which can be maintained very well onless expensive forages such as high quality hay.LegumesLegume forages might also be considered for a live-stock operation. Temperate legumes include clovers,medics, peas, vetch and alfalfa. They can be over-seeded into permanent pastures or seeded with winterannual pastures. Legumes have the unique ability to fixtheir own nitrogen if they are properly inoculated(nitrogen-fixing bacteria is added to the legume seedbefore planting). They require high levels of phospho-rus, potassium and, in acid soil, lime. Cool-season ortemperate legumes produce most of their growth duringthe late winter-spring period, when they are very usefulin beef cattle operations. Warm-season or tropicallegumes, such as cowpea, soybean, and peanut, can provide high quality forage during the summer.However, they are used as a salvage crop in droughtyears when they do not “yield” well as a row-crop.A Year-round Forage SystemNo grass meets the production and quality require-ments of livestock year-round. Consequently, livestockproducers can benefit by combining two or more forageplants into a forage system. By growing adapted sum-mer and winter forage species, livestock producers canfurnish grazing for most of the year. Although thisrequires management and planning, it reduces hay andfeed costs.Sodseeding or overseeding legumes or small grains inconjunction with a warm-season perennial pastureoffers several advantages over clean-tilled or preparedseedbed cool-season pastures: Sodseeding allows a longer productive period forany given acre of ground. The cool-season grassmay not be as productive as on a clean-tilledseedbed, but using with a warm-season perennialplant, the sodseeded pastures will extend thespring green-grazing period by as much as 60 days.  If winter pastures are adequately fertilized, thebase grass or warm-season grass also benefits.  Sodseeded pastures offer a higher level of nutritionand enhance animal performance.Any warm-season perennial grass (bermudagrass,bahiagrass, kleingrass or even native grasses) can beoverseeded. The problem is competition in late springbetween an overseeded pasture and a warm seasonperennial pasture that is beginning to grow. There isdirect, heavy competition in this overlap growth period for nutrients, moisture and sunlight. During dry springs, an overseeded winter pasture takes the elements for growth and might completely retard thegrowth of a warm-season grass. Heavy competition withthe warm-season grasses may result in a thinning ofnative or bunch grass stands when they are continuallyoverseeded.

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Forages for Beef Cattle

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Forages for Beef Cattle

Abstract

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Full text

Available Versions

Texas A&M University

Texas A&amp;M Repository

Texas A&amp;M Repository

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