Date of Graduation
Spring 2018
Degree
Master of Natural and Applied Science in Agriculture
Department
College of Agriculture
Committee Chair
Phillip Lancaster
Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to determine animal performance of alternative feeding strategies to heifers grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue during summer months. In Experiment 1, 40 Limousin heifers (261± 40kg initial BW) were stratified by weight and assigned to either a spring harvested tall fescue silage diet or grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pasture with grain supplement having either natural or artificial shade for 80 days. In Experiment 2, 40 Limousin heifers (277 ± 44kg initial BW) were stratified by weight and assigned to either a traditional grain supplement or feather-meal supplement (rumen bypass arginine supplement) with natural or artificial shade while grazing endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures for 98 days. Heifers were weighed on two consecutive days at the start and end of each experiment. Cost of gain ($/kg) and returns ($/hd) were computed. In Experiment 1, weight gain of heifers was greater in grain supplement treatment than in silage treatment and was greater for natural than artificial shade. Cost of gain was higher for heifers fed silage and returns were higher for heifers fed grain supplement. In Experiment 2, there was no difference in weight gain between traditional and feather meal supplements. Cost of gain and returns were not different between supplement treatments. Heifers that were given natural shade had a greater weight gain than artificial shade in both experiments. In conclusion, feeding early-spring harvest tall fescue silage or a supplement with high rumen bypass arginine did not improve performance of growing cattle during summer.
Keywords
tall fescue, ergot alkaloids, arginine, beef cattle, energy supplement
Subject Categories
Agricultural Economics | Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Beef Science | Plant Biology
Copyright
© Kerri A. Johnson
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Kerri A., "Alternative Feeding Strategies for Growing Cattle Grazing Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue During the Summer" (2018). MSU Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 3258.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/3258
Open Access
Included in
Agricultural Economics Commons, Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Beef Science Commons, Plant Biology Commons
