Steers
Grass pasture alone is not
adequate for summer finishing
steers, according to Dr. Richard
Fowler, Extension livestock
specialist at the University of
Delaware.
Holstein steers actually lost an
average of 36 pounds in 2%
months in a research project by
the University in cooperation
with Draper King Cole cannery
near Milford.
This loss was despite daily
pasture irrigation with cannery
waste water that supplied high
levels of nitrogen to the grass.
Most farmers could certainly not
afford such irrigation for
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on Pasture Need Grain, Study
pastures. But, in a few locations,
irrigation with discharge from
sewage treatment plants may be
possible, Fowler says.
However, with or without
irrigation, for a successful
summer feeding program, the
study shows you’ll need to add
extra grain rations to supply
energy. The experimental steers
got their protein and fiber needs
from the pastures; but without
grain, the Holsteins lost weight.
When ground corn was added to
the cattle ration at a rate of one
per cent of the body weight, wihin
a month the steers gained back
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AND
all they had lost, plus 16 ad
ditional pounds.
In the study, six Holstein steers
were kept from July 2 until
September 16 on two plots of
one-half acre each. The pastures
were seeded to a K3l fescue,
orchard grass and red top
mixture.
For experimental purposes, no
fertilizer or lime were applied.
This was done deliberately to test
the value of irrigating with
cannery waste water, Fowler
states. “However, before the
summer was over, that pasture
was in sad shape.”
“This brings up another point
for feeders. Don’t overgraze—
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with your building or equipment needs.
Why not give us a call and find out what
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LAMINATED
RAFTERS
ROOF
TRUSSES
keep the pasture in good con
dition.”
In the study, part of the reason
for the gain in weight later in the
season was doubling the pasture
area to reduce overgrazing,
Fowler says.
A pesticide residue study was
an interesting sidelight to the
research. During a good part of
the summer, much of the
irrigation water had been used
for pepper processing. Peppers
are one of the few crops still
being sprayed with DDT for corn
borer control.
When the grass was tested for
DDT resideues, the highest level
was five parts per million
m
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February 12.
Shows
(p.p.m.). The residues in the
steer ranged from 1.2 to 1.34
p.p.m. in the two steers checked.
The maximum allowed in beef is
seven p.p.m., so the steers were
well within acceptable levels,
Fowler states.
Another aspect of the study was
designed by Dr. William Knibbe,
soil scientist with the U. S.
Department of Agriculture Soil
and Water Conservation Service
Research Division. He was in
terested in learning whether
cattle would pack down the
heavily-irrigated soil and keep
water from going through.
Fortunately, the soil was so
sandy no compaction was noted.
17
1972