Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Completed Competitive Grant

Complementary grazing systems for beef cattle production

Project ID: 2000-06

Abstract

Pasture productivity in Iowa often is limited by the low yield of cool-season grasses in the summer. This project considers whether uneven seasonal distribution in pastures could be improved by including species that perform better under higher temperatures.

Key Question: Does interseeding smooth bromegrass with alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, or kura clover improve pasture productivity and 2) Does rotating cattle to summer pastures consisting of with big bluestem or switchgrass improve season-long productivity?

Findings: The results indicate that interseeding bromegrass pastures with kura clover greatly enhances livestock performance. Kura clover was the only legume that persisted well over the five years the experiment was conducting. Rotating cattle to warm-season grasses in the summer gave inconsistent results depending on the weather.

Lead investigator: K.J. Moore, ISU Agronomy, et al

Year of grant completion: 2004

This competitive grant project was part of the Leopold Center's Initiative.

Topics: Animal management and forage