Cost analysis of feeding bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) or ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) plus rye (Secale cereale) baleage based on nutrient composition and forage refusal of weaned crossbred beef calves

Abstract Text: In the Gulf Coast region, supplementation can be costly for weaned beef calves during the fall backgrounding period due to limited forage production and quality. A study was conducted evaluating performance of weaned Angus crossbred calves fed bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) or ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and rye (Secale cereale) baleage in hay rings during a 60 day fall backgrounding period. Four forage treatment comparisons included: early boot stage bermudagrass harvested for hay (BERH), early boot stage bermudagrass harvested for baleage (BERB), early boot stage ryegrass and rye harvested for baleage (ERRG), and bloom stage ryegrass and rye harvested for baleage (LRRG). Both BERH and BERB were harvested from the same hay field at the same time. Nutrient composition of forage treatments included 8.2% CP, 59.9% TDN, and 88.8% DM (BERH); 9.2% CP, 57.4% TDN, and 49.1% DM (BERB); 12.8% CP, 64.5% TDN, and 37.2% DM (ERRG); and 9.2% CP, 62.7% TDN, and 55.7% DM (LRRG). Forage refusal on a DM basis was estimated as amount of (kg) and percent of bale weight fed based on forage remaining outside of the hay ring. Cost estimates for each treatment were performed based on nutrient composition and forage refusal and were derived using standard performance assumptions associated with the tractor and implements used during harvesting of the forage and adjusted for the time needed to harvest forages for this study. Total costs of production were $293.92/ton DM (ERRG), $209.18/ton DM (LRRG), $128.33/ton DM (BERB), and $117.87/ton DM (BERH). On a cost per nutrient basis, ERRG had the greatest cost/lb of CP and TDN ($1.15 and $0.23) followed by LRRG ($1.14 and $0.17), BERB ($0.70 and $0.11), and BERH ($0.72 and $0.10), respectively. Forage refusal was greater (P = 0.01) for the BERH (115 kg and 10.0%) compared with BERB (27 kg and 3.4%), ERRG (26 kg and 5.0%), and LRRG (29kg and 3.7%) treatments, but similar among BERB, ERRG, and LRRG, respectively. Value associated with hay refusal measured outside the hay ring was $14.73/ton DM (ERRG), $7.66/ton DM (LRRG), $4.39/ton DM (BERB), and $11.74/ton DM (BERH). Production costs were lower for bermudagrass harvested as dry hay or baleage. While hay refusal was less outside the hay ring for all baleage treatments, the high value of hay refusal and production cost of the ERRB treatment was greatly associated with the high moisture content of the bales.

Keywords: baleage, economics, weaned beef calves