Coping with drought in beef cattle production: Long-term innovation through optimal warm-season forage systems

This project will provide long-term forage solutions that improve beef cattle producer’s ability to cope with drought. Through evaluation of forage growth, cattle performance, water use efficiency, inputs and enterprise budgets/profitability in production grazing settings, optimal forage solutions will be identified. Using key regional summer forage species in side-by-side demonstrations and a comprehensive outreach and educational program, these solutions will be brought to producers and forage leaders across the southeastern United States.

The primary objective is to deliver a comprehensive and transformative approach to forage production to growers across a multi-state region that will make a substantial impact on their ability to respond to droughts over the long-term. Specifically, will develop side-by-side comparisons to demonstrate actual drought response, beef production, stocking rates, and economic outcomes based on field conditions over two summers. Because our region is dominated by cow-calf production systems, and reproductive performance is critical, will use heifers in our grazing demonstrations. Will include switchgrass, eastern gamagrass, big bluestem and indiangrass (in a blend), bermudagrass and crabgrass. Will use the information from these demonstrations to enhance the understanding of how these options fit into cow-calf, stocker and grass-finishing operations in the fescue belt.
Specifically, will:
1) demonstrate grazing methods for selected summer forages at two research and education centers in Tennessee, one on the KY-TN border, the other near Arkansas, as well as on producer farms in Kentucky and Arkansas;
2) improve drought coping skills for forage producers in the fescue-belt by delivering optimal summer grazing solutions with respect to drought tolerance, productivity, and economics, as well as the linkage between all of these factors;
3) develop educational programs ( in-service trainings, field days, and programs with state cattlemen’s associations and/or forage producer associations) for beef cattle producers and educators (Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service field staff and grazing specialists, Soil Conservation District field staff, state Cattlemen’s Associations, etc.).
4) develop reference materials, including technical bulletins and an on-line video library, that will be readily available for beef cattle producers and educators that carry the impact of lessons learned well-beyond the scope and duration of this project.