Taking aim at the moving target of profitability, area cattlemen took time to reload last week at the Beef Cattle and Forage Crops Field Day near Mound Valley, Kan.

The ammunition was provided by Kansas State University researchers and specialists at the annual Southeast Agricultural Research Center event.

K-State Extension Beef Systems Specialist Justin Waggoner told cattlemen that mineral supplementation is a critical, but often misunderstood, practice.

And, with increasing costs, Waggoner suggested that better understanding can lead to money-saving strategies.

Noting that minerals play critical roles such as the facilitation of immune function, blood clotting, cell growth and others, Waggoner discussed two mineral categories—macrominerals, such a calcium and phosphorus, and microminerals like copper, zinc, selenium and manganese.

Explaining that phosphorus deficiency is prevalent in grazing animals, the animal scientist said both phosphorus and calcium supplementation needs are driven by cow stage of production.

Micro—or trace—mineral requirements, on the other hand, remain fairly constant.

Cows calving in late March reach peak calcium and phosphorus need in late May and that requirement bottoms out in the October-December period. After that, requirements increase again as the gestating cow approaches lactation.

The calcium and phosphorus content of standing forage varies somewhat during the growing season. Additionally, other supplemental feed—and even the water supply—can affect the amount of mineral a cow receives.

Waggoner suggested that producers can alter their mineral strategy if they understand the mineral content of their forage base and animal needs. For phosphorus, he suggested that many spring-calvers may be able to go from 8 percent phosphorus to a 6 percent mix during the August to January period when cow requirements are less.

While that has the potential to save some dollars, Waggoner said producers should consider their own management practices to determine if it is worthwhile. He also recommended that cattlemen interested at taking a second look at their mineral supplementation strategy should talk to their county Extension agent.

SEARC Forage Researcher Joe Moyer discussed bermuda grass variety selection. He suggested that producers consider their production goals as well as how the forage is to be utilized.

Moyer also outlined the relative establishment and annual costs of Midland 99 and Wrangler varieties. In his analysis, Midland 99—a sprig-type—costs approximately $176.50 per acre to establish, compared to $128 per acre for the seed-type Wrangler.

Although Wrangler was somewhat cheaper to establish, Moyer noted that Midland 99 is one of the more productive varieties adapted to southeast Kansas.

Annual costs were very similar at approximately $99/acre.

The bermuda establishment spreadsheet, as well as other work at the facility, will be posted at www.oznet.ksu.edu/rc_serec/.

K-State Extension Livestock Specialist Karl Harborth outlined an updated look at the factors which affect the market value of calves.

Conducted during a six-week period in the autumn of 2008 at the stockyards in Joplin, Mo., and Dodge City, Kan., the study examined 44,000 head of cattle and measured how factors such as lot size, breed, condition, color, muscling fill and others impacted price.

Stressing the importance of marketing steers as opposed to bulls, the preliminary data shows a $6/cwt. advantage to steers, Harborth noted. The presence of horns, he said, resulted in a $2.48/cwt. dock, he said.

Lot size also had a significant price impact with larger lots drawing larger bids. As for fill and condition, Harborth suggested that the middle-ground is the place to be.

“For fill, as you work either direction from average, you see a discount,” he said. “One condition, very thin cattle get docked and very fat cattle get docked so the middle of the road looks like a pretty good idea.”

Harborth also encouraged producers to provide more information on the cattle they market.

“Divulge information about your cattle,” he said. “Let those buyers know how they’ve been handled, what their background is. They’re trying to decide how much your cattle are worth so any information you can provide to help your cattle stand out is beneficial.”

Timing, K-State Extension Agronomist Doug Shoup told producers, is critical to successful pasture weed and brush control when using foliar-applied herbicides.

He noted that, generally, the best time to spray is when the target species is fully leafed out and trying to replenish its root reserves. That may be in May for some species, such as buckbrush, or later in June for many otherbrushy species.

For sericea lespedeza, Shoup said, there are two good windows of application—in June when the plant is in the bud and early flowering stage with a triclopyr herbicide, like Remedy or Pasturegard, or later in the fall with a metsulfuron such as Escort when the lespedeza is fully flowered and prior to frost.

Shoup also pointed out that producers have other weed and brush control techniques at their disposal such as fire and grazing management, as well as soil-applied, cut stump and basal bark chemical applications.

Additionally, he informed producers that Dow and DuPont have new brush and pasture weed herbicides coming out.

SEARC Head and Beef Researcher Lyle Lomas outlined a hay storage study conducted at the Center. Large round bales of fescue, alfalfa and prairie were stored in various manners which included twine vs. net-wrap, on dirt vs. on rock, with and without a tarp and inside storage.

Outside bales were aligned end-to-end, north and south. All bales were made by the same baler and operator.

The bales were sampled and weighed at four different times—harvest, six months later, 12 months later and 18 months later. As expected, the least losses incurred were by bales stored inside. Prairie hay stored outside better than alfalfa and fescue.

All types of hay had less losses with net-wrap compared to plastic twine but most of the difference occurred only after six months of storage.

In the study, there was little difference in losses between hay stored on rock and on soil but Lomas noted that the site was very well-drained.

For more information on the Southeast Agricultural Research Center, visit their website at www.oznet.ksu.edu/searc