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TIME TO ASSESS The Midwest Cattleman · April 21, 2022 · P31
continued from page 25 DOCILITY Resources
continued from page 28 Voisinet, B. D., T. Gran-
(30 lbs/acre or less) to “prime jury will allow the grower din, J. D. Tatum, S. F. O'Con-
the pump” in anticipation to have a better idea of the is confident that docility nor, and J. J. Struthers. 1997.
will continue to be of indus-
of the organic nitrogen re- yield potential of the stand. Feedlot cattle with calm tem-
lease from the forage legume This will help inform wheth- try-wide significance and be peraments have higher av-
a big talking point in sharing
stand. But most studies show er the stand can continue an- erage daily gains than cattle
no response to any fertilizer other year or would be better the story of beef with consum- with excitable temperaments.
ers.
N on first year corn after al- suited as a rotational crop J. An. Sci. 75: 892-896.
“Attributes of docility are
falfa. In addition, second year this year. really important to our busi- Olson, Cameron Alexander
corn after alfalfa also has a Ohio State University ness,” he says. “We have the (2017). The Effect of Temper-
substantial N-credit from Extension ability as the stewards of ament at Feedlot Arrival on
the alfalfa! What’s more, corn those animals to make good Growth Efficiency, Feeding
will yield more following al- breeding decisions on traits Behavior, and Carcass Value
falfa than soybeans. Yes, your that affect outcomes. It’s part in Beef Heifers. Master's the-
grandfather was smarter of our sustainability story, sis, Texas A & M University.
than you might think with and a part of our profitability
that corn – alfalfa (or red clo- story as well.”
ver) rotation he always used!
There are many more bene-
fits to that rotation than I
have space to outline. WHY ARE WE STILL HERE AFTER MORE THAN 25 YEARS?
Although winter tempera-
tures, snow cover, and soil
wetness are primary driv-
ing factors affecting tall for-
age legume winter survival,
there are several manage-
ment factors that can affect
the degree of winter injury
suffered by forage stands.
Those factors include:
•Variety selection: variet-
ies with good winter hardi-
ness and disease resistance
generally survive longer.
•Soil fertility: adequate
soil potassium is associated
with enhanced tolerance to
winter injury.
•Soil drainage: tiling and
improving drainage helps
prevent ice-sheeting and
heaving and slows develop-
ment of crown and root dis-
eases.
•Harvest management:
ARE
frequent cutting is associat- MAKE SURE YOU
ed with a higher risk of win-
ter injury, particularly if the
last fall cut was made in late IN OUR SPECIAL
September to mid-October.
As you walk your forage GELBVIEH
stands, be sure to check for
the presence of winter annu- FEATURE
al weeds! You will want to act
early this spring if winter an- AUGUST 11TH
nuals are abundant. 6TH
I have not mentioned as-
sessing grass stands, but
grass hay and pasture stands
should also be walked early
to assess their spring vigor
and growth as the stands
green up. This is especially
true where armyworm feed-
ing was severe last fall.
Taking the time to do a
stand evaluation and further PHONE: 417-644-2993 - EMAIL: CATTLEMAN@CUTTINGEDGEUS.COM
assess forage plant health
and the extent of winter in-