Watcjing Grass Grow: Knowing how grass grows helps ranchers make wise stocking rate decisions

摘要

Successful cow-calf producers often say that they are grass farmers and that they sell their production through cattle. Their philosophy is a critical concept for raising cattle profitably on pasture or range. Too many people concentrate on raising asmany calves as possible while grazing their grass to bare ground because they feel that is the way to make the most money. Overgrazing can destroy pasture forage production capability for several years, increase supplemental feed costs and decrease calving percentages and weight gains, resulting in a steady decline in annual profits. The "grass farmers" concentrate on growing as much grass as possible and then stock the pasture with the number of animals required for harvesting the right amount of forage. These cattlemen don't depend upon supplements as their primary feed source, have good calving percentages, produce more pounds of beef than the overgrazers, and maintain a profitable business.