Dry bluestem pasture has been used successfully several years at this
station as a source of winter roughage for steer calves that are to be
grazed during the summer and sold off grass as feeder or stocker
yearlings. This is the first attempt to supplement dry grass during the
winter with several pounds of grain combined with protein, in an effort to
attain sufficient winter gain so the calves could be finished on grain in
the late summer and sold as fat yearlings. The test is to determine if
dry grass can be supplemented, in such a manner that calves will compare
favorably in total performance with steer calves wintered on good-quality
roughages.
The steers were grazed until August 3 on bluestem pasture, then
fattened in dry lot to choice grade.
