Beef Grazing Systems in Piedmont North Carolina 1

Ladino clover-tall fescue, ladino clover-orchardgrass, ladino-orchard grazed in rotation with alfalfa, and tall fescue grazed in sequence with Coastal bermudagrass were compared for beef production. Yearling steers and heifers were used as tester animals. Four years' data, using the put-and-take system, are summarized. Pure grass pastures were topdressed annually with approximately 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre, in three applications. Ladino clover-grass mixtures had a shorter grazing period than ladino-grass + alfalfa grazed in rotation but afforded higher daily gains. Animal days per acre, gain per acre, and slaughter grade of yearling cattle were similar for these treatments. Pure-grass pastures supported a longer grazing period, higher stocking rate, and higher per-acre gain than the grass-legume treatments. Average daily gain and slaughter grade were lower on the grass swards. Steers gained more rapidly than heifers, but there was no appreciable difference between sexes in financial return.