News Update
July 2, 2010

Dietary Guidelines Address Beef Nutrition

Eating lean beef as part of a balanced diet and being physically active can be part of the solution to maintaining a healthy weight, according to the recently released Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.

“The scientific evidence to support the role of lean beef in a healthy, balanced diet is strong,” says Shalene McNeill, executive director of human nutrition research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) — a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program.

On June 15, the U.S. departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) opened the Advisory Report for a 30-day public comment period, after which they will use the report and those comments to create the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In addition, they are hosting a July 8 public meeting in Washington, D.C., to discuss the report.

“The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee addressed overweight and obesity as the most pressing public health concern facing Americans today,” McNeill says. “This makes it even more important that we get more nutrition out of each calorie we consume. Choosing lean beef as a source of high-quality protein is actually a calorie-saver.”

— Release by the Beef Checkoff Program.

Cattle Raisers Team Up to Host Free Sandbur Infestation Management Training in Tillman County, Okla.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), DuPont Crop Protection and the Tillman County Cooperative Extension Service team up to offer landowners a free training on sandbur management. The training will take place Wednesday, July 7, in an open field three miles west of Davidson, Okla., on County Road EW 191.

The training will involve a sandbur management program followed by a tour of Bermuda grass pastures infested with sandburs. Participants will discuss treatment of sandburs at the infested pastures.

Sandburs are stickers that can impact the health and performance of cattle or horses, as well as reduce the quality and value of forage produced in pastures.

Participants should RSVP to Stacy Fox at 1-800-242-7820 or email sfox@tscra.org or the Tillman County Extension Office at 580-335-2515.

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. A complimentary lunch will be served.

For more information, please visit www.tscra.org and click on Calendar of Events. The Davidson, Okla., pasture management training is listed under educational events.

— Release by TSCRA

Nip Seedheads Early to Cut July Mowing

Mowing pastures to remove grass seedheads has become a July ritual for pasture managers. Now that chore can be cut.

Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri Extension (MU) forage agronomist, says that extra expense can be eliminated by nipping or clipping pastures in late April or early May. “Having to mow pastures in July indicates earlier management failure.”

Removing seed stalks of grass plants before the seed emerges can provide seedhead-free grazing all summer long. Seedheads form and emerge in grass pastures by mid-May across most of Missouri. By July, any unclipped grass gives low-quality grazing.

“If pastures are mowed in July, go all the way, cut it off short,” Kallenbach said. Many farmers mow pastures and leave 8- to 10-inch (in.) stubble, cutting only the seedheads. The best practice is to remove all dead material, leaving a 2.5-in. stubble.

Early removal of the seed sheath by grazing with livestock or mowing for hay solves an old problem, Kallenbach said. Grass forms only one seed stalk per tiller each year. Once the seed is removed the grass remains vegetative, growing only leaves the rest of the year.

Early seedhead removal, before it emerges, is part of Kallenbach’s new plan for intensive grass management that includes making hay in April. When he first suggested haying in April, many farmers expressed doubts. “A lot more hay is baled in July when hay is well past prime than in May when hay is most nutritious,” he said.

“Making hay in April has been an attention-getter,” Kallenbach admitted. “If people start planning to cut hay in April, they might get it done by early May. Farmers who made hay in April this year are now believers.”

Hay cut early is less likely to be rained on. On average, rainfall is heavier in May and June than in April.

A pasture showing seedheads indicates that forage quality has dropped, Kallenbach said. “A grass plant’s only objective in life is to make seed to ensure survival of the species. Once seed forms, the plant stops growing.”

In biological maturity, the grass transfers nutrients from the leaves into the seed. Once seed matures, the plant has the same feeding value as straw, he said. However, grass hay harvested before seeds set can have the feed value of alfalfa hay.

Seedheads are a big problem in pastures of tall fescue. The ergot alkaloid that causes fescue toxicosis becomes concentrated in the seedheads. Ergovaline in infected fescue causes heat stress in grazing animals. That reduces gains, lowers milk production and causes breeding failure.

Livestock don’t want to graze mature fescue, Kallenbach said. Removing the seed stalks, heads and stems allows fresh grass to emerge, providing good grazing later into the season.

Mowing pastures in July won’t be necessary if pastures are managed early in the grazing season to remove emerging seedheads before they create problems.

With good management, forage quality will improve all season long.

Farmers using the MU software for grazing wedges are discovering the difference in pasture performance. They measure pasture growth weekly and record the dry-matter growth in each pasture. When recorded on the MU website, the resulting wedge shows which paddocks should be grazed or mowed.

Grazing wedges, first used by dairy producers, are now being used by beef herd owners. See example wedges at http://plantsci.missouri.edu/grazingwedge/.

— Release by MU Extension.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.