Effects of year-round stocking rate and stocking method systems on performance of cow-calf pairs in the gulf coast region of the United States1

The present research is the second phase (2 yr) of a multiyear cow-calf project examining the effect of stocking method, i.e., continuous and rotational, and fixed stocking rate on beef-cattle production. Two sets of 4 adjacent pastures, each containing a mixed warm-season, perennial grass sod [common bermudagrass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.; dallisgrass, Paspalum dilatatum Poir.], were overseeded to 'Marshall' annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) in the autumn of 2 consecutive years. Within each set of 4 pastures, 1 of the following grazing treatments was randomly assigned each pasture: rotationally stocked (8 paddocks) at a low, medium, or high stocking rate (RL, RM, and RH) and continuously stocked at a moderate stocking rate (CM). Low, medium, and high stocking rates were 1.25, 2, and 2.75 cows/ha. Brangus cow-calf pairs were stocked on treatment pastures in March 2004. Mean cow BW was greater for RL compared with RM (P < 0.05; 569 vs. 527 kg) but did not differ (P > 0.20) for the RM versus RH (522 kg) and the RM versus CM (530 kg) stocking-treatment comparisons. Calf-adjusted 205-d BW was similar for all treatment contrasts. Pasture weaning BW differed between the RL versus RM (P < 0.01; 238 vs. 394 kg/ha) and the RM versus RH (P < 0.01; 394 vs. 583 kg/ha) treatment contrasts but was similar for RM and CM (P = 0.23; 394 vs. 437 kg/ha). Stocking rate influenced both cow and calf production, but stocking method had little or no effect in the current study.