A Modified Forage System for Stocker Production in the Southern Great Plains, USA

Putting low-cost gain on yearling cattle with forages is an important agricultural activity in the Southern Great Plains. The primary forage system within the area incorporates two forages: winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) for grazing in fall through spring, and warm- season grasses in the summer (Fig. 1). These systems have significant gaps in time when high-quality forage is not available. This study tested the function of introduced cool-season perennial grasses in filling the spring gap, and their capacity as large-scale replacements for winter wheat