Table 1. Beef cow performance as affected by winter pasture and hay quality at the White Sand Unit, South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, Poplarville, MS, 1990-93.
Winter pasture:
Hay quality:		 Overseeded ryegrassa None Pasture
advantageb
High Low High Low
Number 68 67 66 66  
  --------------lb--------------
Cow weightc
  Prior to calving 1,149 1,175 1,158 1,115 25
  Prior to breeding 1,088 1,087 1,044 1,006 62*
  After breeding 1,160 1,155 1,077 1,068 84*
  Midsummer 1,151 1,175 1,103 1,064 79*
  Weaning 1,149 1,167 1,091 1,075 75*
  Prior to calving 1,157 1,203 1,115 1,107 69*
Change in cow weight
  Calving season -61 -88 -114 -108 36*
  Breeding season 72 68 33 61 22
  Midsummer -9 20 26 -3 -5
  Late summer -2 -8 -12 11 -4
  Fall 8 36 24 32 -11
Cow body condition scored
  Prior to calving 5.0 5.0 4.9 4.9 0.10
  Prior to breeding 5.0 5.1 4.6 4.6 0.45*
  After breeding 5.6 5.5 4.7 4.7 0.85*
  Midsummer
5.5 5.7 5.0 4.8 0.70*
  Weaning 5.1 5.2 4.7 4.7 0.45*
  Prior to calving 5.0 5.4 4.6 4.8 0.50*
Calf weightc
  Birth weight 79 80 81 80 -1
  Prior to breeding 195 199 189 181 12*
  After breeding 356 357 335 338 20*
  Midsummer 470 483 453 455 22
  Weaning 544 559 516 541 23
Change in calf weight
  Calving season 116 119 108 100 13*
  Breeding season 161 158 145 157 8
  Midsummer 114 126 119 117 2
  Late summer 74 76 63 86 1
  Overall change 465 479 435 462 24
aMarshall ryegrass overseeded on sod to provide 0.67 acre/cow.
bEffects due to winter pasture significant by F test (P<0.05) where indicated by *.
cWeights were taken 11/5/90, 3/27/91, 6/18/91, 8/14/91, 9/30/91 (weaning),12/3/91, 3/31/92, 6/1/92, 7/15/92, 8/31/92 (weaning), 12/11/92, 3/31/93, 6/1/93, 8/2/93, 9/13/93 (weaning), and 12/1/93. Calving was from 11/15/90 to 4/14/91.
dBody condition scores on a 9-point scale.



Table 2. Hay quality and supplements fed as determined by availability of winter pasture and hay quality at the White Sand Unit, South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, Poplarville, MS, 1990-93.
Winter pasture:
Hay quality:		 Overseeded ryegrassa None
High Low High Low
-----------1990-91--------------
Hay quality
  TDN % 58-62 49-55 58-62 49-55
  Protein % 9-17 10-14 9-17 10-14
Winter supplements
  Hay tons/hd 0.59 0.86 0.92 1.27
  Corn lb/hd 358.30 385.80 675.00 806.70
  Soybean meal,44% lb/hd 0.00 16.00 0.00 35.40
----------------1991-92--------------
Hay quality
  TDN % 51-59 46-48 51-59 46-48
  Protein % 9-15 7-10 9-15 7-10
Winter supplements
  Hay tons/hd 0.90 0.96 1.29 1.25
  Corn lb/hd 395.90 307.20 1051.40 1,113.30
  Soybean meal,44% lb/hd 36.50 48.50 137.10 183.10
---------------1992-93-----------------
Hay quality
  TDN % % 49-51 42-46 49-51 42-46
  Protein % 9-13 8-11 9-13 8-11
Winter supplements
  Hay tons/hd 1.15 0.86 1.11 1.23
  Corn lb/hd 117.80 192.20 320.20 718.30
  Soybean meal,44% lb/hd 9.00 24.50 23.20 68.00
---------------Three-year average, 1990-93-----------------
Hay quality
  TDN % 54 48 54 48
  Protein % 11 10 11 10
Winter supplements
  Hay tons/hd 0.88 0.89 1.11 1.25
  Corn lb/hd 290.70 295.10 682.20 879.40
  Soybean meal,44% lb/hd 15.20 29.70 53.40 95.50
aMarshall ryegrass overseeded on sod to provide 0.67 acre/cow.



Table 3. Pregnancy rate of beef cows as affected by winter pasture and hay quality at the White Sand Unit, South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, Poplarville, MS, 1990-93.
Winter pasture:
Hay quality:		 Overseeded ryegrass None Pasture
advantagea
High Low High Low
Number 68 67 70 67  
  ---------Percent----------
Yearb
  1991 95 100 95 90 5.0
  1992 96 83 68 88 11.5*
  1993 96 96 88 78 13.0*
Overall pregnancy rate 96 91 83 85 9.5+
  93 84  
aEffects due to hay quality not significant. Winter pasture main effects significant by F test where indicated by * and + (P<0.05 and P<0.06, respectively).
bBreeding from 4/1/91 to 6/3/91, 3/31/92 to 6/1/92, and 4/1/93 to 6/1/93.



Table 4. SPA financial analysis of a herd of 100 mature cows as affected by winter pasture and hay quality at the White Sand Unit, South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, Poplarville, MSa.
Winter pasture:
Hay quality:		 Overseeded ryegrassb None
High Low High Low
Production parameters
  Pregnancy ratec, % 93 93 84 84
  Replacement rated, % 15 15 24 24
  Weaning weightse, lb 544 559 516 541
Revenuef -----------$/head-----------
  Calf salese 400.50 400.50 400.50 400.50
  Culled cows 67.92 67.92 108.67 108.67
  Pregnant cows purchased -97.50 -97.50 -156.00 -156.00
Gross revenue 370.92 370.92 353.17 353.17
Direct operating expenses
  Hay purchasedg 36.40 26.75 52.50 44.75
  Hay harvest expensesh 7.10 7.10 7.10 7.10
  Corni 22.18 22.52 52.05 67.10
  Soybean meali 1.79 3.49 6.27 11.22
  Summer pasture 43.71 43.71 43.71 43.71
  Ryegrass pasture--overseededb 45.50 45.50 0.00 0.00
  Other cash expensesj 64.99 64.99 67.03 67.03
  Noncash expensesk 36.50 36.50 25.49 25.49
Total direct operating expenses 258.18 250.57 254.17 266.41
Gross margin 112.75 120.57 99.01 86.77
Total interest expensesl 11.93 11.44 12.25 13.04
Total pre-tax farm expenses 270.11 262.01 266.42 279.45
Net farm incomem 100.81 108.91 86.75 73.72
  -------------$/cwt-------------
Breakeven pre-tax sale pricen 57.60 56.04 60.30 62.80
  ----------Percent-----------
Financial return on enterprise assets (ROA)o 5.80 6.19 5.09 4.46
aStandardized Production Analysis -- Financial (SPA-FCC).
bMarshall ryegrass overseeded on sod to provide 0.67 acre/cow. Cost from Table 5.
cMean pregnancy rates for 3 years, Table 3.
dAssumes: 8% for culling of cows due to health and soundness; 0% death loss of cows.
eWeaning weights from Table 1 not significantly different (P=0.22). 542 lb/head used for calf sales. Assumes 4% death loss of calves born.
fPrices: steer calves, $80.97/cwt; heifer calves, $72.90/cwt; cull cows, $45.28/cwt; (10-year average) replacement pregnant cows, $650/hd.
gHay needs from Table 2 minus 0.35 ton/Acre from pasture clippings. Hay value: high-quality, $70/ton; low-quality, $50/ton.
hHay harvested from pastures.
iFrom Table 2.
jAll other expenses (mineral, vet, medicines, breeding,interest, property tax, marketing, and repairs). Labor, debt service, income tax, and overhead not included.
kDepreciation of machinery, equipment, and fencing.
lAssumes 8.6% interest on direct cash expenses. All assets are owned and no long-term debt to repay.
mCash available would be the total of net farm income plus noncash expenses. This would be used for debt service, family living expenses, income taxes, and overhead before retained earnings could be calculated.
nUnit cost of weaned calf production. Total pre-tax expenses adjusted for non-calf revenue divided by total pounds of calves sold.
oGross Margin divided by Total Assets x 100. Interest not included.



Table 5. Costs per acre for ryegrass pasture, sod-seeded, South Mississippi, 1995.
Item Unit Price Quantity Amount
    $   $
DIRECT EXPENSES
Fertilizer (spread)
  Nitrate (34% N) cwt 10.75 3.65 39.24
  DAP (18-46-0) cwt 12.00 0.65 7.80
  Potash (60% K2O) cwt 7.50 0.50 3.75
Seed
  Ryegrass seed lb 0.30 35.00 10.50
Herbicide
  2,4-D qt 2.95 0.75 2.21
Operator labor
  Tractors hr 0.00 0.70 0.00
Diesel fuel
  Tractors gal 0.84 1.87 1.57
Repair & maintenance
  Tractors acre 1.11 1.00 1.11
  Implements acre 2.04 1.00 2.04
Total direct expenses 68.22
FIXED EXPENSES
Tractors acre 2.34 1.00 2.34
Implements acre 4.18 1.00 4.18
Total fixed expenses 6.52
Total specified expenses 74.74