(05/03/17) BOSSIER CITY, La. — Cattle producers looking to improve the health of their cattle, pastures and profits heard from research and extension experts at a beef and forage field day held April 27 at the LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station in Bossier City.

Mississippi State University extension economist Josh Maples said cattle prices are strong, but watching how the market copes during the next few months will be important. Maples said feedlots are seeing high turnover. “Cattle are moving through at an aggressive pace, which is good for feeder cattle prices,” he said.

Cattle numbers are the big driver, with total cattle inventory rebounding dramatically, adding about 2.2 million cows to the U.S. herd since 2014, when cattle numbers hit historically low levels, he said.

Driving the huge spike in inventory numbers is the most aggressive period of heifer retention seen since the 1960s, Maples said.

Support for calf prices will focus on demand over the next few years, Maples said, but a potential decrease in cattle supply projected for the end of the decade could bring some price support.

AgCenter veterinarian Dr. Jacques Fuselier advised cattle producers to follow industry-adopted beef quality assurance guidelines when vaccinating cattle.

Fuselier drew a triangle in the neck area of a cow to show where vaccines should be administered.

“The area has good blood supply and will absorb the vaccine well, offers flexibility of movement to reduce chances of long-term scarring, and is a poor-quality cut of meat and less costly if discarded,” he said.

Vaccines are formulated and intended for use in healthy cattle, Fuselier said.

Many factors contribute to developing resistance to common types of cattle treatments, including antibiotics, dewormers and some fly pour-on products, said AgCenter associate professor in beef cattle Ryon Walker.

“Cow body weight is one piece of the puzzle,” Walker said.

When running different-size cows through a chute, dosage amounts need to be adjusted accordingly, he said.

AgCenter extension forage specialist Ed Twidwell said more research is needed to rate the effectiveness of a new technology that blends herbicides with fertilizer for same-time application for weed control in pastures.

It saves time, has very little drift and does not require a sprayer, he said. But a cost is associated with the process, and finding a dealer to blend it may be difficult.

AgCenter weed scientist Ron Strahan provided recommendations for controlling the most prolific weeds plaguing Louisiana pastures.

“There are no herbicide options that will selectively remove broomsedge,” Strahan said.

Improving fertility and increasing soil pH levels by applying fertilizer and lime, along with clipping every 30 to 60 days, helps open the canopy for bermudagrass or bahiagrass, he said.

AgCenter forage specialist Buddy Pitman said an opportunity exists for producers to develop a local seed crop from an improved dallisgrass variety that shows increased seedling vigor, good seed production and improved forage production.

Dallisgrass only fits in bottomland soils, and because of low demand, seed has not been available for several years, he said.

A high-quality forage, dallisgrass will maintain quality over a long growing season, retaining green leaves through early frost for good fall grazing, Pitman said.

Eliminating dallisgrass that naturally establishes in a pasture should not necessarily be the first response, AgCenter forage specialist Wink Alison said.

Several studies in Louisiana and Arkansas point to increased weight gain on cattle grazing on dallisgrass and bermudagrass-dallisgrass mixed pastures, he said.

“The beef cattle and related forage industry in northwest Louisiana is big, and this event has grown in attendance and sponsorship each year,” AgCenter regional director Patrick Colyer said.

The event marked the fifth annual beef and forage field day held in the region and joined producers with scientists, agents and resources for updates on farm operations, Colyer said.

The AgCenter is dedicated to providing research-based information vital to animal management and profitability and remains responsive to the needs of cattle producers in the Northwest region said Phil Elzer, AgCenter associate vice president and director of the School of Animal Sciences.

“We are currently conducting animal research programs at six research stations across the state. Having large beef herds is no longer feasible due to budget constraints and lack of faculty; we simply cannot do it at every station,” Elzer said.

Forage, forestry and poultry programs will remain at the Hill Farm Research Station in Homer, he said. But the cattle herd there will be reduced to a more manageable size for extension demonstrations, while beef cattle research in northwest Louisiana will continue at the Red River Research Station.

LSU AgCenter forage specialist Buddy Pitman reports on a new variety of dallisgrass that offers potential for local seed crop production at a beef and forage field day held at the Red River Research Station on April 27. Photo by Karol Osborne/LSU AgCenter

AgCenter animal scientist Ryon Walker tells cattle producers about the importance of cow body weight as one of the contributing factors to the development of resistance in cattle treatments during a beef and forage field day held at the Red River Research Station on April 27. Photo by Karol Osborne/LSU AgCenter

LSU AgCenter forage specialist Ed Twidwell, left, and weed scientist Ron Strahan explain how to control troublesome pasture weeds at the Red River Research Station beef and forage field day on April 27. Photo by Karol Osborne/LSU AgCenter