Backgrounding on grass profitable?

[TWOROPES]

While I am familiar with background operations using ration-grass combo, a local guy is trying a concept new to me, anyway.He is taking 400-500 wt. calves on the gain, on irrigated bermuda grass, and applying fertilizer monthly. He claims he can get 2lb. daily gain on good calves this way, on nothing but grass mineral, salt, water.I have never heard of gains like this on bermuda grass, but if he can do it, more power too him as he is getting 40 cents a pound. Its kinda like a super high intensity stocker operation. I have run calves on bermuda grass before and thaught I was doing good at 1 pound daily gain. Any comments?

 

[Mike]

While I am familiar with background operations using ration-grass combo, a local guy is trying a concept new to me, anyway.He is taking 400-500 wt. calves on the gain, on irrigated bermuda grass, and applying fertilizer monthly. He claims he can get 2lb. daily gain on good calves this way, on nothing but grass mineral, salt, water.I have never heard of gains like this on bermuda grass, but if he can do it, more power too him as he is getting 40 cents a pound. Its kinda like a super high intensity stocker operation. I have run calves on bermuda grass before and thaught I was doing good at 1 pound daily gain. Any comments?

Have seen bulls gain 4 pounds per day on a grazing test in South Alabama. But they started out at 700-800 lbs.

It might be possible on bermuda this time of year but in late August it starts to get tough unless it is all new growth.

There is guy in North Florida who runs stockers every summer on irrigated Pearl Millet. He says gets 2 pounds easily and plants ryegrass & clover in the fall getting 3 pounds during winter.

Irrigation is mighty expensive though.