Limited Protein and Energy for Wintering Yearling Steers on Standing Kentucky Bluegrass

In a 2-year study, 225 steers were wintered on standing Kentucky bluegrass and fed limited energy and protein supplements and a combination of these two supplements. In the first experiment the steers were offered: (1) no supplement, (2) protein blocks free choice, (3) 0.45 kg soybean meal per steer daily, (4) 1.36 kg ground shelled corn per steer daily and (5) 0.45 kg soybean meal plus 1.36 kg ground shelled corn in a 140-day wintering study. The treatments in the second experiment were the same as in experiment 1, with the exception that the protein block group was eliminated and the length of the trial was 126 days. These data indicated that steers can be wintered on standing Kentucky bluegrass and no supplement with a small amount of gain. This wintering system required a minimum expenditure of labor, since the steers were supplementally fed hay only when the ground was covered with snow.