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Title:   Author  item
                                            Mitchell, Robert

                                                         - *Rob*item
                                            Vogel, Kennethitem
                                            Varvel, Garyitem
                                            KLOPFENSTEIN, T - UNI OF NE-LINCOLNitem
                                            CLARK, R - UNI OF NE-LINCOLN
  Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts
                                    Publication Type: Abstract Only
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2003
                                    Publication  Date: 2/1/2004
                                    Citation: Mitchell, R., Vogel, K.P., Varvel, G.E., Klopfenstein, T.J., Clark, R.T. 2004. An economic comparison of livestock grazing and corn production in eastern nebraska. Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts. #258.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: Perennial grasses and corn (Zea mays L.) production provide the foundation for the agricultural industry in Nebraska. Many producers grow both perennial grass pastures and corn to meet their livestock feed demands and diversify their operations.  The objective of this study was to compare the economic potential of livestock grazing and corn production on rainfed cropland in eastern Nebraska. Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) pastures were seeded near Mead, NE in 0.4-ha pastures, and were burned and fertilized with ammonium nitrate at 112 kg N ha-1 in the spring prior to grazing.  Each pasture was stocked with three crossbred yearling steers ('300 kg) in mid-June 2000, 2001, and 2002 to provide a stocking rate of 7.5 steers ha-1.  Dryland corn was grown with best management practices on similar soils approximately 3 km from the pastures.  Pasture development cost was amortized for 15 years at 5%, and added to annual inputs of fertilizer, herbicides, and burning to total approximately $150 ha-1.  Annual corn inputs were approximately $340 ha-1.  Big bluestem produced an average of 450 kg of beef ha-1 and corn produced an average of 5330 kg of grain ha-1 during this 3-year study.  On average, livestock grazing returned about three times more dollars ha-1 than corn, and appears to have the best economic potential on non-irrigated cropland in eastern Nebraska.


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