Supplementing a well-managed oat-ryegrass winter pasture with a byproduct high in digestible fiber or energy permits a higher calf stocking rate, teaches feedbunk use and potentially increases meat production per acre, say Louisiana State University researchers.

They compared soy hull pellets, citrus pulp pellets and rice bran, all fed at 1% of body weight daily to fall-born Holstein calves on oat-ryegrass pasture. The stocking rate was 4.2 calves/acre in one study and 5.2 calves/acre in another.

All calves grew at the same rate.

“Therefore, selection of these agricultural byproducts as supplements for calves receiving high-quality winter pasture should be based on price and availability,” say the researchers.