Determine animal performance and eco-nomic net returns for 6 bermudagrass-based pasture graz-ing systems in the US Southern Great Plains. Animal performance data from a 4-yr split-plot grazing study conducted in south-central Oklahoma were used to evaluate 6 bermudagrass-based stocker cattle grazing systems: bermudagrass forage with 112 kg N/ha (100 lb/acre) and a feed supplement under continuous stocking (BNSC), bermudagrass forage with 112 kg N/ha and a feed supplement grazed in a 28-d rest rotation (BNSR), bermudagrass forage without N fer-tilizer with a feed supplement under continuous stocking (BSC), bermudagrass forage without N fertilizer with a feed supplement grazed in a 28-d rest rotation (BSR), ber-mudagrass forage interseeded with grazing-tolerant alfalfa under continuous stocking (BAC), and bermudagrass for-age interseeded with grazing-tolerant alfalfa grazed in a 28-d rest rotation (BAR). Enterprise budgets and mixed effect models were used to estimate means for measures of animal performance and net returns. Total gain was greater in the BNSC system (324 kg/ha) than the BNSR and BAR sys-tems with gains of 307 and 299 kg/ha. Interseeded alfalfa with rotational grazing (BAR) had the greatest net re-turn of $44/ha ($18/acre). The next-best system was BAC with a net return of −$56/ha. The conventional systems (BNSC and BNSR) had low net returns due to fertilizer and supplemental feed costs, and rotational systems (BSR and BNSR) had low net returns due to greater water, fenc-ing, and labor costs. The bermudagrass systems with interseeded alfalfa performed better eco-nomically than the conventional bermudagrass systems. The alfalfa rotational system was more economical than conventional continuously stocked systems because giving alfalfa time to recover from preferential grazing, extended its stand life.

Evaluate the effects of feeding fiber recov-ered from dairy cattle manure (Lignium Fiber, Lignium Corp., Boca Raton, FL) on feed intake, apparent digest-ibility, and ruminal fermentation characteristics in finish-ing beef heifers. Eight ruminally cannulated crossbred beef heifers (initial BW = 520 ± 85.5 kg) were used in an experiment with replicated, concurrent 4 × 4 Latin squares with 4 consecutive 15-d periods. How-ever, data from one heifer were not collected due to health complications. Heifers were fed 1 of 4 experimental diets that contained (DM basis) 8.0% warm-season grass hay (HAY), 8.0% wheat straw (WSTRAW), 8.0% Lignium Fi-ber (LIG), or 4% warm-season grass hay + 4% Lignium Fiber (HAY+LIG). All diets contained 46.7% dry-rolled corn, 5.3% supplement, and 40.0% wet-corn gluten feed (DM basis). Individual roughage sources were evaluated using the Penn State Particle Separator. Each period in-cluded 10 d of diet adaptation, 4 d of fecal collection, and 1 d of ruminal digesta collection. Chromic oxide was used as a marker to determine diet digestibility. Ruminal pH, concentrations of ammonia, and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were measured. When evaluated using the Penn State Particle Separator, 16%, 23%, and 94% of particles from wheat straw, warm-season grass hay, and Lignium Fiber were <4.0 mm, respectively. Intake and ap-parent digestibility of DM, OM, NDF did not differ among treatments. Intake of ADF tended to be greatest for LIG, intermediate for HAY+LIG and WSTRAW, and least for HAY. Acid detergent fiber digestibility tended to be great-est for HAY, intermediate for HAY+LIG and WSTRAW, and least for LIG. Average ruminal pH and concentra-tions of total VFA and ammonia did not differ among treatments. However, ruminal propionate and isovalerate tended to be greater for HAY, LIG, and HAY + LIG com-pared with WSTRAW. Incorporating Lig-nium Fiber into a finishing diet based on dry-rolled corn with 40% wet-corn gluten feed (DM basis) in place of hay or wheat straw did not affect DMI, apparent DM digest-ibility, or ruminal pH.