INTRODUCTIONForage-finished beef ca

INTRODUCTION
Forage-finished beef can be produced during fall,
winter, and spring months in the southeastern United
States through use of cool season forages, such as
nontoxic cool-season perennial grasses, small grains and
cool-season annual grasses, and cool-season legumes.
These forage species, planted either in monocultures
or in combinations, frequently produce individual calf
gains that exceed 1 kg/d. Crops for producing foragefinished beef in the southeastern United States during
the summer months are more limited. Bermudagrass
(Cynodon dactylonL. Pers.) and bahiagrass (Paspalum
notatumFlugge) are the primary forage species used
in the Southeast for summer grazing. Although these
perennial forages are well suited for regional cow-calf
operations and can produce high forage yields, their