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The Ag Data Commons is migrating to a new institutional portal on Figshare. The current system is available for search and download only. The new platform is open for submission with assistance from Ag Data Commons curators. Please contact NAL-ADC-Curator@usda.gov, if you need to publish or update your datasets.

Data from USDA ARS Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) near Nunn, CO: Cattle weight gains managed with light, moderate and heavy grazing intensities

    The USDA-Agricultural Research Service Central Plains Experimental Range (CPER) is a Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network site located ~20 km northeast of Nunn, in north-central Colorado, USA. In 1939, scientists established the Long-term Grazing Intensity study (LTGI) with four replications of light, moderate, and heavy grazing. Each replication had three 129.5 ha pastures with the grazing intensity treatment randomly assigned. Today, one replication remains. Light grazing occurs in pasture 23W (9.3 Animal Unit Days (AUD)/ha, targeted for 20% utilization of peak growing-season biomass), moderate grazing in pasture 15E (12.5 AUD/ha, 40% utilization), and heavy grazing in pasture 23E (18.6 AUD/ha, 60% utilization). British- and continental-breed yearling cattle graze the pastures season-long from mid-May to October except when forage limitations shorten the grazing season. Individual raw data on cattle entry and exit weights, as well as weights every 28-days during the grazing season are available from 2000 to 2019. Cattle entry and exit weights are included in this dataset. Weight outliers (± 2 SD) are flagged for calculating summary statistics or performing statistical analysis.

    Data on Pregnancy rates, calf weaning weights, and sale prices on the University of Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station’s Gund Ranch from 2008-2020

      The University of Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station’s Gund Ranch near Austin, Nevada is approximately 100,000 acres with grazing by 325 cow-calf pairs. Cows are mostly Angus (80%) and Hereford (20%). Bulls are Angus X Hereford. Calves are mostly Angus with some black baldies. Cattle graze a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) grazing permit from April through July. Calving starts about mid-April. Branding is planned for 90-100 days after birth with bull calves castrated as this time. Privately-owned meadows are grazed July-September with weaning starting on September 15. Cows are grazed on BLM low elevation shrublands and weaned calves are kept in meadows with supplemental hay feeding on the Gund Ranch from October 1st through January 1st. The calves not kept for replacements are gathered and weighed for a total herd weight and shipped approximately the 1st of November. The larger end of the steers and heifers typically range from 475-490 pounds. Around 100 head are loaded onto a semi to achieve a full truckload of 48,000-50,0000 pounds. The smaller end of the steers and heifers are shipped on a second semi load. Weights are decreased with a 2% shrink calculation. In Nevada, there are only two sale barns, so many ranches receive more money by selling semi loads shipped to grazinglands of buyers’ choice. Calves are primarily sold on the internet go through Roundup Cattle Company. In years with drought conditions, calves may not reach the 48,000-50,000 weight limit for a second truck. Thus, the smaller calves can be marketed through a local sale barn at a one of their special calf sales.

      Data from: Environmental footprints of beef cattle production in the United States

        To quantify important environmental impacts of beef cattle production in the United States, surveys and visits of farms, ranches and feedlots were conducted throughout seven regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northern Plains, Southern Plains, Northwest and Southwest). Life cycle environmental impacts of U.S. beef cattle production were determined. Annual carbon emission was 243 ± 26 Tg CO2e (21.3 ± 2.3 kg CO2e/kg carcass weight). Annual fossil energy use was 569 ± 53 PJ (50.0 ± 4.7 MJ/kg carcass weight). Blue water consumption was 23.2 ± 3.5 TL (2034 ± 309 L/kg carcass weight). Reactive nitrogen loss was 1760 ± 136 Gg N (155 ± 12 g N/kg carcass weight).