Cow calf in pasture

Feeding Efficiently & Growing Profitability

Auburn University’s Beef and Forage Research Team is inviting Alabama cattle producers to take part in the Alabama Pasture Performance Project, a research effort designed to improve pasture productivity, animal performance, and long-term profitability across the state.

Meet the Team
Why participate

This project focuses on practical, research-backed strategies that work for real-world operations. Participating producers will help shape the future of beef and forage systems in Alabama while benefiting directly from improved cattle and pasture performance.

Project Goals

  • Enhance pasture utilization and forage quality
  • Improve animal growth and efficiency
  • Increase profitability through sustainable management

What Participation Involves

Producers will implement one or both of the following management strategies:

  • Prescribed Supplemental Feeding – Receive $15 per enrolled animal (up to 100 head) annually.
  • Interseeded Forbs – Receive $15 per enrolled acre (up to 100 acres) annually.

Additional program details will be provided upon request. Additional program details will be provided upon request. Operations must be EQIP-eligible to participate. If you are unsure of your EQIP eligibility, please contact your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office for assistance.

Photo collage of forbs and cattle
Join the project

Be part of a statewide effort to strengthen Alabama’s beef and forage systems.

To register or request additional information, please fill out an interest form and Project Coordinator, Gerry Thompson, will contact you directly.

Interest Form
Gerry Thompson has a conversation with an individual while standing near a cow.
Meet the team

Group photo of the APPP team (left to right) Samantha Bennet, Brandon Smith, Leanne Dillard, Maggie Justice, Kim Mullenix, Gerry ThompsonPictured from left to right: Samantha Bennet, Brandon Smith, Leanne Dillard, Maggie Justice, Kim Mullenix, Gerry Thompson

Gerald Thompson
Gerald Thompson
AL Pasture Performance Project Coordinator
Samantha Bennett
Samantha Bennett
Beef and Forage Outreach Administrator III
Brandon Smith, Ph.D.
Brandon Smith, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Ruminant Nutrition in Forage Systems
Leanne Dillard, Ph.D.
Leanne Dillard, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Susan Justice, Ph.D.
Susan Justice, Ph.D.
Beef Cattle Extension Specialist
Kim Mullenix
Kim Mullenix
Department Head and Professor

More on APPP

Update with info from Wordpress when provided.

A forb is an herbaceous, non-woody, flowering broadleaf plant that can provide a wide array of benefits to ecosystems. Some forbs, including the 36 varieties available for planting in this project, contain beneficial plant secondary metabolites (PSM). These compounds are known to shift rumen fermentation in ways that improve efficiency by reducing methane losses. Early research on PSM focused on adding these compounds to cattle diets as supplements, but more recent work shows promise in delivering them directly through grazed forbs.  
Researchers with Auburn University’s Beef and Forage Team are now evaluating how these forages potentially fit into southeastern grazing systems. So far, studies have shown that brassica species and legumes such as red clover can influence rumen function, improve animal health, and reduce methane production. Current research is expanding this work by evaluating which forb species have the greatest success rate at being implemented into Alabama pasture systems. 
All-in-all, incorporating diverse forage species such as forbs into grazing pasture systems may offer producers another practical tool to improve rumen digestion, support animal health, and enhance the sustainability of beef production.  

Supplemental feeding is a practical beef cattle management strategy that can be used to fill nutrient gaps, extend forage resources, and improve animal performance. Across the Southeast, it’s considered a common seasonal practice that helps keep cattle productive when forage alone can’t meet nutritional needs.  
Beyond simply providing cattle with nutrients, supplementation can also help improve how cattle utilize available forage. Adding non-forage feeds, such as byproduct feeds, can also help improve rumen function and digestion. Research has shown that common supplemental feedstuffs such as dried distillers grains, soybean hulls, and cotton byproducts can increase stocking rates while maintaining animal performance. In some cases, these feeding strategies have also been shown to improve feed efficiency and reduce methane output per unit of forage consumed.  
Researchers with Auburn University’s Beef and Forage Team continue to study how supplementation can fit into real-world grazing systems. Studies by the team have shown that strategic supplementation can allow producers to maintain more cattle on the same acreage all while returning valuable nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium back into pastures through manure. These recycled nutrients help support forage growth and may even reduce the need for commercial fertilizers over time. 
When used strategically, supplemental feeding can not only help cattle get through periods of low forage availability, but can also improve pasture use, animal efficiency, and overall system sustainabili
Contact

Gerry Thompson
Project Coordinator
Alabama Pasture Performance Project

Interest Form