Knowing what’s in every bite
Understanding CRP forage quality
By Jason M. Warner
If I asked 10 different producers this question: “How good of quality do you think is your CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) forage for grazing?” — I would expect that nine would respond with something to the extent of “Not much better than trees!” or “About like corn stalks after harvest!” Maybe the other one person would say something like “Don’t waste your time!”
The reason for the proposed question is because that is exactly what Kansas State University Extension agents and beef specialists across the state have been working on to better understand recently.
While we typically think about pasture forage quality in the context of native grasslands, CRP lands represent a significant source of forage for producers in some areas. For us in Kansas, CRP lands in 2024 comprised over 12% of the state’s total native grasslands. Back to the question of forage quality, it is a forage resource where available data to help guide producers is quite scarce. Certainly, emergency grazing or haying of CRP during drought is the most common reason these forages are utilized, but there may be many other situations that lead to usage by producers.
Information on standing forage quality is necessary for accurate feeding recommendations for producers, and it also applies to situations in which CRP tracts are harvested as hay. Yes, calf prices are at record high levels but our goal should still be to optimize our supplement inputs by avoiding both over- and under-supplementation. Having accurate forage quality estimates is key in helping us do so.
To improve our understanding of seasonal nutrient content changes of CRP forages across Kansas, a statewide assessment was recently conducted. Project details and preliminary data may be found in the 2025 KSU Cattlemen’s Day Report (Schwartz et al., 2025) and were discussed in the May/June issue of BEEF in which preliminary information were reported. In short, all standing forage above 1 inch was collected, so prior management impacted the sample quality.
This is an update to the information presented in that article. Some samples would contain the current and prior year growth. Be sure to check out the 2026 Cattlemen’s Day Report when available next spring which will contain the final summary of this project as a snapshot of those data are presented here.
In general, crude protein increased during the growing season and decreased during fall and winter for both eastern and western Kansas samples. For eastern Kansas samples, crude protein (% dry matter basis) ranged from less than 3% in February to over 6% in June, but some samples were as high as nearly 10% during that month (Figure 1).
On average, eastern Kansas samples were 4% crude protein in October and declined going into winter. Samples collected from western Kansas ranged from 3% crude protein in February to over 6% in June with wide ranges noted during the primary growing season months (Figure 2).
The key takeaway here is that these data have been generated to help serve as a benchmark guide for making informed nutrition decisions when CRP forages are used. There are certainly times when beef cow nutrient requirements may be met by CRP forages alone and times when supplementation will be needed.
Keep in mind the following points:
Variation in forage nutrient concentration exists.
Production stage of the cowherd will determine how well CRP forages meet requirements.
Operation specific forage sampling can always help fine-tune nutrient intake estimates, but these data are a useful point of reference in getting started.
Warner, Ph.D., is an Extension cow-calf specialist in the Department of Animal Science and Industry at Kansas State University. Cover photo courtesy of Brad Reinke.
