Beginning in 2002, a second phase of this research began, with funding by SARE and other sources, that adds two additional systems located adjacent to the original research.  These systems, replicated 3 times in a randomized block design, include about 100 acres. System 3, a non-irrigated three-paddock system, uses a base pasture of perennial native grasses including buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides), bluegrama (Bouteloua gracilis), and sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula). In paddocks 2 and 3, foxtail millet (Seteria italica), a warm season annual grass, grown for supplemental grazing and weed suppression, is rotated each year with cotton. Steers graze native grasses followed by graze-out of millet in late summer before moving to the feedyard for finishing.

            System 4 is an irrigated three-paddock system that uses improved introduced perennial warm-season grasses.  Dahl old world bluestem is in the base pasture with >Tifton-85' bermudagrass in paddocks 2 and 3. Steers graze stockpiled Dahl bluestem and bermudagrass during winter. As spring growth begins, bluestem provides grazing before bermudagrass and steers sequentially graze these forages. Excess growth of bermudagrass is harvested for hay. Seed are harvested from bluestem each fall. System 4 is irrigated and monitored for total water applied as described for Phase I of this research.

            This research area required fencing, establishment by conversion of a long-time cotton monoculture area into the forage and cropping systems, and installation of the irrigation system for System 4.  The dryland system was completed in 2004 and cattle began grazing in May, 2004. Establishment of the perennial pastures in System 4 was completed during 2004 and cattle began grazing this system in spring 2005. All fertility and other management practices are as described for Phase I except that fertilizers applied to the dryland system are surface applied.