Husbandry: Insufficient Nutrients in Winter Forage

A summer of excessive moisture and good grass growth followed by record high temperatures and record low precipitation this winter has provided many northern Plains cattle producers with the opportunity to extend their grazing season well beyond normal.

“Although producers currently grazing are most likely saving money by not dipping into harvested or purchased hay reserves, cow stage of gestation and coincident nutrient requirements must be considered to determine whether cows are getting the nutrients they need from midwinter grasses,” says Carl Dahlen, a North Dakota State University Extension Service beef cattle specialist.

These cows’ nutrient requirements are changing as the animals progress into the third trimester of pregnancy. Depending on their calving season, many of the cattle on pastures are experiencing this requirement increase.

However, the protein of forages standing at this point is very low (probably no more than 4 to 5 percent). Cows during the third trimester should be eating feed with around 8 percent protein, Dahlen says.

In addition to protein percentage, producers need to keep in mind the physical form of the standing forage.

“As we progress into winter, the pasture grasses are more susceptible to being knocked over by cattle or weighted down by snow and wind,” Dahlen says. “Add this to the fact that winter grasses are less palatable compared with earlier in the year, and it becomes difficult for cattle to consume the amount of forage they need.”

The mineral and vitamin content of standing forages likely is below requirements as well. Minerals at this stage largely are needed to develop a calf’s immune system through nutrients circulating through the cow and from nutrients that will be available for colostrum and milk production once the calf is born. Not having proper minerals now could be a big issue for calf health in a few months.

Not meeting cattle’s nutrient requirements also can affect fetal programming, although the impact is not necessarily seen immediately, according to Dahlen.

Rick Funston, Extension beef reproductive physiologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has conducted considerable research on the impact of protein supplementation during late gestation on the health and performance of the offspring. Funston found that calves born from cows that were fed supplements during late gestation had better growth rates, a greater percentage of heifers became pregnant during their first breeding season, and calves put into feedlots had greater feedlot performance.

“We’re talking lifetime productivity, and it is not something that can be seen in the cows today but can have big impacts on herds into the future,” Dahlen says.

He recommends producers who have cattle in late gestation provide their cattle with some type of protein and energy supplementation, such as lick tubs, range cubes or distillers grains. Free-choice alfalfa hay delivered to cows in addition to grazing also will provide additional protein.

“Also monitor cow body condition very closely and ensure the proper delivery of vitamin/mineral supplements to cows,” he advises. “Pre-calving losses in body condition set cows up for issues after calving. Metabolic conditions, retained placenta and delayed rebreeding are things that I would be concerned with if cows came through the summer on great grass but then lost a lot of condition just prior to calving.”

Source: Carl Dahlen, (701) 231-5588

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Creep Feeding Decision Time

When an oppressive heat wave scorches pastures and dries up water sources, it may be time to consider creep feeding beef calves.

Creep feeding is a way to increase weaning weight by supplementing grass and milk for unweaned calves or to supplement milk production in periods of nutritional stress for cows -- is a valid option now, said John Comerford, associate professor of dairy and animal science.

"The decision to creep feed or not to creep feed is a difficult one for producers," says John Comerford, associate professor of dairy and animal science at Penn State. "Like most other aspects of the beef business, it's a complex decision and one that has to be analyzed year after year.This management decision has lots of variables and responses that are not always predictable."

Each producer has to weigh independently if creep feeding is financially feasible. The logical questions to ask before creep feeding calves are "How much will it cost?" and "How much does it pay?"

Creep feeding implies there will be purchased feed provided for the calves, usually on a limited basis, along with facilities, equipment and labor to provide the feed.

Comerford offered this sample calculation:

Cost:
40-calf creep feeder costing $1,000 with a 10-year life -- per calf cost: $2.50
Feed at $0.20 per pound x 3.5 pounds/day x 100 days: $70.00
Interest on feed at 4 percent: $0.16
Total estimated cost per calf: $72.66

The payoff:
Additional weaning weight of 0.6 pounds/day (total 60 lbs. at $1.45/pound): $87.00

Net return to labor and management: $14.34

But creep feeding does not always pay off, Comerford cautioned.

"It appears on the surface that creep feeding would be a profitable management tool at any time, but there are other considerations. The total weight gain should not be used as the predictor of additional value of calves. Additional weight on calves usually also implies a lower value per pound when they are sold, so the total value of the calf should be considered."

Other factors involved in creep-feeding calculations include feed efficiency, feed palatability and cost, carcass grade, marbling accretion, preconditioning programs and weaning.

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Husbandry: Bull Pastures Increase Profits

Bull management is an important part of running beef cows. A key to successful bull management is having and using a bull pasture according to University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eldon Cole.

"This is the time of year when owners of well-managed cattle herds are pulling their bulls from their cow herds," said Cole. "The bulls likely were put with the cows and heifers in late April and by early July they've had a 75 to 90 day breeding season.

According to Cole, females should have cycled and had the opportunity to breed two to possibly four times during that period depending on their calving date and interval from then to first heat.

"By having a well defined breeding season you should have a closer bunched, more uniform set of calves. This is an asset at marketing time as larger groups of uniform calves typically sell for a higher price."

The price of the heifer calves should also be higher as they are less likely to have been bred by the bulls if they are removed before the heifers reach puberty.

Research consistently shows that as temperatures warm up, conception rates go down and the calf crop becomes more strung out if the bulls remain with the cows. This is especially true in fescue country as the endophyte problem or heat stress adds insult injury as summer temperatures climb.

A University of Kentucky trial found a breeding season from April 21 to June 5 resulted in an 89 percent pregnancy rate. A breeding season from May 21 to July 6 resulted in 78 percent of the cows becoming pregnant. Only 59 percent of the cows settled when bred from June 19 to Aug. 4.

An Oklahoma State report compared records from 394 Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico ranches. Those records show a 75-day breeding season, compared to those leaving the bull with the cows year round, resulted in a reduced cost of $13.63 for producing 100 pounds of calf.

"In other words, it makes economic sense to control the breeding season," said Cole.

Source: Eldon Cole (417) 466-3102

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Soybean Alternatives to Fish Meal for Weanling Pigs

New research indicates that fermented soybean meal and enzyme-treated soybean meal may replace fish meal in weanling pig diets.

"The price of fish meal has exploded and is causing producers to search for new options for weanling pig diets," said Hans H. Stein, University of Illinoi professor of animal sciences. "Pigs are traditionally fed diets containing relatively large amounts of animal proteins such as fish meal from weaning up to 40 pounds when they can digest traditional soybean meal."

The fermentation and enzyme treatment process helps remove some of the antigens found in traditional soybean meal and other compounds that are not easily digested by weanling pigs. Stein said these new sources of soybean meal may be the answer producers are looking for to keep costs down without sacrificing digestibility of important amino acids.

"In our study, we measured the digestibility of amino acids in these two new sources of soybean meal in comparison to fish meal, casein and soy protein isolate," Stein said. "We observed that enzyme-treated soybean meal has even better digestibility of amino acids than conventional soybean meal. It appears the enzyme treatment increases digestibility. Fermented soybean meal has the same digestibility as standard soybean meal, so we now know that fermentation doesn't reduce digestibility."

Stein said both fermented and enzyme-treated soybean meal products are readily available in the United States and are currently cheaper alternatives to fish meal.

"With the high cost of fish meal and concerns about its future availability, I believe these are two good options for weanling pig diets," Stein said. "They are comparable in digestibility to soy protein isolate, the gold standard protein source that is only used in human nutrition."

Source: University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

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Protecting Horses in Extreme Weather

Provide warm water.
Provide warm water at least twice a day or use a water-heating unit if the horses drink from a common water source in a field. Make sure the heating units are working properly and no stray voltage is leaking into the water. If horses must drink cold water, they may not drink enough, which could contribute to impaction colic and dehydration.

Provide shelter.
Horses are generally well protected from the cold through the insulating hair coat and other aspects of their physiology. However, they need protection in extreme winter conditions of cold, blizzard, or wind. The insulating hair coat becomes significantly less effective when wet through, and horses should be sheltered from the cold when freezing rain is combined with cold weather.

Continued in... The Corral
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Keep Pets Healthy During Holidays

Holidays can mean potential hazards for pets. Table foods, ornaments, and other holiday items can be harmful to cats and dogs. Every year veterinarians see an increase in a variety of digestive diseases during the holiday season.

Table food can cause dogs to suffer from acute gastroenteritis (an inflammation of the stomach and intestine) or pancreatitis. In both diseases, dogs experience severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and listlessness.

Bones may lead to obstructions in the esophagus, the stomach, or the intestine and lead to severe digestive signs.

Furthermore, grapes, raisins, onions, and chocolate are foods that dogs and cats should not receive. They are toxic to pets and can cause potentially fatal diseases, such as acute kidney failure, anemia, or seizures.

Finally, most ornamental plants (e.g., poinsettias, mistletoes, holly, etc.) can cause stomach upset.

Decorating usually involves more electrical cords, so please check to make sure that your pets are not chewing on them, as electric shock may have devastating consequences. Also, some pets may try to eat batteries, so please make sure that they are put away safely.

Candy wrappers, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or ribbons can lead to serious problems if eaten by dogs or cats. Tinsel is particularly enticing to cats. When ingested in sufficient quantities, it binds into a rope that can cause severe intestinal obstruction and require surgical treatment.

Any small decoration or toy poses a swallowing hazard. If a child can choke on small toys or parts, then so can the family dog or cat.

The weather in December and January can be quite chilly, so, please remember to bring in your outside pets overnight if a hard freeze is forecast.

If your pet becomes sick or if you think that it may have ingested something harmful, contact your veterinarian immediately. Delays in seeking veterinary help may seriously complicate the problem.

Source: Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Teaching Hospital

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Feed Cattle Hay in Summer When Pastures Limit Performance

Hay should be fed anytime the forage supply is limiting optimum animal performance according to Eldon Cole, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

When hay harvest is underway in the summer, cattlemen typically think the hay shoould only be used in the winter when snow, ice and cold weather arrives. But pastures fall in the "too short for optimum performance" category whenever there are less than three or four inches to graze. That is when hay should be put out according to Cole.

"The per animal hay requirement should be less than in the dead of winter, but could still be around 15 to 20 pounds per day for a cow," said Cole.

Alternative feeds such as the grain by-products, corn gluten feed, dried distillers grains and soybean hulls can help stretch the forages for some classes of cattle. These supplements are especially helpful for stocker steers and heifers and spring
calves.

"These cattle may be hand fed daily or every other day for greatest efficiency. Self-fed supplements are convenient, but more costly," said Cole.

Early weaning is an option to explore if the dams are first-calf females or old, thin cows. Calf removal allows the females to get by on less forage and forage of lower quality.

The main concern with early weaning may be the hot weather and dusty pens that could set the calves up for respiratory problems.

These stressors can be partially reduced with fenceline weaning (where the calves remain on pasture just across the fence from their dams).

"If the pasture on the other side of the fence is eaten in to the ground there could be a dust problem. Sprinkling the weaning pen and corral area can help control the dust," said Cole.

Stockpiling fescue should be started now with the spreading of 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen on good stands of fescue. Move cattle off the pasture until November, if possible, to allow maximum stockpile growth providing rains cooperate.

"A good stand of fescue can produce 250 to 300 pounds of dry matter per inch per acre. If your stockpiling goes well and you get 8 or 10 inches of growth, that's about one ton of total growth for fall-winter grazing."

When grazing begins, use power fencing to strip graze the forage for greater efficiency. The fence can be moved every 3 or 4 days so fresh stockpiled fescue is available.

"Cattle prices have been strong for several months and forecasters see continued strength for both stocker cattle and breeding replacements. With that in mind, investing now in hay, supplement or fertilizer for dry pastures should pay off."

• Source: Eldon Cole (417) 466-3102
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