Creep feeding 60 days prior to weaning should be considered for a couple of reasons. During the later stages of nursing milk production is decreasing. At the same time the calves are growing so there is a difference between available nutrients and what is needed to optimize calf growth. In addition, calves that have been creep fed, will usually wean easier because they are already accustomed to feeding equipment and eating feeds other than forages and milk.
We’re still in the dead of winter, but Mississippi State University’s Rocky Lemus already is reminding cattleman to protect their pasture grasslands from runaway broadleaf infestation this coming spring.
Lemus, who joined the university’s staff of extension forage specialists seven years ago, urges producers to avoid the understandable temptation caused by other pressing early spring tasks to eliminate pasture weed control monitoring chores or cut corners by relying upon “drive by” scouting. He said producers can’t gauge the severity of weed infestation without thoroughly walking pastures throughout the growing season.
“One producer told me that he thought his broadleaf population was under control when he checked the pasture’s edges,” Lemus remarked. “But he was wrong. He returned three or four days later to discover severe weed infestation.”
Weeds Steal Nutrients
If highly competitive broadleaf weeds seize control, nutrition-rich grasses are crowded out, robbing grazing cattle of inexpensive and nutritious forage essential to achieving optimum performance. As a rule of thumb, research data reveal up to a pound of forage is lost per pound of weeds.
That loss comes at the expense of the producer’s profit margin, Lemus observed. Poor scouting or failure to pay attention to weed control can become a very costly issue. Data show a 450 to 500 pound calf can achieve around 800 pounds feeding on good pasture forages.
In warmer Southern regions where winter grazing exists, scouting is a year-around job. Elsewhere, cattle producers should regularly walk their pastures starting in early spring and continue until the first hard frost. Scouting fosters early detection of correctable environmental conditions that favor troublesome weeds.
Early Warning Protection
Early evidence of so-called “indicator” broadleaf plants can help identify looming weed control problems, much like coal miners once used canaries to guard against odorless and deadly gasses. Broom sedge plants, for example, provide an early warning of low pH conditions or fertility deficiencies that inhibit vigorous grass growth. Other correctible problems where weeds gain a critical toehold in early spring range from poor drainage to overgrazing.
Lemus, who earned his PhD from Virginia Tech, said pasture grasses require the right pH level. Therefore, he recommended that producers conduct soil testing in early spring and again in early fall. Furthermore, sample timing must be consistent to prevent skewing results due to different seasonal weather conditions. Lemus said producers can get by with soil testing once every two or three years in pastures, but hay fields should be tested annually due to higher nutrient removal.
If producers don’t control weeds in early spring, the undesirable plants will steal precious nutrients and moisture needed by pasture grasses and grazing cattle, leading to losing a season-long struggle. Lemus said 50-60 percent of summer’s pasture foliage is produced from May through July.
Either mowing or spraying herbicides provides another opportunity to halt encroachment of aggressive weeds this spring. If producers elect to spray broadleaf herbicides, Lemus stressed the need to be certain the chemical’s label permits forage application. If mowing is preferred, Lemus suggested that producers not clip shorter than four to six inches in height. Tall grasses can outshine competitive weeds by capturing sunlight while shading out normally shorter stature broadleaf weeds.
If time permits, Lemus said the seemingly endless winter months represent an excellent season to check and calibrate spray equipment, be certain you’re using the right nozzle pressure and map out your entire pasture weed control strategy.
“A producer can really benefit financially by having his equipment and plan in order now,” Lemus concluded, “and by getting off on the right foot in early spring.”
Source: Purina Checkpoint
Do you equate a good herd-health program only with a vaccination and/or deworming program? While these are important, they aren’t the only considerations, says Christine B. Navarre, Extension Veterinarian, with Louisiana State university.
Dr. Navarre says good overall beef cattle herd health entails the following four basic parts:
1. Nutrition
“The first and most important part of a good herd health program is good nutrition,” says Dr. Navarre. “If adequate nutrition is not provided, deworming, vaccinating and biosecurity practices will fail to make a big impact.”
Cattle need adequate protein, energy, vitamins, minerals and clean water. Not providing these nutrients in the proper amounts will lead to diseases and production losses, according to Dr. Navarre.
“Poor nutrition depresses immunity to diseases and interferes with response to vaccination.” Dr. Navarre says. “Much time and effort can be spent diagnosing, vaccinating for and trying to eliminate a disease, but if nutritional problems aren’t addressed, other diseases will move into a herd.”
2. Deworming
Parasite infestations can cause significant losses in beef herds by depressing weight gains of growing cattle and causing infertility and poor milk production in cows. Parasite infestations also mimic poor nutrition as they rob animals of protein and other nutrients. Like poor nutrition, parasites lower immunity to disease and decrease vaccine responses. A good parasite-control program is an essential part of a successful herd health program, says Dr. Navarre.
3. Vaccinations
Although good nutrition and deworming boost immunity to all diseases, some diseases can overwhelm that immunity and can cause losses even in well-fed and dewormed herds. In these cases, says Dr. Navarre, vaccination programs can help boost immunity to specific diseases, providing extra protection against common diseases.
4. BioSecurity
Even well-fed, dewormed and properly vaccinated herds still have a risk of introducing diseases and suffering losses. that’s why a sound biosecurity plan is needed to help prevent the introduction and spread of diseases in a herd, says Dr. Navarre. “Preventing foreign animal diseases from entering cattle herds is important, but many diseases already here in the united States are costing the beef industry billions of dollars,” she says. “You need to also keep these diseases out of your herds or keep them from spreading if your cattle already have them.”
Source: Purina Checkpoint Newsletter Winter 2010
Purina introduces a new 30% Protein High Energy Cattle Tub this month for producers seeking a more convenient delivery method of protein supplements. Purina’s new 30% Protein High Energy Cattle 60 pound Tub product with controlled consumption technology provides your cattle an excellent source of protein in a convenient to handle, weather-resistant delivery method.
The new 60-pound tubs from Purina supply free-choice supplements when beef cattle need more than forage in their diet for protein supplementation. The protein tubs enhance intake and utilization of available forages, reducing labor for producers. The tubs are weather resistant and able to withstand rain or wind. And because they’re easy to handle, store and manage, producers can ensure their herds receive all the nutrients necessary when forage availability changes.
Purina’s 30% Protein High Energy Cattle Tubs use low-moisture, cooked molasses product technology. This allows consistent intake and nutrient delivery, which helps eliminate over-consumption and manage intake variability. And, it provides readily available energy to help stimulate rumen fermentation, which helps cattle extract more energy from forage. Tub supplementation can also help keep weight and body condition.
Nutritive value key to overall efficiency for beef cattle intake
COLLEGE STATION – An inexpensive hay test can offer the best guidance as to how much supplemental feed is required for a beef cattle herd, and at the same time, save ranchers money, according to a Texas AgriLife Research scientist.
Considering the historic drought conditions that prevail across Texas, Dr. Tryon Wickersham, an AgriLife Research animal nutritionist, said forage testing is even more important for cattle producers watching the bottom line.
A hay test can cost $50 or less, and many ranchers may be feeding more hay or supplement than they have to or the wrong type of supplement. A hay test will reduce the likelihood of both situations. (Texas AgriLife Research photo by Blair Fannin)
“With feeding programs being one of the most costly components of a cattle operation, every penny must be spent precisely, especially during these historic drought conditions,” Wickersham said.
A hay test can cost $50 or less, and Wickersham said many ranchers may be feeding more hay or supplement than they have to or the wrong type of supplement.
A hay test will reduce the likelihood of both situations, he said, noting that his recent research evaluated both variability in crude protein content and digestibility with Bermudagrass hays.
“The outcomes were a (bit) more variable than native grasses,” he said. “The outcomes depend on how much it has been fertilized and how mature the Bermudagrass is.”
The study found that increased Bermudagrass utilization (intake and digestion) with increasing nutritive value supports the recommendation of feeding high-quality hay.
“However, there must be a balance between optimizing quality, quantity and cost when producing hay,” Wickersham said. “These observations from the studies clearly demonstrate the value of purchasing and marketing hay based on nutritive value.”
Wickersham said a hay test can provide information on both crude protein content and forage digestibility, if requested.
He advised ranchers to test their hay to get a more accurate gauge as to how much supplement and what type of supplement to purchase and feed.
“Producers with higher quality hay may want to look at lower priced energy supplements and reducing hay availability as a means of conserving forage, reducing cost and maintaining body condition score,” Wickersham said. “With the current hay prices, you don’t want to give them unlimited access to hay. You don’t want to put 10 bales out and come back 10 days later.”
In contrast, Wickersham indicated that producers with lower-quality hay will need to pay attention to providing a supplement with adequate levels of both energy and protein. In either case, a producer can make a much better decision with information on hay nutritive value.
Additionally, bulk feeds can be an efficient method of feeding cow herds, but you have to have infrastructure in place to do this or evaluate the cost of adding this capacity, Wickersham said.
“Drought demands that producers find the cheapest source of energy they can realistically handle and safely feed,” he said. “Unfortunately, cheap is more than it used to be.”
Source: Blair Fannin, Media Relations Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Communications
October 20, 2011
Now is the time to make plans for getting the most from your hay as fall winds down and winter approaches. These tips can help:
1. Inventory the quantity of your hay on hand.
2. Work with your nutrition consultant to determine the quality of the hay you have.
3. Forage analysis can be useful. Testing hays for protein and energy content will help you design winter supplementation programs for your
specific situation.
4. Work with your nutritionist to develop a plan for your winter supplementation program, based on quality and quantity of hay and potential
changes in cow-herd size. Supplements can help stretch hay supplies.
5. Once you have a plan, look for opportunities to acquire necessary supplements. Grain markets could continue to be very volatile. Watch
these markets closely and work with suppliers to acquire what is needed at an optimum time.
6. Feed hay in small amounts or in a feeder to minimize waste.
7. If you plan to feed more than a day’s worth of feed, feeding in a rack or a hay ring can help reduce waste.
8. Feed hay in well-drained areas.
9. Rotate hay feeding locations to minimize damage to any one area of the pasture.
10. Feed hay stored outside before you feed hay that is stored inside. Outside-stored hay usually has more spoilage during storage and lower
palatability than hay that has been stored inside.
Do you have enough hay stored to meet the needs of your cattle for the remainder of the winter? Even though you may have stored what you think will be enough hay to carry your herd through the winter, conditions often change so you might be concerned that you will run short before spring.
If you are worried about having enough hay on hand, Warren Gill, University of Tennessee Extension beef specialist, offers this formula to use to help estimate your available feed.
If you think your hay supplies will be inadequate and you need to obtain more, you can contact your university extension service or other sources for finding more hay or figuring suitable strategies for stretching your hay supply. State Agricultural Departments in major cattle producing areas also provide listings of where additional hay might be available for purchase.
Here are some reminders for storing the hay when you get it:
PURINA’S IM TECHNOLOGY DELIVERS PREDICTABLE PERFORMANCE
It’s a well-researched fact that a stable digestive system in cattle results in increased forage
utilization, digestive function, and overall health and performance (see “Basic Cattle Nutrition”).
Hand feeding range supplements such as range cubes, commodities, or grain mixes, may be causing
instability in your animals’ digestive system. When cattle consume all their supplement in a 5-10-
minute period, binge eating occurs. As a result, forage intake is reduced and so is digestion.
Purina’s Intake Modifying Technology helps an animal’s digestive system function optimally by
causing cattle to eat multiple snacks each day. These snacks provide the necessary ingredients
(ammonia, energy, macro minerals and trace minerals) for rumen microbes — “bugs” — to grow in
number and efficiency. The greater number of these bugs in the rumen, the more efficiently cattle
digest forage. The result is optimal forage intake. Therefore, your cattle’s needs are better met from
your grass or hay, requiring less from your supplement.
Controlled Intake Systems: Controlled Intake Systems utilizing IM TechnologyTM result in:
• Multiple small supplement “snacks” each day that optimize an animal’s nutrient flow
• Consumption based on the quality of forage present. The higher your forage quality, the lower
the supplement intake; the poorer your forage quality, the higher the supplement intake.
• Precision feeding that meets your cattle’s needs regardless of forage quality.
• Maximization of pasture or hay intake and utilization. Controlled Intake Systems enhance
grazing distribution.
• Herd uniformity through nutritional equity. No more “boss” cows. And cows that don’t
respond to your call when you hand feed can still eat 24-hours a day, regardless of weather,
using Purina’s Controlled Intake Systems.
• Decreased delivery cost versus hand feeding. Purina’s Controlled Intake Systems replace daily
hand feeding with once-per-week feeding. Purina research shows this can save you as much as
17¢ per day or $26 per head over a 150-day feeding season.
The bottom line: IM Technology can help you increase the utilization of your greatest and most
economical resource — grass or hay — while providing the correct nutritional profile. And this
means predictable performance from your cattle.
These distinct Controlled Intake Systems are the result of Purina’s IM Technology research.
Accuration®/Cattle LimiterTM. Designed specifically for cows, developing heifers, growing
stockers or yearlings, bull conditioning and development, and creep feeding.
Sup-R-Block®. Designed for cows and bulls, developing heifers, and growing stockers or yearlings.
IMPACT®. Designed for starting, growing, and finishing cattle as well as for bull development. See
your Purina dealer today for a program that is right for your herd.
Cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc are trace minerals important to good cattle nutrition. Ranchers and feedlot operators need to know whether or not these minerals are available in their regions and supplement deficiencies accordingly. This TDN excerpts an article by Oklahoma State University animal nutritionist Fred Owens which identified the geographic availability of trace minerals. The original article appeared in the May, 1988 issue of Beef as “The Haves and the Have Nots.”
Cobalt
Moderate and extreme cobalt deficient areas exist primarily in the Central, Northeast and Southeast sections of the U.S. (Figure 1.) If cattle or feeds are obtained from these regions, deficiencies will be more likely. Cobalt levels calculated to be present in typical feedlot diets composed of corn, milo and wheat are .08, .19 and .15 parts per million (ppm). Compared with a .1 ppm requirement, the corn diet at .08 ppm is deficient by .02 ppm and must have cobalt supplemented.
Cobalt deficiency
One of the first signs of cobalt deficiency is a decreased appetite. Injections of cobalt or vitamin B-12 can stimulate the appetite of certain animals; for horses, B-12 injections are common. Vitamin B-12 often is included with vitamins A and D in injections for newly received cattle. As cobalt is a component of vitamin B-12, its requirement might increase with higher levels of propionate production in the rumen. Soil types vary in their cobalt level, and grasses are generally higher in cobalt than legumes.
Copper
Soils or plants in the upper Midwest, along the West Coast, in Florida and along the East Coast in the Virginia-Maryland area are low in copper (Figure 2). Copper deficiency also can occur in certain areas of the U.S., which have an excess of molybdenum (Figure 3), such as the Southwest, Florida and Central Texas. Cattle or feed from these areas may be deficient in copper.
The estimated requirement for copper by growing beef cattle was increased from 4 ppm in 1976 to 8 ppm in 1984. The new values are more similar to NRC (National Research Council) dairy requirements.
Dietary copper is tolerated by cattle at levels up to about 115 ppm. In contrast, the tolerance level for sheep fed a low molybdenum diet is only 8 to 11 ppm. When mineral supplements designed for cattle are fed to sheep, toxicities can occur.
With milo-based diets, one need not be concerned about copper, but with corn-based or wheat-based feedlot diets, 2 to 3 ppm of copper needs to be added.
Copper deficiency
With a severe copper deficiency, pigmentation of hair is reduced so that red cattle become yellow and black cattle become gray. Elevated levels of copper from copper sulfate may act as an antibiotic to depress ruminal fermentation.
Soil and plant copper concentrations vary. Young animals absorb copper more extensively than adult animals. High levels of sulfur, molybdenum, calcium and zinc each reduce absorption of copper and thereby increase its dietary requirement. Adequate copper is needed by the immune system, so a copper deficiency may cause animal health problems.
Iodine
Iodine is deficient in soils of plants across much of the Northern U.S. in the Goiter Belt (Figure 4). In addition, certain plants contain goitrogens that inhibit the use of iodine and increase its requirement.
The estimated iodine requirement for growing cattle is .5 ppm with a tolerance of 8 to 50 ppm. Corn-, milo- or wheat-based feedlot diets contain very little iodine and they all need iodine supplementation.
Iodine deficiency
An iodine deficiency decreases metabolic rate and causes goiter. Plants from low iodine soils have low iodine concentrations. Goitrogenic plants of wide renown and ill repute include those of the cabbage family, although goitrogens are also found in soybean meal, cottonseed meal and rapeseed meal.
Requirements for iodine vary with breed and age of animals. Under cold stress, the turnover rate of iodine increases, which may increase the need for dietary iodine. Castrated animals may require less iodine than do females, and females less than intact males.
A commonly used source of iodine in feeds is ethylenediaminedihydroiodine (EDDI). Some nutritionists have incorporated EDDI into diets as a preventative or cure for foot rot and soft tissue lumpy jaw. However, there is no scientific evidence substantiating the use of EDDI for those treatments. As a result, regulatory authorities have placed a maximum use level on the amount of EDDI that can be included in ruminant diets.
Iron
Iron present in soil often is unavailable to either plants or animals; thus, no mapping of soil or plant iron levels has been attempted. Iron availability varies widely with iron source.
Estimated iron requirements for steers have been increased by the NRC from 10 ppm (1976) to 50 ppm (1984). The iron tolerance level for cattle is from 400 to 1,000 ppm. Iron levels in corn, milo and wheat feedlot diets show that a wheat feedlot diet should be lowest, with a deficiency of 7 ppm.
Iron deficiency
As with deficiencies of many other minerals, a shortage of iron reduces rate of gain, a symptom that is hard to detect. Anemia also can occur. Iron loss is elevated by various abomasal or intestinal parasites that cause bleeding into the gut. One can measure iron status of animals by measuring the iron loading of the blood. Young animals need a much higher concentration of dietary iron than do older animals, probably because of expanding blood volume during growth.
Manganese
Manganese deficiencies of plants and grazing animals occur in the upper Midwest and along both coasts (Figure 5). Plants and soils as well as animals in these areas may have a marginal manganese status.
Estimated requirements for manganese range from 20 to 40 ppm and have been increased from the NRC (1976) estimate of 10 ppm. The tolerance level is about 1,000 ppm, indicating that excesses are well tolerated.
Corn-based feedlot diets are much lower in manganese than are milo- and wheat-based diets. To reach 40 ppm in the diet, 30 ppm needs to be added to the corn diet.
Manganese deficiency
Manganese deficiencies reduce growth rate. In 1951, Bentley and Phillips fed dairy cows diets containing 10 to 30 ppm manganese; three of the eight cows fed 10 ppm developed abscessed livers. Feeding 30 ppm prevented this problem. The effect of manganese on liver abscess incidence in beef cattle has not been tested.
High levels of calcium or phosphorus will increase the need for manganese. Soils vary in manganese content. In some regions, manganese is used as a fertilizer to increase plant production, which in turn can increase the manganese content of plants.
Selenium
Certain regions in the U.S. have topsoil and plants notably deficient in selenium (Figure 6). In other areas, toxicity of selenium is observed among grazing animals (Figure 7). In the Great Plains, toxicity has been of greater concern than deficiency. However, grain grown in the Eastern part of the Cornbelt and transported to the Great Plains probably will be low in selenium. Corn from some Oklahoma feedlots was recently found to be very low in selenium. This grain probably was imported from a low-selenium area of the U.S.
Selenium requirement estimates for growing beef cattle range from .1 to .2 ppm. The FDA recently approved supplementation with .3 ppm. As the tolerance for selenium is only 2 ppm, care is needed in selenium supplementation and in diet mixing.
Amounts found in various grains vary with their origin. According to the NRC, wheat-based diets are reasonably high in selenium content, while corn-based diets are low, possibly reflecting regional soil concentrations in the primary areas of production. With corn-based feedlot diets, to provide .2 ppm in the complete diet, one must add .13 ppm of selenium.
Selenium deficiency
Long touted as a panacea, selenium performs a number of functions in the body. Both selenium and vitamin E act as metabolic anti-oxidants. Selenium deficiency signs in cattle include white muscle disease and stiffness.
As many selenium compounds are quite volatile, it is necessary to have a good air control system and to use a gas mask when handling and mixing concentrated selenium premixes. Whenever the source of grain being fed in a diet is uncertain, it appears wise to consider that the grain was produced in a low-selenium region of the U.S. and to supplement accordingly. However, selenium supplementation should be avoided when grazing cattle in high-selenium areas of the U.S.
Zinc
Zinc is deficient in scattered areas of the Pacific Coast states plus Arizona and Utah, but the largest deficient areas are in the Southeast and Texas. Plants may have subnormal zinc levels in Wisconsin and Nebraska (Figure 8). One needs to be concerned about zinc with cattle or feed from these areas.
The requirement for zinc is estimated at 30 ppm, whereas the tolerance is 500 to 1,300 ppm. Corn- and milo-based feedlot diets provide 19 to 21 ppm of zinc, while wheat is considerably richer. For corn and milo diets, some 11 ppm needs to be added.
Zinc deficiency
Signs of zinc deficiency include reduced feed intake and rate of gain. In the human, zinc deficiency causes taste problems, both with loss of acuity and abnormal taste sensations. Another common sign of zinc deficiency is parakeratosis. Scabs and white patches of hair appear on the flanks of zinc-deficient cattle and swine.
Certain genetic strains of Friesian cattle rapidly excrete zinc and they need extremely high levels of zinc to compensate for this. Whether this problem occurs in other breeds of cattle is unknown.
High dietary calcium levels reduce zinc availability and increase its excretion. Infections also can reduce plasma levels of zinc. Rate of wound healing is slowed by a zinc deficiency and the incidence of foot rot has been reported elevated by a zinc deficiency.
Males have more problems with zinc deficiency than females, so zinc may be more critical in diets for steers than for heifers.
Source: Purina Mills
Body condition scores (BCS) are an excellent means of monitoring the effectiveness of your beef-cow-nutrition program. Here are 10
management tips to help ensure your cows are at a target BCS of 6.0 by calving:
Good Nutrition Vital for Efficient Reproduction
Good nutrition is critical for efficient reproduction in cow-calf enterprises. Most reproductive failures in beef cows, for example, can be attributed to improper nutrition resulting
in thin body condition. The cow’s priorities for nutrition are maintenance, lactation, growth and reproduction. The nutrition level pre- and post-calving affects the conception rate of subsequent breedingseasons. Cows that are thin prior to calving will have a delayed onset of estrus. Thin cows after calving will have reduced conception rates.
Obesity is a problem in heifers that become fat during the growing phase. Fat heifers normally have lower than average reproductive rates. Immature cows continue to grow until
approximately 4 years of age. These young cows should be maintained through the yearly cycle about one body condition score (BCS) higher than mature cows to achieve the same
reproductive performance.
Monitor the effectiveness of your nutrition program in the long-term by herd performance records. But, to deal with your present situation in the short term, pay close attention
to the BCS of your cows.
According to information from the Minnesota University Extension Service, research has shown that each 10 percent of body weight lost before calving can result in a delay of the first heat period by 19 additional days. Cows too thin at calving take longer to recover and to start cycling for re-breeding. These cows will have lower conception rates than cows in moderate to good condition at calving. It is important to bring thin cows into condition as soon as possible to improve the odds of success at the start of the breeding season.
Dividing the cow herd into two groups according to nutritional needs, and feeding them accordingly, can have a positive impact on re-breeding success.
Bull Nutrition
Nutrition also is important for the reproductive efficiency of breeding bulls. Management of bulls includes the following three phases:
Bulls should be evaluated and separated into two groups as they come out of pastures. Those in good condition that need no special care should be placed in one group. They
will usually do well on primarily roughage diet. Young bulls that are still growing, and thin mature bulls, should be placed together so their nutrient needs may be met with some
supplemental feed. All bulls should have access to high quality minerals.
Purina Mills, LLC has feed products to meet the precise nutrient needs of both brood cows and breeding bulls. Your Purina representative can help you determine cow and bull
nutrient needs and select the supplements to help meet the specific needs of your herd.
Purina Mills ®
http://cattlenutrition.net/stellent/groups/public/documents/web_content/ecmd015735.pdf