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Kinds of Feed
Cow-calf feeding programs are based on the use of roughages
Typical roughages used are Pasture Hay Silage Straw Corncobs Other crop residues
Roughages provide the cheapest source of energy for the cow and calf.
Forages
Graze as much as possible. If weather does not permit year round
grazing then forage should be harvested and stored for later use.
Downfall: grazing only recovers 15-30% of what is produced.
Pasture & Hay
Proper management increases the yield. Soil should be tested and fertilized Use rotational grazing to increase
carrying capacity.
Crop Residues
Helps reduce feed costs In Northern areas 2 acres of cornstalks
will carry a pregnant cow 80-100 days Heavy snows will reduce the carrying
capacity of cornstalk fields.
Feeding Dry Pregnant Cows
Feed enough to keep them in good flesh from fall to spring calving
Cows of normal weight should not loose less than 10% of their body weight
Thin cows should be fed enough to gain some weight during winter
Overfeeding
Should be avoided. Results in
Higher cost Trouble calving Less milk flow Higher calf losses
Feeding Young Cows and Heifers Require more feed because they are still
growing The amount of feed received is more
important than the kind of feed.
Energy Needs
Vary according to Size Condition Age Weather
During cold weather increase feed or energy intake by 1% for each degree of cold stress.
Last 30-45 Days of Pregnancy
Generally need a 10-15% increase in protien
Especially so if hay is being fed Can be achieved with an extra 2
pound/hd of high quality hay or additional protien supplements
Minerals
Should be fed free choice Mineral mixes should include
Calcium Phosphorus Salt Any trace minerals that are known to be deficient If grass tetany is a problem then magnesium
oxide should be included in the mix A good mixture to use is one part trace
mineral salt and one part dicalcium phosphate
Protien
Blocks, lick tubs and cubes are the most convenient ways to feed
Care should be taken to prevent overeating
Overeating can be partially controlled by feeding plenty of roughage and supplying plenty of fresh water
Vitamin A
Only needed when cattle are fed poor quality roughage
If the cow has been on good summer pasture enough Vitamin A will be stored in the body to get the animal through several months
Lactation Rations
Depends on how much the milk cow produces Heavier milk producers have higher
requirements than average or low milk producers Protein requirements for lactation are 160-268%
greater than for dry cows Energy 36-38% Calcium and phosphorous 100-250% Vitamin A 18-88% High quality pasture can usually meet lactation
needs
Lactation Rations
Salt and minerals should be provided free choice
If the roughage is limited or poor quality some grain should be fed
Lactation Rations for 1st Calf Heifers Require more feed Heifers are still growing and developing They need to regain weight lost from
calving & produce milk for their calf Heifers also need to be in good condition
for rebreeding.
Creep Feeding Calves
A way of providing calves with extra feed May be grain, commercial creep feed
mix, or roughage Fed in a feeder that cows can not get
into
Advantages of Creep Feeding Produces heavier calves
at weaning (30-70 lbs) Produces higher grade
and more finish at weaning
Calves go on feedlot rations better at weaning
Creates less feedlot stress Allows cows and calves to
stay on poorer quality pasture for a longer time
Good Reasons to Creep Feed Calves are to be sold at
weaning Calves are to be fed out
on high-energy rations Cows are milking poorly Calves are from 1st calf
heifers Calves were born late
in the season Calves have above
average inherited growth potential
Calves were born in the fall
Calves are to be weaned early (45-90 days)
Calf-feed price ratio is favorable
Pastures become dry in late summer
Cows and calves are kept in confinement
Disadvantages of Creep Feeding Calves are well fed after weaning,
the weight advantage from creep feeding is lost When production testing, it is harder to
detect differences in inherited gaining ability Replacement heifers become to fat Non-creep-fed calves usually make faster
and more economical gains after weaning compared to calves that were creep fed before weaning
Reasons Not To Feed Creep
Calves are to be fed through the winter on roughage
Cows are above average milk producers The calf-feed ratio is poor Calves are on good pasture Heifers are to be kept for replacements The milk production of the dam is to be
measured
Growing Replacement Heifers British breeds should gain 1.0-1.25
pound/day from weaning to breeding Larger breeds should gain 1.25-1.75
pound/day Heifers should reach puberty at 12-14
months Generally heifers reach puberty when they have
attained 65% of their mature weight English breeds- 550-625 lbs Larger breeds- 675-750 lbs
Heifers need to be bred according to weight and not age!
Feed For Growing Replacement Heifers Must be palatable In areas of cold weather nutrient needs
increase 1% for each degree of temperature below freezing
Feed must be increased as heifers grow Vitamins and minerals should be fed free
choice
Growing Young Bulls
Wean at 6-8 months of age Feed high energy rations for about 5
months Avoid fattening Allow full feed until spring then put on
pasture to complete growth. Bulls will continue to grow slowly until
about 4 years of age
Feeds
Hay Grain
Amount depends on type and quality Minerals free choice Feed Vitamin A if ration is mostly corn
silage or limited hay May be self fed or hand fed
When self feeding use plenty of roughage to keep bulls from getting to fat or going off their feed.
Rate of Growth & Needs
Yearling bulls should be fed to gain 1.5-2 lbs/day
2-4 yr old bulls need more energy and protein in the winter than cows and should be fed accordingly
Mature bulls in good condition may be fed the same as the cow herd
After the Breeding Season
Loose weight Must be fed to regain that weight Give additional feed 6-8 weeks before
the start of the next breeding season Bulls that are too fat or too thin have
poor fertility They should be in medium flesh and
have plenty of exercise
After the Breeding Season
Keep bulls separate from cows If no place to keep bulls it is safe to run
them with steers
Before the Breeding Season
If necessary trim hoofs several weeks before breeding season begins
Test semen for fertility and disease
Goal
100% calf crop Observe the herd closely Check for injured or diseased cows or
bulls Watch to ensure bulls are servicing cows
Number of Bulls to Run
Young bulls can easily service 20-25 cows Mature bulls
Estrus-synchronized cows-25 Non synchronized cows- 35-40
Range conditions 4 bulls per 100 cows
I have 300 cows. How many bulls do I need?
If a high number of cows remain inbred then the bull should be replaced.
Breeding
No more than 60 days to maintain a short calving season (40-60 days)
Begin breeding 20-25 days after half the calves are born This allows for a 2nd and even third heat
cycle for cows that do not settle the first time.
Breed yearling heifers 20 days before older cows
Conception Rates
Higher for cows that are gaining weight before and during the breeding season
Cows that are too fat or too thin are poor breeders
Pregnancy check 60-90 days after breeding
Sell any open cows Conception Rates can be lowered by
Hot weather Injuries
Artificial Insemination (AI)
Placing the sperm in the female reproductive tract by other than natural means
Breeder uses an inseminating tube to deposit sperm into the cervix and uterus of the cow
Disadvantages of AIing
Need a trained inseminator Requires more time and supervision of
the herd Sterile equipment Special handling facilities
Size
Most important when breeding yearling heifers
Should weigh 550-750 pounds Weight should be from growth, not
fattening
Age
Goal is to breed the heifer so she calves at 2 years of age
When achieved the result is 1 more calf produced during a cow’s lifetime
2 year old Calving
Lowers production cost Keeps a higher percent of cows in the
herd in production Fewer replacement heifers are needed
each year to maintain a stable herd size
Conception Rates for Heifers Lower for yearling heifers than older
cows Longer calving season Possibly need more help in calving
Breeding Heifers
Breed to calve 20-30 days before older cows
Require more feed and should be kept separate from older cows
Breed for 40-60 days Pregnancy check 60-90 days later Sell any heifers that are not pregnant
After the Calf is Born
Make sure it breathes May be necessary to clean the mucus from the
mouth and nose Calf should nurse shortly after birth
The cows first milk, called colostrums, is very important as it contains nutrients, such as Vitamins A & E, and antibodies the calf needs
Cow should expel the afterbirth within 12-24 hours after giving birth
Keep cows with calves separate from cows that haven’t calved
Identify the calf with an ear tag or tattoo Record the calf’s birth weight, calving problems
and birth date for performance records
Knife Castration
Most widely used Should only be done during a time of year
when flies are not a problem Calves should not be more than 3-4
months old Results in an open wound
This increase the danger of infection and bleeding
Wound should be treated with iodine Calves should be check several days after
castration to check for swelling, continued bleeding and stiffness
Burdizzo Castration
Bloodless Crushes the cords of the testicles
However if the pincers are not applied correctly the cord may not be crushed completely resulting in a staggy steer later on
No open wound Good choice in areas where screw
worms are a problem
Elastrator Band Castration
Special instrument that places a tight rubber band around the scrotum above the testicles
Cuts of the blood supply to the testicle This causes the testicle to waste away due
to lack of blood No open wound
Dehorning
Several reason for dehorning Horned calves bring less Dehorned calves require less space at the
feed bunk and on trucks Less risk of injury with dehorned calves
Calves should be dehorned at a young age
If possible do not dehorn during fly season
Methods of Dehorning
Chemical Liquids Caustic sticks Paste
Spoons Gouges Tubes Hot irons Barnes-Type Clippers Saws
Branding and Marking
Common in larger herds Required by law in some western states
W. SD requires, E. SD does not. Brands recorded by county and state
Governments SD State Brand Board-located in Pierre
Freeze Branding
Becoming more common Uses liquid nitrogen, brass irons and
rubbing alcohol Not a legal method of cattle branding in
SD
Ear Cutting
Almost as common as branding Recorded in brand records Protected by law One or both ears may be cut Cutting is done so that it may be seen
from the front or behind
Ear Tattooing
Well adapted as a method of marking purebred cattle
More permanent than ear cutting Special instrument is used Mark is made with indelible ink No open wound is left
Neck Chains
Used when herd owners do not want to use permanent identification
Usually used by purebred breeders Not a good choice for cows on brushy
range
Brisket Tags
Tag is placed in the brisket Hard to Read Often ripped out because they catch on
things
Selling feeder calves
Calves are born in the spring Weigh about 400-500 pounds
Heifer calves will weigh about 5% less than steers
Calves are sold in the fall as feeder calves
Selling Yearling Feeders
Calves weigh 650-750 pounds Use mostly roughage as feed If calves are born in fall they are weaned
in spring and fed on pasture for the summer then sold as yearling feeders in the fall
Growing and Finishing
Grow calve on roughage Finish for 4-6 months in the feedlot Corn silage or grain and roughage are
used for the wintering ration When the animals are on pasture no or
little grain is fed Animals then go to the feedlot and grain
feeding begins.
Preconditioning
The process of preparing calves for the stress of being moved to the feedlot
Most procedures involved in preconditioning are accepted as good management practices
Accomplished before the calves leave the farm or ranch
Practices
Castration, dehorning, identification by tattooing or branding
Maintaining health records Vaccinations Weaning 4-6 weeks before sale Training to eat solid feed from a bunk and
to drink water from a water tank Worming and treatment for lice, grubs and
mange (if necessary)
Backgrounding
Growing and feeding calves from weaning until they are ready to enter the feedlot
Done primarily with roughage ration Calves are fed 120-150 days Expected daily gains of 1.5-2.0 pounds Calves must be kept from getting too
fat, as overly fat calves bring less when going to the feedlot for finishing.
Summary
Feeding programs are based on roughages Summer pasture and fall/winter silage and hay is
common The types of pasture, silage and hay is going to be
dependant on where you are in the U.S. Dry, pregnant cows and bulls are fed to
prevent them from becoming too fat or too thin
Younger cows and heifers and young bulls that will be kept for breeding require more feed
So do cows nursing calves All should be fed salt and minerals free choice Creep feeding may or may not be profitable
Summary
Performance records should be used to replace herd cows
Replacement heifers should be bred based on weight not age
Use fertility testing at the beginning of the breeding season to achieve a 100% calf crop
4 bulls to 100 cows Preconditioning of calves should occur when they
are young Backgrounding calves is growing calves on
roughages from weaning until they are ready for the feedlot