As their operations head into the winter, ranchers need to keep an eye on meeting the nutritional needs of their cows.
Dona Goede, southwest region livestock specialist at the University of Missouri Extension Service office in Cedar County, said the final third of gestation is crucial. “The levels of nutrients that they need increase substantially,” she told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, “because that calf has started to grow really fast. A weaned cow only needs 1.4 lbs/day of crude protein, whereas one that’s pregnant needs 1.8 lbs. So that’s a pretty large increase, percentage-wise.”
Another thing to watch, she said, is TDN, the total digestible nutrients; cows need 15-20 percent more energy intake as they approach calving. And don’t forget to monitor the outside temperature. “As it gets colder, they need more to stay warm and to keep their body weight up. So that’s something to watch, also,” said Goede.
It’s better to examine the cow’s condition visually than to rely on weight charts. “The problem with weighing is some animals are at a good weight at 1,200 lbs; some are at a good weight at 1,400 lbs,” she said. “So the best thing to do is to look at them and do a body condition score.” If the ribs are visible, that’s a sign the animal needs more weight, and for that the rancher should turn to a better quality of feed. “They’re going to eat a certain percentage of their body weight every day,” said Goede. “You just have to make sure that it’s a high enough quality to provide the nutrients. For instance, if they’re eating 30 lbs. of a poor quality fescue hay that may not be enough nutrients for them, but if you give them a better hay and some grain and they eat 30 lbs., they’re going to be getting the nutrients they need.”
The key is increasing the quality of the nutrients as the cattle move through gestation. If the cattle aren’t getting enough nutrition they may eat a little bit more, but can only fill up so much; Goede said they need to get better hay and supplements, rather than just more poor quality feed. There are many byproducts available that can drive up feed quality at a reasonable price. “Soyhulls and some of the distiller’s grains are pretty cheap compared to what you get,” said Goede. “But I always say, go talk to your feed mills; figure out where you’re getting your feed from, and figure out the alternatives that you have. One person, it may be soyhulls; the other one, it may be a mixed ration. Someone that only has a few cattle may want to just buy a bagged feed; that way, they’re not mixing it themselves. So, it’s important to look at where you’re located, and what’s available to you at a decent price.”
Goede said Extension is getting more questions about byproducts because they’re cheaper, and producers want to know how much they can use; they’re also fielding inquiries about alternative forages. “I have a gentleman who’s grazing turnips,” she said. “Everybody’s looking at alternatives to save some money on feeding their animals.”
Are people testing their forages? “Not as many as we would like,” she admitted. “One thing one of my professors at the University, Dr. Justin Sexton, has always said is, ‘Feed’s not expensive enough, unless you’re going to test your forage and figure out what you’ve got.’ The test ranges from $15-$26, and it’s really worth it to figure out what you have available with your forage, so you know exactly what you need to feed.”
If cows are falling behind, sort them off and feed them separately. “That way,” Goede said, “you’re not feeding the entire herd more nutrients and thus spending more money… Many times it’s the energy, not the protein that they need, so you really need to get some high-energy supplements in there.” Corn, she added, is a high-energy feed, but Extension doesn’t recommend “feeding straight corn or a lot of it.”
And if you have two calving seasons, don’t forget those cows that are fall calvers and lactating. “We have to remember that they’re at peak lactation 6-8 weeks after calving,” said Goede, “and that’s also when we want them to start cycling. We need to make sure those fall calvers are getting enough nutrients too, so they’ll breed back and will still raise a pretty nice calf that weighs plenty.”
