Management Strategies for Beef

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Management Strategies for Beef Cattle During
Drought Brent Plugge University of
Nebraska Extension EducatorBuffalo County
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Options for Grazing Cattle

• Provide Additional Feed.
• Reduce the Need for Additional Feed.

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Providing Additional Feed

• 1. Lease Additional Grass.
• 2. Provide Harvested Forages/Supplementation.
• 3. Utilize Non-Traditional Crops.
• Meadows.
• Corn.
• Alfalfa.
• Other Growing Crops.

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Feeding the Cow

• 1. Limit Fed Rations

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Cost Comparison

• Feedstuff Cost / As Fed / TDN
• Legume/Hay 40 .020 .039
• 11 DM, 54 TDN 60 .030 .058 80 .040
  .077
• 100 .050 .097
• Shelled Corn 2.00 .036 .045
• 12 DM, 91 TDN 2.50 .045 .056
• 3.00 .054 .067

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Management Considerations for High Grain Rations
for Beef Cows

• Feeding considerations when harvested feed supply
  is limited
• Limit-Fed, high grain rations
• Machinery to deliver ration
• Need plenty of bunk space (24-36/head)
• If grain is fed on the ground - need to account
  for losses
• Be consistent with amount delivered daily
• If a supplement is fed, include an ionophore
• Do not finely grind forage or grain

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Feeding considerations when harvested feed supply
is limited cont.

• Limit-fed, high grain rations
• Hard to balance with low quality forage
• for cows in mid to late gestation
• Cows will act hungry and appear gaunt
• In lactation ration assume that the calf will eat
  1 of their body weight
• May need to sort young cows from old cows
• Salt Mineral free-choice
• May need more calcium??

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Guidelines for Limit-Fed Rations Based on Corn
Grain, Oklahoma State University
Amount to be Fed (dry matter) Stage 38
to 44 Long of Production Corn Protein Stemmed
Hay Gestating .75 of b.wt. 2 lbs per day
.5 of b.wt. Lactating, Ave. 1.0 of b.wt. 3
lbs per day .5 of b.wt. Lactating,
High 1.1 of b.wt. 3.5 lbs per day .5 of b.wt.
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Limit-Fed Corn Rations for Gestating and
Lactating Cows
Early Ingredient Gestation Lactation
lbs per head per day Grass Hay 6.0 6.0 Whole
Corn 9.0 12 Supplement, (38-44) 2.0 3.0
Limestone .2 .25 Hay 89 DM, 5 CP,
50 TDN Supplement has an ionophore 180 mg/hd/da
(100 to 200 mg/hd/da) In lactation ration account
for calf to eat 1 of their body weight
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Limit-Fed Corn Rations for Gestating and
Lactating Cows
Early Ingredient Gestation Lactation
lbs per head per day Grass
Hay 6.0 6.0 Whole Corn 9.0 12 Alfalfa 4.
0 6.0 Limestone .2 .25 Hay 89 DM,
5 CP, 48 TDN Alfalfa 90 DM, 18 CP, 56
TDN Supplement has an ionophore 180 mg/hd/da (100
to 200 mg/hd/da) In lactation ration account for
the calf to eat 1 of their body weight
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Limit-Fed Corn Rations for Gestating and
Lactating Cows
Early Ingredient Gestation Lactation
lbs per head per day Grass Hay -- -- Whole
Corn 8.0 10.0 Alfalfa 10.0 13.0
Limestone .2 .25 Hay 89 DM, 5 CP,
48 TDN Alfalfa 90 DM, 18 CP, 56
TDN Supplement has an ionophore 180 mg/hd/da (100
to 200 mg/hd/da) In the lactation ration account
for the calf to eat 1 of their body weight
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Limit-Fed Corn Silage Rations for Gestating and
Lactating Cows
Early Ingredient Gestation Lactation
lbs per head per day Grass Hay -- -- Corn
Silage 43.0 57.0 Alfalfa 6.0 7.5
Vitamin/Mineral free choice Alfalfa 90
DM, 18 CP, 56 TDN Silage 35 DM, 8.1 CP, 66
TDN Supplement has an ionophore 180 mg/hd/da (100
to 200 mg/hd/da) In the lactation ration account
for the calf to eat 1 of their body weight
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Considerations

• Limitations of limit-fed grain rations
• May not fit large cow/calf operations
• May not have equipment to deliver the grain
• Cubing the ration is an option - increases costs
• Expensive forage may be the best option for some
  operations

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Feeding the Cow

• 1. Limit Fed Rations.
• 2. Ammoniated Straw
• Increases Digestibility.
• Increases Intake.

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Ammoniation of Low Quality Forages Reaction is
temperature dependent Forage must be covered
and sealed till reaction is complete
Increases digestibility 10 - 15 Increases
intake about 15
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Changes in Forage Digestibility, Intake, and
Crude Protein after Ammonia Treatment
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Effect of Treatment of Straw on Intake and
Performance of Gestating Beef Cows
Ward, et al., 1982 NE Beef Cattle Report
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Feeding the Cow

• 1. Limit Fed Rations.
• 2. Ammoniated Straw
• - Increase Digestibility.
• - Increases Intake.
• 3. Supplementation on Pasture.
• Distillers UNL Research
• Increase in Animal Performance
• Forage Replacement is Variable

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Forages

• Inventory Home-Grown Forages
• Harvested Forages
• Test for quality
• Moisture, Energy (TDN), Crude Protein
• Test for nitrates

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Early Planning yields more Flexibility
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Reducing the Need for Additional Feed

• Dr. Ivan Rush