If you were to look at any operation you will find that feed costs are in the top 5 expenses. Feed costs often occupy the #1 spot in out-of-pocket expenses. With it being such a large initial expense it is usually the first to go when the budget starts to get tight. Here are some things to consider when developing a feeding program for your cow herd:
Category: nutrition (Page 14 of 15)
Hard to believe that we are already in September; summer is over, temperatures are getting cooler (somewhat) and the days are getting shorter. With this time of year most people are focused on weaning and getting their cows rebred for next year’s calf crop. It is also important to have a supplement program in place during this time as well.
With fall and cooler weather right around the corner it is important to give your cows their best chance going into winter. As with other seasons a cow’s nutrition requirements are different during this time of year. Here are some things you can do to help your cows going into the later part of the year:
How confident are you that your animals are getting their fair share? Many producers wonder if they are feeding enough to get any benefit from their animals. With the social structure of the herd some more timid animals may not be able to consume enough to get any benefit. The space each animal has to eat can play a factor. When cows are given 36″ of trough space per cow all were able to eat. But giving them too much space could cause the opposite effect. When individual trough space was increased to 71″ more fighting took place.
Any trip to the local feed store and you will many different types to feed your animals: meal, pellet, block, or textured. With many different choices deciding what the “best” feed is depends on many different factors. What type of livestock are you feeding? Will there be more than one species of animal being fed? The production goals of those animals? The equipment you have available? What is the topography of the pasture? In truth any of those forms can work for you. You may even know people who use the different types, and each type has it’s pros and cons.
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hether or not to use creep feed is a question that many producers ask themselves. There are many advantages as well as disadvantages so producers must assess financial variables with production goals to determine if it is a valuable option for them. Creep feeding has been shown to be beneficial when high quality pastures is either inadequate or not available. Here are 3 factors to consider when making your decision:
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A common occurrence during the first part of spring is when the grass starts turning green ranchers turn the cows out. This time of year should be approached with caution because early spring grass could be limited on growth or volume. When it is like that your cows can use more protein and energy than they’ll take in.
When it comes to your cow’s nutritional needs protein, energy, and minerals are usually first on the list. However ruminants also need roughage in their diets as well. A minimum level of roughage is necessary in order to keep their rumen working like it should.
Mineral deficiencies among pasture forages is a widespread problem across the whole country. Beef cattle require a number of dietary minerals for body maintenance, growth and reproduction.
A national study done by Utah’s State Diagnostic Lab has found that 53% to 70% of cattle were short on important dietary minerals.
They also found that there was a need to supplement in every state. So how do you know if you need to supplement, here are some things to consider:
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Though minerals take up a small portion of a cow’s overall diet they control many vital functions and can impact everything. A complete mineral should contain the proper balance of all 14 essential cattle minerals.
Cattle reproduction and nervous system function as well as feed efficiency and overall herd health can be impacted.
When developing a solid mineral plan there are 3 factors to consider.
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