Why feed supplements this fall?

why feed supplements this fallHard to believe that we are already in September. which means that summer is over. The temperatures are getting cooler (somewhat) and the days are getting shorter. This is certainly a time of year where a lot of transitioning will be going on.

With this time of year most people are focused on weaning their calves. They are also looking to get their cows rebred for next year’s calf crop. With all of these changes there is also a change that is going on with the nutritional requirements of your cattle.

Because of these increases in your herd’s nutrition needs it is important for you to have a supplement program in place during this time of year. As you may have noticed your forages are changing as well. With these changes they may not provide all of the nutrition that you may need. Here are some reasons for you to feed supplements this fall.

Forage quality decreases

Stage of maturity is probably, along with rainfall, the most important factor that influences forage quality. As forages mature, the leaf-to-stem ratio decreases and the plant become more fibrous. It is also during this time that the plant sends most of it’s nutrients down to the roots in order to prepare for winter.

Forage leaves contain considerably more protein and less fiber than the stems. So as forage matures and the stem becomes more prevalent and fibrous quality decreases and the plant becomes less digestible. It is because of this decrease that you will need to provide a supplement of some type in order to “fill in the gaps” of anything your forages may be lacking in.

Fetal programing

You may have heard of this buzzword a few times but you may not know what it is. Fetal programing is the current understanding that when all of a cow’s nutrient requirements are met before, during and after gestation her calves will perform better. The basic concept is that a maternal stimulus or insult at a critical time period in fetal development has long term effects on the offspring.

A deficiency or shortage in your bred cow’s nutrition can seriously risk the future calf’s potential. There is no acceptable time to make a cow “rough it” and back off nutrition. You need to provide adequate minerals. protein, and energy during every trimester to set up the fetus and eventual calf or success.

The general rule of thumb was that you save the best feed for the third trimester, which is still true to an extent. But it also important to not ignore the first two-thirds as well. You do not want to short cows on protein during early-to-mid gestation as well.

Calves benefit from supplements

Studies have shown, like that done by the Iowa Beef Center, that calves perform better when they are on a good mineral program. That is not to say that the other nutrients are not as important either. It is of benefit to you to get any weaned calves eating independently as quickly as possible. Here are some tips to get newly weaned calves eating quickly.

Use cattle tubs when weaning calves

Cattle lick tubs cab be used as a free-choice supplement in calf receiving pens. If you are already using supplement tubs with your herd calves will be familiar with these things and are more likely to start eating quickly.

Lick tubs have two primary benefits for your calves. First off the licking action produces saliva to help ease throat irritation from bawling. Second, the licking stimulates weaning calves appetites which prompts them to look for feed and water.

Offer a palatable calf starter feed

If calves like the feed they will start eating and continue coming back to the bunk. A worst-case scenario is when a calf comes to the bunk for the first time and finds un unpalatable feed. It is hard to get the calf back to the bunk after an initial bad experience.

Use a feed that supports the immune system of weaning calves

It is critical to support the immune system of weaning calves during this time of high stress. Select a feed that addresses stressors and respiratory challenges head on.

Use the right feed form

The physical form of the feed can influence consumption as well. Bigger pellets tend to work best for calf starter feeds because they are softer. Bigger pellets also allow calves to get more with every mouthful which is essential for less aggressive calves standing at the bunk. Avoid mealy feeds, they tend to separate and become less appealing to weaning calves.

Cheapest time to supplement

The easiest time to put weight back on spring-calving cows is during the post-weaning phase. It is because during this time that she doesn’t have all the requirements of nursing or growing a calf to deal with.

During this time it requires less supplements to reach their nutritional requirements. Providing supplements can also release more energy from lower-quality forage. This can lead to increased weight can and efficiency.

Supplements promote better grazing

As some water sources dry up during the fall cows are less likely to travel to certain areas. This will mean that certain parts of the pasture will not be grazed creating underutilized areas.

Supplements can be used to draw cows to these areas making an even distribution. The plan for this is that you want to start providing the supplement in an area that they already use. As they get use to the supplements then you can start moving it further and further from this area to get them to spread out their grazing area.

If you are looking to learn more about this technique I go over it in a previous post “Better grazing with supplements”.

Reproductive performance

Fall-calving cows need additional supplements in order to maintain their proper body condition score. This will allow them to get their estrus back after calving quickly. Getting their estrus back quickly allows them to get bred back quickly. Proper supplementation will also help them with producing enough milk for the calf.

1 Comment

  1. agridane

    Thanks for a very interesting article.