We recently went to some Continuing Education on Nutrition for Beef Cattle and here are some highlights. We gained familiarity with the COWculator software, reviewing hay results and talked a lot about cows.


We believe that nutrition is the foundation of health, from reproductive performance to colostrum production to immunity.


Needed daily by the cow:
Water
Energy
Protein
Mineral
Shelter
Identify supplementation need: Feed costs on average are 40% of total operating costs in a cow-calf operation.
Determine the nutrient requirement for the appropriate stage of production.
Estimate the amount of nutrients cows will be receiving from forage.
Subtract the 1 and 2 and determine if there is an excess or deficiency?
Evaluate supplement options.
When feeding hay, we recommend having the hay analyzed for nutrient concentration. These tests can range from $20-$100 and can save thousands in feed costs. This will help guide supplementation choices.
Harvest times can greatly impact nutrient value
Sometimes the nutrient value is so low that the cow physically cannot consume enough hay to meet her requirements.
Weigh your hay bales
This is important for calculating pounds to feed per day.


Body Condition Score your cattle:
Key time for BCS scoring: Brown- off, Weaning, and Calving.
Have someone else come and BCS your cows. You see your cows daily.
Body Condition Score cattle by age group.
Body condition score them at the same time of day.
Body condition score chart can be found at Virginia Extension Cooperative.
The ideal BCS for an adult cow is 5 and for a first calf heifer is 6.
What are some body condition score stressors:
Physiological Stress
Fetal growth
Parturition
Lactation
Uterine healing
Breed back
See graph and correlation to BCS from UM Extension.
Environmental Stressors
Weather
Hay and or grass quality?
Energy and protein supplements?
If cows and heifers are below Body Condition:
In the Fall when calves are weaned/ end of first/second trimester / preg check time is the most cost-effective time to add weight to cows and prepare them for calving.
The fetus does 80% of its growth in the last trimester (3 months prior to calving) this is the hardest and most expensive time to try and up that BCS.


Weigh your cattle:
The average cow weight today is 1380 pounds.
Management considerations:
Separate the first calf heifers from the mature cows before the last trimester.
First calf heifers cannot compete with mature cows.
Mature cows will push them off the good hay.
Mature cows will overeat and do eat faster.
First calf heifers have more challenges
Still growing themselves
Growing a fetus at the same time
Limited stomach space as the fetus grows
They will loss BCS because they are being pushed off the better-quality feed.
Example, if you are feeding 250 hd, 140 head of first calf heifers and 110 hd of mature cows, 6 bales. Based off cow weight, bale weight and hay results and feeding 2% of their body weight per day, they receive the following.
2 high quality alfalfa
2 CRP bales
2 Barley bales
All in one group
The first calf heifers are going to be eating the CRP and barley hay while the older cows dominate the Alfalfa.
Two separate groups
Recommended
You will still feed the same amount of hay but in two separate groups to allow the heifers to meet their requirements.


CowPieography:
This is one of my favorites!
What do the cow pies looks like?
Are they stacked high indicating slow digestion and poorer quality forage?
Are they too loose indicating too much protein?


Salt and Mineral:
Proper mineral and vitamin nutrition contributes to a strong immune system, calf health, and reproductive performance.
Mineral needs vary on soil type, antagonism, and are area specific
Almost all forages require salt supplementation
Spring pasture may require higher magnesium
Summer pasture may require higher phosphorus
Biggest challenge in our area is copper deficiency


If you have any questions or want to review your feeding and mineral program, please give us a call. Happy New Year!