Cow-Calf Management Tips for January January, the first month of the new year. A welcomed “new beginning” for lots of folks and cattle producers. It is also a critical month from a management standpoint for cow-calf producers. As January comes, winter begins and the environment becomes cold, wet and muddy. This is also the first or second month in which the most expensive 3 months from both an expense and production standpoint. Most of the annual production cost of producing a weaned calf, 65 percent, occurs during the next tree month due to winter feeding of hay. There are areas of the state that have been dry but, the recent rains have caught these parts of the state up on “rainfall. If weather is warmer than normal, some grass growth might occur that could be used to reduce feed cost. As usual, cold, winter weather can be anticipated which will create problems for feeding, managing and calving out the herd.
Not too much can be done about the weather but, adjustments can be made in feeding and managing the cattle. Producers should stay informed and up to date about the weather fronts and make adjustments in managing and feeding practices as well as keeping a “look out” during the calving season.
This issue of “Update” will be focused primarily on managing and feeding during the winter months. Following are some suggestions that cow-calf producers should consider in managing their cow herds. There are discussions or both late winter- early spring calving herds as well as fall calving early winter herds and those that would be applicable to either group.
Late Winter-Early Spring Calving Herds
Most of the commercial cow herds start calving this month. This is a critical time for
these herds in that their production and management needs change drastically from a dry to lactating situation. Their feed needs increase, and calves are dropped during adverse weather conditions. On most Tennessee farms, extra labor is available to observe these cows during the calving season and arry out those management practices.
Make a strong effort to save every calf. With the current cost of production, cow-calf producers cannot afford to lose calves. Frequent observation of expectant cows is the best method to ensure that calves survive the birth process. This time of year, most labor would be available to frequently check cows during calving. Returns to labor in cow-calf operations are greater during calving than any other time in the annual production cycle.
Cows approaching calving should be isolated and placed on a clean pasture where they can be easily observed 2 to 3 times daily. First calf heifers should be observed more closely. More calving problems occur with first calf heifers than any other group in the herd.
Following the start of calving and lactation, the beef cow’s nutritional requirements increase about 25 to 30%. This is especially critical in the first-calf heifer, as well as the 2-year and 3-year olds. Grain may be needed if low quality hay is being fed. Feed mature cows 3-4 lbs. of grain and 6-8 lbs. for first calf heifers. If possible, these young cows should be separated from the mature cow herd to reduce the negative effect of “boss cows” keeping the young females bullied from the feed supply.
Mature cows should be in a body condition score of “5” at calving and first calf-heifers and 2-year olds should be in a condition of “6”. A BCS of 5 is the breaking point for mature cows. Cows that are thinner at calving will experience reduced future reproductive performance.
Feed better quality hay to the younger females and to cows that have calved.
Producers might like to limit feeding pregnant cows to once daily. If fed late in the day, this might stimulate increased calving during the day (Konefal method). It will not occur with ever pregnant cow, but there is a definite trend for cows to calve during the day.
Keep out an appropriate mineral supplement that contains an adequate level of magnesium. Cows that have recently calved are susceptible to “grass tetany.” With the change in weather conditions that create stress on the cattle, grass-tetany is more likely to occur. Magnesium supplementation should be available at least 30 days prior to start of calving. It is generally recommended to provide magnesium supplementation from November through April due to year-round calving.
Prepare the bull for the breeding season. What is the body condition of the bull? He should be in a body condition of at least 5 and preferably 6 prior to the start of the breeding. Body condition score the bull now. If he needs to improve in condition, it can be improved one score with about 100 lbs. of gain. For example, if the bull is now in a BCS of 4, he will need to gain 200 lbs. between now and the start of the breeding season, a period of 90 days. This means he would need to gain 2.25 lbs. per day to have a desirable BCS of 6 at the start of the breeding season. Also, conduct a breeding soundness exam on your herd bull. A BSE has been planned for March 16th at the Woodbury Livestock Market. The entire exam will be performed at a cost of $40.00/bull. Jennie Schutte, Territory Manager for Pfizer, will deworm and vaccinate those bulls participating in the breeding soundness exam. If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please call Dr. Willis to schedule an appointment to bring bulls in for testing. (931-409-3178). If you need more information call the Cannon County Extension Office at 563-2554.
Late Fall-Early Winter Calving Herds
These cows should be in the middle to later lactation and into the breeding season by approximately ten days assuming calving began near the first of October. Calving at this time should aid in reducing the effect of the fescue endophyte on the reproductive performance of the cows, as well as milk production.
The cows should be in a body condition of “5” to ensure rebreeding. Especially pay attention to first calf heifers. They will need extra care and higher quality feed to rebreed
on schedule. Mature cows nursing calves will need to be fed 25-30 lbs. of good quality hay throughout the breeding season. Fall-calving cows have the greatest feed requirements during the winter months when their rations will primarily be hay. Monitor the hay condition.
Consider limit creep feeding calves. This should stimulate calf growth as well as reducing stress on the dams. Creep grazing of small grain pastures, if available, it is an excellent feed source. Discontinue creep feeding in the spring when adequate, high quality forage is available to maintain calf performance. A 10 year research project at Oklahoma State showed this to be a profitable practice.
Observe the bull’s condition. Bulls should be in a body condition score of at least “5” and preferably “6”. Bulls will lose weight during the breeding season. The cold weather increases the nutrient needs of the bull. “Thin” bulls will experience reduced reproductive performance. Pay particular attention to young bulls. These bulls should be individually fed.
Observe both the bull(s) and the cows during the breeding season. Is mating occurring? Record the dates that mating is observed. Seek out those same cows about 21 days later. Did they return to heat? If the number of cows returning to heat is great, determine the problem as a change may be needed with the bulls. Was a breeding soundness examination (BSE) performed on the bull(s) prior to breeding season?
Suggestions for Both Calving Groups
Provide some type of protection from the weather for the herd. A woods lot would help reduce the effect of wind. One with a southern exposure would be ideal. During severe weather, some type of windbreak would help reduce feed requirements.
Increase feed as temperature drops. Rain and wind also lower the temperature. Cattle need extra feed to maintain performance. Watch weather forecasts and make adjustments a day or two before weather fronts. See article included in this issue of Update.
With winter approaching, some water sources could become a problem of availability. Be sure cattle have access to water. Even during cold weather, cattle need to consume water daily.
Test hay for nutritional value and supplement accordingly. This practice can serve as a cost reduction as well as improve production. Use the information from forage testing to divide hay into quality lots and also to allot hay to different groups of cattle.
Feed hay in areas where mud is not a problem.
Check for lice and if needed, treat. If previously treated during the fall, do it again during Super Bowl week. With limited feed, controlling lice will aid in stretching the feed supply and maintaining condition of the cows.
When feeding large bales that were stored outside, encourage producers to take notice of the amount that was wasted. Wasted hay drives up the winter feed bill, resulting in a “teachable moment” on reducing feed cost.
Soil test pastures and apply fertilizer at the recommended rates.
Complete castrating, dehorning, and implanting of calves.
Make plans to renovate pastures next month. This needs to be done between February 15 and March 15.
Purchase new herd sires. Consider only those bulls that will improve the economically important traits. Encourage producers to purchase bulls early since good herd bulls are scarce.
Make plans to attend the Senior Bull Sale of the Central Bull Test Station. Video sale sites will be available in Knoxville and Greeneville. Order catalogs and DVDs.
What is the marketing plan for the current and future calf crops? Plans need to be in place before a new herd sire is purchased. Most producers do not realize that breeding and management decisions made today can impact marketing 18 months to 2 years later.
Plan to attend and participate in educational meetings.
Effect of Sexed vs. Conventional Semen
A group of 500 heifers was synchronized and artificially inseminated with either sexed or conventional semen. Those heifers exhibiting estrus were artificially inseminated 18 to 24 hours after detection and remaining heifers were subsequently inseminated together. Pregnancy was determined 55 to 58 days following insemination. Conventional semen resulted in significantly higher pregnancy rate (58.4% vs. 41.0%). Also, more heifers detected in estrus were pregnant (55.9%) compared to those time-inseminated (24.0%). Based on these findings, use of sexed semen should allow for some reduction in pregnancy.
Source: Hammack, Steve, 2012, Texas A&M University,
Winter Is Tough Time For Feeding Cows
Winter is officially here. It started on December 21. With winter comes colder weather and rain and in some instances, ice. It also brings on the need for additional feed. Cows have a “critical” temperature under several environmental conditions that impact feed supply. If it is dry and cold, the cow’s critical temperature is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, If it is lower than 32
degrees, the cow’s feed needs increase 1.0% for each degree below 32. For example, if the environmental temperature has dropped to 25 degrees, her feed need should be increased 5.0%. The nutrient that is more widely needed is energy.
When it rains or snows and it creates “wet” hair, the cow’s critical temperature drops even lower With the wet hair, insulation is not as effective and the critical temperature goes up to 59 degrees. So this would be 17 degrees difference from 32. Dr. Glen Selk, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Oklahoma State. Offers the following on calculating energy needs with wet hair coats.
Know that the cow’s critical temperature is 32 degrees F during the winter and there is no rain nor wind.
Anticipated “wind chill” from weather reports (Use 4 degrees wind chill in this example.)
Calculate the magnitude of the cold. 32 degrees- 4 degrees equal 28 degrees
Energy adjustments is 1% for each degree magnitude of cold or 28%.
Feed the cows 28% more energy For example, if the cows were being fed 20 pounds of hay per day, increase that amount to 25-26 pounds per head daily.
Cattle can do fairly well with cold and dry conditions. It is the “wet and wind” that cause problems. When hair is wet, it lays down on the animal and its insulation capability is reduced.
Stay informed of the weather conditions. Start feeding a couple of days before the cold front impacts the cattle. Continue a couple of days after it has passed
If the cow does not receive adequate energy, she will draw on her body fat. Body fat is measured by body condition scores (BCS). This is why the recommendation for a mature cow to have a BCS of 5 going into the winter. She can draw, if needed, on her fat storage.
Cow owners should keep informed about the weather conditions. Watch for weather fronts that are going to bring cold weather and rain and an increased energy need. Submitted by Jim Neel
Producers Should Be Cautioned About The Quality of CRP Hay
Due to the drought of 2012, a number of producers may have harvested hay from CRP land. Producers should be cautioned that this hay will more than likely be lower in feeding value than regular harvested hay. Research conducted with feeding CRP hay for winter feeding during the early 1990”s showed that its feeding value was around 75 this is compared to “full bloom” Alfalfa with a feeding value of around 100. As one producer said during a recent winter meeting, “It may be better than a snowball.”
Iowa data showed that when the CRP ay was fed by itself it produced malnourished beef cows that lost both body condition and weight. In addition, the volume of hay wasted was high. This can be explained by the poor palatability of the CRP hay. If hay is available for feeding, feed it to mature cows that are 45-60 days or so away from calving.
Producers considering the use of CRP hay should definitely have it forage tested More than likely, it will be inadequate in crude protein which will reduce the digestibility and use of the hay as a feedstuff by the cows.
Father of Waters Running Low
The mighty Mississippi River is “lower” than normal and it is interfering with commerce that includes agricultural products. It is getting potentially low to interfere with
shipping of agricultural products and the U,S, Economy. Agriculture production is looking at potential major delays in shipping 300 million bushels of grain worth more than $2 billion. If the river does not become navigable, this could reduce the world competition
for U.S. agricultural economy. In the long-run, this could also have a negative impact on spring plantings. Without lots of rain, the Mississippi will be getting below shipping depth of 9 feet.
Quality of Hay Fed this Winter Can Have Long-Time Impact on Future Performance
The quality of most of the hay fed beef cattle has always been low. And, that is “ok” if the quality values, protein and energy are known and the ration balanced . the quality of hay fed the last part of gestation will have a large impact on future reproductive performance, calf health and performance and survival. The big item for consideration is will the cow breed back on schedule for next year?” The calf crop born he next two years will be” positively affected by the quality of the hay. “Good quality, good performance,” “Poor quality, poor performance.”
There are lots of cows in Tennessee that entered the winter in a body condition score of 3 or 4. These cows will have a difficult time being productive. Her performance will be reduced even more by feeding poor quality hay. Under normal conditions, no drought and limited supply of hay, beef females would be in a “good” body condition going into the winter. They had some “stored fat” that they could draw on during time during the winter when feed was short. This is important why mature cows should go into the winter with a BCS of 5 and heifers are in a BCS of 6.
It is almost a “sure bet” that a replacement heifer in a poor body condition at calving will have a calf with reduced vigor, she will produce a lower volume and quality of colostrum which results in reduced survival and performance of the calf and she will probably not rebreed in order to have a calf next year.
McDonald’s Reports First Slump in Sales for Almost Ten Years
McDonalds, the beef merchandising giant in the U.S. and worldwide, reported that in the month ending October, 2012, sales were down 1.8%. Poor sales were reported across the world, for example, in Europe and the U.S., sales were down 2%, In Asia, the Middle East and Africa, sales were down 2.4%. McDonalds serves more than 69 million customers per day.
Unrolling Low Quality Hay or Straw Helps Keep Calves Dry and Warmer
The greatest percentage of Tennessee beef cow herds calve during the winter months. Generally, it is wet, cold and windy and the calves are born outside on pasture or in wooded areas. Some producers unroll large round bales of lower quality hay or straw to provide an area to lie on that would be a little drier and warm. This will aid in keeping the calves dry and out of the mud which ”saps” their “vigor.”
Plan to Attend The Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association’s Annual Convention
The 2013 Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association’s Convention and Trade Show is scheduled for January 17, 18 and 19th. The Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro is the site for the Convention. Baxter Black will be at the Convention on Friday, January 18 to entertain the group. For more detailed information, go to the Tennessee Cattle Business Magazine, the TCA website as well as the registration material. More than 5,000 beef producers are members of the TCA. This is about 12 % of the state’s beef producers.
Senior Bull Sale is Scheduled for January 24, 2013
The Central Bull Test Station Senior Bull Test bulls will be offered for sale on January 24, 2013. The sale will be at the Bull Test Station on Middle Tennessee Research and Education Center at Spring Hill, Tennessee. Seventy one Angus and two Charolais were cataloged for sale. If you have not already done so, order a DVD of the sale order of the bulls as well as a catalog of the sale. The catalog is also available on line.
The sale will get underway at 12:00 Noon on the 24th.
Eighth Annual Mid-South Stocker Conference is Scheduled for February 26-27 in Somerset, Kentucky
An excellent program Is planned for the 2013 Mid-South Stocker Conference. This will be the eighth consecutive conference and it is a cooperative effort with the University of
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and the University of Tennessee Extension. Complete information can be found on the web site at Mid-South Stocker.org.
Brochures are being printed for your use in publicizing the Conference. “Post cards” are also available for your distribution to your beef producers. Please order the number that you might use with your producers.
In addition, four or five news articles have been prepared and will be forwarded to you to use in preparing news articles and radio programs on the Conference.
In addition, the Conference has been approved for in-service training. For additional information either go to the web site or contact our office.
Cold Weather and Lice Go Hand in Hand
With the coming of cool to colder weather, the effect of the increase in lice population on cattle will increase . In addition, the added population will result in reduced gain, milk production and unthrifty appearance as well as increased susceptibility to health problems.
There are several “pour ons” that are specifically for treatment of lice. Use these if the cattle were not treated back in the fall for grubs.
Lice reproduce very rapidly as the weather cools and will peak during late February and early March. Cattle that are experiencing nutritional deficiency and are in a poor body condition will suffer the most. This would include old cows, young calves and replacement heifers. Or, maybe it is more evident in malnourished cattle.
Lice is the easiest parasite to control. Lice spend their life cycle on the host animal. Therefore they can be controlled with a “pour on” or a systemic insecticide. There are several “pour ons’ that are available for systemic control. Do not use a systemic that also controls grubs if the cattle were not treated prior to November 1.
If the effects of lice can be conservatively assumed to be $5.00 per head of cattle, the total loss to the state’s beef industry would add up to $10 million dollars or approximately $225 to $250 per Tennessee beef producer.
January 17-19, 2013
Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention and Trade Show
Embassy Suites
Murfreesboro, TN
January 21-23
Tennessee Junior Market Hog Show
Tennessee Livestock Center
January 24
Central Bull Test Station Senior Bull Sale
Middle Tennessee Research and Education Center
Spring Hill, TN
February 6-9
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention
Tampa, FL
February 6-9
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention
Tampa, FL
February 26-27
Mid-South Stocker Conference
Somerset, KY