Unit 7: Beef Cattle

1. Unit 7: Beef Cattle

2. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Unit 7 Objectives: • Outline & discuss life-cycle feeding programs for beef cattle • Identify specific nutrient and additive needs • Understand feeding systems for beef cattle

3. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • The Cow Herd • Profitable cow/calf operations should have a high percentage calf crop each year • Gestation 280d • Recovery & rebreeding should occur within 80-85d postpartum • Nutritional influence on reproduction • Cows gaining wt slightly before breeding will have higher conception rates & shorter time to 1st heat • Most critical time – 30d prepartum – 70d postpartum

4. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Most cow/calf producers will choose 1 of 2 calving programs • March – April • September – October • Avoid severe cold or heat stress • See table 8-4 for nutritional requirements • Ration nutrient content should depend on: • Frame size & condition • Stage of production & environment

5. Unit 7: Beef Cattle

6. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Summer • Pasture will supply most needed nutrients • Supplement minerals • What might we need? • How would we supplement it? • Supplemental energy may be needed if pasture is inadequate • Milk production – 10-25lb/d for 175-200d • May feed silage • 15lb c.s./h/d will substitute for 1/3 of pasture acreage normally needed • May feed hay to help control bloat (on lush pasture)

7. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Creep feed calves • Manage the pasture • Winter • Supplement feed when pasture is not available • Manage wt. loss of fall calving cows • No more than 15% less than wt before calving • May need supplemental energy and protein • Cows in good body condition will manage stress more effectively • Lower critical temp is ~20ºF • Increase feed 1%/degree below 20 • Urea may be used as a supplemental protein source

8. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Additional forage supplementation may be necessary • Don’t have to feed the highest quality feeds • Don’t feed the most expensive feeds • Cattle are adept at converting low quality feeds to useful nutrition sources • Calf Crop • Basic ration: • Milk • Pasture or forage

9. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Creep feeding • Only the calves should get it • Advantages: • Heavier calves at weaning • Improves condition and uniformity • Less wt loss by cows • Disadvantages • Extra • Labor • Equipment • Feed • Mgmt • Higher feed cost

10. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • May put on too much wt • May mask the mothering ability of the cow • Basic creep ration • 80-90% grain • 3-5% molasses • 10% oil meal or commercial supplement • See table 8-8 • Adds 30-50lbs at weaning • 8-10lbs creep/lb extra gain • Greatest response when pasture is poor or unavailable • Feed an additive

11. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Implants at 60-90d • Boosts weaning wts 20-40lb • Don’t implant heifers if you plan to breed them • Weaning • 6-8 mos old • Three cases for early weaning • Calves from 1st calf heifers • Less stress on the cow • Cow recycles sooner • Fall calves • Reduced feeding expense through the winter • Bull calves • Get them heavy enough and separate from the herd

12. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Remove calves from cows • No further contact will help the cow dry off quickly • Offer creep feed to the calves to reduce stress • Preconditioned Calves • Preparing a feeder calf for the feedlot • Mandatory • Wean and start on feed no less than 30d from shipment • Similar ration to the feedlot • Castrate, dehorn, treat for grubs no less than 3wks from shipment • Vaccinate • IBR, PI3, Pasteurella, Clostridial • Not less than 3wks from sale

13. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Optional • Deworm • Vaccinate for leptospirosis • Vaccinate for BVD, Haemophilus, no less than 3wks before sale • Owned by seller at least 60d prior to sale • Calves should be in better health • More efficient • $3-5 premium for these calves • Stocker Cattle • Weaned calves that are forage fed prior to sale

14. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Carrying little finish • May be wintered on high-roughage diets before sold for feedlot • May be wintered on small grain/grass pasture • Enter feedlot at 600-800lbs • May graze cornstalks in fall, drylot fed during winter • Backgrounded Cattle • Weaned calves on drylot/pasture • More emphasis on growth than stocker calves • Feed grain to increase to 800lb BW before sale to finisher

15. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Replacement Heifers • Creep feeding is debatable • More genetic expression • Higher cost • Replacement development • Attain 55-65% of mature wt at 15mos for calving at 2 yrs old • Postweaning gains from 7-15mos - .75-1.25lb/d • Low gains may delay puberty & reduce reproduction efficiency • High gains may add fat to the mammary system reducing milk potential

16. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Postweaning Mgmt • Weaning ration • FC hay & minerals • 3-4lb grain • 425-500lbs BW • Winter ration • 1-1.25lb gain to reach 600-700 lbs. by May 1 • Adjustments may need to be made • What might we adjust and why? • Pasture • Adequate for yrlng heifers to gain 1-1.5lb/d from May – mid-July • Breeding wt. 650-750 lbs at 15 mos

17. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Bred heifers • Manage like the cow herd • Gain 1-1.25 lb/d for a target of 900-1100lb at calving • 1st calf heifers • Feed liberally so they will recover and breed back • Bulls • Young • Creep feed, then full feed high energy ration from weaning to 12-14 mos old • Should be ready for service at 15-18 mos • Feed at 2.5% of BW, 2.5 lbs gain

18. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • 15 mos – 3 yrs • 1.75-2.25 ADG, feed % BW • Increase amount of roughage • Mature • Same pasture as cow herd • Winter • ½ lb grain/100 lb BW to maintain condition • May adjust if feeding CS • Summer • Same as cow herd • Supplement energy only if needing to maintain condition

19. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • General Information • Finishing Cattle • Increase muscle and fat mass • Produce quality meat products • Market between 1-2 yrs old, >1000 lbs • CP • 9-14% (varies w/ age, size, etc.) • Energy • High concentrate diets • 65-85% TDN • Efficient gain • May be prone to metabolic disorders

20. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Ca • .3-.6% • Ratio of 2:1 Ca:P • P • .2-.4% • May not need to supplement at all • Estimating Feed Intake • 2-3+% BW (400+ lb calves) • Full feed=2 lb grain/100lb BW plus supp & forage • May feed CS, intakes must be higher to reach desired gains

21. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Roughage to concentrate – 15:85 • Corn is most profitable at $2-$2.50/bu • CS can be profitable • Faster gains w/ higher energy rations • Finish quicker • Intake is regulated by energy content of the ration • Nutritional Mgmt of Finishing Cattle • Starting on Feed • Minimize disease and death loss • Monitor closely in a quarantine lot/pen • May start on high roughage diet w/ higher levels of antibiotic, etc. • May take 5d-3wks for them to adjust – depends on stress level

22. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Grow/Finish Rations • Maintain maximum feed intake w/out stomach upsets • May use a 2 phase program • Phase 1 – 50-60% concentrate, 450-800 lbs BW, CS & supplement • Phase 2 – 75%+ concentrate, 800 lbs to market, little to no forage • Single phase • After adjusting to feed/environment – 75%+ concentrate until market • Don’t short on CP • May be natural or NPN

23. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Miscellaneous • Nonnutritive Feed Additives • Antibiotics • What might we feed? • What do they do? • MGA • Ionophores • Buffer • Bloat prevention • Manage pasture to have no more than 50% legume forage

24. Unit 7: Beef Cattle • Provide dry roughage if bloat is a risk • Feed poloxalene and ionophores