News Update

News Update
Oct. 20, 2006

K-State Researcher Offers Cattle Producers Tips for Winter

As the temperature drops outside, so could a cow’s health. While cattle producers may not be able to eliminate all of the stress that winter places on their herds, research shows that there is a significant correlation between feed efficiency and feeding-site selection, said Joel DeRouchey, livestock specialist at Kansas State University (K-State).

The thermo neutral zone for healthy cattle is 23° to 77° F, DeRouchey said. When the temperature outside falls below or rises above the animal’s comfort zone, the body needs to produce more energy to keep the animal cool or warm.

When this happens, cattle need to receive enough nutrition to help keep them healthy and in good condition. It is also important that feeding sites be placed in well-drained areas to reduce water, mud and manure buildup.

A buildup of water could not only waste portions of hay bales, but could also decrease the nutritional value of the hay, creating a need for alternative nutrient sources to maintain herd health and performance, DeRouchey said. Excessive mud and manure around feeding sites also means that cattle will have to exert more energy to reach their feed.

“Well-drained areas make the best feeding sites because mud accumulation is less likely to occur,” DeRouchey said. “But, producers need to make sure that waste runoff will have grass or some type of vegetation to filter through before reaching open surface water.”

To prevent waste buildup, producers should rotate ring feeders before adding new bales of hay. One feeding site can feed approximately 15 to 20 head of cattle depending on the availability of other feed sources.

“Ideally, it is better to roll hay out on the ground in a well-drained area if producers can do it in proportions that their herd can clean up in one day,” DeRouchey said. “Hay that lies on the ground for several days before cattle can clean it up will be wasted.”

Winter storage areas for hay are also something that producers need to be thinking about. Rows should line up north to south, about 2 to 3 feet apart, so that sunlight will reach a greater surface area, he said. This will help evaporate moisture from the bales and the ground around them more quickly. Tightly wrapped hay bales will also absorb less moisture than loosely wrapped bales, ultimately ruining a smaller amount of hay.

“Producers should also have their hay tested for nutrient content,” he said. “If the hay doesn’t have an adequate amount of nutrients, cattle will need to be fed additional alternative feedstuffs or higher quality hay to maintain performance. The materials needed to test hay are available for producers to use at their local Extension offices.”

— release provided by K-State Research and Extension

Factors Affecting the Sale Price of Pregnant Heifers

University of Georgia researchers analyzed data from the Georgia Heifer Evaluation and Reproductive Development Program (HERD). The data involved 839 pregnant replacement heifers that were sold over a six-year period (2000-2005). The objective was to determine factors that affect sale price. Heifers begin the program at approximately 12 months of age, and the breeding period begins at about 14.5 months of age. Heifers are bred by artificial insemination (AI) for 30 days, followed by natural service for 35 days, and evaluated for pregnancy by AI six weeks following the end of the AI period. Heifers are sold approximately four and a half months following the start of AI.

Average annual sale price ranged from $936 to $1,280. Heifers pregnant by AI sold for an average of $1,052, while those bred by natural service brought $123 less at $929. Registered and commercial heifers sold for the same average price ($1,030). Buyers paid more for heifers that had a greater average daily gain and a higher frame score, as well as those that were more docile. Buyers also tended to pay more if they had purchased heifers in a previous sale (Rossi et al. 2006. Southern Section ASAS. Abstract 127).

It would be important to match mature cow size and milk production to the feed resources that are available on your operation. A mismatch will result in greater feed costs or open females.

— by Rick Rasby, professor of animal science, University of Nebraska