The primary goal of cow/calf producers is to take care of the ranch and optimize cattle production. Cow nutrition needs are dynamic and need to be monitored.

Most spring calves are on the ground now. The cow’s needs have changed to a new stage:

Calving to breeding. This is the most critical period with regard to a cow’s nutritional requirements. She is producing milk at her highest level 3-4 weeks postpartum through breeding, while her reproductive system is recovering from her past pregnancy. Cows that lose weight during this period have lower first-service conception rates than cows that gain weight. Lower first-service conception rates will result in longer calving intervals. Nutrition plays a key role to ensure that each cow gives birth to a strong, healthy calf and rebreeds every year within approximately 82 days of the previous calving date. An inadequate nutrition program may result in a low percent calf crop, late calving, and decreased weaning weights.

Minerals play an important role in the nutrition of grazing livestock and are the first limiting nutrients in a forage-based diet. Mineral deficiencies in grazing animals result from either low concentrations of specific minerals in the diet or from low availability of existing minerals. Minerals have an important role in the immune response of an animal. An increasing amount of information is accumulating to show many nutrients are needed at higher levels than NRC recommendations to improve the ability of the animal’s immune system to cope with infection. Zinc, copper, iron, selenium, phosphorus, and magnesium already have been shown to be helpful. The important role of the major minerals in range supplementation has been clearly identified and has returned dividends to producers for decades. A complete Vigortone mineral program is assumed to be in place before the management practices shown here are to be of use.

Young cows are different: Nutrient requirements of young developing heifers differ from those of older cows, so they should be handled separately until good grass is available. Because they are still growing, yearling heifers need higher percentages of protein and energy in their diets than older cows, both before and after calving. Yearling heifers, two-year-old bred heifers, and thin older bred cows can be run in the same herd to avoid numerous small groups of cattle.

Know what you have to feed: Samples of stored forage such as hay can be analyzed, making it possible to estimate supplemental needs fairly accurately. Analyzing forage for grazing livestock is much more difficult because of the variation of forage available and the animal’s preference for some plants and avoidance of others.

Supplemental protein: Chart 1 shows that feeding soybean meal with low-quality forage may improve energy nutrition of the cow. Supplemental protein increases digestibility and intake of low-quality forages and supplies some supplemental energy.

Crude protein concentration declines as forages become more mature. Intake declines due to this protein shortage in the rumen. Microbial reproduction slows down, the bugs reduce digestion, forages stay in the rumen longer increasing rumen fill, triggering receptors that tell the cow to reduce intake. Forage Pro 22% is formulated with soybean meal to meet the needs of cows as the range forage matures. Feeding 0.9 pounds of Forage Pro 22% would equal 0.45 pounds of soybean meal intake that would increase dry matter intake by 20% and digestibility by 8% when added to a 4% protein forage ration, according to this report.

Requirements change: Table 1 shows dry cows eat less than lactating cows. The amounts of digestible energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals needed for maintenance is low relative to other animal stages. Many low quality forages and crop residues can meet the maintenance needs of some classes of cows, if protein and minerals are supplemented.

A new grazing method used by cattlemen is short-term, intensive grazing. Intensive grazing mimics the times when buffalo herds devoured the prairie grasses in one area before moving on to fresh range. While it takes time to keep a management intensive forage system functioning, it can be very rewarding. When cattle are moved, they know the pasture on the other side of the fence is better. They tame down and become a pleasure, rather than an aggravation to get out of a pasture. Cattle are the most efficient means of converting grass to protein; intensive grazing just speeds it up.

Stockpiling is accumulating forage on pasture for deferred grazing and for staggering regrowth of pasture the following spring. The exposure to weather reduces the quality of the feedstuff. Extra supplementation may be required.

Byproduct feeding: Table 2 shows that by using soyhulls with a hay diet, an effective cost of gain can be obtained. Producers must monitor supplement needs and feed prices to take advantage of alternate feed sources to reduce the cost of production.

Animal performance is determined by your management inputs: feed availability, feed nutrient content, intake, and the extent of digestion.

For more information, please call us at 1-800-553-1712 or email us at contactus@vigortone.com.  Dr. Pemberton can be reached at Spemberton@vigortone.com.