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Winter Check-up for the Beef Herd
| By Royce Towns, TFC Nutritionist |
12/23/2020 |
Winter is in full swing, and most beef producers are busy keeping hay in front of the cows, providing supplemental feed, and checking for newborn calves. It’s easy to get caught up in the hectic daily routine during this busy time, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. For spring-calving herds, winter feeding coincides with the last third of gestation and early lactation. Sensible decisions now can significantly impact the health of newborn calves, the amount of milk produced by their mother, and how soon the cow breeds back after calving.
Hay generally makes up the majority of the beef herd’s winter diet. This hay must be of adequate quantity and quality to meet the nutrient requirements of brood cows at various stages of production. In the last third of gestation, cows require a considerably higher level of nutrition than dry cows do in early gestation. If these nutrient needs are not met, cows tend to calve in poor body condition, give birth to smaller, weaker calves, and take longer to breed back than those that calve in good condition. Additional nutrition in the form of complete feeds, blocks, or tubs can minimize these concerns.
Talk of supplemental feeding of pregnant animals often raises concerns about calving difficulty. There is no correlation to suggest supplementation during pregnancy increases calving difficulty. In fact, the opposite is true. Slight reductions in nutrient intake cause the cow to partition nutrients to the fetus, resulting in a weak cow in poor condition, low-quality colostrum, and a normal birthweight calf. Further restricting feed to less than 70 percent of the cow’s requirement can decrease birth weight, but both cow and calf will be weak and undernourished.
In preparation for calving, make sure your calving kit is well stocked and readily available. Essential items would include a calf puller, obstetric chains and handles, plastic sleeves, lubricant, antiseptic, naval dip, paper towels, and a headlamp. Review procedures regarding when and how to provide calving assistance. Lack of progress for more than one hour or an abnormal presentation indicates the need for help. Remember to give special attention to first-calf heifers. First-time mothers can be nervous, so give them a quiet, clean calving lot and observe frequently from a distance, intervening only when necessary.
Now is also the time to prepare for the spring breeding season. Cows need to calve once every 365 days to be considered reproductively efficient. This means cows must cycle and conceive no more than about 82 days after calving. Body condition is the best indicator of reproductive status, with the goal being a score of 5-6 at breeding. Bulls, too, must be sound and in good condition. Supplement as needed to assure they enter breeding season in optimal body condition.
Grass tetany often occurs in late winter and early spring and is associated with low magnesium levels in the new growth of cool-season grasses. The most effective means of preventing grass tetany is providing cattle with supplemental magnesium just prior to and during grazing of high-risk forages. Magnesium oxide is an efficient magnesium source, but by itself is not palatable to cattle and therefore is typically included as an ingredient in “hi-mag” mineral supplements, blocks, or tubs. Since stored magnesium is not easily mobilized by the body, beginning supplementation more than a few weeks ahead of an anticipated challenge is neither necessary nor cost-effective.
Visit with your local Co-op livestock specialist to custom tailor a plan for your operation. Your herd will be better prepared to perform in the critical months ahead.
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