Effective Nutrition Planning

by Klint Sickler, AGA President

"Don't know what you got ‘til it’s gone…”

For some of you, this quote from the iconic ‘80s rock band Cinderella might bring back memories of your senior prom, but for those of us in drought country, it sums up the struggle to keep cows on grass over the past year. In our operation, the last year has certainly made us think outside of the box and put an added emphasis on cowherd nutrition and efficiency.

Between a lack of rainfall, pastures that went dormant or ran out of grass early, and hay crops that were measured in acres per bale, 2021 was a year that really made us take stock of what we had and continually adjust our plans. While the weather, rainfall, and grass growth are things out of our control, the nutrition of our herd is something that we can manage. This is something many producers take for granted, assuming that if an animal is ‘fat’, they are ‘healthy.’ Your nutrition plan contributes to everything from fertility in your cows, to the scrotal size of your bulls and the breed-up on your heifers. A switch in forage quality at the wrong time can even impact your conception at AI or ET time.

While we normally do a nutritional analysis on all of our forage, this year it was more important than normal since we had to purchase quite a bit of hay. Our herd nutritionist reviewed these results and developed multiple rations with different feedstuffs and mineral additives to meet our nutritional goals. When we ultrasounded our cows in August and had a 97% pregnancy rate in a 45-day breeding period, it was reassuring that we had done everything in our power to control the variables we were given. Now that we are entering calving season, those same cows have different nutrient requirements. We want to make sure that they have the right vitamins to properly develop that future herdsire they are growing for us, while maintaining a body condition score that will allow them to breed back in an acceptable interval. Also, if we expect that cow to raise a scalebusting calf at weaning, we need to ensure we’re providing the fuel to get that done, so she can perform at her best.

No matter what your experience is in the livestock industry, if you’re looking to make some of the quickest improvements in your herd, I’d highly recommend finding a good nutritionist and working with them to develop a plan for your herd. It’s an investment that will pay dividends quickly in performance, fertility, and forage management!