AVOID THE PASTURE SLUMP

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by Dr. Jon DeClerck, Technical Consultant Purina Animal Nutrition

In the cattle business fresh, green growing grass is among the most promising images, especially after a winter of feeding costly forages. Much of the country has struggled to cope with the effects of the weather pattern “La Niña” which has provoked drought primarily in the western half of the United States. As a result, December 2022 hay supplies are the smallest on record since 1954, driving up prices and eating into producers’ pocketbooks. Not to mention, much of the pasture in the country needs time to recover following prolonged drought pressure. In many instances, summer forages are adequate to meet a mature cow’s protein and energy requirements. However, building better cattle is a continuous process and even modest nutrient short falls can have major implications on breeding rates, calf performance, and fetal programing. Make sure to have a comprehensive game plan to handle these common spring/summer pitfalls to keep your cowherd performing at their optimal level.

Allow For Drought Recovery

Grazing management is the foundation of every ranch, and this year especially, many pastures need time to heal from widespread drought. Almost every producer’s goal is to leave their children a profitable operation. However, if forages are over grazed, triggering weed infiltration, is a ranch truly sustainable? Kicking out cows at the first sight of green grass maybe tempting, but a good rule of thumb is to allow forages to reach 4 to 8 inches in height prior to grazing. Additionally, with oceanic climate models forecasting a more favorable weather outlook in 2023, proper herbicide and fertilizer application should prove economically viable and expedite drought recovery.

BE PREPARED FOR “WASHY GRASSES”

It is difficult to overstate the impact of poor reproductive performance. Not only do late bred or open cows represent a significant financial loss, but they also rob seedstock producers of the opportunity to make genetic progress. I often hear producers blame their winter-feeding programs (silage/hay) for poor embryo transfer or artificial insemination rates. However, often the true culprit is “washy forage”. When grasses are lush, and immature (start of the spring) their dry matter can be below 25%. Meaning a cow has to eat 4 lbs. of grass to consume 1 lb. of dry matter. Also consider this is generally when cows are entering peak lactation and have the highest protein/energy demands. A normal 1400 lb. cow requires 28 lbs. of dry matter intake, but if the grass is only 20% dry matter, she’ll have to consume 140 lbs. of grass to meet her needs (typical mature cow’s “physical fill” is 100 - 120 lbs. of rumen capacity). Which is why cows can often consume green grass until they are full as a tick, still lose weight, and have poor conception rates due to a decreasing plane of nutrition. Keep in mind, cow body condition scores are a lagging indicator of forage nutrient deficiencies. Be proactive and ready to bridge the gap between nutrition provided by “washy forages” and cow requirements via supplementation if optimizing conception rates is a priority. To satisfy protein and energy requirements a proven remedy could be supplying a few pounds of a high energy supplement, or potentially feeding last year’s hay for cows seeking dry matter.

DON’T OVERLOOK VITAMINS AND MINERAL

Minerals facilitate nearly every process or reaction occurring in the body, so it is not surprising proper supplementation commonly leads to greater conception rates, improve health and gain. Even the best forages are deficient in many of the vitamins and minerals essential to production success. Additionally, each forage species has a different composition of minerals, which changes as the plant matures. Like humans, cattle have different preferences for certain forages, and each native pasture features numerous different types of grasses/plants, and naturally not all cattle will eat the same distribution. Meaning the only way to guarantee a cow is receiving the appropriate level of vitamins and minerals is by feeding a highquality complete mineral supplement.

Cattle have an appetite for 2 ingredients in a complete mineral supplement: phosphorus and salt. In many area’s during the spring/summer, grasses will feature enough phosphorus to satiate a cow’s appetite, manifesting in poor mineral supplement consumption. Keep in mind cows are no different than you and I. If I eat nothing but ice cream for dinner, I don’t have an internal desire to consume zinc, copper, or any other minerals to rectify the imbalance of my diet. So even if a cow is consuming enough phosphorus from grass alone, she is still most assuredly deficient in at least one mineral vital for reproduction. Keep a close eye on mineral supplement intake, and if consumption falls below the target, consider switching to a lower % phosphorous loose mineral or a tub to ensure peak performance.

Invest In First Calf Heifer Nutrition

Minimizing the postpartum interval (period between calving and breed back) is imperative to bolstering profit potential and female longevity. Remember, first-calf heifers are the most vulnerable females in the cow herd. They are lactating, have a calf at side, and still growing. Consequently, they will need extra attention and supplementation to breed back. To sustain an ideal body condition score, its advisable to feed them separately from the rest of the cow herd. In fact, research has routinely demonstrated first calf heifers not provided extra feed will conceive 20 to 40% lower than mature cows in the herd. Essentially, first-calf heifers are likely to have a greater requirement than the nutrients supplied from forage alone. To avoid this predicament, and heighten the odds of a successful breed back, invest in a supplementation strategy that meets requirements and optimizes forage utilization.

Summary

The spring and summer months are often less intense for cow-calf and seedstock producers. Grazing cows maybe “out of immediate sight”, but don’t let their nutrient requirements “go out of mind”. Maximizing genetic potential through proper nutrition is a year-round process. With pasture sustainability in mind, herbicide and fertilizer use maybe warranted and be sure to allow drought stressed forages time to recover. Producers understand forage quality tends to dwindle toward the end of the summer but also be prepared to deal with “washy grasses” in the spring. To counterbalance the limitations of “physical fill” be prepared to supply a high dry matter supplement, especially for producers with an AI or ET protocol. Make sure to monitor mineral consumption closely, as variations in forage quality can depress intake during critical rebreeding windows. Finally, given high replacement costs, a cheap insurance policy to minimize postpartum intervals and to encourage pregnancy rates, is separating first calf heifers and providing additional supplementation. Mother nature has thrown a lot of curve balls the last few years. However, with more promising cattle prices and weather outlook on the horizon, now is an excellent time to establish a comprehensive approach to promote pasture health and optimize reproductive performance.

22’ NATIONAL CHAMPION

MAINE-ANJOU FEMALE

DUP JELLY YUM 109J

Sire: BOE Epic Dam: CMCC Yum 105

Exhibited by Case Conley, Sulphur, Okla.

Full & Paternal Sibs available this fall!

23’ CATTLEMEN’S CONGRESS RESERVE CHAMPION

JUNIOR MAINE-ANJOU FEMALE

DUP JEALOUSY 199J ET

Sire: BOE Epic Dam: BK BOAK Xpertise 010

Exhibited by Madison Shout, Piedmont, Okla..

Full & Paternal Sibs available this fall!

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AMAA: 535563

SIRE: BOE FAME

DAM: GOET MISS MERCY 130D ET

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