The message is simple for prairie cattle producers this fall: test feed now and start bringing in additional feed to bolster rations.
Barry Yaremcio, Alberta Agriculture’s beef and forage specialist in Stettler, said feed tests are the most important thing producers can do to help their cows through pregnancy and the winter.
Only 10 to 15 percent of hay was cut at the right time and baled before rain hit it, he said.
“The rest, the quality is so variable it’s just unreal.”
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Quality will definitely be lower than average and producers need to know exactly how much lower.
Early test results are showing that acid and neutral detergent fibre levels are 30 to 40 percent higher than they should be, which means energy content, measured in total digestible nutrients (TDN), is down.
TDN in first cut alfalfa/grass mixes should be 60 to 63 percent, while straw typically measures 44 to 45 percent TDN.
“This year a lot of the forages are coming in at 52 to 55 percent,” Yaremcio said.
Cows require 55 percent TDN in mid-pregnancy, 60 percent in late pregnancy and 65 percent after calving. Otherwise, they will lose weight.
Yaremcio said lower protein levels are also an issue.
Tests are finding protein levels of eight to nine percent, which would work in mid to late pregnancy when cows require seven and nine percent protein, respectively, but not after calving when they need 11 percent protein.
Most producers will need to add grain to their feeding rations to make up for these shortages.
He said producers will probably need to add three to four pounds of grain for cows in mid pregnancy, then five to six lb. in late pregnancy and 10 to 11 lb. after calving.
“Test your feed. Know what you’re getting,” Yaremcio said.
This year’s analysis should include the neutral detergent fibre number because feed with higher content is harder to digest and takes longer to pass through the digestive system.
Cows will stop eating if the neutral detergent fibre content is too high.
Yaremcio said a 1,400 lb. cow typically eats 35 to 37 lb. of hay per day.
“When you have 70 percent neutral detergent fibre, that means that the physical limitations of what they can eat will be someplace between 24 and 26 lb. a day,” he said.
“So they’re going to be 10 lb. of feed short just because of the fill in their stomachs.”
Even though a farmer might see a contented-looking cow, the animal will be eating less and, when it gets cold, losing one to 1.5 lb. per day.
That’s where adding grain to the feed ration is critical. Yaremcio said this is a big change from other years for some producers.
Cows can obtain a lot of energy from barley, oats and feed wheat.
Yaremcio said barley bushel weights are reportedly low this year, but farmers can still make that work. Feedlots prefer 48 to 50 lb. bushel weights for uniformity and efficient rolling, but barley in the 40 to 42 lb. range will work.
“If they want to feed oats instead of barley, (supply) 10 percent more grain, because energy and protein densities in oats is about 10 percent less than barley.”
He said a lot of feed wheat will be available but cows should receive a maximum of six lb. per day.
“It has to be cracked into two pieces, no finer than that, otherwise they’re going to run into bloat and acidosis problems.”
Yaremcio said producers have to plan their feeding programs now. Waiting too long could result in a cow going into the winter 100 lb. lighter than it should be.
“That lighter animal will require 1,400 lb. of additional hay just to get itself back up to body condition score three (which is normal) by calving time,” he said.
Thin cows take longer to cycle, which would affect next year’s calf crop. He also said that every pound of fat a cow is able to draw off its back after calving provides enough energy to produce another seven lb. of milk.
“Seven lb. of milk is roughly equivalent to one lb. of gain on a very young calf,” Yaremcio said.
“These things are all directly related. It’s not just about feeding. It’s about the whole performance cycle of these calves for the next year to 18 months.”
