October 2007

Hi Everyone,

Wow! What a summer we just went through. Weeks and weeks of dry hot weather, poor quality forages on summer ranges and in some cases, water shortages. It can’t get any worse can it? You bet it can. How about extremely high hay and grain prices? Makes you scratch your head, doesn’t it?
There is some good news though, calf prices are still pretty high. Let’s hope that they stay high through the fall and early winter.
I have talked to some cattle producers over the last several weeks and many spring calving operations weaned their calves early and sold them. Early weaning is one of the options that I will discuss in greater detail in this newsletter. Speaking of early weaning, I have actual data on how some spring calves gained during the month of September and early October. I weighed calves on three ranches in the area to determine how much these calves gained late in the season. Table 1. on page three has the results. They are interesting.
With high feed prices and poor fall feed, you will definitely earn your money as the manager of your operation this year. This edition of “Over The Wire” deals with tips on drought management and keeping winter feed costs as low as possible. If you have any additional questions on this topic or any other beef cattle topic, feel free to contact me at the Idaho County Extension Office. Good luck during the fall season.
Sincerely,

Jim Church
University of Idaho
Extension Educator, Livestock
Strategies To Survive The Drought and High Winter Feed Costs

Let’s face it, this summer and fall have been extremely dry. In some areas we have had less than half the normal yearly rainfall. Hay crops have been adversely affected and so have the pastures and ranges. With short supplies of poor quality grass this fall and out of sight hay prices, what are some options for keeping out of the banker’s doghouse?
To begin with producers need to analyze their options for managing the conditions brought on by drought. According to Extension beef cattle specialists John Paterson, Rick Funston and Ron Carlstrom from Montana State University and Greg Lardy from North Dakota State University producers have the following options to consider during a drought:
· Do nothing.
· Selective reduction of the cow herd.
· Early weaning of calves to reduce nutritional demands on cows.
· Leasing additional grazing ground versus purchasing of supplemental feeds.
· Purchasing supplemental feedstuffs.
· Move cowherd to a dry lot for full feeding.
· Limit feed grain to meet nutrient requirements.
· Sell all the livestock.

Let’s take a look at each of these options:
Do Nothing:
This is the option where you keep your fingers crossed and hope things get better. Some times this works, but the majority of the time it doesn’t. Producers should look at a combination of the options listed above.
Selective reduction of the cow herd:
I really think that during years of short feed and high hay prices, deep culling should be employed, if cull cow prices are reasonable. The first group of cows to look at are cows that consistently calve late because they more than likely bring in a small calf each year. You may want to look at the poor milking cows and cows with problem udders. Cows that are of poor quality or are hard keepers, make sure they are not thin because they milk well and raise a huge calf. Older cows and those with feet and leg problems are also prime candidates for a trip to town. The point is to keep cows that make you money and get rid of the marginal cows. However, if you have plenty of feed and cull cow prices are low, it may pay to feed them until spring. Research has shown that it pays to sell cull cows after January 1st, but the key is available feed.
Early weaning of calves:
It may be wise to think about weaning spring born calves earlier than normal in periods of drought. By the time this newsletter goes out, the window for early weaning will have passed. Cows that are grazing on dry, low quality feed will lose body condition in a hurry if they are nursing calves. The calves will also not grow well if they are eating low quality forage. By removing the calves, the cows will not require the level of nutrients needed while nursing and thus maintain body condition. The weaned calves can be sold right off the cow or fed hay for a few weeks if hay supplies are sufficient.
As I mentioned in my comments earlier, I have three herds in Idaho and Lewis Counties that are cooperating on an early weaning project. The calves from each of these herds were weighed the last week of August or the first week of September. The calves were reweighed about thirty days later. Table 1. outlines how well the calves gained during September this year:
Table 1. Calf gain on Three Ranches in September 2007
Avg. Avg. Days Avg.
Ranch Start Wt. End Wt. on Test Daily Gain
A 471 516 32 1.42
B 485 507 30 0.99
C 447 491 28 1.57
The calves gained from 1 pound to a pound and a half depending on the ranch during the last 30 days on the cow. The cow calf pairs were on pasture so the cost of that pound of gain would be low. If the pasture rental cost is $12 per pair per month, that equals $.40 cents per day for the pair. Divide this by 2 and you get $.20 cents. I am going to place a cost of $.20 cents per pound gain on that 1 pound per day gain while on the cow.
If we have enough hay and supplements, we can feed the calves to gain 2 pounds per day easy after being weaned. With hay at $100 per ton and barley at $300 per ton the cost per pound of gain would be $0.63 with feeding 10 pounds of hay and 5 pounds of barley per day. The cost of gain is higher with the calf weaned but you have to figure that each pound on a calf is worth at least $1.10. So the result would be a net return of $0.90 per day if the calves were left on the cows and $0.95 if the calves were weaned and fed to gain 2 pounds per day.
So how do you interpret the data? Normally on a dry year it pays to wean early and feed the calves, but this year feed costs are so high that it is a toss up. You may be just as well off to leave the calves on the cows.
One factor we are not taking into account is the body condition scores of the cows. Cows that have been nursing calves through this dry period may be losing a lot of valuable body condition. This condition could be saved if the calves were weaned. Putting condition back on cows is expensive.
I will repeat this project next year to see what kind of differences there are between years.
Leasing Additional Ground:
This option can be a great one if producers can find fall pastures or crop aftermath to graze in the fall. The trouble is everyone is looking for fall pasture and it is extremely hard to find. Most wheat and barley fields in this area have no fences. There is a tremendous amount of feed available on these fields but producers would have to be willing to put up electric fences and in most cases, haul water. The cattle would have to be trained to the electric fence and hauling water would get old in a hurry. However, if you can pencil this option out and make it work financially, it might be worth the effort. Delaying the winter feeding period by 30 days or longer will make this option much more attractive.
Purchasing Supplemental Feeds:
If you are feeding straw or grazing fall forages that are very low in quality, you will have to provide a protein supplement for the cattle. Adding protein to the diet will enhance the growth of rumen bacteria which will allow for better utilization and consumption of the poor quality forage. Of course the added protein also helps the cattle meet their nutrient requirements. Don’t forget about trace mineral supplementation at this time. Low quality forages usually lack the trace minerals needed by the cattle. A good lose mineral program is recommended.
Move Cowherd to Drylot for Full Feeding:
This is an expensive option but may not be avoided if pasture and range forages are gone. If cows have to be put on full feed early in the winter feeding period, look at utilizing low quality forages such as bluegrass straw, or ammoniated wheat or barley straw. These roughages will provide filler and can extend the stack of top quality hay for later use. If you are feeding straws, you will have to provide supplemental protein and in some cases energy for the cows. Also, be sure to provide trace mineral supplements as well.
Limit Feed Grain to Meet Nutrient Requirements:
As I just mentioned, low quality forages lack the protein requirements needed by the cows. They also may lack the energy requirements, depending on the stage of gestation/lactation that the cows are in. If energy is lacking in the diet, limit feeding five pounds or so of grain each day will help. However with barley at about $300 a ton, this will be expensive this year. You will also have to have good tight feed bunks with enough bunk space to allow all the cattle to eat at once. This may be a limiting factor.
Sell All The Livestock:
Drastic times make for drastic measures. Selling all the cattle is an option, but one that most producers don’t really want to choose. There are tax ramifications not to mention the loss of years and years of genetic selection to build up the herd. Everyone has to make their own decision as to whether this option is considered.
Minimizing Hay Waste During the Feeding Period
One management practice that producers can look at to reduce feed costs is the amount of hay that is wasted each year during the winter feeding period. I would bet that if a person really evaluated the amount of hay that the cows waste, it would be shocking.
According to research conducted at the University of Missouri the amount of hay wasted will vary depending on the feeding method used. It can range from less than 10 percent all the way up to 45 percent or almost half of the feed. Limit feeding cows in feed bunks is the most efficient way to feed cows. On average they will waste about 10 percent of the feed using this method. The worst way to feed is to spread the hay out on the ground. Cattle will waste about 45 percent of the hay by trampling on it, fouling it with urine or manure and by using it for bedding.
If cows have free access to an unlimited amount of hay they will eat 20 to 30 percent more hay than they need each day. Feeding only a 1 day supply per feeding will lower the feed wasted from 25 percent down to 10 percent.
Years like this with high hay prices, it would be wise to look at reducing the amount of hay that is wasted. If at all possible, limit feed the cows in bunks. Hay loss and waste can be reduced if a one day supply is fed compared to feeding a several day supply each time hay is fed. If you can’t feed on a daily basis, be sure to feed in bunks or round bale feeders. Try to avoid feeding on the ground. This may not be feasible depending on your situation, but evaluate ways to reduce waste. Saving 10 percent of your hay can add up to big dollars by the end of the winter feeding period.
Good luck with your winter feeding program and let’s hope for ample moisture and a normal winter free from extending below zero temperatures.