Question

Please note that this is an ANIMAL SCIENCE QUESTION. do not answer if unsure.

Please read question carefully and answer it thoroughly. All answers must be typed and brevity is appreciated. (be detailed)

1. A beef cattle producer has called you and needs your help.  He is 60 days pre-calving and doesn’t have enough feeder quality hay to last through the spring.  He thinks he needs to save his good stuff for use after the cows calve.  If he does that, all he has now is his first cutting hay.  You ask him to send it in for analysis and the results are:  89% dry matter, 63% NDF and 42% ADF, 11% crude protein and 9% ash.  Look up the requirements for his cows (1200 lb cows in late gestation) and determine if the protein and energy needs of the cow are likely to be met.  The producer would prefer not to purchase any feedstuffs to supplement these cows.  What would you suggest he do and how would your suggestion work to help the problem?  (i.e. What could he do to try to increase the needed nutrients to these cows without adding a supplement).

Answer 1

When they calve late as a first-calf heifer, that's lifetime disadvantage", explains sandy Johnson, Kansas State University Research and Extension beef cattle specialist. "We know those that calve during that first cycle as a first-calf cheifer carry that advantage forwo and those cows often have an additt- onal call in their lite time than those that calve later"! for the dow to save at the same the expyth Nutrition and the fact that fost - calf. helters are still growing are key reasons why these folks encourages producers to manage first-calf heiters separately from mature cows. . lale have to realize that first-calf heifers will have a longer PPI. Thats why we need to breed them in adyance of the mature cows. and utilize a relatively short breeding season, " Johnson says, she defines a shost season as 45 days,

but prefers 30 or less " Aint- always take longer calf cheifers calf cheifen They in from wo to three weeks than their mature cow - which is often the no resume cuning. They may anywhere from wo e longer than their matur cherd counterparts it they're Jetting all they need to eal, even longer it they're not is often the Johnson case, enprains. " Even it heiters are bred three weeks ahead of the mature cours, if the cheiter . calves on day so she hardly has a chance to be cycling the time for the next for day breeding season". For a cow to calve at the same time. every year, Johnson points out the female chas 82 days to rebreed after calving. "A typical cow with adequate mutrition takes about 50 days to start cycling again, while, a first- calf heiter will take closer to To days," she says, " Therefore, producers should consider

breeding before and calving the mature first-caff heifers cow herd!!! Heiters fed diets deficient in energy or protein during the last trimester experi- ence more calving difficulty, conceive later in the breeding season, and have Increased sickness, death and lower calf weaning weight, " Funston and Johnson say. "Athough dietary restrictions during early heifer development may reduce cost and capitalise on compensatory gain, continued restriction through subsequent winter periods Increase the proportion of non-pregnant heifers and reduce cheed reprodue- tive rates."