Trader’s Dispatch, November 2013 — Page C44
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BeefTalk: Fall, a window of opportunity for thin cows
By Kris Ringwall, Beef Specialist, NDSU Extension Service fall forage or crop aftermath are excellent Plan ahead because now is the time to nutritional sources. With limited supplethink about those thin cows, not next winter mentation, dry cows will gain condition. prior to calving. Also, if space and time permit, sort out In a broad sense, a moderately milking the thin cows. In most herds, most cows 1,300-pound cow would like to eat about are moderately conditioned and doing fine, 30 pounds of good, green hay a day prior to while others are on the fat side, if not even weaning. After weaning, that same cow only overweight. These groups of cows need to would need 26 to 27 pounds of that same be handled and fed differently. The most hay. In other words, the cow is no longer practical solution is to split the herd at weanmilking and does not need the feed, so take ing into at least two groups. it away from the well-conditioned cows and Cows that are thin and showing no fleshigive it to the thin cows. ness and some obvious rib and bone strucEach fall, there is a window of opportuture need to be sorted off. These cows are nity to evaluate cow condition and improve more than likely some of the more producthose cows that are thin. All summer long, tive cows in the cow herd because they put the cow has been busy nursing a calf and their bodies into raising good calves. Their converting grass to milk. In the process, she milk production warrants the extra feed and probably has used up needed body reserves the need to recoup is real. producing milk. Her fate in the herd already In addihas been set. tion to these If she is pregthins cows, nant, she will younger and be here next old cows also year. If she’s may be added open, she will to this group be transferred or grouped by out as market themselves beef. because they The point are not very is that the high in the cow needs to pecking ordo the same der. Mature, thing year afbossier cows ter year. Her will dominate ability to give their portion birth, to raise of the forage and supplements. a calf and rebreed depends on her ability The second group should be the betterto sustain her own well-being. The best conditioned mature cows and should be fed sustenance for continued performance is to accordingly. This group does not require the put condition on the thin cows. greater degree of supplementation. There are two very important points: There is a third group, which is the fat Cows that are thin now will be thin to thincows. In herds that don’t have good rener in the spring if adequate nutrition is cords, there can be a significant number of not increased now. Also, thin cows do not poor-producing cows that don’t milk well compete well with cows that are in better and simply keep their calf company for the condition. summer. The point that thin cows do not compete Don’t get me wrong. They are good mothand need more feed needs to be written on ers, but they tend to produce light calves. the barn wall, painted on the pasture fences Granted, this also is a function of frame, as and noted on all your paperwork. some smaller-framed cows may flesh easily. Why now? Because most cows are enHowever, take a good look at their calves. tering the second trimester of pregnancy, If they are not what you think they should their milk production is decreasing and the be, those fat cows will sell well. weather is nice. Better yet, for the thin cows, After all this thought, do something. The pull or early wean their calves to shut off bottom line: Don’t wait. Fall is the time to milk production. As a dry cow, weight gain bring the cows back into condition. If you will be easier to attain, especially with good are going to buy some supplement, put it fall weather. where it needs to go. As a producer, what you do not want to Move the calves to the lot and split the do is compete with harsh winter weather and cowherd. Those needing extra feed should put weight on cows in their third trimester. be fed well. For those holding their own, The cold nights and dry grass will fight you just feed them. Thin cows will be thinner all the way. In the end, the cows at calving at calving unless you do something now. are thinner than they were at weaning. This May you find all your ear tags. is something you just cannot let happen For more information, contact Ringwall because waiting until spring to add weight at 1041 State Ave., Dickinson, ND 58601, at calving is even more difficult. or go to http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/news/colWhat can we do? Visit with a good nutriumns/beeftalk/. tionist and apply common sense. Standing
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Jim was 32 years old and still single. He confessed to his friend that he’d really like to get married and settle down. “Every time I bring a girl home to meet my parents,” Jim said, “my mother tells me she doesn’t like her.” His friend advised, “Find a woman who’s just like your mother.” A few months later Jim bumped into his friend again. The friend asked, “So have
you found the perfect woman? Does your mother like her?” Frowning, Jim answered, “Yes, I found the perfect woman. She’s just like my mother. So I brought her home one night to have dinner, and you were right–my mother likes her very much.” The friend said, “Well, what’s the problem?” Jim replied, “My father doesn’t like her.”