FEATURE
TIMELY TIPS FOR AUGUST
L E AV I N G T O L E A R N DR. JEFF LEHMKUHLER Associate Extension Professor, University of Kentucky
Things have been different this summer for our household. Our son was fortunate to have been selected to participate in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholar program in Agribusiness and Biotechnology at Morehead this summer. It was odd moving him into the dorm, but at the same time we were excited for him. The communication has been limited, typical of a teenage boy, but we can tell that he is enjoying his summer from the brief texts and calls. I am excited to hear what he learned from the experience when it is over. I too left for a while as I returned to China with colleagues from Oklahoma, Ohio, and Canada. We participated in a conference in Beijing, gave an invited presentation to researchers and students at Qinghai University and then participated in a workshop in Zhangye. On this trip I went without my wife and the Burris’s, Roy and Karen. Though I missed them, I believe I was able to learn more about agriculture in China this trip. China is seeking to increase domestic beef production. Currently domestic beef consumption per capita in China is much less than in the U.S., near 10 lbs compared to roughly 57 lbs. Beef is relatively expensive compared to other meat sources. The higher cost limits consumption compared to other protein sources. As the economy improves in China, beef consumption is expected to increase. The African Swine Flu has greatly impacted pork production as well which could increase beef product consumption. I state beef product as the cuisine in China is much different than in the U.S. which Dr. Peel also reported in his article in Drover’s earlier this year. The reticulum or honeycomb segment of the stomach was served in several dining locations. We had beef tendons on a couple of occasions and the complete lower foot during one dinner. Organ meet and tongue are also more common, I assume again due to the lower price. Sitting down for dinner for a hotpot provides thinly sliced beef that is dipped into boiling water for a short period of time then consumed. Only once in the two trips to China did I have a steak and that was on a farm producing Waygu cattle. Steakhouses and hamburgers are just not that common. But by the end of my trip, all I wanted was a nice thick, juicy hamburger! 86
China is home to more than 13 million yaks. This number comprises more than 90% of the world’s yak population. The yak provides milk, fiber and meat while enduring high elevations and cold temperatures. While in China, we visited the yak research facilities at Qinghai University. Their research program has been ongoing for decades looking at protein needs, mineral nutrition and other factors. We also visited the Datong breeding station. This station utilized wild yaks to mate to domesticated yaks in an effort to increase productivity. The resulting cross, Datong yak, is a larger yak that can be used to increase productivity. Provinces have contracted with this station to provide bulls to improve their genetics, 1,000 annually in some instances. We then visited a slaughter facility where yaks were harvested and the adjacent jerky facility which further processed the yak meat. Prior to our visit to this plant, Mrs. Beck had purchased some of this company’s yak jerky from a gas station, one of those it’s a small world moments. In the afternoon of my workshop training, we went to a large Simmental operation. This operation, as I recall, managed close to 3,000 cows in total confinement. It is typical in China to manage cows in total confinement as it is not legal to graze in many areas. They wean most calves near 3 months of age to reduce the nutrient requirements of the cows. Most of the feed is purchased from local mills as a complete feed with forage or some roughage source included. Reducing nutritional needs for the cow by weaning early lowers feed costs for the operation. While visiting with a colleague from Canada that has been living in China for over three years, facilities to work cattle are very limited. In fact, he was at a large operation, nearly 10,000 head, with no handling facilities. We should all be thankful for the CAIP funds that have allowed so many of our farms to improve their working facilities. You don’t have to leave the farm today to learn. Today’s access to information via the internet is a great tool. However, if you get the chance to travel to other areas of the state, country or world, be sure to learn about your industry. As cliché as it may seem, knowledge is power. COW COUNTRY • AUGUST 2019
Spring-Calving Cow Herd
General
• Fescue pastures don’t generally produce much this month. If you are lucky and had some rain with this heat, you may have some forage going into the usually dry months. Keep rotating pastures to permit calves to continue gaining weight. Keep minerals available at all times.
• Provide shade and water! Cattle will need shade during the hot part of the day. Check water supply frequently – as much as 20 gallons may be required by high producing cows in very hot weather.
• Bulls should have been removed from the cow herd by now! At the very latest, pull them by September 1. They should be pastured away from the cow herd with a good fence and allowed to regain lost weight and condition. It is a good time to evaluate physical condition, especially feet and legs. Bulls can be given medical attention and still have plenty of time to recover, e.g., corns, abscesses, split hooves, etc. • Repair and improve corrals for fall working and weaning. Consider having an area to wean calves and retain ownership for postweaning feeding rather than selling “green”, lightweight calves. Plan to participate in CPH-45 feeder calf sales in your area
• Select pastures for stockpiling. Remove cattle and apply nitrogen when moisture conditions are favorable. Stockpiled fescues can be especially beneficial for fall-calving cows after calving. Reproductive rates are highest in fall-calving cows grazing stockpiled fescue. • Avoid working cattle when temperatures are extremely high – especially those grazing highendophyte fescue. If cattle must be handled, do so in the early morning. • Do not give up on fly control in late summer, especially if fly numbers are greater than about 50 flies per animal. You can use a different “type” of spray or pouron to kill any resistant flies at the end of fly season.
Fall-Calving Cow Herd
• Keep a good mineral mix available at all times. The UK Beef IRM Basic Cow-Calf mineral is a good choice.
• Dry cows should be moved to better pastures as calving time approaches. Cows should start calving next month. Yearling heifers may begin “headstart” calving later this month. Plan to move cows to stockpiled fescue for the breeding season, so it will soon be time to apply nitrogen fertilizer.
• Cattle may also be more prone to eat poisonous plants during periods of extreme temperature stress. They will stay in “wooded” areas and browse on plants that they would not normally consume. Consider putting a roll of hay in these areas and/ or spraying plants like purple (perilla) mint which can be toxic.
• Prepare for the fall-calving season (usually September). Get ready, be sure you have the following:
• Take soil samples to determine pasture fertility needs. Fertilize as needed, this fall.
- record book - ear tags for identification - calf puller - castration equipment
• A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E K E N T U C K Y C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N