Extension Update

Travis Meteer, University of Illinois Extension Beef Specialist

Winter Ration Considerations For Beef Cows

Feed costs represent over half the total cost in a cowcalf production system. The majority of feed costs are from feeding cows during the winter season when most grasses are dormant. As a result of this, producers can greatly impact profitability by managing winter feed costs. This article will discuss and illustrate options for developing a least-cost ration on your farm.

Diet Considerations

Depending on your farm set-up, available equipment, and your willingness to purchase diesel fuel, your least-cost ration may look very different than your neighbors. Availability and proximity to co-product feeds, existing infrastructure, and environmental factors may also shift your ideal diet make-up.

The traditional method of winter feeding is hay. Hay is variable in quality. If hay is not sufficient in protein, energy, and other nutrients, then cows may be malnourished. This may occur even though cows have all they can eat. Poor quality forage and crop residues have a high proportion of fiber to protein, thus slowing digestion. Consequently, cows eat only 1.5% of their body weight (BW) per day of lowquality forage. Inversely, if the forage is of high quality, cows consume around 3% of their BW daily. High quality hay may over-deliver nutrition, while, poor quality hay likely needs to be supplemented to meet cow requirements.

With supplementation, cows digest more low-quality forage, up to 2% of their BW. Grain supplementation should be no more than 0.5 % of the cow’s BW. If the forage is of such poor quality that more supplementation is required, you should consider using co-products and other fiber-based feeds to avoid negative associative effects that occur when using grains.

The most economical way to feed cows is to keep them grazing. Stockpiled grasses, brassicas with small grains, and cornstalks can be used to provide fall and winter grazing very economically. Input costs continue to rise. Reducing reliance on fuel, fertilizer, and labor-intensive systems may be the lowest cost formula on your ranch.

Animal characteristics and production levels are also a factor in developing a successful winter ration. If your cows are thin or heavy milking, you will need higher energy diets. If your cows are larger than the example, they will need proportionally more feed. Evaluating your genetics to make sure they are in alignment with your market and your environment is always worthwhile.

Tips for feeding cornstalk bales:

• Sample and send off for nutrient analysis • Not an equal substitute for hay. Must be supplemented. • Process bales to reduce particle size. This will reduce feed refusal and waste. • If you cannot process bales, budget for the added waste.

Use leftovers/sort for bedding. • Mix with wet co-products. Adds to palatability and decreases ration sort. A target diet moisture of 50% reduces sorting of the ration. • Changes to the mineral program may be necessary

Tips for feeding haylage/baleage:

• Sample and send off for nutrient analysis • Correct moisture levels are needed for accurate diet formulation. Changes in moisture within the bag or from bale-to-bale can increase inconsistency in the ration. • Proper fermentation is crucial, too much moisture, or too little, can cause concern at feedout and lead to listeria or clostridium bacteria and animal health concerns • Holes in the plastic or air penetration can lead to mold, spoilage, and bad bacteria growth

Tips for feeding wet co-products:

• Sample each load and send off for nutrient analysis • Correct moisture levels are needed for accurate diet formulation. • Control storage losses. Store on concrete pad with good drainage. • Feed through in a timely manner. Wet products are hard to store for long time periods • Avoid feeding with other moldy, off spec, or variable feeds that create inconsistent diets • Co-product or custom mineral supplementation program likely needed

Corn 188 3 Corn Silage 55 25 15 41 CGF (dry) 165 3 CGF (wet) 40 24 12 6 MWDGS 80 25 Grass Hay, good 110 17 Poor Hay 85 15 Cornstalks 65 12 10 8 8 12 Soybean Hulls 160 3 Ryelage 40 50 30

lbs, AF lbs, DM %DM Ration lbs. TDN lbs. CP TDN, % CP,% Shrink, %

36 59 42 59 37 58 31.1 27.1 30.8 29.5 23.7 28.8 86.5 45.8 73.2 49.9 64.0 49.7 18.1 18.3 18.1 18.0 18.3 18.3 3.1 3.0 3.1 3.0 3.7 3.0 58.20% 67.83% 58.95% 61.16% 77.64% 63.47% 9.90% 11.17% 10.02% 10.32% 16.08% 10.51% 20 20 20 20 20 20

Cost, $/ton AF Cost, $/ton DM Cost, $/hd/d $117.75 $59.69 $85.57 $51.46 $88.22 $85.34 $136.13 $130.20 $116.88 $103.09 $137.78 $171.88 $2.12 $1.76 $1.80 $1.52 $1.63 $2.48

Sample Rations

I have included some rations for illustration purposes. The normal disclaimers apply: Test your feeds and consult your nutritionist before formulating a least-cost balanced ration; these rations may not be representative of your feed ingredients; not all rations meet dry matter intake targets, thus limit-feeding strategies and management would need to be applied; transportation costs are not in feed costs; mineral supplementation costs are not included. These rations are intended to be delivered with a TMR (Total Mixed Ration). Free-choice forages would result in higher forage intake and feeding waste that is not shown in these illustrations. These rations are balanced to meet the CP and energy needs of a moderate milking 1300lb. lactating cow in good body conditions score.

Summary

Your least-cost winter feeding strategy may not be the same as your neighbor. Factors including herd size, available equipment, infrastructure, labor, and others can dictate least-cost strategies. Testing forages and feed ingredients is necessary to formulate a balanced ration. Limit-feeding cattle will require good fences and more nutrient dense feedstuffs. Feeding higher levels of by-product feeds may increase variability in the ration and result in a greater need to amend the vitamin and mineral supplement to match animal requirements. Feed waste and shrink will vary depending on feedstuff, feed storage, and feed handling. Weather and environment should be considered when formulating balanced rations. Cow/calf producers that can identify and implement least-cost rations during the winter will be the most profitable. Remember, cattle are most profitable harvesting their own feed. Looking into extending the grazing season is a must. When cattle must be delivered harvested feeds, evaluating the most economical ration will quickly return dollars to the farm.