OFFICIAL PUBLICATION of the HEARTLAND LIMOUSIN ASSOCIATION • JAN/FEB 2017
National Western Time
NEWS
ADVERTISERS
A C H Holdings LLC.................18 Bar JZ Ranches..........................15 Black Hills Stock Show..............13 Bullis Creek Ranch.......................7 Ellsworth Limousin....................32 GV Limousin.............................23 Iowa Beef Expo............................5 Liberty Ranch............................30 LIMI-Gene................................11 Lonely Valley Seedstock........30, 31 Lura Limousin............................35 MC Marketing Management........3 Mill Road Limousin...................22 Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic......21 Nolz Limousin...........................38 Peterson Limousin Farms...........12 Peterson’s L7 Bar Limousin........34 Pinegar Limousin.......................17 Red Carpet Sale..........................33 Rockin’ R Ranch........................27 ROM’N Limousin.....................19 Sandhills Limousin Ranch..........28 Schott Limousin.........................10 Symens Brothers...........................2 Tretz Limousin...........................29 Vaughn Farms............................14 Venner Limousin........................36 Vorthmann Limousin.................39 Wieczorek Limousin..................25 Wulf Cattle........................... OBC
roviding forage and feed supplies with the proper nutritional value for cows is an important consideration for producers as winter approaches,” said Dr. Jason Banta, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Beef Cattle Specialist. Testing hay for quality can provide information producers need to meet the nutritional requirements of cows and keep them in good condition through the winter, Banta said. By determining the hay supply’s crude protein content and total digestible nutrients (TDN), which is the measurement of available energy in the forage, producers can determine whether supplemental feed will be necessary, Banta said. Knowing what type and how much supplemental feed is needed can save producers money long term. “Sometimes we find hay is better than we thought, and we can save some money on supplementation,” he said. “At other times we find the hay wasn’t as good as we wanted, so we do
Volume 25 • Issue 1
Iowa News....................................8 Kansas News................................9 Minnesota News.............. 10 & 11 Missouri News................. 12 & 13 Nebraska News...........................14 South Dakota News...................16 Wisconsin News.........................18
“P
need to provide our cows with some more protein and energy supplements to make sure they are in the condition we want before calving so we optimize their pregnancy rates in the future.” Nutritional needs vary for various animals in a herd, Banta said. For instance, lactating cows require more protein and TDN than dry cows. Tested hay should show a minimum of 11-11.5 percent crude protein and 63 percent TDN on a dry matter basis to maintain most lactating cows, he said. Banta recommends visiting with a nutritionist to determine appropriate tests for specific hay species. The cost of testing hay can range from $2560 per sample, but Banta said it’s an investment that will help producers optimize their cows’ nutrition and future breeding success. “It may sound like a lot of money, but if we can do a better job feeding cattle, you’re going to make that money back on calves in the long run,” he said.
Time-Dated Material
STATE NEWS
Proper Nutrition for Wintering Cows Can Pay Dividends
Heartland Limousin Association 23244 Gopher Drive East Bethel, MN 55005
Back In Time...................... 8 & 13 Covering Ground.........................4 Fullblood Limousin Alliance......19 Heartland Calendar......................3 Heartland Highlights.................20 Junior Beat....................... 34 & 35 On The Road Again.....................6 Recipe of the Month....................6 Sales..................................... 22-38
You are Invited
The Heartland Limousin Association (HLA) invites everyone to attend their annual meeting, banquet and benefit auction. Mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 14, 2017. The festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the FFA Building (west of the cattle barn) on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. This annual event is held in conjunction with the Iowa Beef Expo. The banquet is FREE and is a wonderful opportunity to socialize with Limousin breeders from various parts of the upper Midwest. The HLA is seeking items to be donated for the benefit auction. In the past there have been a variety of unique and interesting things donated as well as food items. There also have been cattle supplies, embryos and semen donated. The money raised from this auction goes to support the travel expenses of the HLA Executive Secretary. We appreciate your support of the HLA! Contact Dean Summerbell or any member of the HLA board of directors if you have items to be donated or would like to leave a bid. Check out the HLA website at www.heartlandlimousin.org for updated information on the banquet and a list of items on the benefit auction. In addition, photos of the donated items will be posted on the Heartland Limousin Association Facebook page. Thank You!