10 minute read

Programming Profitability

from Red Angus Magazine - February 2023

from Red Angus Magazine - February 2023, page 52

Make the Connection

by Teres Lambert for the Red Angus Magazine

While some people maintain that “knowledge is power,” others will point out that knowledge is not power. Instead, the ability to act on knowledge is power. Such is the case when it comes to fetal programming, also known as developmental programming.

Knowing what fetal programming is – a concept that the in-utero environment during critical periods of fetal development affects the offspring throughout its lifetime – is one thing. Implementing fetal programming, and using it to your advantage, is another thing.

Producers who take a fetal programming approach make cow-calf nutrition a priority starting the first day a cow is bred and continuing until a calf is born. The nutrition the tiny fetus needs is taken into account so the fetus can develop optimally, express normal patterns of organ and tissue development and ultimately have a positive impact on the calf’s performance at birth and throughout its lifetime.

Research indicates that, when fetal programming is employed, calves are given their best chance of success from start to finish while optimizing their genetic potential.

From Human Health Studies to the Beef Industry

The beef industry’s fetal programming concept traces to human health studies first conducted in 1995 by Dr. David Barker, University of Southampton, Southampton, England. Focused on undernourished women and their offspring in Nazi-occupied Holland during World War II,

Barker investigated the relationship of maternal stresses to infant weight and physical characteristics at birth and later, health status. His work found that certain events occurring during critical points of pregnancy may cause permanent effects on the fetus and the infant long after birth.

Spurred by Barker’s findings relating to humans, animal scientists began investigating if maternal stimuli during a cow’s pregnancy could affect fetal development as well as post-natal growth and health. Production traits important to the economic viability of beef cattle operations that have been studied include calf survivability, growth, reproduction, health, muscle and fat development and carcass characteristics.

While some studies started with the focus on fetal development, other findings came to light by chance or when the focus shifted to how findings related to fetal programming. Such was the case of work undertaken by Rick Funston, Ph.D., beef cattle reproductive physiologist, University of Nebraska.

Programming Profitability What’s Happening in Utero:

Within the first 30 days of conception, an embryo floats freely in uterine milk in the uterine cavity where it is developing limbs and vital organs such as the heart, pancreas, liver, lungs, adrenals, thyroid, spleen, brain, thymus and kidney. The respiratory, nervous, digestive, circulatory and reproductive systems are also being formed.

When the embryo is approximately 38 days old, the fetus period begins. During this stage, development of the placenta and a vascular system takes place, providing transfer of nutrients and waste materials for the developing fetus.

By day 45 of the pregnancy, testicles of male calves are developing. At 50 to 60 days, ovaries of female calves begin development. During the first two months of pregnancy, primary myofibers – or muscle cells – are formed.

By nine weeks, the fetus has grown to about three inches long. Secondary skeletal muscle fibers are starting to develop and will continue to develop until approximately eight months of gestation.

At about three months, the fetus is approximately 5-1/2 inches long. Growth is occurring very quickly, with the organs, digestive system and immune system continuing to develop. The fetus’ four stomachs and hooves are distinguishable.

Six months after conception, the fetus is about 18 inches long. While the fetus is continually developing and growing throughout gestation, approximately 75% of its weight gain and growth occur from here forward.

As the female enters her ninth month of pregnancy, the calf is about 3 feet long. Its body is covered with hair, and final development of its lungs is taking place. Deposition of brown fat is completed – accounting for 2% of the live birth weight of the calf. //

Knowing that factors such as forage quality and quantity, cow condition, production goals, labor availability and cost influence nutritional management, Funston and two other researchers were looking at ways to decrease input cost, and one way was to look at winter grazing. But looking at their research results through a different lens, they discovered a fetal programming connection.

What Research Shows

“The findings that we ran into related to fetal programming were purely incidental,” Funston stated, “but important findings.

“The work shows that a producer’s management strategies not only influence the cow but the profitability of the calf she is carrying.”

When Funston and his colleagues evaluated the effect of dam nutrition on the growth and reproduction of those dams’ heifer calves, they found that 93% of the heifer calves from cows supplemented during the last trimester became pregnant overall versus 80% of the heifers out of dams receiving no supplementation.

In addition, 77% of the heifers from supplemented cows calved in the first 21 days of the season compared to 49% of those from non-supplemented dams.

Heifers from dams receiving supplement also had fewer calving problems: 78% unassisted versus 64%. In the same vein, actual and adjusted weaning weights and weights at pregnancy were higher for calves out of supplemented cows.

An associated three-year study showed that cows receiving protein supplementation weaned 5% to 9% more calves than cows not receiving supplementation.

Another finding was cows that were not supplemented not only had lower body condition but their steer offspring had lower carcass weights and their heifer offspring were less fertile.

Research by Robert Cushman, Ph.D., Nutrition and Environmental Management Research Unit, Clay Center, Nebraska, found that “maternal nutritional and hormonal treatments during gestation altered sperm quality, testicular development and the onset of puberty in bull progeny.”

Programming Profitability

When the cows involved in this study were provided low protein intake around the time of conception, their male progeny had a delay in attainment of puberty as well as decreased sperm quality.

“What is apparent from these studies is that the growth and composition of the testes can be influenced during fetal development,” noted Cushman in a paper published in 2019 in Veterinary Clinics: Food Animal Practice.

Bottom Line

Because of its impact on fetal growth and development, and a calf’s lifetime ability to optimize its genetic potential, dam nutrition is a critical control point from conception to birth. That said, Funston maintained that most cattle producers have a good handle on this, particularly if they are managing body condition.

“The likelihood of nutritional challenge is not going to be in the first trimester when a herd is on decent grass,” he stated. “If I had to pick the most critical period of dam nutrition, it would be the last trimester. This is when the greatest fetal growth occurs and when dam nutrition helps the dam to breed back in a timely fashion.

“Keep in mind that while grazing dormant pasture can minimize production costs significantly, it can also affect cow maintenance, fetal development and future calf performance. Targeting supplementation to critical physiologic periods may provide an opportunity to reduce production costs and positively affect developmental programming.”

Chappell Meatmarket K454

(Reg # 4580953)

Chappell Monopoly K473

(Reg # 4609493)

Chappell Driven K453

(Reg # 4580941)

Chappell Midnight Sky K471

(Reg # 4580935) GM ATOMIC SKY 904 x VANWYE PRIDE 340

Chappell Complete KE1

(Reg # 4580955)

KJL/CLZB COMPLETE x CHAPPELL MISS LIBERTY D342

Chappell 9 Ball K457

(Reg # 4580947)

9 MILE FRANCHISE 6305 x CHAPPELL ZARA H408

for pictures, videos and future updates

HEIFER

SELLING 65 AGE ADVANTAGE RED ANGUS BULLS, 40 REGISTERED OPEN HEIFERS, 20 REGISTERED BRED COWS

ANNUAL BU LL AND FE MAL

BULLS & FEMALES LIKE THESE SELL!

SCHWEITZER RED ANGUS

Be Careful of Nutritive Value When Feeding Old Hay

According to the U.S. drought monitor, approximately 40 states are experiencing drought on some level, which has also affected feed production in those states. With few reasonably priced feed options available, many cattle producers are looking at what they already have for feed resources, including hay that may be older from previous years. However, there are risks involved in feeding older hay, especially if that hay is moldy.

Keeping cattle at adequate body condition is the name of the game and should be monitored regularly. Cows should be ranked at a body condition score of 5, and heifers should be at a 6.

Nutrition is Essential

How well hay has aged depends on how well it was stored. Scott Fritz, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor of toxicology, Kansas State University, stated that if bales are wrapped tightly, they are most likely going to shed water fairly well.

“Moisture is the biggest enemy,” Fritz said. “I recommend doing nutritive analysis on any older hay to identify nutritional quality.”

As hay ages, microbial fermentation occurs within the plants, depleting the soluble carbohydrates that are available, according to Phillip Lancaster, Ph.D., clinical assistant professor, Kansas State University.

“We’re left with a higher proportion of the plant cell wall, so the overall digestibility of the forage is lower than if it was freshly cut hay,” Lancaster said. “It deteriorates slowly from day one, and although it’s a relatively slow process, hay that is over a year old is going to be somewhat depleted.”

Hay that is two years old or more probably has no soluble carbohydrates left and really only provides the structural part of the cell wall, which still offers energy to cattle, but it is not nearly as effective. Alfalfa is worse than grass hay when it comes to losing soluble carbohydrates, because it has a higher lignin content, so the plant cell wall that is leftover is a lot less digestible than grass hay.

“That means that a producer is going to have to supplement with additional feeds to make up for that,” Lancaster added. “They can supplement additional wheat midds, soyhulls, distillers grains or other additional energy sources that also provide a high source of fiber.”

The best way for cattlemen to determine digestibility of hay is to send samples for chemical analysis.

The good news is that protein content seems to stay about the same, although the type of protein may change forms.

One of the main nutrients that is transferred to cattle through hay is beta carotene, which Lancaster said can be deteriorated by ultraviolet light if hay has been stored outside for a couple of years.

“If the hay is brown all the way through the bale and weathered, then it probably has very little vitamin A potential left,” Lancaster said.

Be Careful of Nutritive Value When Feeding Old Hay

Vitamin A is essential to cattle for tissue integrity in the digestive and reproductive tracts, according to Bob Larson, Ph.D., professor of production medicine, Kansas State University.

“We can see poor reproductive performance with vitamin A insufficiency,” Larson said. “Lung health, gut health and reproductive tract health all require vitamin A.”

Green grass or hay are typically good sources of vitamin A for cattle, and cows can store vitamin A in their liver for a while, but it depletes over time.

“Hay will lose beta carotene as it cures, and if you feed poor quality forages, there is a decrease in vitamin A,” Larson added.

“Older hay will also be less digestible which can decrease the daily consumption of important minerals like calcium and phosphorus.”

Minerals leach out of hay if it has been sitting outside and exposed to rain and snow.

“Vitamins D and E are less susceptible to ultraviolet light, but the amounts available to cattle decrease,” Lancaster explained.

Abortion Concerns with Moldy Hay

Feeding moldy hay is not safe, Fritz insisted.

“Typically, it would only affect a few cows, but we still recommend trying to avoid feeding hay with visible mold on it,” suggested Larson.

“The temptation is to try to dilute it if you have to, but the safest recommendation is not to feed it at all.”

Spring calving cows that eat moldy hay in the later part of pregnancy are at risk of abortion, and it does not matter if the mold is white or black.

“There is no differentiation in aspergillus, the species of mold that causes abortions,” Larson said. “If you are not sure about old hay, you may want to have it analyzed again or assume that you will need to supplement more than usual with those feed sources.”

If you have never forage tested hay before, Larson recommended to do so this year. Testing hay samples typically costs about $25 per sample, and your local Extension agent can help locate a lab near you.

“Hay was put up in different conditions, and many producers have feedstuffs that are different than what they are used to,” Larson explained. “It’s important to know if you need to balance the nutrient profile in the hay with supplementation.”

Be Efficient

Efficiently feeding the hay you have available can be a key to stretching

Bales that are tightly wrapped are more likely to shed water well, helping to preserve the quality of carry-over hay.

Be Careful of Nutritive Value When Feeding Old Hay

beef cattle diets, according to information from the University of Minnesota. Avoiding waste means losing less money in the long run.

One way to be more efficient when feeding hay is to feed hay that has been stored outdoors first, saving those bales that are already stored inside. If you end up buying hay, you can ask the seller if they will store your hay inside until you take delivery of it.

Round bale feeders allow cattle to waste up to 25% of hay. That waste can be cut to 10% if cattle are only offered access to the round bale feeder for 8-12 hours a day in a 24-hour period. Cattle should have adequate space around the round bale feeder so all of them can eat at the same time.

Hay can be processed or mixed in such a way as to make it more homogeneous and less likely to have a hot spot, any poisonous plants or nitrates that may harm cattle, said Steve Ensley, Ph.D., clinical veterinary toxicologist, Kansas State University.

Processing or grinding hay is the most efficient method of limit-feeding hay but rolling bales out on the frozen ground is also an option for most cattle producers.

Hay rings should also be moved periodically so any unconsumed hay is distributed throughout the field as fertilizer. //