NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
April 20, 2000
Beef producers may want to delay putting their cows out to pasture this year, a North Dakota State University specialist says.
"With the easy winter we've had, some producers have good supplies of hay left. They may want to delay turning cows out and continue feeding them in the drylot," says Karl Hoppe, a livestock specialist at NDSU's Carrington Research Extension Center. That strategy makes good use of stored feed and gives pastures a chance for added growth, which may be important if dry conditions persist in some areas.
"Turning cows out too early may hurt the long-term productivity of pastures," Hoppe says. Keeping cows on the drylot also makes it easier to meet their considerable nutrient requirements following calving. And if hay is likely to deteriorate during the summer, it makes economic sense to use the hay when cows can benefit from it.
"Lactation requires a great deal of energy. Grain and good hay can meet that demand and keep cows in condition for the coming breeding season," Hoppe says. "If you don't meet the demand for energy, the cows' reproductive cycle may be interrupted when our goal is to get them rebred."
A diet for lactating cows should be about 3 to 4 percent of body weight--from 36 to 48 pounds--per day for a 1,200-pound cow. One-quarter of that ration could be grain for high energy and the rest should be hay.
"If you're feeding barley, a co-product like wheat midds or alfalfa hay that is high in protein, you may not need added protein. With other grains or lower-quality hay, you may need to add a protein supplement like canola, sunflower or soybean meal or a commercial protein source," Hoppe notes.
Hoppe says the key for good reproductive performance is to maintain body condition of cows. "They will lose some weight when the calf is born, but we don't want them losing any backfat. We want to avoid a negative energy balance. We want them gaining weight rather than losing weight."
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Source: Karl Hoppe (701) 652-2951
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629