  BeefTalk:
Nutritional Needs Important During Drought Management
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
The beef cow was never intended to lead a pampered life. The beef cow is a
ruminant animal specifically designed to convert cellulose or other low quality
plant-like material into products edible for humans. Depending on economic or
production situations, the quality of feed materials available for the beef cow
can vary widely, but producers must remember that the cow can exist on low
quality roughage when necessary.
During these times of feed shortages due to drought or other environmental
difficulties, a wise maneuver is to avoid over reacting and remember what a
normal cow needs. Feeding the beef cow requires a generalized appreciation of
what a cow needs to eat. Each operation needs to have an individualized
nutritional program. Following is an example to help develop a feel for general
quantities of feed.
During a normal year, a beef cow doesn’t need supplemental feed if she gets
enough good grass hay to fill her up. If a typical mature cow in North Dakota is
defined as weighing 1,200 pounds, this cow will need 10 pounds total digestible
nutrients (TDN) from late summer to three months before calving. This
requirement can be met if the cow consumes about 20 pounds of good grass hay.
The cow needs 1.4 pounds of protein daily, so to meet this requirement the hay
must have a minimum of 7 percent protein. Grass hay will seldom fail to meet
requirements during this period.
That same cow in the last trimester of pregnancy needs another 2 pounds of
energy and 0.3 pound of protein. These can both be provided by simply adding 4
pounds of alfalfa to the diet. After calving, the cow will require an additional
pound of energy and 0.4 pound of protein. Adding 2 pounds of roughage will meet
the energy increase. The protein requirement can be met if the basic grass hay
ration is switched to a ration that is two thirds grass hay and one third
alfalfa. Essentially, 26 pounds of this grass legume mix would feed the cow.
In herds that have greater-than-average milk production, 3 pounds of barley
should be added to the ration and the roughage blend shifted to half grass hay
and half alfalfa. So much for basic eating. When normal roughage types are not
available, beef producers still do not need to panic, providing they can find a
substitute roughage that is at least 7 percent protein. A mixture of 1 pound
barley and 4 pounds of high quality straw or weedy hay can substitute for half
the roughage, providing the other half is good quality hay.
The increase in protein before calving can be met with 1 pound of 30 percent
protein cake daily. After calving, average milking cows would need 2.33 pounds
of cake and heavier milking cows would need 4 pounds to replace alfalfa hay
until adequate pasture is available in May. During severe roughage shortages,
barley can substitute for hay at a rate of 1 pound of barley for 1.6 pounds of
hay to a maximum of 10 pounds. Ten pounds of barley and 8 pounds of grass/legume
hay would meet the requirements of a cow before calving. There is recent
research from Illinois and Ohio which indicates you can go with higher levels of
concentrate (corn) to the point where you are feeding essentially a feedlot
diet, but this requires very close monitoring and management.
Keep in mind that vitamin A and phosphorus deficiencies are likely when
feeding low quality roughage. These requirements are best met with a free-choice
mineral-vitamin mix. Any time a non-traditional feed is used, and there are a
multitude of them, a nutritional analysis to determine feed quality or unusual
mineral composition or imbalances is a must. Check with your local nutritionist
for a completely balanced ration.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at www.BeefTalk.com.
For more information, contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement
Association, 1133 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to www.CHAPS2000.COM
on the Internet. In correspondence about this column, refer to BT0100.
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Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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Graphic from above --
Feed Requirements of a 1200 Pound Cow
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Pounds of Pounds of Pounds of
State of Life Grass Hay Alfalfa Barley
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Pregnant Second Trimester 20 0 0
Pregnant Third Trimester 20 4 0
After Calving Ave. Milking 17 9 0
After Calving Exc. Milking 13 13 3
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During severe roughage shortages, barley can substitute
for hay at a rate of one pound of barley for 1.6 pounds
of hay to a maximum of 10 pounds.
Example
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Pregnant Third Trimester 4 4 10
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Check with your local nutritionist for a completely
balanced ration.
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