Feed requirements vs cow size

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Thanks Dun,
That was a good article. I read it all and am going to print it off when I get to work. Can I ask you question? I sometimes get confused when people say that a bull or cow needs more or less frame. I think of frame as bone and bone as waste. What am I missing? What does the cannon bone have to do with early or late maturing?
 
BARNSCOOP":283buygj said:
Thanks Dun,
That was a good article. I read it all and am going to print it off when I get to work. Can I ask you question? I sometimes get confused when people say that a bull or cow needs more or less frame. I think of frame as bone and bone as waste. What am I missing? What does the cannon bone have to do with early or late maturing?

Frame is height meaured at the hips. Long cannon bone (I think) means a later maturing type.
 
Dun,

Very interesting article and very much of interest in my operation as I am trying to maximize carrying capacity in a land-limited situation.

Cow size I can see and measure, hip height and weight.

How can you tell though which cows have EXTREME high milk and compare to ADEQUATE milk and LOW milk?

Calf weaning weight is more than just milk...

Thank you for the link.

Jim
 
Okay, I'm confused, so you smarties help me out. In the article dun posted by Rasby:
"The data suggests about a 7% increase in feed intake for each 10% increase in live weight. A 1,300 pound cow is will consume 22% more feed than the 1,000 pound female although there is a 30% difference in body weight."
Here's what I read just a few days earlier in an article by Stephen Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist:
"Even if a cow's body size were doubled, her energy requirement would only increase about 35 percent."
Anybody able to reconcile these two statements, or do I misunderstand?
 
farmwriter":1bngvwlb said:
Okay, I'm confused, so you smarties help me out. In the article dun posted by Rasby:
"The data suggests about a 7% increase in feed intake for each 10% increase in live weight. A 1,300 pound cow is will consume 22% more feed than the 1,000 pound female although there is a 30% difference in body weight."
Here's what I read just a few days earlier in an article by Stephen Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist:
"Even if a cow's body size were doubled, her energy requirement would only increase about 35 percent."
Anybody able to reconcile these two statements, or do I misunderstand?

I think it has to do with cow weight , volume and surface area relations. Feed consumption is not necessarily linear with weight since volume and surface area are not linear with weight.

The question about milking also makes the relationship more complex.

FWIW. Jim
 
farmwriter":35wts2pq said:
Okay, I'm confused, so you smarties help me out. In the article dun posted by Rasby:
"The data suggests about a 7% increase in feed intake for each 10% increase in live weight. A 1,300 pound cow is will consume 22% more feed than the 1,000 pound female although there is a 30% difference in body weight."
Here's what I read just a few days earlier in an article by Stephen Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist:
"Even if a cow's body size were doubled, her energy requirement would only increase about 35 percent."
Anybody able to reconcile these two statements, or do I misunderstand?
First it's obviously an imperfect science. But I think the variation may have to do with as the size increases the added nutritional requirements decreases. 7% upto lets say 300 lbs 6% to 5% lbs etc.
 
farmwriter":1i8vd86s said:
Okay, I'm confused, so you smarties help me out. In the article dun posted by Rasby:
"The data suggests about a 7% increase in feed intake for each 10% increase in live weight. A 1,300 pound cow is will consume 22% more feed than the 1,000 pound female although there is a 30% difference in body weight."
Here's what I read just a few days earlier in an article by Stephen Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist:
"Even if a cow's body size were doubled, her energy requirement would only increase about 35 percent."
Anybody able to reconcile these two statements, or do I misunderstand?

Does a 200 lb. man require twice the calories of a 100 lb. boy?? No...the boy's daily caloric intake is probably even higher than the mans, however, he is much more active and metabolizes it much more rapidly, gains little weight BUT is pretty darn productive. Keep in mind also that when you discuss energy levels you are not always talking about huge differences in feed weights....only much more lighly concentrated levels of energy in the diet being fed. (Good feed -vs- cheap feed) Too often many of us worry to much about hay quality but seldom give any consideration to the quality of any grain ration IF we are supplementing.
 

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