Good article on pre-calving nutrition

[SRBeef]

Here's a link to an interesting short article I received in an email today.

"90% of a calf's fetal growth occurs in the last trimester"

I found it especially interesting about colostrum and calves and how it works.

Note also the importance of trace elements like selenium and vitamin E in the last paragraph.

http://www.cattlenetwork.com/New-Ye...rticle.aspx?oid=1293276&fid=CN-HEALTHY_HEIFER

FWIW,

Jim

 

[rockridgecattle]

a good read, thanks!

 

[Bonsman]

It is a very good article on pre-calving nutrition. I have known about the growth of the fetus during the final trimester. I have often wondered whether an over-conditioned cow/heifer during the final trimester results in a larger birth-weight calf. Does anybody have an opinion on this subject?

 

[dun]

It is a very good article on pre-calving nutrition. I have known about the growth of the fetus during the final trimester. I have often wondered whether an over-conditioned cow/heifer during the final trimester results in a larger birth-weight calf. Does anybody have an opinion on this subject?

It stands to reason that it would increase the BW. But from what I've read the increase isn;t that great (I suppose if you really pounded the highest protein stuff to them it would be different). I read a study on it a couple of years ago, I'll see if I can locate it. It dealt with the dystocia of calvin gheifers on high, low and medium levels of nutrition.

 

[dun]

This isn;t it but it's as close as I could find:

Range Beef Cow Symposium XX
December 11-13, 2007, Fort Collins, Colorado
Nutrition During Gestation and Fetal Programming
K.A. Vonnahme
College of Agriculture, Food Science, and Natural Resources
Department of Animal Sciences
North Dakota State University

Most early work investigating the effects of maternal nutrition in the cow studied the latter part of pregnancy. Since most fetal growth occurs in the latter part of gestation, researchers hypothesized that the effects of variation in nutrient intake would have greater effects than in early pregnancy. Many studies report the effects of protein and energy deficiency on birth weight of the calf (see review by Holland and Odde, 1991). In a recent study, when cows are provided a protein supplement during the last third of pregnancy, birth weights were not different between the treated and control groups (Martin et al., 2007). However, heifers born from dams that were protein supplemented during the last third of pregnancy had an increased pregnancy rate compared to heifers from non-supplemented dams (Martin et al., 2007). The mechanism behind this increased reproductive capacity is still unknown.

Cow nutrition precalving has also been shown to affect calf survival. Corah et al. (1975) reported that pregnant cows fed 70% of their calculated energy requirements during the last 90 days of gestation produced calves with increased morbidity and mortality rates. Research conducted at Colorado State University (see review by Odde, 1988) investigated the relationship between precalving nutrition and disease susceptibility in the neonatal calf. First-calf heifers produce calves that have lower levels of serum immunoglobulins at 24 hours of age than calves born to three-year-old and older cows. This occurs even though colostral immunoglobulin levels are similar for these two age groups. The increased disease susceptibility observed in calves born to first-calf heifers is likely due to lower volumes of colostrum produced by first-calf heifers, although decreased calf vigor as a result of dystocia may also contribute. Calves born to thin (< 5 body condition score) two-year-old heifers are less vigorous and have reduced serum immunoglobulin levels at 24 hours of age.

Effects of maternal nutrition during pregnancy on the offspring may have confounded impacts on neonatal development, as the mammary gland, and colostrum yield are also impacted by maternal diet. In a recent study conducted at NDSU, lambs were immediately separated from their dams, fed artificial colostrum to body weight, and levels of IgG were measured 24 hr later. Offspring from undernourished dams had increased IgG transfer compared to control fed dams (Hammer et al., 2007). This suggests that the fetal gastrointestinal system may be programmed in nutrient restricted animals to be more efficient in extracting nutrients, specifically large molecules like immunoglobulins immediately postnatal, although this has not been determined.

 

[Bonsman]

Thanks Dun,

I agree with your logic that it stands to reason that the birthweights would be higher. With a cow, it should not be a problem. With a heifer, it could be a problem it you stuff them with hay during the last trimester as you pointed out. Pre-calving nutrition is a very interesting topic to me.

 

[Bonsman]

Thanks Dun,

I agree with your logic that it stands to reason that the birthweights would be higher. With a cow, it should not be a problem. With a heifer, it could be a problem it you stuff them with hay during the last trimester as you pointed out. Pre-calving nutrition is a very interesting topic to me.

 

[dun]

Thanks Dun,

I agree with your logic that it stands to reason that the birthweights would be higher. With a cow, it should not be a problem. With a heifer, it could be a problem it you stuff them with hay during the last trimester as you pointed out. Pre-calving nutrition is a very interesting topic to me.

The orginal deal I was trying to find had data on dystocia based on lower levels of nutriton vs higher levels. There may have been something about the starting condition of the heifrs but I don;t recall that part. The bottom line was the higher nutrition level heifers had slightly heavier calves but they had markedly lower dystocia. Alos the calves had less health/death isuues then the lower level heifers calves.

 

[novaman]

The orginal deal I was trying to find had data on dystocia based on lower levels of nutriton vs higher levels. There may have been something about the starting condition of the heifrs but I don;t recall that part. The bottom line was the higher nutrition level heifers had slightly heavier calves but they had markedly lower dystocia. Alos the calves had less health/death isuues then the lower level heifers calves.

I think I recall the study you are referring to. They fed different protein levels to bred heifers to determine what effect it had on dystocia and while the heifers fed more protein did have bigger calves they were better toned and had fewer problems than the weaker heifers fed lower levels of protein.

Just out of curiosity, does anyone see their BCS go down through the winter as mentioned in the article? The only time my cows lose condition is after they calved and are milking heaviest. They typically will gain condition through the fall and winter months leading up to calving. Usually I have to watch what I feed to the cows over the winter because if they get too good of quality hay they will be fat as sows come calving time.

 

[SRBeef]

...Just out of curiosity, does anyone see their BCS go down through the winter as mentioned in the article? The only time my cows lose condition is after they calved and are milking heaviest. They typically will gain condition through the fall and winter months leading up to calving. Usually I have to watch what I feed to the cows over the winter because if they get too good of quality hay they will be fat as sows come calving time.

I see the same. Fed just free choice but usually good (10-15% protein, mid 90's RFV) quality hay and mineral there is no lack of condition over the winter. I see having plenty of ice-free water available over the winter as another part of keeping condition up.

The times I have seen a general BCS drop has been in late July and through August and into early September on a couple dry years during the heavy milking period. There was not much BCS drop last summer because of the unusually good rains in that period in WI.

Jim

 

[angus9259]

Feed = bigger calves and less dystocia. Also - less dummies. My understanding is that the very last thing to form in the calf is a layer of "brown fat" that is necessary for the calf to survive in cold or rain when it hits the ground - nutrition in the last days is when that develops.

 

[dun]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone see their BCS go down through the winter as mentioned in the article? The only time my cows lose condition is after they calved and are milking heaviest. They typically will gain condition through the fall and winter months leading up to calving. Usually I have to watch what I feed to the cows over the winter because if they get too good of quality hay they will be fat as sows come calving time.

Yup, ours gain from weaning through calving the following year

 

[fargus]

Ours are the same, gain weight post-weaning through to calving time. If we have "poorer" hay it gets fed during the second trimester period when nutritional demands are lowest, and our BCS typically stays constant during that time period. The best hay (14ish% CP with the higher TDN levels) gets fed in the two months leading up to calving. In years when we are short hay, or have a lot of poor hay we have fed oat hull pellets or wheat shorts to bring the CP of the diet up and increase digestibility of lower quality hay. Very few calving issues those years.

The years they got two-year old corn silage that we could buy cheap we had to be really careful. The cows got slick fat, but the protein levels aren't as high. Took a little more management to keep the herd's BCS where we wanted it.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Thanks Dun,

I agree with your logic that it stands to reason that the birthweights would be higher. With a cow, it should not be a problem. With a heifer, it could be a problem it you stuff them with hay during the last trimester as you pointed out. Pre-calving nutrition is a very interesting topic to me.

The orginal deal I was trying to find had data on dystocia based on lower levels of nutriton vs higher levels. There may have been something about the starting condition of the heifrs but I don;t recall that part. The bottom line was the higher nutrition level heifers had slightly heavier calves but they had markedly lower dystocia. Alos the calves had less health/death isuues then the lower level heifers calves.

I believe there has been several different trials proving the : more feed = higher BW = less dystocia = healthier calves.
My cows also gain BCS during winter. Not sure that I would say the bred heifers GAIN, but they sure hold their own until a few months after calving. That's the most critical time for them IMO.

 

[angus9259]

Mine tend to lose weight over the winter . . . course I calve in sept and wean in march . . . . think that has anything to do with it?

 

[TexasBred]

Ours are the same, gain weight post-weaning through to calving time. If we have "poorer" hay it gets fed during the second trimester period when nutritional demands are lowest, and our BCS typically stays constant during that time period. The best hay (14ish% CP with the higher TDN levels) gets fed in the two months leading up to calving. In years when we are short hay, or have a lot of poor hay we have fed oat hull pellets or wheat shorts to bring the CP of the diet up and increase digestibility of lower quality hay. Very few calving issues those years.

The years they got two-year old corn silage that we could buy cheap we had to be really careful. The cows got slick fat, but the protein levels aren't as high. Took a little more management to keep the herd's BCS where we wanted it.

You got a good deal. Don't tell the guys selling it but two year old corn silage is just gettin' good. And you're right. The problem is not so much the high protein but the high energy. Cows will get fat as bears on good corn silage. Just curious as to what was mixed with those oat hulls to raise the protein?

 

[Bonsman]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone see their BCS go down through the winter as mentioned in the article? The only time my cows lose condition is after they calved and are milking heaviest. They typically will gain condition through the fall and winter months leading up to calving. Usually I have to watch what I feed to the cows over the winter because if they get too good of quality hay they will be fat as sows come calving time.

Yup, ours gain from weaning through calving the following year

Exacty the same here, especially with the heifers.

Now I do not calve as early as most people in Oklahoma. Some have already started their "spring" crop. I will wait until March to calve. To me, it is easier for the females to recover their BCS starting in March/April than January/February. Plus, I a NOT a fan of looking for heifers or calves in the snow.

One Edit.........this is a very interesting thread.

 

[fargus]

Ours are the same, gain weight post-weaning through to calving time. If we have "poorer" hay it gets fed during the second trimester period when nutritional demands are lowest, and our BCS typically stays constant during that time period. The best hay (14ish% CP with the higher TDN levels) gets fed in the two months leading up to calving. In years when we are short hay, or have a lot of poor hay we have fed oat hull pellets or wheat shorts to bring the CP of the diet up and increase digestibility of lower quality hay. Very few calving issues those years.

The years they got two-year old corn silage that we could buy cheap we had to be really careful. The cows got slick fat, but the protein levels aren't as high. Took a little more management to keep the herd's BCS where we wanted it.

You got a good deal. Don't tell the guys selling it but two year old corn silage is just gettin' good. And you're right. The problem is not so much the high protein but the high energy. Cows will get fat as bears on good corn silage. Just curious as to what was mixed with those oat hulls to raise the protein?

There is an operation not far from here that has a pelleting press (the installed one when they started fooling around with bioenergy crops) and they sell pelleted oat hulls straight, as well as a pelleted oat hull/wheat short product. The blended product is higher in protein and energy (still some starch left in the shorts.) The straight oat hulls work good if you have good hay but not enough of it, they work really well to stretch feed supplies. If you need to bring the CP and digestibility up of poorer hay the hull/shorts pellets work better. I haven't had to buy any for several years, so I don't know if they are more cost-effective than DDGS now. They certainly were early in the 2000s as there wasn't a lot of ethanol production happening up here then.

With the prices of fat cattle and stockers staying strong there won't be any cheap corn silage to be had for a few years now. Only seems to come available when fat prices tank and guys cut their stocking rates back in the small feedlots. So should be about 4-5 years from now if the cattle cycle is working like it should.

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone see their BCS go down through the winter as mentioned in the article?

Reading through this thread, I can't believe more producers don't have cattle that loose some condition in the winter. Thinking about it now, two things come to mind. One being management practices vary due to region and resources. Cattle housed or lotted have less energy expenditure and when coupled with some high quality sources of silage, hay, grain or by products, I would expect them to hold condition better. Two, it may be a little embarrassing to admit that your management practice doesn't hold or improve their condition.

I guess I will be the first to say that our cattle have often slipped some in the winter because of our management practices. There are many producers in our area that have cattle that loose condition in the winter. Our cattle tough out the winter on dormant grass fields, limited quantity moderate quality crabgrass/wheat hay and are supplied protein via cake or when available rotated 2-3 days a week on winter wheat. We generally had our yearlings and stockers on rye/wheat pasture to make the most of our resources. We try to maximize what we have available to produce the most profit. In the end, profit is what keeps the land and livestock in our name. We don't starve them, and we don't let them slip to a point where reproduction is compromised. And opposite of many, our cows put on weight pretty quickly after calving due to the groceries they have when we ship our stockers and graze out some of our rye/wheat.

I am not arguing with the studies, we just try to maintain enough condition for good reproduction while minimizing cost. This has generally meant that they may loose a little.

 

[dun]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone see their BCS go down through the winter as mentioned in the article?

Reading through this thread, I can't believe more producers don't have cattle that loose some condition in the winter. Thinking about it now, two things come to mind. One being management practices vary due to region and resources. Cattle housed or lotted have less energy expenditure and when coupled with some high quality sources of silage, hay, grain or by products, I would expect them to hold condition better. Two, it may be a little embarrassing to admit that your management practice doesn't hold or improve their condition.

I guess I will be the first to say that our cattle have often slipped some in the winter because of our management practices. There are many producers in our area that have cattle that loose condition in the winter. Our cattle tough out the winter on dormant grass fields, limited quantity moderate quality crabgrass/wheat hay and are supplied protein via cake or when available rotated 2-3 days a week on winter wheat. We generally had our yearlings and stockers on rye/wheat pasture to make the most of our resources. We try to maximize what we have available to produce the most profit. In the end, profit is what keeps the land and livestock in our name. We don't starve them, and we don't let them slip to a point where reproduction is compromised. And opposite of many, our cows put on weight pretty quickly after calving due to the groceries they have when we ship our stockers and graze out some of our rye/wheat.

I am not arguing with the studies, we just try to maintain enough condition for good reproduction while minimizing cost. This has generally meant that they may loose a little.

Besides grass management, cow selection criteria play a large part. I'm sure the neighbors cows would loose condition here, unless he grains them they do at his place. We've selected for years for the type of cattle that will perform under our management. Our managment is stockplied fescue and local cut fescue hay, throw in minerals an water and you have it.