Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Here's a good article. There was quite a lot of discussion about how you SHOULD NOT feed cattle much in the 3rd trimester, so that they wouldn't have calving difficulties. This article supports what I had to say about that subject.
Pre-calving Nutrition of Dams Influenced Reproductive Performance of Their Heifer Calves
All of their lives, beef producers have been told: "You can't starve a profit out of a cow!" Such is the case with pre-calving nutrition of cows. Occasionally, short term cost cutting measures look successful in the short run, but in the long haul they may just backfire. University of Nebraska researchers conducted a three-year study of heifer calves born to cows that were fed differently during their last trimester of pregnancy. The cows either received the equivalent of 1 pound of protein supplement (42% Crude Protein) per head per day or no protein supplement. The cows were grazing cool-season meadows during late winter before calving. During calving, all of the cows were managed as a single group. Supplementing cows with additional protein during late gestation resulted in heifer calves that were heavier at weaning and at breeding. The heifer calves, reared by cows receiving protein supplement, had higher first service conception rates (88% vs. 45%) and pregnancy rates (94% vs. 73%) after their first breeding season. The heifers from protein-supplemented dams also had a higher percentage (69% vs. 38%) of unassisted births. Taking good nutritional care of the cows (meeting their protein and energy requirements) apparently will pay off sooner and/or later. The source of this research is: Martin and co-workers. 2006 Nebraska Beef Report.
Pre-calving Nutrition of Dams Influenced Reproductive Performance of Their Heifer Calves
All of their lives, beef producers have been told: "You can't starve a profit out of a cow!" Such is the case with pre-calving nutrition of cows. Occasionally, short term cost cutting measures look successful in the short run, but in the long haul they may just backfire. University of Nebraska researchers conducted a three-year study of heifer calves born to cows that were fed differently during their last trimester of pregnancy. The cows either received the equivalent of 1 pound of protein supplement (42% Crude Protein) per head per day or no protein supplement. The cows were grazing cool-season meadows during late winter before calving. During calving, all of the cows were managed as a single group. Supplementing cows with additional protein during late gestation resulted in heifer calves that were heavier at weaning and at breeding. The heifer calves, reared by cows receiving protein supplement, had higher first service conception rates (88% vs. 45%) and pregnancy rates (94% vs. 73%) after their first breeding season. The heifers from protein-supplemented dams also had a higher percentage (69% vs. 38%) of unassisted births. Taking good nutritional care of the cows (meeting their protein and energy requirements) apparently will pay off sooner and/or later. The source of this research is: Martin and co-workers. 2006 Nebraska Beef Report.
