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Supplemental feeding birthing difficulty
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<blockquote data-quote="dun" data-source="post: 71661" data-attributes="member: 34"><p>Old adage: You can't starve a small calf out of a cow/heifer!</p><p></p><p>From:Michigan State University Extension </p><p>MSU Extension Beef Bulletins - E1611921 </p><p></p><p>By:Harlan D. Ritchie, Michigan State University </p><p>and Peter T. Anderson, University of Minnesota </p><p></p><p></p><p>Dietary Energy </p><p> Many cattle producers believe reducing dietary energy </p><p>during late pregnancy will decrease fetal size and improve </p><p>calving ease, whereas increasing energy will increase fetal </p><p>size and lead to a higher incidence of dystocia. Research </p><p>has shown that lowering the energy allowance will decrease </p><p>birth weight but will not significantly reduce dystocia. </p><p>At MARC, Hereford and Angus two-year-old heifers were fed </p><p>three levels of energy (10.8, 13.7 or 17.0 lb TDN/head/day) </p><p>for 90 days prior to calving. Increasing the level of </p><p>dietary energy resulted in increased birth weight but not </p><p>increased dystocia; in fact, the incidence of calving </p><p>difficulty was lower in the medium- and high-energy groups </p><p>than in the low-energy group. </p><p> Inadequate nutrition of the young developing heifer can </p><p>affect her subsequent calving performance. Miles City </p><p>research showed that restricting the energy of weaned </p><p>heifer calves during their first winter can have a </p><p>carry-over effect, resulting in decreased precalving pelvic </p><p>area and increased dystocia (46 percent vs. 36 percent) </p><p>compared to adequately fed heifers. From weaning to first </p><p>breeding as yearlings, heifers should be fed to weigh at </p><p>least 65 percent of their potential mature cow weight. </p><p>This translates to a range in average daily gain of </p><p>approximately 1.25 to 1.75 pounds for 200 days. Depending </p><p>upon initial weight, frame size, body condition and </p><p>environment, this means that daily TDN requirement will </p><p>range from 8 to 13 pounds per head. </p><p> When they calve as two-year-olds, heifers should weigh </p><p>85 percent of their mature cow weight. This translates to </p><p>an average daily gain of about 1 pound per day from </p><p>breeding to calving. Adequate pasture conditions will </p><p>support this level of performance. During the winter prior </p><p>to calving, pregnant heifers require from 9 to 13 pounds of </p><p>TDN per day. The mature pregnant cow requires from 7.5 to </p><p>13 pounds of TDN. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Dietary Protein </p><p> There is some concern in the cow-calf industry that high </p><p>levels of protein during the last trimester of pregnancy </p><p>may lead to a significant increase in birth weight and </p><p>dystocia. At Miles City, crossbred two-year-old pregnant </p><p>heifers were fed diets containing either 86 percent (low) </p><p>or 145 percent (high) of the NRC crude protein requirement </p><p>for 82 days prior to calving. Heifers fed the low-protein </p><p>diet had significantly lighter calves at birth and less </p><p>calving difficulty. Heifers on the high-protein diet </p><p>gained more weight, had higher condition scores at calving, </p><p>maintained more body weight throughout the study, and </p><p>weaned significantly heavier calves. In a repeat study at </p><p>Miles City, there were no differences in calf birth weight </p><p>or calving difficulty. Research at other institutions has </p><p>shown no consistent effect of protein level on dystocia. </p><p>It would appear that precalving dietary protein level </p><p>should be near the NRC requirement. If it is extremely </p><p>low, weight and condition of the cows and weight, vigor and </p><p>postnatal growth rate of the calves may be reduced. If it </p><p>is unduly high, it represents an economic waste. During </p><p>the last trimester of pregnancy, crude protein requirements </p><p>range from 8.2 to 9.8 percent for heifers and 7.6 to 8.2 </p><p>percent for mature cows.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dun, post: 71661, member: 34"] Old adage: You can't starve a small calf out of a cow/heifer! From:Michigan State University Extension MSU Extension Beef Bulletins - E1611921 By:Harlan D. Ritchie, Michigan State University and Peter T. Anderson, University of Minnesota Dietary Energy Many cattle producers believe reducing dietary energy during late pregnancy will decrease fetal size and improve calving ease, whereas increasing energy will increase fetal size and lead to a higher incidence of dystocia. Research has shown that lowering the energy allowance will decrease birth weight but will not significantly reduce dystocia. At MARC, Hereford and Angus two-year-old heifers were fed three levels of energy (10.8, 13.7 or 17.0 lb TDN/head/day) for 90 days prior to calving. Increasing the level of dietary energy resulted in increased birth weight but not increased dystocia; in fact, the incidence of calving difficulty was lower in the medium- and high-energy groups than in the low-energy group. Inadequate nutrition of the young developing heifer can affect her subsequent calving performance. Miles City research showed that restricting the energy of weaned heifer calves during their first winter can have a carry-over effect, resulting in decreased precalving pelvic area and increased dystocia (46 percent vs. 36 percent) compared to adequately fed heifers. From weaning to first breeding as yearlings, heifers should be fed to weigh at least 65 percent of their potential mature cow weight. This translates to a range in average daily gain of approximately 1.25 to 1.75 pounds for 200 days. Depending upon initial weight, frame size, body condition and environment, this means that daily TDN requirement will range from 8 to 13 pounds per head. When they calve as two-year-olds, heifers should weigh 85 percent of their mature cow weight. This translates to an average daily gain of about 1 pound per day from breeding to calving. Adequate pasture conditions will support this level of performance. During the winter prior to calving, pregnant heifers require from 9 to 13 pounds of TDN per day. The mature pregnant cow requires from 7.5 to 13 pounds of TDN. Dietary Protein There is some concern in the cow-calf industry that high levels of protein during the last trimester of pregnancy may lead to a significant increase in birth weight and dystocia. At Miles City, crossbred two-year-old pregnant heifers were fed diets containing either 86 percent (low) or 145 percent (high) of the NRC crude protein requirement for 82 days prior to calving. Heifers fed the low-protein diet had significantly lighter calves at birth and less calving difficulty. Heifers on the high-protein diet gained more weight, had higher condition scores at calving, maintained more body weight throughout the study, and weaned significantly heavier calves. In a repeat study at Miles City, there were no differences in calf birth weight or calving difficulty. Research at other institutions has shown no consistent effect of protein level on dystocia. It would appear that precalving dietary protein level should be near the NRC requirement. If it is extremely low, weight and condition of the cows and weight, vigor and postnatal growth rate of the calves may be reduced. If it is unduly high, it represents an economic waste. During the last trimester of pregnancy, crude protein requirements range from 8.2 to 9.8 percent for heifers and 7.6 to 8.2 percent for mature cows. [/QUOTE]
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