With shrinking margins caused by the influx of dairy cull cows into the beef market and recent increases in the protein markets, feeders are forced once again to find low-cost alternatives to their feeding program.
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Feed & Nutrition
Learn about all aspects of cattle nutrition from harvest and storage to balancing rations with forage, byproducts and supplements.
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When the acres of pasture, grass hay, alfalfa, corn and sorgum silages, and grazing wheat in the plains are all added up, forages account for by far the most acreage of any US crop. In fact, land used for grazing is over 780 million acres - nearly double the land used for other crops of all types. Add to that the 61 million acres of alfalfa, 15 million for corn and sorghum silages, then add in the grass hays and others, and you can see that forages comprise the vast majority of US cropland. And yet, it could be said that forages continue to be neglected when it comes to fertilization. The majority of grazing lands receive no fertilizer of any kind, with the resulting low forage yield/lower daily rate of gain being widely accepted on land with low perceived value. At AgroLiquid, however, we are discovering that even a very modest rate of our products applied at the right time results in a large return on investment – Why?
When cattle are comfortable, they perform. Stress exudes lost production and revenue. These losses are staggering, costing the beef industry billions of dollars annually.
The summer heat can be hard on pastures, cows and calves, especially first-calf cows. These cows are in a special class as they are still trying to maintain body condition, actively grow, support reproduction by gestating with a second calf and lactating.
Minerals have jobs in nearly every biological process that occurs in the cow’s body – from the ability to get the cow bred, to bone and muscle growth of both cow and calf, to successful calving of a heathy calf.
One of the most common topics discussed when feeding pasture and breeding cattle is protein. Producers are concerned with crude protein in their hays, pastures, supplements and so on.
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Progressive Cattleman provides practical beef operation management articles, timely news, cutting-edge technology information and thought-provoking opinions to you at no cost.
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