COW/CALF
CORNER
The
Newsletter
From
the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
July
18, 2016
In
this Issue:
The
“positive associative effect” of high protein supplements
Glenn Selk,
Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist
Road trip reveals
good crop and pasture conditions
Derrell S. Peel,
Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
The
“positive associative effect” of high protein supplements
Glenn
Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist
Most of Oklahoma has substantial standing forage in pastures as we
go into late summer. As the day length shortens, plants become more
mature and lower in protein content. However, the protein requirements
for growth, milk production, and body condition maintenance of beef cattle do
not decrease as the “dog days of summer” arrive.
The micro-organisms in the rumen of beef cows and
replacement heifers require readily available protein to multiply and
exist in large enough quantities to digest the cellulose in low quality
roughages. Protein supplementation of low-quality, low protein forages
results in a “positive associative effect”. This “positive
associative effect” occurs as supplemental protein available to the “bugs” in
the rumen allows them to grow, multiply, and digest the forage more completely
and more rapidly. Therefore the cow gets more out of the forage
she consumes, she digests it more quickly and is ready to eat more forage in a
shorter period of time. Data from Oklahoma State University illustrates
this (Table 1). The prairie hay used in this study was less than 5% crude
protein. When the ration was supplemented with 1.75 lbs of cottonseed meal per
day, retention time of the forage was reduced 32% which resulted in an increase
in feed intake of 27%. Because hay intake was increased, the animal has a better
chance of meeting both the protein and energy requirement without supplementing
other feeds. Because retention time was decreased, one could postulate the
protein supplementation in this situation also increased digestibility of the
forage.
Table
1. Effect of Cottonseed Meal Supplementation on Ruminal Retention Time and
Intake of Low-Quality Prairie Hay
Daily
Supplement of Cottonseed Meal
|
|
None
|
1.75 lb
|
Change
|
|
Rumen Retention Time, Hr
|
74.9
|
56.5
|
-32%
|
|
Voluntary Daily Hay Intake,
% of body wt.
|
1.69
|
2.15
|
+27%
|
As producers prepare their late summer, fall, and winter feed
strategies, they can see the importance of providing enough protein in the diet
of the cows to feed the “bugs” in the rumen. If the forage is low in
protein (less than 8 % crude protein), a small amount of supplemental protein
such as cottonseed meal, soybean meal, or one of the higher protein by-product
feeds, could increase the amount and digestibility of the forage being
fed. This strategy requires that ample forage is available to take
advantage of the “positive associative effect”. As the table above
illustrates, properly supplemented cows or replacement heifers will voluntarily
consume about 27% more forage if they were provided adequate protein. As
long as enough forage is available, this is a positive effect of a small amount
of protein supplement.
Road trip reveals
good crop and pasture conditions
Derrell S. Peel,
Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
For
the past week I have been traveling, first for meetings, then for
vacation. However, a market analyst is never completely on vacation when
there is a chance to observe agricultural conditions. A week ago, we
traveled through the Oklahoma Panhandle, where the last bit of wheat harvest
was finishing. Pastures appeared very green for that area for
mid-July. Into southeastern Colorado, wheat harvest was well underway and
producers were reporting record winter wheat yields. With excellent
moisture conditions, even volunteer wheat and grow back after late grazing was
producing good wheat yields. Pasture conditions have been very good and
cattle gains were excellent through winter and spring. Like the Oklahoma
Panhandle, the semi-arid region of southeastern Colorado looked very green for
mid-July.
After
a couple of days in Denver, we headed east on Interstate 70 where wheat harvest
was not really started but the wheat looked very good. Last week Colorado
reported 33 percent of wheat harvested in the state compared to 46 percent for
the five-year average. Pasture conditions again looked very good with
Colorado reporting 71 percent of pastures in good to excellent condition, up
from 60 percent one year ago. We traveled the entire length of Kansas
west to east on I-70 to Kansas City. As more corn appeared, it also
looked in very good condition with the state reporting 67 percent of corn in
good to excellent condition. In western Kansas, the majority of the corn is not
yet or just beginning tasseling. In eastern Kansas and across Missouri on
I-70 more of the corn is tasseling and with no signs of stress on corn or
soybeans. Last week 71 percent of Missouri corn and 65 percent of
soybeans were reported in good to excellent condition.
From
St. Louis, we traveled across southern Illinois and Indiana on Interstate
64. Corn conditions were very good with Illinois and Indiana reporting 76
percent and 74 percent in good to excellent condition. While the majority
of corn is tasseling, it is apparent that a significant portion of corn in this
area was planted later, is 18 to 24 inches shorter, and not yet
tasseling. This later corn needs more time for pollination and is
vulnerable yet for late July weather conditions. Soybeans also look very
good with the two states reporting 74 and 72 percent in good to excellent
condition. A limited amount of late planted soybeans are still very small.
From
Louisville we dropped into central Kentucky and then into north central
Tennessee yesterday. Pasture and crop conditions in both states appear
very good, at least for the parts we have seen. Looking at the drought
monitor map, it is clear that we missed some dry areas including south central
and eastern Tennessee and other parts of the southeast where Georgia, Alabama and
the Carolinas are all reporting growing percentages of poor and very poor
pasture conditions. Some drier conditions exist in the northern Plains,
the eastern Cornbelt and extend into the northeastern part of the
country. Parts of the West are still dry with California reporting 40 of
poor to very poor pastures conditions but that is down from 50 percent this
time last year. Dry conditions have redeveloped in parts of the Pacific
Northwest.
All
in all, conditions are quite good in much of the country with summer well
underway. My travels this last week have revealed very good crop and
pasture conditions across the middle of the country in a nearly 1200 mile line
west to east from the Rocky Mountains to the Mid-South.
Oklahoma State
University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and
regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its
policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to
admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. References
within this publication to any specific commercial product, process, or service
by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not
constitute or imply endorsement by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
