Do Beef Cows Eat Quality Forage
An argument worth having: the importance of hay quality vs. quantity
Hay quality versus quantity, how to yield the nearly important stop result — a happy, healthy cow and the potential for improved profitability.
Written By: Josh Vrieze, Production Managing director, Vermeer Corporation
Hay is 1 of the most common sources of stored feed for livestock. According to a survey conducted by the Texas A&Yard Research and Extension Centre, 86 percent of harvested hay was used by the original producer — therefore quality should conspicuously be of high importance if they're using it for their ain livestock.1 But in hay product, does quality trump quantity?
A common belief is that cows can simply consume more low quality forage to come across their free energy demands, just according to the Beef Cattle Research Council, this is non truthful in well-nigh cases because the higher cobweb content in low-quality forage actually decreases voluntary intake.2
Enquiry by the Beef Cattle Research Council stated that forage with depression poly peptide content (7 percent or less), loftier acid detergent cobweb (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) cannot encounter the nutritional needs of many, if any, classes of livestock without additional feed supplementation. In turn, feeding higher quality forage may hateful no supplementation is needed other than minerals to meet nutrient requirements. In fact, the research suggested harvesting and feeding college quality forage may prevent several atmospheric condition altogether (e.thousand., loss of body condition, dystocia, lower milk production and delayed returning estrous).2
Feed efficiency in dairy and beef cows
Dairy cows need the best quality alfalfa hay with the most nutrients per pound, eating every bit much as possible to keep up with their caloric demands when producing milk. Feed efficiency (FE; sometimes called dairy efficiency) measurement is oftentimes used to assistance determine the cows' ability to turn nutrients into milk. FE equates to the pounds of milk produced per pound of dry thing consumed. This measurement is a great resource to use for dairy diets, especially during times of decreased profit margins (high input and low returns).
Co-ordinate to an article on feed efficiency in lactating dairy cows published by Penn State Extension: "Forages take the greatest result on feed efficiency. Since they brand up a very large component of the slowly digestible role of the diet of lactating cows, they are critical for maintaining a desired FE… If you meet that FE values are very loftier it may mean that forage quality and feed quality may need to be improved." three
In dissimilarity, Storey'south Guide to Raising Beef Cattle, written by Heather Smith Thomas, explained that beef cattle diets are much simpler than those of dairy cows. In fact, they exercise better with a mix of straw and alfalfa or a lower-quality grass source that is not equally rich in protein. Alfalfa (green or fed as hay) is better for calves, younger cattle, or dairy and pregnant cows in late gestation. While the nutritional value of hay for beef cattle isn't every bit crucial every bit dairy, it is still something for producers to recollect about, particularly pre-calving and while nursing a calf.
Maximizing forage quality
An article from Oregon State University explains that every bit the forage matures in the field and gets a college ratio of stem-to-leaf fabric, fiber content increases and the percentages of protein and energy decrease. Too, digestibility and feed intake also subtract, equating to a decrease in quality and quantity.5
And then essentially, early cut hay forage is more nutritious than late cut hay provender and information technology'southward all nearly finding that sweetness spot between cut length and provender quality. Dr. Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin Madison Forage Agronomist, stresses that leaving the proper length in the field is of import to the future quality of subsequent cuts within the season.vi He recommends the following cutting heights for optimum regrowth:
- For alfalfa – minimum of 3 inches
- For absurd season grasses – minimum of 4 inches
- For Sudan-type grasses – minimum of 6 inches
This means hay should be cut between the time of the late boot stage (emergence from the leaf sheath) and full seed head expression, before flowers brainstorm to open and release pollen.
Best practices for storage
Successful hay storage will as well greatly bear upon hay quality. Since fodder is at its highest quality when information technology's cut, it is best to bale it as soon as possible. Nosotros recommend that you run rows inline north to south especially if you're using plastic wrap — if yous run e to west, the southward side of the bales will see the sun for most of the day and the plastic will degrade. Exist sure to wrap close to the storage site to minimize handling and store away from trees where birds and rodents are constitute. Avert sharp stubble areas and poorly tuckered soil and periodically check for stems poking through or rodent damage; and repair immediately.
For dry hay, a shed is ideal because yous can build upwardly the flooring with gravel for good drainage so the entire haystack is kept dry out. Also, keep in mind that long storage fourth dimension reduces nutritional levels of protein and vitamin A — so, you should always stack bales then that the oldest will be used offset.
Proceed planning forage product
Regardless of the forage type, quality hay production takes special attention to particular and abiding management. Whether y'all are setting hay quality goals based on your livestock's production purpose or computing feed efficiency, the most important end result is a happy, good for you cow and the potential for improved profitability.
Source listing:
- http://publications.tamu.edu/Forage/PUB_forage_Managing%20for%20High%20Quality%20Hay.pdf
- http://world wide web.beefresearch.ca/enquiry-topic.cfm/forage-quality-86?language=&print
- http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy/nutrition/diet-and-feeding/diet-formulation-and-evaluation/feed- efficiency-in-lactating-dairy-cows-and-its-human relationship-to-income-over-feed-costs
- http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/raising-cattle/feeding-beef-cattle-healthy-diet
- http://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/sites/default/files/documents/lf/MatchHayQual.pdf
- http://www.makinhay.com/forage-cutting-tiptop-recommendations-from-dr-dan-undersander/
Source: https://www.beefmagazine.com/hay/argument-worth-having-importance-hay-quality-vs-quantity
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