Unit 7: Beef Cattle
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
 Unit
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7 Objectives:
Outline & discuss life-cycle feeding programs
for beef cattle
Identify specific nutrient and additive needs
Understand feeding systems for beef cattle
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
 The
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Cow Herd
Profitable cow/calf operations should have a
high percentage calf crop each year
• Gestation 280d
• Recovery & rebreeding should occur within 80-85d
postpartum
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Nutritional influence on reproduction
• Cows gaining wt slightly before breeding will have
higher conception rates & shorter time to 1st heat
• Most critical time – 30d prepartum – 70d
postpartum
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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Most cow/calf producers will choose 1 of 2
calving programs
• March – April
• September – October
• Avoid severe cold or heat stress
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See table 8-4 for nutritional requirements
Ration nutrient content should depend on:
• Frame size & condition
• Stage of production & environment
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
Ration Comp.
Protein
TDN
ME (mcal/lb)
Ca & P
Preg. Cow
7-9
49-64
.8-1.1
.2-.3
Lact. Cow
9.5-12.5
55-68
.9-1.3
.25-.5
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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Summer
• Pasture will supply most needed nutrients
• Supplement minerals
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What might we need?
How would we supplement it?
• Supplemental energy may be needed if pasture is
inadequate
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Milk production – 10-25lb/d for 175-200d
May feed silage
• 15lb c.s./h/d will substitute for 1/3 of pasture acreage
normally needed
May feed hay to help control bloat (on lush pasture)
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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Creep feed calves
Manage the pasture
Winter
• Supplement feed when pasture is not available
• Manage wt. loss of fall calving cows
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No more than 15% less than wt before calving
May need supplemental energy and protein
• Cows in good body condition will manage stress
more effectively
• Lower critical temp is ~20ºF
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Increase feed 1%/degree below 20
• Urea may be used as a supplemental protein
source
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Additional forage supplementation may be
necessary
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 Calf
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Don’t have to feed the highest quality feeds
Don’t feed the most expensive feeds
Cattle are adept at converting low quality feeds to useful
nutrition sources
Crop
Basic ration:
• Milk
• Pasture or forage
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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Creep feeding
• Only the calves should get it
• Advantages:
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Heavier calves at weaning
Improves condition and uniformity
Less wt loss by cows
• Disadvantages
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Extra
• Labor
• Equipment
• Feed
• Mgmt
Higher feed cost
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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May put on too much wt
May mask the mothering ability of the cow
• Basic creep ration
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80-90% grain
3-5% molasses
10% oil meal or commercial supplement
See table 8-8
• Adds 30-50lbs at weaning
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8-10lbs creep/lb extra gain
• Greatest response when pasture is poor or
unavailable
• Feed an additive
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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Implants at 60-90d
• Boosts weaning wts 20-40lb
• Don’t implant heifers if you plan to breed them
Weaning
• 6-8 mos old
• Three cases for early weaning
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Calves from 1st calf heifers
• Less stress on the cow
• Cow recycles sooner
Fall calves
• Reduced feeding expense through the winter
Bull calves
• Get them heavy enough and separate from the herd
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Remove calves from cows
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No further contact will help the cow dry off quickly
Offer creep feed to the calves to reduce stress
Preconditioned Calves
• Preparing a feeder calf for the feedlot
• Mandatory
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Wean and start on feed no less than 30d from shipment
• Similar ration to the feedlot
Castrate, dehorn, treat for grubs no less than 3wks from
shipment
Vaccinate
• IBR, PI3, Pasteurella, Clostridial
• Not less than 3wks from sale
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Optional
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Deworm
Vaccinate for leptospirosis
Vaccinate for BVD, Haemophilus, no less than 3wks
before sale
Owned by seller at least 60d prior to sale
• Calves should be in better health
• More efficient
• $3-5 premium for these calves
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Stocker Cattle
• Weaned calves that are forage fed prior to sale
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Carrying little finish
• May be wintered on high-roughage diets before
sold for feedlot
• May be wintered on small grain/grass pasture
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Enter feedlot at 600-800lbs
• May graze cornstalks in fall, drylot fed during
winter
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Backgrounded Cattle
• Weaned calves on drylot/pasture
• More emphasis on growth than stocker calves
• Feed grain to increase to 800lb BW before sale to
finisher
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
 Replacement
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Heifers
Creep feeding is debatable
• More genetic expression
• Higher cost
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Replacement development
• Attain 55-65% of mature wt at 15mos for calving at
2 yrs old
• Postweaning gains from 7-15mos - .75-1.25lb/d
• Low gains may delay puberty & reduce
reproduction efficiency
• High gains may add fat to the mammary system
reducing milk potential
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
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Postweaning Mgmt
• Weaning ration
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FC hay & minerals
3-4lb grain
425-500lbs BW
• Winter ration
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1-1.25lb gain to reach 600-700 lbs. by May 1
Adjustments may need to be made
• What might we adjust and why?
• Pasture
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Adequate for yrlng heifers to gain 1-1.5lb/d from May –
mid-July
Breeding wt. 650-750 lbs at 15 mos
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Bred heifers
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Manage like the cow herd
Gain 1-1.25 lb/d for a target of 900-1100lb at calving
• 1st calf heifers
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Feed liberally so they will recover and breed back
 Bulls
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Young
• Creep feed, then full feed high energy ration from
weaning to 12-14 mos old
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Should be ready for service at 15-18 mos
• Feed at 2.5% of BW, 2.5 lbs gain
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• 15 mos – 3 yrs
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1.75-2.25 ADG, feed % BW
Increase amount of roughage
Mature
• Same pasture as cow herd
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Winter
• ½ lb grain/100 lb BW to maintain condition
• May adjust if feeding CS
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Summer
• Same as cow herd
• Supplement energy only if needing to maintain
condition
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
 General
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Information
Finishing Cattle
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Increase muscle and fat mass
Produce quality meat products
Market between 1-2 yrs old, >1000 lbs
CP
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9-14% (varies w/ age, size, etc.)
• Energy
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High concentrate diets
• 65-85% TDN
Efficient gain
May be prone to metabolic disorders
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Ca
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.3-.6%
Ratio of 2:1 Ca:P
•P
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.2-.4%
May not need to supplement at all
Estimating Feed Intake
• 2-3+% BW (400+ lb calves)
• Full feed=2 lb grain/100lb BW plus supp & forage
• May feed CS, intakes must be higher to reach
desired gains
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Roughage to concentrate – 15:85
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Corn is most profitable at $2-$2.50/bu
CS can be profitable
Faster gains w/ higher energy rations
• Finish quicker
Intake is regulated by energy content of the ration
Nutritional Mgmt of Finishing Cattle
• Starting on Feed
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Minimize disease and death loss
Monitor closely in a quarantine lot/pen
May start on high roughage diet w/ higher levels of
antibiotic, etc.
May take 5d-3wks for them to adjust – depends on stress
level
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Grow/Finish Rations
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Maintain maximum feed intake w/out stomach upsets
May use a 2 phase program
• Phase 1 – 50-60% concentrate, 450-800 lbs BW, CS
& supplement
• Phase 2 – 75%+ concentrate, 800 lbs to market, little
to no forage
Single phase
• After adjusting to feed/environment – 75%+
concentrate until market
Don’t short on CP
• May be natural or NPN
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
 Miscellaneous
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Nonnutritive Feed Additives
• Antibiotics
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What might we feed?
What do they do?
• MGA
• Ionophores
• Buffer
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Bloat prevention
• Manage pasture to have no more than 50%
legume forage
Unit 7: Beef Cattle
• Provide dry roughage if bloat is a risk
• Feed poloxalene and ionophores