Dr. Robert Winn discusses different feeding strategies and nutritional
survival goals at Tuesday night's beef cattle seminar.

 

Drouth Survival Strategies
Discussed At Tuesday Night
Beef Cattle Seminar

by: Bobby McDonald

 

They came enmass to Tuesday night's Northeast Texas Farmers Coop Beef Cattle Feeding Seminar, looking for a "ray of hope" as survival strategies were discussed for cattlemen effected by the second year of drouth conditions in the Hopkins County area. Area cattlemen, bemoaning the dry pastures, shortages of hay, and possibly no prospects of even purchasing quality hay and forages, were given a nutritional outlay of what their cattle needed to survive the perilous conditions on most area farms.

Dr. Robert Winn, veterinarian and on-staff nutritionist at Northeast Texas Farmers Coop, presented a program on Re-thinking Supplement Needs For Beef Cattle, and offered some survival strategies for local producers to use in planning their feeding needs in the upcoming months. "Now is the time to make some critical plans, on most farms," warned Winn. "Most of you have culled as close as you needed during last year's drouth, and now it is decision time to think of liquidating your entire herd or making plans to economically get through the next few months. We've formulated some nutritional plans to help you through these critical times."

Area beef cattlemen assembled at Northeast Texas Farmers Coop on Tuesday night, ate hamburgers, and heard a
presentation on feeding beef cattle during severe drouth conditions.

Winn outlined one scenario of using corn based products to increase fiber in the diet and to supply energy to the beef cow, but warned that the corn had to be rolled, flaked, or steamed to get the needed feed value for the cow, and that all processing cost extra dollars. He also outlined the more traditional program that producers generally use when adequate forage supplies are available. However, he pointed that purchased hay was already "out of sight" in price, and availability was almost non-existant.

These local cattlemen visited with Dr. Winn following Tuesday night's meeting, asking questions
about the newly developed feeding strategies he offered.

Cotton by-products were another souce of fiber, but Winn warned that they looked very cost prohibitive, as well. "And, last year we had the advantage of purchasing alfalfa hay for cattle as a good source of feed, but this year's drouth appears to be wide-spread and alfalfa from as far away as Nebraska has already been trucked into the area, with extremely high prices," added Winn. "It's time to think about something else, to winter beef cattle!"

Winn discussed implementing a winter pasture program and the use of clovers and ryegrass, as a means of  meeting the nutritional needs of a beef cattle herd. However, he warned that typically it was November and December before any grazing  could be obtained from this source and the time between now and then, had to be met. He also advised that winter pasture could be better utilized with controlled grazing situations.

The next strategy introduced was a newly formulated feed with the current drouth conditions in mind, designated at "Techni-Feed," that would best be utilized by feeding the product with 2-3 pounds of hay daily. The bulk "meal-type" feed meets the protein, energy, and fiber needs of the beef cow, along with the needed minerals, vitamins, and added yeast, to improve digestibility. The feed can be obtained in a "salt limiting" formulation and fed free-choice, with an expected 15 pounds per day consumption, by a 1000 pound beef cow. Delivered in 10,000 pound or greater lots the feed calculates to $5.51 per cwt.

Dr. Winn encouraged cattlemen to cull older animals in their herds to reduce strain on their pastures
and to choose those animals that would winter poorly.

Dr. Winn further advised local ranchers to early wean their calves to preserve the body weight of their breeding herd, and to pen the calves and feed them to the desired marketing weight. He outlined a plan to wean calves that weigh 250 pounds or greater and feed them on the NETBIO program, until a 600 pound weight, and profit some almost $60.00 per head. "Calves at this weight are very conducive and genetically advanced to make outstanding gains that will add profit at a time that cattlemen need the extra money from every source," stated Winn. "This is one marketing strategy that cattlemen need to consider."

Winn advised local cattle producers to wean any calves that weigh 250 pounds or more and feed
them to desired market weights, taking advantage of their genetic capabilities to convert gain to profit.

For those local cattlemen that could not attend Tuesday night's seminar, Dr. Winn is at Northeast Texas Farmers Coop on Tuesday of every week, to discuss the various strategies, and the staff is available Mon-Fri, and until noon on Saturdays.

In his closing remarks, Winn expressed, "Most of you have worked hard to assemble your herds of beef cattle and we're trying to fomulate a plan that will help you keep them through these extreme weather conditions!"

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