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Cow-Calf Corner: Regional cattle on feed breakdown; Dietary changes needed for early lactation beef cows

Cow-Calf Corner is a weekly newsletter by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Agency

Feb. 24, 2020

Regional cattle on feed breakdown

By Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist

The latest USDA cattle on feed report shows that feedlot inventories totaled 11.928 million head on Feb. 1, up 2.2 percent year over year and the highest total for the month since 2008. January marketings were 101.1 percent of last year, close to pre-report expectations. Placements in January were 99.4 percent of one year ago. The placement number was smaller than expected and will be viewed as somewhat bullish. 

January placements consisted of 2.4 percent more cattle weighing less than 700 pounds compared to last year, offset by a year over year 2.8 percent decrease in placements weighing more than 700 pounds. However, over the past five months, placements of heavy cattle have been substantially larger than lightweight cattle. Since September, placements of cattle weighing more than 700 pounds are up 5.9 percent year over year compared to a 2.7 percent year over year increase in lightweight placements.  In fact, placements of cattle weighing 900-999 pounds are up 7.6 percent over the five months and placements over 1000 pounds are up 8.5 percent compared to last year.

Regional differences are pronounced.  Texas has the largest on-feed inventory by a substantial margin with 2.94 million head in feedlots compared to number two Nebraska at 2.48 million head.  Placements increased 4.7 percent year over year in Texas in the past five months but the majority is cattle under 700 pounds, up 10.3 percent compared to over 700 pound placements, down 4.7 percent year over year since September. 

Nebraska has placed 3.1 percent more cattle since September compared to the same period one year ago.  However, Nebraska placements consisted of a 6.9 percent year over year increase in cattle over 700 pounds, compared to last year and a 3.7 percent year over year decrease in placements under 700 pounds over the five month period.

Number three Kansas, has placed 7.4 percent more cattle year over year since September with a more balanced spread across weights.  Kansas placements of cattle weighing over 700 pounds has been up 8.2 percent year over year with those under 700 pounds up 6.0 percent compared to the same period last year.  In number four cattle feeding state Colorado, the 9.8 percent year over year increase in placements the last five months is made up entirely of cattle over 700 pounds, up 17.5 percent with placements of lightweight cattle unchanged from last year.

Overall, cattle feeding currently is shifted to the western and southern plains with year over year increases in feedlot inventories in Texas (106.9 percent of last year), Oklahoma (103.2 percent), Kansas (106.7 percent) and Colorado (105.8 percent).  Feedlot inventories are smaller year over year in Nebraska (96.1 percent of last year), Iowa (97.1 percent) and South Dakota (94.1 percent).  Despite this, a bigger proportion of the heavy placements that will be marketed in the next three or four months are in Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado compared to Texas, relative to one year ago.  However, this same region has recently experienced, and is most susceptible to, winter weather that may delay and spread out marketings in the coming weeks.

Dietary changes needed for early lactation beef cows

Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist

Beef cow owners have known for years that body condition at calving time is a critical determinant in the re-breeding performance of the cows during the next breeding season.  Another key factor that impacts return to estrus cycles and re-breeding is the maintenance or loss of body condition after calving and before breeding.  Cows losing body condition after calving and before the breeding season will be slower to return to heat cycles and rebreed at a lower rate.  Therefore it is necessary that the cow manager understand the change in nutrient requirements of beef cows as they change from gestating cows to early lactation cows.

Using an example of a 1200 pound cow in late gestation, one can examine the nutrient increases as she delivers the calf and starts to lactate.  Look in the Oklahoma State University Extension Circular E-974 Nutrient Requirements for Beef Cattle.  A 1200 pound late gestation cow requires 1.9 pounds of crude protein daily and 12.9 pounds of Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN).  She can consume voluntarily 24 pounds of dry matter feed/day.  The same cow after calving will weigh at least 100 pounds less (birth weight of calf, placenta, and fluid loss).  An 1100 pound cow in early lactation requires 2.9 pounds of protein each day.  That is a 52% increase in protein needs.  Her energy requirements go up substantially as well.  She needs 16.8 pounds of TDN each day (if she is an average milking beef cow).  This represents a 30% increase in energy intake per day.  Her daily dry matter intake also increases from 24 to 29 pounds but this represents only a 20% increase.  If the 30% crude protein supplement being consumed is increased by 3.3 pounds, the protein requirement is met and most of the additional energy needs are fulfilled.  Her voluntary increase of 2 pounds of hay per day should make up the remaining gap.

As we examine this example it is very clear that the cow will voluntarily consume a small increase in dry matter, however her needs in protein and energy both increase in larger percentages.  Therefore an increase in both diet quality and quantity is necessary after calving to insure that body condition is maintained into and through the breeding season.

Written by:
kristin
Published on:
February 24, 2020

Categories: Animal Health, Livestock Management, Market News, Ranching, The Cattleman Now - App

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