High Grain Costs Changes the Feeding Rules

From the May 16, 2011 Issue of Agri-News

“In years when grain was cheap, it was logical to make up for any nutrient shortfalls with a bit of extra grain,” says Ken Ziegler, beef and forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “An extra pound or two of barley covered up any nutrient deficiencies from the hay and backgrounded calves did fine. Today, because of the rising cost of grain, the quest to control the cost per pound of gain is more challenging.”
.
The challenge this fall will be to achieve adequate animal growth with minimal grain. This new dynamic in the feeding industry drives the need for quality forage to do the job. Consider these suggestions and take the necessary steps to achieve quality forage for backgrounded calves this coming fall and winter:

• Harvest the hay crop with a quality goal in mind. Consider that total digestible nutrients (TDN) of 65 per cent or more will provide back grounded calves with enough energy to grow at least 1.75 average daily gain (ADG) or more when fed hay alone. Using implants and ionophores, or raising the feed TDN improves the calf performance to 2lbs ADG.
• Stage of maturity at harvest is the most important factor in forage quality. As plants mature, forage quality declines. This is because the proportion of fibrous stems increases while leaf content decreases. Managing the cutting date is one practice that does not cost more but has incredible implications for forage quality. Cutting grasses at the early bloom stage or legumes during the bud to early flower stage will help ensure high quality hay. This may mean cutting anywhere from 7 to 14 days earlier than another year.
• Many losses are visible such as leaf shatter; however other losses such as respiration are invisible. Aim to reduce field losses by cutting early in the morning. Use as wide a swath as possible to increase solar drying. Speed dry down by raking the windrows when the moisture content is between 40 to 50 per cent. Bale when the moisture content is near 18 per cent or higher if using forage preservatives.
• Nearly all harvesting losses are due to leaf shatter. Leaves dry down three to five times faster than stems and become very brittle at moisture levels below 30 per cent. The risk of nutrient losses and weather damage can be reduced by harvesting the forage crop at 40 to 55 per cent moisture. Chopped silage, plastic wrapping or tubing bales are all options for harvesting high moisture forage crops.
• If you do decide to dry the feed down to conventional hay, consider using bale wrap instead of twine. Bale wrap sheds rainfall better than twine. The majority of the hay within a hay bale is in the first four inches. Reducing storage losses of the quality feed increases the amount of feed available this fall.
• Ramp up your storage strategy. As quality feed becomes more valuable, the economics of storing it well changes. Consider placing the bales on high well drained ground with a layer of straw underneath. The cost of tarps becomes incidental when storing quality feed compared to average feed. Hay sheds offer excellent value in storing high quality feed.
• Once baled, haul the feed off of the field immediately and get it under cover. Early harvesting may provide the opportunity for a second harvest. In grass based forage stands, second cut growth often has a high leaf:stem ratio resulting in high quality forage for use as hay, silage or pasture.
• Feed test the forage early in the year, preferably after 20 days from hay baling or immediately during silage. The results will tell you whether you have met your goal for quality feed this winter or if you need to adjust your plans. Remember that high quality forage can always be mixed off with straw for your cows if it turns out to be inadequate for your calves.

“Happy feeding calves this coming fall,” says Ziegler. “May they be tall, thick and slick by spring with a minimum of grain consumed over the winter.”

For further information, contact the Ag-Info Centre at 310-FARM (3276) or click here

Contact:
Ken Ziegler
310-FARM (3276