COW/CALF CORNER The Newsletter

Transcription

1 COW/CALF CORNER The Newsletter From the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service September 17, 2018 In this issue: Good opportunities for winter wheat grazing Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Growing bred replacement heifers Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist Register now for October 19 OSU Beef Industry Conference Don Stotts, Oklahoma State University Communications Specialist Good opportunities for winter wheat grazing Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist There appears to be considerable interest and excitement about winter wheat grazing this year. The September 11 USDA-NASS Crop Progress report shows 2 percent of Oklahoma winter wheat planted, equal to the previous five-year average for that date. Planting progress may jump sharply in the coming days. Anecdotal indications are that many producers are preparing to plant winter wheat soon, some waiting for wet conditions to dry down and permit planting. I have received some reports of fall armyworms damaging pastures and hay fields; armyworms may be a significant threat to early planted wheat. Despite seasonal tendencies for lower prices, prices for Oklahoma steers under 500 pounds increased last week. This sometimes happens when demand for stockers outpaces the fall run of calves coming to town in September. There is still a likelihood that calf prices will hold steady or decline some into October but the seasonal pressure may be muted with strong stocker demand. The market appears to be developing a typical fall market pattern for mid-weight steers with a sharp break on prices from 475 to 525 pounds and prices relatively flat for steers weighing pounds. Heifer calf prices continued a modest seasonal decline last week. Stocker producers should evaluate a range of possible purchase weights and look at steers versus heifers to determine the best purchase opportunity. Budgets for winter grazing appear to pencil out quite attractively at this point. Feeder futures have remained remarkably strong, with March feeder futures trading near $153/cwt. at the end of last week. With normal basis, these contract levels offer an opportunity to price spring cattle

2 above projected breakevens for winter grazing. However, this may be a fleeting opportunity as there several factors that might drive a futures market correction. One is that current feeder price levels result in negative projected feedlot margins in coming months. The reality is that feeder cattle supplies are still plentiful and the September cattle on feed report, due out on September 21, could indicate a large feedlot placement level with implications for spring feeder markets. Cost of wheat pasture is a major factor in winter grazing budgets. The market for wheat pasture is always difficult to determine and this year, with potentially strong demand for wheat pasture matching up against potentially abundant wheat pasture supplies, is no exception. This makes it challenging to anticipate wheat pasture rental rates. However, wheat pasture owners can budget the breakeven cost of providing wheat pasture based on seeding and fertilizer adjustments needed for grazing as well as expected loss of wheat yield to grazing. For dual-purpose wheat, research shows that winter grazing decreases wheat yields by about six bushels per acre on average. This average is quite variable from year to year. Given expected wheat price along with fertilizer and seed cost, the projected cost of wheat pasture (above other wheat production costs) is estimated at near $70/acre. The cost per pound of gain depends on cattle average daily gain, number of days of grazing and wheat pasture stocking rate. Across a range of these assumptions, wheat pasture breakeven cost calculates out to a range from $0.30 to $0.45/lb. gain for winter grazing. Growing bred replacement heifers Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State University Emeritus Extension Animal Scientist Bred replacement heifers that will calve in January and February need to continue to grow and maintain body condition. Ideally, two year old heifers should be in a body condition score 6 at the time that their first calf is born. See example below of a heifer in body condition 6. This allows them the best opportunity to provide adequate colostrum to the baby, repair the reproductive tract, return to heat cycles, rebreed on time for next year, and continue normal body growth. From now until calving time, the heifers will need to be gaining about 1 pound per head per day, assuming that they are in good body condition coming out of summer.

3 Heifers will need supplemental protein, if the major source of forage in the diet is bermudagrass or native pasture or grass hay. If the forage source is adequate in quantity and average in quality (6-9% crude protein), heifers will need about 2 pounds of a high protein (38-44% CP) supplement each day. This will probably need to be increased with higher quality hay (such as alfalfa) or additional energy feed (20% range cubes) as winter weather adds additional nutrient requirements. Soybean hulls or wheat-mids may also be used to insure adequate energy intake of pregnant heifers. Wheat pasture (if adequate rainfall produces growth) can be used as a supplement for pregnant replacement heifers. Using wheat pasture judiciously makes sense for pregnant heifers for two reasons. Pregnant heifers consuming full feed of wheat pasture will gain at about 3 pounds per head per day. If they are on the wheat too long the heifers can become very fat and cause calving difficulty. Also the wheat pasture can be used for gain of stocker cattle or weaned replacement heifers more efficiently. If wheat pasture is used for bred heifers, use it judiciously as a protein supplement by allowing the heifers access to the wheat pasture on at least alternate days. Some producers report that 1 day on wheat pasture and two days on native or bermuda will work better. This encourages the heifers to go rustle in the warm season pasture for the second day, rather than just stand by the gate waiting to be turned back in to the wheat. Whatever method is used to grow the pregnant replacement heifers, plan to have them in good body condition (BCS = 6) by calving so that they will grow into fully-developed productive cows. Register now for October 19 OSU Beef Industry Conference Don Stotts, Oklahoma State University Communications Specialist Cattle producers interested in adopting the latest best management practices to help maximize profit potential should register now to attend the Oct. 19 Oklahoma State University Beef Industry Conference. The conference will begin at 8:30 a.m., finish about mid-afternoon and take place in the OSU Conoco-Phillips Alumni Center located on Hester Street, on the southeastern side of the university s Stillwater campus. Cost is $75 per participant if registering before Oct. 13 and $100 thereafter. Online registration is available by contacting This will be an opportunity to learn from and ask questions of some of the region s leading beef industry experts, said Bob LeValley, Oklahoma Beef Quality Assurance coordinator. We ask everyone to pre-register as soon as possible as it greatly aids with our planning and helps ensure we provide the best possible experience for participants. Oct. 19 Conference Agenda The conference s first session will feature Jason Douglas of Micro Technologies, who will provide a demonstration on the judicious use of pneumatic dart guns. Douglas has worked in

4 animal health distribution for the past 20 years, and has more than 15 years of experience with remote drug-delivery systems in the treatment of cattle in non-confined pasture settings. Janeen Salek-Johnson, holder of OSU s Temple Grandin Professorship in Animal Science and Wellbeing, will then share research-based insights about ways to promote animal health and well-being. Dr. Salek-Johnson has an active research program in stress and environmental physiology and animal well-being, using a multi-disciplinary approach to understand to the impact environment and stress have on animals, LeValley said. A session led by Dr. Jared Taylor, OSU veterinarian and associate professor of veterinary pathology with the university s Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, will focus on the effectiveness of chlortetracycline in free choice mineral supplementation for anaplasmosis protection. George Perry, South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension beef reproduction specialist, will share the latest research-based findings showcasing the effects of pre-breeding vaccine protocols and nutritional management on artificial insemination and embryo transfer conception rates. Angus Link Field representative Casey Cobb will lead a session about opportunities for feeder cattle value enhancement through Angus Link, the groundbreaking feeder cattle program that is backed by the world s most comprehensive genetic database identifying performance potential from ranch to feedlot. Gary Fike, director of commercial marketing for the Red Angus Association of America, will share information about Red Angus feeder cattle and female cattle marketing opportunities. Fike has 30 years of experience working in the beef cattle industry. The OSU Beef Cattle Extension group is excited to partner with the Oklahoma Beef Council to offer a fantastic lineup of speakers to address some of the most common issues our clientele deal with on a day-to-day basis, said Dave Lalman, OSU Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist. Our goal was to design a program that was affordable with an abundance of impactful information and quality speakers, plus participants can take part in optional preconference sessions the night before at no extra charge. Oct. 18 Pre-Conference Agenda The Oct. 18 pre-conference training event will take place at the OSU Animal Science Totusek Arena, located west of Western Street on McElroy Road, across from the OSU Ferguson Family Dairy Center and next door to the OSU Cline Equine Center. Welcoming ceremonies will take place during dinner, which will start at 6 p.m., Lalman said. We then will get into the training sessions at about 6:30 p.m. First up will be Dr. Barry Whitworth, veterinarian and OSU Cooperative Extension area food animal quality and health specialist. Whitworth s chute-side demonstration will review proper techniques relative to castration, implanting cattle and injection sites. Lalman and Kris Hiney, OSU Cooperative Extension equine specialist, will share insights about body condition scoring for cattle and horses.

5 Kellie Raper, OSU Cooperative Extension agricultural economist, will provide the latest information about value-enhancement opportunities in the cattle industry. Mark and Lisa Anderson will join Hiney in demonstrating and discussing the rapidly growing and wildly popular versatility ranch horse competition. Participants are responsible for their own hotel arrangements if staying overnight, Lalman said. Stillwater has a number of nice hotel options within close proximity to campus. The conference coincides with fall break here on campus, so we anticipate parking to be more accessible than usual. Anyone seeking additional information about the Oct events should contact the OSU department of animal and food sciences at Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services. References within this publication to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.