MATCHING FORAGES WITH LIVESTOCK NEEDS

Transcription

1 MATCHING FORAGES WITH LIVESTOCK NEEDS Jennifer J. Tucker, Ph.D Assistant Professor Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences University of Georgia Tifton Defining Your Production System Cow/Calf Stocker/Finishing Understanding Your Production System Understanding Your System Calving Season Pasture Conserved s Fall Spring Throughout Feed to Meet the Nutritional Need Cows Heifers Calves THE BROOD COW Influenced by weight, sex, age, growth rate, and stage of production 1

2 Goals Raise and wean a live calf every year Breeds back and has longevity in the herd Nutritional Requirements of the Brood Cow Nutrient Priorities: Depends on Stage of Growth (Maintenance,, Reproduction) Maximize the use of grazed forages throughout the year to meet these goals: Match Quality with Animal Stage of Production Dry Pregnant Peak Late TDN, % CP, % NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle Brood Cow Nutrient Requirements Peak : CP: 12% TDN: 60% Late : CP: 9% TDN: 55% Dry Cow: CP: 7% TDN: 48% Cow Nutrient Requirements Matching Quality with Dry Matter Intake, lb per day 7.7% CP 52% TDN 30 lb 12% CP 63% TDN 8.8% CP 55% TDN 6.6% CP 47% TDN Slide Source: R.L. Stewart, UGA Slide Source: K. Mullenix, ACES 1 month prior 60-days after calving 6 months after calving 1,200 lb cow weaning a 598-lb calf After weaning Nutritional Requirements quality and livestock needs 80 Mature cow, peak lactation (60 days after calving) Digestibility, % Warm-season perennial grasses Cool-season perennial grasses Cool-season annual grasses Dry, pregnant cow, gaining condition Legumes THE HEIFER Slide Source: K. Mullenix, ACES Adapted from Lippke and Riewe (1976) and Ball et al. (2001) 2

3 Goals Develop and retain a female that is productive in the herd for years Nutrient Priorities: Growth and Development Nutritional Requirements of Growing Heifers Age, Months Dry Matter Intake, lb/d TDN, % CP, % Maximize the use of grazed forages throughout the year to meet these goals: Match Quality with Animal Growing heifers (mature weight 1,300 pounds) to gain 2.0 lb/d NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle Nutrient Requirements Good goal = 1.5 lb/d until breeding to achieve at least 65% of her mature weight Can be achieved by pasture alone Cool-season annuals, some warm-season forages Average quality pasture/hay requires supplementation 0.5% of body weight - energy/protein supplement Bahiagrass, dallisgrass mid to late summer THE CALF Goals Wean and sell a uniform group of calves consistently each year Nutrient Priorities: Growth Intake Expectations for Calves 0 to 3 months Milk 3 to 6 months Milk 6 to 8 months Milk Maximize the use of grazed forages throughout the year to meet these goals: Match Quality with Animal Slide Source: K. Mullenix, ACES From 0.6% to 2.2% of their body weight in forage as weaning approached Boggs et al. (1980) 3

4 Nutritional Requirements for Weaned Calves Weight (lb) Daily gain (lb) TDN, % CP, % LIVESTOCK/FORAGE SYSTEMS Medium-frame steer calves NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle Livestock need Nutrients! Remember: Perennial Grasses are our most important tool and should provide the basis for almost all forage programs! Vitamins Water High quality forages are the most economical source of meeting livestock needs! Protein Nutrients Energy Minerals Growth Distribution and Calving Season Cool Season % Total Annual Production Warm Season Bermudagrass/Bahiagrass Fall Calving Tall Fescue Cool-Season Winter Calving Stockpiled Bermudagrass Spring Calving Stockpiled Tall Fescue 0 Nov Winter: Dec. Jan. Jan Feb Mar Apr Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 4 2 Jan Mar4 6 8Jul Spring: Mar.-. 10Sep 12 Oct Fall: Sept - Nov

5 Approximate Nutrient Level by Species: Legumes Crop TDN, % CP, % Alfalfa (Early Bloom) Arrowleaf Clover Red Clover White Clover Approximate Nutrient Level by Species: Cool Season Grasses Crop TDN, % CP, % Tall Fescue Orchardgrass : Annual Ryegrass Cereal Rye Oats Adapted from Southern s, 5 th Edition Adapted from Southern s, 5 th Edition Approximate Nutrient Level by Species: Warm Season Grasses Crop TDN, % CP, % Bermudagrass (Hybrid) Bahiagrass Dallisgrass Johnsongrass Switchgrass, Bluestem : Pearl Millet Sudangrass Species Bahiagrass Bermudagrass Pearl Millet Tall Fescue Rye Wheat Annual Ryegrass Alfalfa White Clover Red Clover Arrowleaf Clover Crimson Clover Sericea Lespedeza Normal Availability by Month in Georgia M A M J J A S O J F N D Adapted from Southern s, 5 th Edition Adapted from Southern s, 5 th Edition Suitability of Potential s by Animal Class TDN, % CP, % Dry Cow Peak Late 600 lb calf gain (lb/d) Poor Hay 48 7 Yes No No 0.5 Average Hay Yes No Yes 1.25 Good Hay Yes Yes Yes 1.35 Bermudagrass Yes Yes Yes 1.30 POSSIBLE FORAGE SYSTEMS Tall Fescue Yes Yes Yes 1.50 (vegetative) (mature) Yes Yes Yes No No No 1.3 5

6 Spring-Calving System Breeding Nov.- Dec. Jan-Mar Nov.- Dec. Jan-Mar Weaning Sept.- Oct. Mar- Calving Calving Sept.- Oct. Mar- Jun- Aug Breeding Jun- Aug Weaning Fall-Calving System Stockpiled Bermudagrass Prepared Seedbed Winter Brassicas or Alfalfa Tall Fescue Mixed Pasture Stockpiled Bermuda Alfalfa Sept.- Oct. Nov.- Dec. Jun- Aug Jan-Mar Bermuda, Bahia, Dallas NWSG, Summer Mar- Stockpiled Tall Fescue Tall Fescue Clover Mixtures Late Alfalfa North, GA Stockpiled (Brassicas?) Summer Tall Fescue + Red or White Clover Bermudagrass, Dallisgrass, NWSG South,GA Stockpiled (Brassicas? Alfalfa?) Additional Summer Overseeded Bermudagrass, Bahiagrass The Better Grazing Program When we think of the cow, we will not forget the demands of the grass. When we examine the grass, we will always bear in mind the demands of the cow. Andre Voisin Want More Information? Contact: Assistant Professor Beef Research and Extension University of Georgia, Tifton Campus Ph jjtucker@uga.edu 6

7 Questions? ASK-UGA1 7