The Beef Bonanza just shooting the bull McDowell county center Spring 2017 Issue Inside This Issue Cattlemens Meeting Announcement 1 Spring Pastures and Grass Tetany 2-3 Chesnee Market Report 4 Cattlemen s Association Meeting Sponsored by Carolina Farm Credit WNC Market Report 5 Contact Us NC COOPERATIVE EXTENSION McDowell Center County Administration Building, Room 226 60 East Court Street Marion, NC 28752 Phone: 828-652-8104 Fax: 828-652-8104 Distributed in furtherance of the acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. Thursday, April 20 @ 6:00 pm Concord United Methodist Church 8066 Old Linville Rd, Marion Please RSVP by calling 652-8104 or email Jane or Adam by Thursday, April 13. Your RSVP will help with meal preparation and will also enter your name for door prizes! McDowell Cattlemen s Association Membership DUES & DRIVE $20 per year (payable in January each year) New Members are always WELCOME!
Spring 2017 Issue: Page 2 Spring Pastures and Grass Tetany Let's not lie, we all get a little excited when spring comes rolling around. Temperatures are rising and our pastures start to green up and grow. There is something that you need to be thinking about before you turn your cows and calves out on these lush green pastures. When grass starts growing rapidly, they have high water content; this dilutes the amount of nutrients that are in the forage. The diluted nutrients make it almost impossible for your livestock to eat enough forages to meet their nutrient requirements. It occurs mostly during the spring, but can occur in the fall and winter months as well. The biggest issue with high moisture, diluted nutrient grass is a condition called grass tetany, which is a metabolic disorder when livestock is deficient in magnesium (Mg). Cows that are in early lactation or cows that are older are more susceptible to get this than livestock with their first or second progeny. Grass tetany has occurred on orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, timothy, tall fescue, crested wheatgrass, bromegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, annual ryegrass and small grain (wheat, oats, barley, triticale and rye) pastures. It also can occur when animals are fed hay during the winter months that contains low magnesium (good reason to get your hay tested). One of the greatest potentials for grass tetany is when the soil is low in available magnesium and high in potassium and nitrogen. Putting out to much manure or fertilizer can create this mineral imbalance (good reason to do a soil test). Probably the worst thing about grass tetany is the symptoms. In most cases the first sign you will see is a dead animal. If you do notice symptoms, it will probably be a mild case. You might notice that the cow is nervous, she will stop grazing and be uncomfortable, showing unusually signs of alertness, such as staring and keeping their head and ears erect, staggering, or their skin will twitch constantly. If you notice any signs that could be related to grass tetany, you need to call the vet immediately. Written by: Adam Lawing
Spring 2017 Issue: Page 3 Like anything else, the best way to avoid this problem is by prevention. The best way thing to do is to feed minerals, but not just any minerals, look for a loose free choice mineral that contains at least 8-12 percent magnesium. Most of the minerals like this will be labeled on the bag High Mag or High Magnesium. It should be pretty obvious but if you have any doubt just look at the tag. Also avoid using mineral or salt blocks. Livestock need to have free choice loose minerals. They simply cannot get enough trace minerals by licking a block. We was having a Cattlemen's Board meeting when someone made the comment that using blocks is like licking a sucker, you really don't get much of the sucker by just licking it. If you have sheep that are running with your cattle or have sheep in general do not what so ever feed cattle minerals to them. Sheep cannot tolerate the amount of copper than cattle or goats can handle and will more than likely die. Alternative methods of prevention would be to use a Magnesium supplement. This can be added to a protein supplement, grain mix or a liquid supplement. Also research has also showed that the risk of grass tetany decreases on pastures that contain over 30% legumes or fed hay that is mixed with some legumes. In conclusion, the take home message that I want you to understand is to utilize what sources are available to you, not only to help increase your production but to also better your herd health. Trying to save a few dollars here and there will not help pay for a dead animal because of a management issue. Minerals are a higher cost, but getting those minerals in your livestock will greatly improve their performance. Animals eat minerals when they need them, so if they eat the first bag in a day or so don't worry. Just keep it free choice and when they get the nutrients they need they will show down and eat as needed. A forage analysis is just $10 dollars a sample (hay as well as grass) and it can tell you exactly nutrients are available and if you need to supplement with other feed sources. Lastly, soil samples are free from April to December, during the peak season they are only $4. Soil samples can save you costs on fertilizer because you will know if you are putting out too much or not enough.
Spring 2017 Issue: Page 4 CHESNEE LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT March 21, 2017 Feeder Steers: Medium and Large 1-2 225-245 lbs (238) 160.00-174.00 (168.22); 260-290 lbs (275) 164.00-178.00 (168.75); 305-325 lbs (318) 165.00-175.00 (170.33); 350-395 lbs (371) 158.00-166.00 (161.08); 415-420 lbs (418) 158.00-160.00 (158.99); 450-485 lbs (464) 145.00-154.00 (150.80); 520-545 lbs (526) 135.00-146.00 (139.60); 570-595 lbs (582) 131.00-140.00 (135.28); 625-645 lbs 635) 132.00-138.00 (134.95); 655-675 lbs (663) 125.00-130.00 (127.32). Small 1-2 255-290 lbs (273) 135.00-140.00 (137.66); 310-345 lbs (333) 126.50-135.00 (131.50); 385-395 lbs longhorn x (390) 65.00-67.50 (66.27); 450-475 lbs longhorn x (463) 55.00-62.00 (57.95). Medium 2 220-240 lbs (230) 150.00-155.00 (152.61); 325-330 lbs (328) 150.00-157.50 (153.78); 375-395 lbs (383) 145.00-152.50 (149.11). Feeder Heifers: Medium and Large 1-2 200-205 lbs (203) 160.00-165.00 (162.53); 265-290 lbs (277) 150.00-152.50 (150.80); 300-345 lbs (319) 140.00-150.00 (144.15); 350-395 lbs (373) 135.00-145.00 (138.15); 410-445 lbs (423) 130.00-140.00 (135.03); 455-495 lbs (475) 127.00-134.00 (130.30); 500-545 lbs (522) 118.00-128.00 (123.46); 550-590 lbs (566) 116.00-125.00 (119.80); 600-645 lbs (624) 114.00-122.00 (117.11). Medium 2 325-345 lbs (335) 127.50-135.00 (131.36); 365-395 lbs (378) 125.00-132.00 (129.58); 450-460 lbs (455) 115.00-120.00 (117.47); 705-710 lbs (708) 89.00-94.00 (91.51); 765-765 lbs (765) 85.00-97.00 (91.00). Feeder Bulls: Medium and Large 1-2 405-430 lbs (418) 149.00-156.00 (153.68); 450-495 lbs (477) 138.00-147.00 (142.73); 505-545 lbs (527) 136.00-143.00 (138.93); 560-585 lbs (568) 136.00-141.00 (138.56); 610-640 lbs (626) 123.00-133.00 (128.61); 670-690 lbs (680) 119.00-125.00 (121.96); 725-740 lbs (733) 110.00-115.00 (112.53). Medium 2 400-435 lbs (413) 131.00-140.00 (136.32); 575-595 lbs (584) 118.00-129.00 (123.97); 610-645 lbs (630) 110.00-119.00 (113.74); 770-795 lbs (787) 85.00-95.00 (90.73). Bred Cows: Small 1-2 Middle Aged 770-870 lbs (820) 600.00-700.00 per head 4-6 months bred (653.05). Cow/Calf Pairs; [10] Medium and Large 1-2 880-1085 lbs young to middle age cows with 120-350 lbs calves 1110.00-1225.00 per pair. Slaughter Cows: Breaker 70-80 percent lean 1405-1640 lbs (1494) 63.00-76.00 (68.55). Boner 80-85 percent lean 1020-1385 lbs (1170) 60.00-74.00 (68.30). Lean 85-90 percent lean 725-755 lbs (740) 58.00-65.00 (61.43); 815-1015 lbs (943) 64.00-74.00 (67.27).
Spring 2017 Issue: Page 5 WNC REGIONAL CANTON LIVESTOCK MARKET REPORT March 20, 2017 Feeder Steers Medium and Large 1-2 1 280-280 280 162.50 162.50 3 305-330 320 150.00-162.50 156.84 7 350-395 369 140.00-152.50 146.57 1 390-390 390 171.00 171.00 Value Added 4 400-410 408 137.50-150.00 145.85 18 460-498 479 137.00-150.00 143.28 15 510-545 531 137.00-147.00 142.91 12 560-595 575 131.00-143.00 136.52 8 600-640 619 125.00-138.00 132.33 6 665-692 681 124.00-138.00 129.27 2 700-710 705 119.00-120.00 119.50 3 750-765 757 115.00-122.00 118.68 1 850-850 850 105.00 105.00 1 905-905 905 107.00 107.00 1 1070-1070 1070 97.00 97.00 Medium 2 2 380-395 388 120.00-135.00 127.35 5 470-490 476 125.00-135.00 131.82 4 525-545 539 125.00-132.50 127.45 2 605-630 618 120.00 120.00 Small 2 1 325-325 325 120.00 120.00 1 685-685 685 110.00 110.00 Feeder Heifers Medium and Large 1-2 4 260-295 278 125.00-135.00 130.65 4 315-345 326 129.00-142.50 135.55 9 350-398 375 127.00-138.00 131.92 1 375-375 375 152.50 152.50 14 405-445 433 126.00-140.00 132.77 20 450-495 470 123.00-136.00 126.55 29 500-545 525 120.00-129.00 125.02 12 550-595 580 121.00-132.00 127.48 11 605-645 626 105.00-119.00 115.73 7 658-667 662 112.00-119.00 115.98 5 725-745 731 104.00-113.00 106.01 5 760-795 770 95.00-99.00 97.19 1 830-830 830 97.00 97.00 1 930-930 930 98.00 98.00 Medium 2 1 190-190 190 132.50 132.50 1 205-205 205 120.00 120.00 2 355-365 360 115.00-122.50 118.70 7 400-445 422 110.00-125.00 119.50 6 460-495 475 110.00-122.50 117.45 4 510-520 515 100.00-110.00 105.26 1 550-550 550 117.50 117.50 2 660-695 678 90.00-100.00 95.13 1 700-700 700 95.00 95.00 Small 2 1 720-720 720 80.00 80.00 Large 3 1 705-705 705 80.00 80.00 Medium 3 1 195-195 195 115.00 115.00 1 310-310 310 90.00 90.00 1 395-395 395 100.00 100.00 1 550-550 550 100.00 100.00 Small 3 1 240-240 240 85.00 85.00 1 445-445 445 70.00 70.00 1 450-450 450 90.00 90.00 1 495-495 495 70.00 70.00 1 565-565 565 82.50 82.50 1 775-775 775 65.00 65.00 Feeder Bulls Medium and Large 1-2 5 405-425 417 142.00-150.00 145.93 7 460-495 470 140.00-151.00 144.61 11 500-545 517 130.00-144.00 135.22 4 550-585 573 126.00-131.00 128.72 6 600-645 617 125.00-132.00 128.29 1 680-680 680 118.00 118.00 3 710-730 718 99.00-105.00 103.02 2 815-820 818 92.50 92.50 1 965-965 965 90.00 90.00 Medium 2 1 400-400 400 130.00 130.00 2 450-490 470 135.00-137.50 136.30 2 530-545 538 124.00-125.00 124.51 Small 2 1 450-450 450 120.00 120.00 1 540-540 540 100.00 100.00 Small 3 1 695-695 695 62.50 62.50 Slaughter Cows Breaker 70-80% Lean 3 1255-1295 1270 63.00-68.00 65.64 3 1435-1595 1527 62.00-67.00 63.69 2 1410-1435 1423 70.00-72.00 71.01 Boner 80-85% Lean 1 890-890 890 72.00 72.00 17 915-1310 1079 54.00-69.00 61.41 3 960-1080 1020 70.00-74.00 71.96 2 905-985 945 38.00-40.00 39.04 Lean 85-90% Lean 2 750-750 750 34.00-35.00 34.50 3 810-850 837 62.00-68.00 64.35 2 815-880 848 72.50 72.50 Slaughter Bulls Yield Grade 1-2 3 1585-2305 1962 84.00-89.00 87.04 7 1590-2150 1870 93.00-104.00 96.92 Cows/Calf Pairs: (7) Medium and Large 1 and 2 1040-1100 lbs middle age cows with 100-225 lbs calves 800.00-1300.00 per pair. Large 2 1170-1270 lbs middle age cows with 225-400 lbs calves 1400.00-1500.00 per pair.
McDowell County Center 60 E. Court Street Marion, North Carolina 28752 Compiled and edited by: Adam Lawing Extension Agent Ag and Natural Resources Administrative support provided by: Jane Dale For accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact the McDowell County Center at 828-652-8104, no later than 10 business days before the event.