Alternative Feeding Programs and Feeds for

Drought Stressed Beef Cow Herds

Ted Perry, Beef Nutritionist

Land O Lakes Farmland Feed

Beef cows traditionally graze forages during the spring and summer months. However, during droughts when forage production stops, alternative feeds and feeding programs need to be used to feed the herd until forages are growing again. When deciding on an alternative feeding program there are several options to consider. The goal is to get the cows re-bred, maintain pounds produced per cow, and minimize feed cost per pound of calf sold. Daily feed costs are going to increase during a drought. Options to consider are feed availability, equipment needs and storage. Integrated Resource Management (IRM) data shows that most producers budget pasture costs at around 50 cents per cow/day. The ideal alternative feeding program will meet the cows’ requirements as close to budgeted costs as possible. During early lactation and the breeding the cow’s requirements are as high as any other time in the production cycle. Keeping cows in good body condition is very important for getting re-bred. When body condition scores drop below 4, reproduction efficiency drops resulting in more open cows, longer calving interval and less value in calf crop due to younger, lighter calves next year. In the Cow-Link herds, weaning weight drops 45 pounds for each 21-day period that the cow does not calve. Based on 80-cent calf prices, the calf’s value will decrease $36.00 for each heat period the cow is not bred.

As feed costs increase, and available forages become more limited, it may be necessary to cull some of the older or lower producing cows. If the herd is on a performance-testing program like Cow-Link, consult the Most Probable Producing Average (MPPA) rankings and cull the lower producing cows. These cows are least likely to make a profit and will loose the most money when feed costs are higher. Culling low producing cows now will enable the ranch to concentrate on a more intensive management strategies during the drought. In addition, culling lower quality females will enable the herd to expand with higher quality animals when forage production returns. If facilities and resources are available to feed the cows, early calf weaning and culling the entire herd may not be the best long-term solution for the ranch. If the herd is culled, the cost of replacing the entire herd in the future with the same quality animals may be cost prohibitive.

The most common method of getting a cow herd through a drought is to feed corn at 0.5 to 1.0% of body weight, 1-2 pounds of protein supplement (>30% CP) and roughly 5 pounds of hay. When corn is priced at $2.00 per bushel, 40% protein supplement around $200/ton and hay at $80 per ton, a limit-fed diet would be priced around 75 to 85 cents per cow/day. This will increase feed costs over a 4-month period around $50 per cow over that of a traditional grazing program with free choice mineral. Land O' Lakes Farmland has thoroughly researched and put together easy-to-follow instructions on grain limit-feeding programs for beef cows. A special supplement "Limit Cow 40 R 300" is available to be fed to beef cows on limit feeding programs designed to take advantage of protein from NPN sources (such as urea) in addition to Rumensin for increased feed efficiency. If this supplement can not be purchased producers can use STEAKMAKER 40-20 R 400 to properly fortify a grain-based ration. When starting a limit feeding program the cows need to be stepped up over a minimum of one week and stay on the same feed delivery schedule every day, just like feedlot cattle. If no forages are available, producers can use the Land O’Lakes Farmland Feed 14% cattle feed or shipping conditioner along with a free choice mineral to try and keep the cows in good body condition.

Early weaning the calves will decrease the cow’s nutritional requirements, helping to conserve body condition. When weaning young calves (less than 150 days of age) provide calves access to a palatable high protein creep feed (Creep Pasture Gest 16 or a 16% Calf starter) and high quality hay. Stress Care Complete or Stocker Starter along with hand-fed high quality alfalfa is also an excellent option if alfalfa is available. Once all the calves are eating well (approximately 2.5% of BW), Grow Gest or Creep Pasture Gest 16 can be fed with forages to meet their nutrient requirements. If no forages are available, Grow-Gest Complete, shipping conditioner or 14% cattle feed can be used. Shipping conditioner and 14% cattle feed should be fed in combination with a balanced mineral supplement. Consult with your local Land O' Lakes Farmland feed representative for additional information on feeding programs and product availability in your area.

Other feed stuffs that can be used to decrease the dependency on forages

Cottonseed Hulls

Cottonseed hulls have been used as an excellent alternative to feeding hay in many parts of the country. Unlike most by-products they can be used as the only source of roughage. Cottonseed hulls are low in protein (3.5%), but are equal in energy to late cut grass hay. Supplementation is needed to balance for the deficiencies. Cottonseed hulls should be fed with 2-3 pounds of 30-40% all natural protein supplement and minerals. There are a couple of options for this. Producers can supplement with high protein breeder cubes, or use 2 pounds of 35-0 product per head per day. An additional option would be to feed a high protein unfortified cake and free choice mineral.

Soybean hulls

The crude protein in soybean hulls ranges from 10 to 16 percent. They are an excellent energy source in the form of highly digestible fiber. Soybean hulls are often available in both meal and pelleted forms. Soyhulls can be fed without additional forage, however, researchers have demonstrated that digestible energy is increased when fed with hay in a 2:1 ratio. The reduction in energy is caused by faster rumen passage when little or no long-stem forage is fed. The forage serves to slow the rate of rumen passage, thereby increasing rumen retention time and the digestibility of soybean hulls.

Wheat middlings

Wheat middlings are one of several byproducts resulting from flour milling.

This feedstuff has been used for many years in cattle diets and is available in many parts of the country. Midds are a good source of protein (18%) and energy. The energy available in middlings is in the form of both starch and highly digestible fiber. Because of the starch in midds, it is not a good idea to feed midds without any additional roughage. Like other alternative feeding programs it is best to feed at least 5 pounds of forage and proper mineral fortification.

Corn gluten feed

Corn gluten feed is a byproduct of the corn wet milling industry and is available locally in many areas. Corn gluten feed is what remains after the extraction of starch, gluten and germ. Gluten feed is primarily the hull, or bran and is relatively high in fiber. Corn gluten feed is available in wet (30-60 percent dry matter) or dry form (90 percent dry matter). The dry form is preferred because it is easier to transport, handle and store. The wet form will mold and rot in a 3-14 days, depending on environmental temperature and storage conditions. Corn gluten feed is high in protein (25%). When corn gluten feed is fed at 0.5 percent of body weight, with forage the energy value is equivalent to or greater than that of corn grain. Because of the energy value when fed with forages and mineral supplementation, this can be an excellent feed in a limit fed program.

Properly balanced minerals are important for production. When evaluating any alternative feeds the mineral content of the total diet should be balanced and will meet the animals’ requirements. For example, many of the byproducts are high in phosphorus; care should be taken to ensure that the calcium to phosphorus ratio is at least 2:1 in the final ration.

Land O Lakes Farmland feeds have many minerals, balancers and formulators to balance cattle diets. Consult your Land O' Lakes Farmland Feed representative for help in balancing rations when considering using byproducts in your feeding program

Additional information for alternative feeds and drought related information may be found on the following web pages.