Diet 2 would be one example of how to meet a mature beef cow's needs using straw. Thus, diet 1 represents a more traditional, hay-based cow diet. These diets range in ingredients to fit a number of scenarios. While the feeding and feed management strategies will vary greatly from farm to farm, this table details 4 potential diets to meet the energy and protein requirements of beef cows (7 to 9 months post calving). Table 2 provides some example diets for comparison purposes. Pricing for feed commodities used in sample diets are listed in Table 1. Further understanding of hay quality can be found Penn State Extension publication entitled Forage Quality and Testing. In many cases, simply putting a bale of hay out with a location for free-choice minerals and a location for water will meet the needs of the mature beef cow. While beef cows in confinement can be fed a balanced diet, or total mixed ration (TMR), consisting of different on-farm feed ingredients, such as corn and soybeans, most beef cattle producers choose to simplify cow diets. Penn State Extension has a fact sheet entitled Beef Cow Pen and Bunk Spacing Requirement where you can learn more. Ideally, mature beef cows need 35 to 50 ft 2 of pen space per head and 24 to 30 linear inches of bunk space per head (FASS, 2020). The first consideration that should be acknowledged is the amount of pen and bunk space available. Indoor confinement locations can vary from a retrofitted, existing barn or a new construction project specifically for wintering beef cows. If cows remain in confinement through synchronization, those cows would be near a chute/handling system at time of breeding allowing for less stress on the cows and, potentially, increasing conception rates (Lucy, 2019). The video system could double over as a heat detection tool while working fields or at an off-farm job. During the winter breeding season for fall calving herds, cows that are kept in a well-ventilated, cool environment will display more signs of heat for better timing of artificial insemination, thus, increased pregnancy rates (Hurnik et al., 1975). Live calves can also be monitored more easily and closely for colostrum intake. The system would pay for itself quickly if calves can be saved from dystocia in a timely manner. In addition, some may justify adding a video monitoring system to the inside of the barn to be able to check cows at anytime from anywhere. By using indoor or managed lots, pasture grasses and soil profiles can be protected, and manure nutrients remain properly contained. For these reasons, it is recommended that cows are confined indoors or on outdoor lots that have been designated as sacrifice lots through the packing of crushed limestone or some other material to improve the surface. Furthermore, soil compaction will challenge the establishment of desired pasture vegetation later in the season. If muddy areas are not contained, then nutrient runoff will cause water pollution problems. Mud can contain pathogens that cause health issues in cows and calves. One challenge with using a sacrifice lot within a pasture is that heavy animal traffic during non-growing seasons can cause muddy, less sanitary conditions for the cows, especially entering spring calving season. Typically, a sacrifice lot will be an area that cows are confined in to prevent overgrazing or damage to pasture. Confinement Facility ConsiderationsĬonfinement for beef cattle can be defined as a barn or sacrifice lot. This publication focuses on confinement facilities, feeding options, herd health, and environmental considerations for producers that house cattle during the winter. In addition to the land management benefits, there are some reproductive, time management, and nutritional benefits to wintering cows in confinement. Many producers confine the beef cow herd continuously when animals cannot graze, to mitigate the damage to pasture lands caused by foot traffic in congregation areas. While management practices of raising cattle over winter months vary, most include some form of shelter and housing.
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