December 2019 Visit us at countrysidefeed.com and ‘Like’ us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/CountrysideFeed 101 Santa Fe Street Hillsboro, Kansas 67063 Phone: 620-947-3111 Fax: 620-947-5671 Toll Free: 877-207-6257 Monday-Friday 8:00-5:30 Contact our sales and service staff: Bill Fish 620-382-4401 Frank Morey 620-382-5463 Dean Becker 785-294-0415 Ray Halbert 785-294-0412 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Bill Toews 620-382-6173 Greg Thompson 620-382-5464 Kevin Lueger 785-294-0408 Steve Hoefer 402-239-1749 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Kyle Cederberg 620-382-6284 Tara Ellerman 913-370-2556 [email protected] [email protected] Our mission is to provide excellence in feed and its services to you in an efficient and competitive manner. Don’t neglect the nutrional needs of your cale this winter 1972 State Highway 187 Seneca, Kansas 66538 Phone: 785-336-6777 Fax: 620-947-5671 Toll Free: 866-268-6777 Monday-Friday 7:00-4:00 There’s no doubt that cold weather is likely to occur before spring me and green grass. The major effect of cold on nutrient requirement of cows is increased need for energy. To determine the magnitude of the cold, lower crical temperature for beef cows must first be esmated. For cows with a dry winter hair coat, the lower crical temperature is considered to be 32 degrees F. In general, researchers have used the rule of thumb that cows’ energy requirements increase 1% for each degree the wind chill is below the 32 degree lower crical temperature. In this example, the TV weather man has predicted that wind chills will average about 4 degrees F. Therefore, the calculaon example for a cow with a winter dry hair coat would be: > Step 1: Cow’s lower crical temperature is 32 degrees F. > Step 2: Expected wind-chill from weather reports (4 degrees wind chill in this example) > Step 3: Calculate the magnitude of the cold as the difference between the lower crical temperature and the wind chill: 32 degrees—4 degrees = 28 degrees. > Step 4: Energy adjustment is 1% for each degree magnitude of cold or 28%. > Step 5: Feed cows 128% of daily energy amount. (if cow was to receive 16 pounds of high quality grass/legume hay; then feed 20.5 pound of hay during the cold weather event). Research has indicated that energy requirements for maintenance of beef cows with wet hair is much greater. Cows that are exposed to falling precipitaon and have wet hair coats are considered to have reached the lower crical temperature at 59 degrees F. In addion, the requirements change twice as much for each degree change in wind-chill factor. In other words, the energy requirement actually increase 2% for each degree below 59 degrees F. This amount of energy change is virtually impossible to accomplish with feedstuffs available on ranches. In addion, this amount of energy change in the diet of cows accustomed to a high roughage diet must be made very gradually to avoid severe digesve disorders. Therefore, the more common-sense approach is a smaller increase in energy requirements during wet cold weather and extending the increase into more pleasant weather to help regain energy lost during the storm. Cows that were consuming 16 pounds of grass hay per day and 5 pounds of 20% range cubes could be increase to 20 pounds of grass hay plus 6-7 pound of range cubes during the severe weather event. This is not a dou- bling of the energy intake but by extend- ing this amount for a couple of days aſter the storm may help overcome some of the energy loss during the storm and done in a manner that does not cause digesve disorders. The fact that it’s not feasible to feed a wet, very cold cow enough to maintain her current body condion, underscores the need for cows to be in “good” body condion at the start of the winter. When cold weather seles in, know that Countryside Feed has an experienced staff to help you meet all the nutrional needs of your cows. Ask any of our sales people or nutrionists about opons available to meet the energy needs of your cale. Whether it’s a liquid feed, protein tub, range cubes, or a custom raon feed that fills the bill, Countryside Feed is able to meet those added energy requirements. Cold weather will be here soon—make sure your livestock has the best available resources to sasfy their tastes unl the green grass of spring. Energy requirements are greatly increased during inclement weather Glen Selk OSU