Post-Weaning Management and Nutrition Strategies for Beef Calves Lawton Stewart The University of Georgia April 3, 2013.

Post-Weaning Management and Nutrition Strategies for Beef Calves

Lawton StewartThe University of Georgia

April 3, 2013

The Beef Cattle Industry

Movement of Georgia Cattle

Social Perspective

Production Practices Important to Consumers

Lacy et al., 2007

?

12

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Willingness to Pay Premiums

Lacy et al., 2007

1 23

General Observations

• Consumer’s are mostly concerned about– Antibiotics– Hormones

• They are also concerned about animal welfare.• They want to help the “small/local” producer.• Increasing concern about origin of our food.• They are willing to pay some premium for these products.

Economics of Production

Lb of beef sold – Inputs = $$$$$

Lb of beef x $/lb Feed Cost

Add value Marketing & Production Strategy

The Beef Cattle Industry

Stocker Cattle Management and Nutrition

Basic Management Plan

• Genetics – Start at the beginning• Record keeping – If you can’t measure it, you can’t

change it.• Procure cattle – maximize uniformity• Weaning/starting cattle- insure health• Minimize stress

– Happy cattle = growing cattle• Sound nutrition plan

– No growth = No $$$– Days of stockering (how long?)

• Have an outlet for cattle that fall out of your program

Genetics-Sire Selection

• Breed Type (Purebred or Composite)• Select for economically important traits!

• Weaning weight• Yearling weight• Frame• Marbling• Muscling

Record Keeping

• Help producer make more informed decisions

• Improved marketing capability

• Contributes to traceability

Weaning Management

• Most crucial point in operation

• Calves have the potential to go North or South

• Dependent on management

Develop a Health ProgramWork with your local vet

• Deworm• Vaccinate

– IBR, BVD, PI3, BRSV (a 4- or 5-way viral vaccine)– 7-way clostridial vaccine (Blackleg)– Mannheimia-Pasteurella

• Test for persistently infected BVD• Implant (depending on market)• Castrate (do as early in life as possible)

Identifying Sick Calves

• Early recognition is key• Check cattle daily• Easy to do at the trough• Look for loners,

unthrifty cattle, nasal discharge

• Do not hold out treatment to maintain “Natural” status

Developing a Nutritional Program

1. Set target gain– Should gain ~2-2.5 lb/d

2. Maximize forages as base– Pasture– Conserved forage

3. Develop an economical supplement

Understand Nutritional RequirementsMedium-frame steer calves

Wt(lb)

Daily Gain(lb)

Crude Protein

(%)TDN(%)

400 1.5 11.5 63.0

2.0 12.7 67.5

2.5 14.2 73.5

600 1.5 9.8 63.0

2.0 10.5 67.5

2.5 11.4 73.5

800 1.5 8.8 63.0

2.0 9.8 67.5

2.5 9.3 73.5

• Understand how requirements change for different weights and rates of gain

• Tailor your nutritional program to:– Minimize cost– Meet optimal weight and body

condition

Why Supplement?

• Increase stocking rates and forage utilization• More uniform gains• Hand-feeding tends to quiet cattle – more

manageable• Forces a closer observation of the cattle

Finishing Beef Cattle in Georgia and Developing a Feeding Strategy

Lawton StewartThe University of Georgia

April 3, 2013

Developing a Nutritional Program for the Feedlot

Goals:Keep cattle gaining 3.0 lb/dFeed high grain diet (increase marbling)Feed some roughage to decrease metabolic

disorders (acidosis)

Transition Period

• Diet is changing

• Rumen microbial population is transitioning

SMALL INTESTINE

RUMENSources of Energy

Fiber Starch

Rumen Acidosis

Rumen AcidosisWhat does it mean?

Health Rumen Unhealthy Rumen

• Long papilae – increase surface area

• Optimal nutrient absorption

• Ideal pH: 6.0-6.2

• Papilae are stunted• Nutrient absorption reduced• pH < 6.0 – decreased intake,

diarrhea, grey manure • pH < 5.5-5.0 – permanent

damage

Avoid Metabolic DisordersStep up cattle onto

finishing rationOver ~21 days

Provide source of fiberHayGrassCottonseed hullsSilage

Feed ionophore

Developing a Nutritional Program

Stocker/Backgrounding

1. Set target gain Should gain ~2 lb/d

2. Maximize forages as base

PastureConserved forage

3. Develop an economical supplement

Finishing1. Set target gain

Usually ~3+ lb/d

2. Maintain ~10% of diet as roughage

3. Utilize high grain to improve quality

4. Utilize byproducts when possible

Nutritional RequirementsMedium-frame steer calves

Wt(lb)

Daily Gain(lb)

Crude Protein (%)

TDN(%)

400 1.5 11.5 63.0

2.0 12.7 67.5

600 1.5 9.8 63.0

2.0 10.5 67.5

800 1.5 8.8 63.0

2.0 9.8 67.5

1,000 3.0 10.0 85.0

Byproduct Feeding What's

available Price

Evaluate on DM basis

Look at $/nutrient

Handling / Storage

Minerals

Byproduct Pricing“I can get a ton of citrus pulp for

$215 and/or cull carrots for $40 a ton. Which one do I get?”

Item DDGS Carrots

Moisture, % 10 88

DM, lb/ton 1800 240

Price, $/lb DM $0.119 $0.167

How to buy?

Know the feed:1. Price ($/ton)2. Moisture (DM %) content3. Nutrient content

Crude Protein (CP %) Energy (TDN %)

$/ton / % DM / % nutrient / 2000 lb = $/lb of nutrient

Calculate value

$215 / 90% / 25% CP / 2000 lb = $0.478/lb of CP

Corn Gluten Feed

$462 / 90% / 53% CP / 2000 lb = $0.491/lb of CP

Soybean Meal

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150

200

250

300

350

400

Ground Corn Citrus Pulp Hominy feedWheat middlings Soyhulls, loose

Seasonality of Energy Byproducts

2010 2011 2012

Seasonality of CP Byproducts

11-A

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5-Mar

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$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

Corn gluten feed pellets Cottonseed meal Distillers GrainsWhole cottonseed Soyben Meal

2010 2011 2012

www.ugabeef.caes.uga.edu/tools

Byproduct Handling/Storage

Byproduct MineralsSupplement Ca to for

proper Ca:P ratio (1.5:1)Avoid urinary calculi

Monitor sulfur levels (<0.40%)Avoid polioencephalmalaciaCu deficiency

N and P excretionEnvironmental impact

Example Rations (Stocker)

IngredientIncrease wt gains

on marginal forageExtend grazing of

winter annuals

Forage Free Choice Free Choice

Soyhulls (or Citrus pulp) 50% 60%

Corn Gluten (or Distillers Grains) 50% 20%

Peanut Hulls 0% 20%

Comments: •Feed 0.5% of BW per additional 0.5 lb/d on marginal forage•Do not feed above 1.5% of BW

•Feed from 0.5% of BW up to free choice increase stocking rates or extend grazing

Example Rations (Finishing)  SBM DDG CGF IngredientsSoybean meal48 10.0% 0.0% 0.0%Corn- dry      62.0% 47.0% 47.0%Soy hulls      8.0% 8.0% 8.0%Corn gluten feed 0.0% 0.0% 25.0%Distiller grain 0.0% 25.0% 0.0%Cottonseed hull 10.0% 10.0% 10.0%citrus pulp    8.0% 8.0% 8.0%Ca carbonate   0.8% 0.8% 0.8%Sodium bicarb. 1.0% 1.0% 1.0%Ammonium Chlori 0.2% 0.2% 0.2%Mineral 0.2% 0.2% 0.2%

Utilizing corn byproducts for beef cattle stockering and finishing operations in the southeastern United

States

Utilizing corn byproducts for beef cattle stockering and finishing operations in the southeastern United

States

J. R. Segers, R. L. Stewart, Jr., T. D. Pringle,

M. A. Froetschel, A. M. Stelzleni

J. R. Segers, R. L. Stewart, Jr., T. D. Pringle,

M. A. Froetschel, A. M. Stelzleni

Corn ByproductsCorn Byproducts• Corn silage =

exceptional energy source Deficient in CP for

growing ruminants

• Excellent availability of DDGS and CGF in GA Ethanol plant-Camilla,

GA (FUEL, LLC) Corn processor-

Loudon, TN (A.E. Staley Mfg. Corp.)

• Corn silage = exceptional energy source Deficient in CP for

growing ruminants

• Excellent availability of DDGS and CGF in GA Ethanol plant-Camilla,

GA (FUEL, LLC) Corn processor-

Loudon, TN (A.E. Staley Mfg. Corp.)

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Exp 1 - Stocker TrialExp 1 - Stocker Trial• Ga Mtn Research and Education Center,

Blairsville, GA• Stocker cattle fed for 84 d on corn silage

(75% DM) based diet with one of three CP supplements (25% DM):

1. Corn Gluten Feed

2. Dried Distillers’ Grains

3. Soybean Meal & Ground Ear Corn (40:60)

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Treatment

Item CGF DDGS SBM

BW, lb

0 670 670 668

84 878 895 904

ADG1, lb/d 2.1a 2.5b 2.6b

Feed intake, of BW 1.88ab 1.81a 2.02b

F:G, lb 7.4b 6.4a 6.3a

COG2, $/lb $0.58b $0.51a $0.61b

1cumulative ADG2cost of gain – silage = $50/ton, CGF = $165/ton, DDGS = $170/ton, soybean meal = $410/ton, corn = $110abc Within a row means without a common superscript differ (P<0.05).

Stocker Performance Data

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Exp 2 - Feedlot Trial

Evaluate feedlot performance, compositional development, and carcass characteristics of steers supplemented with two corn byproducts.

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Exp 2: Design and Treatments

• UGA Wilkins Beef Cattle Research Unit, Rayle, GA

• Steers (n=36) were fed using Calan Gates

• Treatments :1. CGF ≈ 25% of diet2. DDGS ≈ 25% of diet 3. SBM ≈ 25% (10% soybean meal,

15% corn) of the diet

• BW was measured at d 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100

• BCS, ultrasound data, were measured at d 0, 50, and 100

• Carcass data was collected 24h postmortem

Feedlot Site

Stocker Site

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Treatment1

Item CGF DDGS SBM SEM

ADG2, lb/d 3.12 3.69 3.15 0.22

DMI, % BW 2.29 2.14 2.09 0.06

F:G 7.5a 6.01b 7.12ab 0.42

COG3, $/lb $0.56b $0.48b $0.73a 0.05

1 CGF = corn gluten feed, DDGS = dried distillers grains plus soluble, SBM = soybean meal 2cumulative ADG3cost of gain – CGF diet = $151.95/ton, DDGS diet = $159.95/ton, SBM diet = $214.98/tonab Within a row means without a common superscript differ (P < 0.05)

Feedlot Performance Data

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Carcass Characteristics

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Carcass Characteristics-YieldTreatment1

Item CGF DDGS SBM SEM

HCW, lb 780 772 752 3.32

DP,% 63.8 62.9 63.5 0.59

REA,in2 12.0 12.0 12.3 0.50

FT, in 0.48 0.44 0.47 0.04

KPH, % 2.3 2.2 2.2 0.11

YG 3.10 3.11 3.05 0.181 CGF = corn gluten feed, DDGS = dried distillers grains plus soluble, SBM = soybean meal 48

Treatment1

Item CGF DDGS SBM SEMLean Color

L*2 43.73a 41.21b 40.67b 0.78a*3 31.29 29.54 30.74 1.17

Marbling4 494.2 432.5 457.5 23.44Texture5 1.42 1.75 1.50 0.17Firmness6 1.67 1.42 1.67 0.20pH 5.57 5.64 5.59 0.05Maturity7

Lean 140b 145b 155a 3.09Skeletal 134 136 135 4.29Overall 136 131 145 6.57

1 CGF = corn gluten feed, DDGS = dried distillers grains plus soluble, SBM = soybean meal20=black, 100= white3Higher values indicate increased redness4100=practically devoid, 200=traces, 300=slight, 400=small, 500=modest, 600=moderate55=course, 1=very fine65=soft, 1=very firm7 500=E, 100=A

Carcass Characteristics-Quality

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Implications

• Comparable performance at reduced feed cost make DDGS and CGF viable alternatives for Southeastern production systems

• Feedlot cattle fed DDGS as a protein supplement can reach an acceptable compositional endpoint more efficiently than those fed SBM

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