Month: December 2008

Reducing Feeding Losses for Large Round Bales

– Clif Little, OSU Extension Educator, Guernsey County

Large round bales are the most popular source of hay when winter feeding beef cattle. Unfortunately, these bales are subject to a variety of losses, including feeding loss.

Research published in the Journal of Animal Science (2003, 81:109-115) has shown feeding losses can be influenced by bale feeder design. The feeders investigated in this research trial were ring, cone, trailer, and cradle type feeders. The percentage of hay loss ranged from 3.5 to 14.6%. Cone and ring type feeders respectively exhibited the least amount of loss, while the trailer and cradle feeders exhibited four times the waste per animal compared to the cone design. This trial documented changes in animal behavior influenced by feeder design. Continue reading Reducing Feeding Losses for Large Round Bales →

Mineral Interactions and Supplementation for Beef Cows

– Steve Boyles, OSU Extension Beef Specialist

Proper mineral and vitamin nutrition contributes to strong immune systems, reproductive performance, and calf weight gain. Pasture forage is the most significant contributor to the trace mineral nutrition of grazing beef cattle. Mineral supplementation in beef cattle can be divided into two broad categories, macro-minerals and micro-minerals. These categories are based on the amount of mineral required in the cow’s diet. As a rule of thumb, micro-minerals are required in amounts less than 1 gram per day compared to macro-minerals, which are often required at levels greater than 1 gram per head per day. Continue reading Mineral Interactions and Supplementation for Beef Cows →