Nutrition

You can’t manage what you don’t measure!

– Stan Smith, PA, Fairfield County OSU Extension

Maybe never more than now, during what has become known as perhaps the worst drought in Ohio history, has the adage “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” been more valid or meaningful to those trying to feed a beef cow. With cattlemen looking for alternative feedstuffs in the absence of adequate pasture and hay supply, it’s important for those who are balancing the needs of cows in various stages of production to know the nutritional value of the various feedstuffs they may be utilizing. In this excerpt from one of the OSU Extension Beef Team’s 2021 Beef School sessions, Perry County Educator Ted Wiseman goes over the interpretation of a forage analysis and how various quality of forages may need to be supplemented.

Find Wiseman’s presentation Analyzing Forage Quality to Meet the Nutritional Needs of the Beef Cow in it’s entirety linked here.

Emergency Drought Water Development

Harvesting and conserving water for livestock in extremely dry times can be particularly challenging , especially when working with older water source developments. In the on-farm video embedded below and sourced by staff from Eastern Ohio NRCS and SWCD, see first hand how water developments slowed by age and/or drought might be enhanced in the emergency situations many across Ohio are presently experiencing. Also, see the OSU Extension Fact Sheet Livestock Water Development.

Considering By-products and Alternative Feedstuff beyond hay for ruminants

– Jason Hartschuh, Extension Field Specialist, Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, Ohio State University Extension and Garth Ruff, Field Specialist Beef Cattle and Livestock Marketing, OSU Extension

Managed properly, straw can be a feed alternative.

When it comes to feeding ruminants versus monogastrics, the feed stuff options seem to never end. In many areas of Ohio where cow-calf and small ruminant operations dominate, the most economical feed option is to use livestock to harvest the forage, and then to feed the stockpiled pasture and hay through the winter. However, I am constantly reminded that ruminants do not need to be fed alfalfa or grass hay. What they do need is the correct amount of energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and enough fiber to maintain rumen health. This allows for many different by-products to be used in ruminant nutrition, making them excellent up cyclers. Testing forage for nutrient content  is critical when designing feed rations to make sure your livestock nutritional needs are being met. Most local feed mills have access to a nutritionist that can help you make sure your feeding program will meet your livestock’s needs for their body condition and stage of life.

Straw or corn stalks as feed instead of bedding
Corn stalks are often used to extend the grazing season or as bedding but they can also be used to meet fiber, energy and protein needs. The nutritional value of baled corn stalks is lower than Continue reading Considering By-products and Alternative Feedstuff beyond hay for ruminants →

Drought and Dust: Preparing for Winter Feed Shortages

– Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County

Have you inventoried your forage supply? Photo: Al Gahler

Depending on where you are in the state, you might be dealing with dry conditions or even severe drought. Here in southeastern Ohio, pastures are parched, and hay production has been disappointing, with very little to show for second or third cuttings.

This year, forage quantity is becoming a significant concern for many producers. Reports indicate that first cuttings yielded only 40-50% of what they should have, particularly in grass forage fields. Second and third cuttings have fared even worse, with some fields producing only 25% of a typical harvest, if anything at all. Many producers have already started feeding hay, raising concerns about whether there will be enough to last through the winter. Given the variable pasture conditions across the state due to ongoing dry spells, it’s crucial to start planning now to be better prepared for the fall and winter.

Know Your Inventory and Its Value

The first step in planning is to Continue reading Drought and Dust: Preparing for Winter Feed Shortages →

Drought Stressed Corn for Corn Silage

Originally written in 2012 by Dr. Bill Weiss, Professor and Dairy Extension Specialist, The Ohio State University and Dianne Shoemaker, Field Specialist, Dairy Production Economics, Ohio State University Extension.

Drought conditions have adversely affected corn.

Revised August 2024 by Dr. Maurice Eastridge, Professor and Dairy Extension Specialist, Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University

With the limited rain in Ohio recently, corn development has been adversely impacted and physiological maturity accelerated. The extent of the drought varies by area of the State, but much of the southeastern area has been classified as severe to extreme drought (Drought Information | State Climate Office of Ohio (osu.edu)). Also within a farm, considerable variation in the corn growth may occur based on planting date and the drainage in the fields (corn on knolls and hills will dry quicker than corn in low areas). The key issues to address at this time are:

    1. Dry matter (DM) content of the silage. The plant should not be harvested prior to reaching 30% DM and should be harvested before reaching 40% DM (30-32% for horizontal silos and 35 to 40% for upright silos). Water can be added to the silage during unloading, but intercellular plant water is more effective in the silage preservation than surface applied water.
    2. Nitrate concentrations. During drought conditions, the corn will take up nitrate from the soil and accumulate it in the lower portion of the plant until it is metabolized by the plant for protein. The nitrate concentration will vary based on N application, timing of the N application based on before or after a cover crop, severity of the dry conditions, variation in drainage within fields, and chop height of the plants (higher chop height reduces nitrate concentration). Being safe is better than being sorry – collect a representative sample of the corn and send it to a lab for analysis.

Other questions include . . .

Continue reading Drought Stressed Corn for Corn Silage

Forage Quality Analysis Service available thru The Ohio State University

For more detail visit their website.

Forage testing and quality analysis is now available at the Sustainable Agroecosystems Lab, a part of The Ohio State University. The lab is committed to advancing sustainable agricultural practices, and their latest service offering is designed to support farmers, researchers, and educators in optimizing forage quality and productivity. Utilizing state-of-the-art Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) technology, their goal is to provide precise and rapid analysis of standing forage, hay, and silage.

Find more detail including pricing information at their Forage Analysis website.

Making Decisions During Drought

– Garth Ruff, Field Specialist Beef Cattle and Livestock Marketing, OSU Extension

Hay has already been fed for weeks in parts of SE Ohio. Photo: Ted Wiseman

Across southern and southeastern Ohio it has been significantly dry since the beginning of June. Pasture conditions are continuing to deteriorate from a lack of rainfall. Ponds are low and only the best springs are continuing to flow in parts of the state.

In areas that are experiencing drought, farmers are faced with making decisions on how to 1) feed their livestock and 2) conserve resources. To accomplish those goals there are a number of options to consider.

Feeding Hay

Livestock producers who are short on grass, may turn to feeding hay to hold livestock over until soil moisture and forage growth reboot. While feeding hay is often the first consideration in a drought, hay inventories coming into 2024 were already lower than average. Couple that with the dry conditions and Continue reading Making Decisions During Drought →

Feed Market News

– Stephen R. Koontz, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State University

US corn acres were projected higher than anticipated.

The end of June was the second major feed market impacting report. USDA NASS Acreage revealed 91.5 million acres of corn to be planted. That is up from the 90.0 million acres reported in the Prospective Plantings report from March. Of the 91.5 million acres, 3.4 million acres had yet to be planted when the survey was conducted and that occurs the first two weeks of June. Some of the strongest jumps in plants between the March and June reports were in Kansas and Nebraska. Corn basis in the southern plains has been strong for years and this jump in acreage has likely that market in mind.

It will be interesting to see the WASDE in two weeks. If there is any forecasted increase in usage for new crop corn – because with these acres and trend yields then corn production will be better than 15 billion bushels. And if usage remains steady, then the stocks-to-use Continue reading Feed Market News →

The Impact of Rain on Hay Quality

– Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension, Perry County (originally published in Farm & Dairy)

Did rain damage your hay before it got baled?

Hay, a vital feed resource for livestock, needs to be of high quality to ensure animal health and productivity. Unfortunately, when hay gets rained on during the curing process, its quality can be significantly compromised. Understanding how rain affects hay and what can be done to mitigate these effects is crucial for every hay producer.

How Rain Affects Hay

Rain during the hay curing process can lead to several issues. One primary concern is the leaching of nutrients. Rainwater can wash away essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals, reducing the overall feeding value of the hay. Even a light rain can cause substantial nutrient losses.

Another significant issue is the Continue reading The Impact of Rain on Hay Quality →

Is creep feeding calves right for you?

– Bill Halfman, Beef Outreach Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension

Considering whether or not to creep feed is complex.

With cattle prices at record highs and favorable feed prices, producers are likely considering creep feeding their beef calves to add additional pounds.

Creep feeding provides supplemental feed to nursing beef calves in an area that the cows can’t access. It is common for creep feed to consist of grains, protein supplements and limiters, but many other feed sources can be used as creep. The feed may be an on-farm mix or a commercial feed of various types, and usually is fed using a creep feeder.

Whether creep feeding will pay off is more complex than just adding pounds to calves; many factors come into play. Research results over the years have been mixed. It is important to evaluate numerous factors, including Continue reading Is creep feeding calves right for you? →