Beef Tips

Category: September 2024

MUD

There are very few issues, outside of health, that can wreck cattle performance and decrease cattle comfort more than muddy pen conditions. Some regions of Kansas have seen record snowfall amounts this winter and although we are getting closer to spring, we still have a lot of winter left. The impact of mud on cattle performance is profound, 4-8 inches of mud reduces gain by approximately 14% and 12-24 inches of mud reduces gain by approximately 25%. Thus, for every four days cattle have to slog through hock-deep mud, add another day and 20 lbs of dry matter feed to reach finish and add 1 additional day for every seven days of slogging through mud over their pasterns.

It is also not uncommon for cattle to make fewer trips to the bunk when pens are exceptionally muddy, leading to reduces feed intake. Reduced feed intake coupled with increased maintenance energy requirements due to cold
and the additional energy expenditure associated with getting to the bunk and the water tank further reduces cattle performance.

We cannot prevent winter storms, but we can prepare for them. Use the good days to improve pen conditions.

Make sure all pens have good drainage to prevent water from standing and creating permanently muddy pens. Also, have a plan for snow removal. A wet snow has about 1 inch of moisture in each 8-10 inches of snow. If snow is
removed from the pen immediately after the storm and before it can melt, that can prevent additional moisture from further degrading the pen surface.
Finally, if muddy conditions do occur, have a plan in place to remove at least a portion of the mud. After several days of severely muddy pens, you can watch cattle follow the box scraper and lay down in the firm, dry area the scraper leaves behind.

For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu

Cold Stress Increases Energy Requirements

Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

Cattle are most comfortable within the thermonuetral zone when temperatures are neither too warm nor cold. During the winter months cattle experience cold stress anytime the effective ambient temperature, which takes into account wind chill, humidity, etc., drops below the lower critical temperature. The lower critical temperature is influenced by both environmental and animal factors including hair coat and tissue insulation (body condition). The table below lists the estimated lower critical temperatures of cattle in good body condition with
different hair coats. In wet conditions, cattle can begin experiencing cold stress at 59°F, which would be a relatively mild winter day. However, if cattle have time to develop a sufficient winter coat, the estimated lower critical temperature under dry conditions is 18°F. Cold stress increases maintenance energy approximately 1% for each degree below the lower critical temperature, but does not impact protein, mineral, or vitamin requirements. Thus, maintenance energy requirements of cattle may increase by 15-20% on those exceptionally
cold and windy days that commonly occur in January and February. Increased maintenance energy requirements essentially means that less energy is available for production (gain), which translates to lower ADG, increased Feed:Gain, and greater Days on Feed.

 

 

 

For more information, contact Justin Waggoner at jwaggon@ksu.edu

Late summer and fall insect pest control in cattle and horses

Cassandra Olds, extension entomologist

As we move into the latter part of the growing season, it is time to consider late summer and fall pests as well as your plans for next year. Both stable and horn fly populations tend to decline over the dry, hot part of summer but can resurge in late summer into fall if sufficient rainfall occurs. Continue reading “Late summer and fall insect pest control in cattle and horses”

Forage Risk Management and PRF Insurance

Jenny Ifft, Agricultural Policy Extension Specialist

Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF) insurance is a tool for managing rainfall or drought risk. While individual producer experience varies, PRF has made substantial payouts during drought years. In 2023, producers paid an average premium of $5.11 per acre and received an average payout of $10.06 per acre. The deadline to sign up for PRF insurance for the 2025 calendar year with a crop insurance agent is December 1, 2024. Some producers may be concerned about the degree to which PRF will cover actual forage losses on their operation. This article summarizes these concerns and two approaches to considering them.   Continue reading “Forage Risk Management and PRF Insurance”

Feedlot Heart Failure: Where are we, and what have we learned?

AJ Tarpoff, DVM, Extension Veterinarian

Feedlot congestive heart failure (CHF) has been recognized as a growing threat to our feedlot industry. It is important to differentiate this condition from other known causes of heart failure in cattle. Congestive heart failure is a non-infectious condition that occurs at low to moderate elevation (separating it from traditional high-altitude disease) and has observable signs such as edema (fluid) build up in the brisket area, jugular vein distension, abdominal swelling, difficulty breathing, sway back, and abducted elbows. This condition is considered 100% fatal. Continue reading “Feedlot Heart Failure: Where are we, and what have we learned?”

How Does Moisture and Composition Affect Feedstuff Costs?

Jason Warner, extension cow-calf specialist

In the previous edition of KSU Beef Tips (July 2024; How Much Does Water Cost? – Beef Tips (k-state.edu)), the importance of the fundamental concept of dry matter (DM) was discussed along with how to price feedstuffs on a cost per unit of DM basis.  While understanding the impact of feedstuff DM is critical for making informed management decisions, we also must consider how differences in nutrient composition, in addition to DM, influence feedstuff cost scenarios.  Continue reading “How Does Moisture and Composition Affect Feedstuff Costs?”

Introducing the new Kansas State Climatologist website

The Office of the Kansas State Climatologist, hosted by Kansas State University’s Agronomy Department, has launched an enhanced version of its website. This platform is an integrated, comprehensive resource for Kansas citizens, particularly oriented toward state agencies, farmers, and stakeholders. It provides reliable climate information to support agricultural and environmental decision-making. Continue reading “Introducing the new Kansas State Climatologist website”

Marketing Calves

by Justin Waggoner, KSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Garden City, KS

It’s time to start thinking about our management and marketing strategies for this year’s spring calf crop. Margins in the cattle industry and agriculture are often unfortunately narrow (even with projections of record-setting high calf prices). Therefore, I would offer that maximizing calf revenue is important for cow/calf producers every year. Calf revenue from my academic perspective is driven by 3 factors, 1.) the number of calves sold, 2.) sale weight of calves and 3.) price received. Continue reading “Marketing Calves”