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Last week I reviewed cost of production information that can help producers with benchmarking within their own operations.    A representation of calf prices in relationship to feed costs and total direct expenses are shown below in Graph 1.  Don’t forget to go to the following website if you would like to evaluate these benchmarks in more detail when comparing to your operation http://www.finbin.umn.edu/.  This week I wanted to look at adding producer returns during the same time frame.  In Graph 1, I added this information as returns over direct expense.  It is interesting to note that these returns over direct expenses for the years 1993 and 2011 are within $12 of each other and would be well over $200 per head.  Even though the price of feed and for that matter all direct costs, have increased dramatically, calf prices have more recently kept pace to provide similar returns over direct expenses.

Some would argue that producers could earn the same money on a per head basis for a calves valued at $500 back in the early 1990’s compared to calves now requiring to be valued at $800 per head.  This significant change in the last decade has been felt throughout the beef industry as it requires much more capital to buy cattle and place them on feed or grass in addition to breeding stock purchases. 

There is no doubt that input costs for feed and other direct expenses have moved up with calf prices.  There was a period from 2006 to 2009 where calf prices came down while costs continued to rise, resulting in a decrease in returns for cow-calf producers.  We do, though, appear to be on a path of correcting this reduction in profit as you look at 2010 and 2011 results from both FinBin data – Graph 1, and information gathered by CattleFax – Graph 2.  If you look at projections by CattleFax – Graph 3 we might feel optimistic possibly as far out as 2015.

So why have I included 3 graphs in this blog?  First, be assured the reason is not to add confusion.  On the contrary, I hope that these graphs will help illustrate a few points about the upcoming years in the cow-calf business:

1. Even though input costs impact your returns and costs have went up over the last decade, look at the relationship of returns over direct expenses to calf prices.  It is no surprise that these lines mirror each other since returns are highly dependent on calf prices received.  It also shows that even though direct expenses have been going up, that returns are also on their way up.
2. It is interesting to note the similarities in the data that FinBin reports (Graph 1) as well as CattleFax (Graph 2) in terms of cow-calf profit and loss or returns over direct expenses.  When you evaluate the years, the shape of the cycle mirrors each data set very closely.  This tells me that the relationship is something that can be extrapolated to many areas of the US, not just the Northern Plains.
3. The most encouraging aspect of these 3 graphs is when you put the returns together with projected calf prices out to 2015 (Graph 3) and you see that the opportunity for profitability in the cow/calf business appears to only get stronger!

While there is no doubt that cow-calf production costs are increasing, calf prices are estimated to be at levels that should more than offset these increases and result in very profitable returns this year and in the near future.  There are always dangers in these types of projections as mother nature can heavily influence localized conditions and cost structures.  Persistent drought can be a major impact that may force increased expenses and potentially severe reductions in animal numbers.  One should always focus on what they can manage and costs of production, like feed costs, is no exception.  I would caution producers not to get caught up and dwell on these increases when you consider what the value of calves are today.  Be careful not to trim expenses too closely where it starts limiting production.  The price of calves is indicating we are in a period where there will be great returns for the Cow-calf producer.  You’ve earned it!

Graph 1:  Feed costs, total direct expenses and return over direct expenses are as reported by FinBin, a Farm Financial Database supported by the University of Minnesota, http://www.finbin.umn.edu/.  CattleFax 550 lb choice steer prices are from the March 13’ CF Factors to Watch Report.

Graph 2: Projections for cow-calf Profit and Loss from CattleFax Forecast 2013

Graph 3: CattleFax Annual 550 lb Steer Prices with Projections for years 2012 to 2015

One thing about writing a blog, you often think about what topics are on the minds of producers in the industry and then start looking for information to help shape our opinions and come to a conclusion about that particular topic.  We are all aware of the recent increase in calf prices over the last decade and how that has impacted the beef industry (see graph).  Weaned calves weighing 550 lbs were once in the $400 to $500 range in the 90’s and are now more like $800 or higher at the present time.  A common question that often comes up when looking at the dramatic increase in calf value in recent years, is what has happened to the costs of production associated with raising weaned calves, especially when considering feed costs. 

When gathering information to address this question, I came across an article authored by Steve Metzger who is the ND Farm Business Management Coordinator.  He had focused his article on Cow-calf costs over the last 10 years based on records from the ND Farm Business Management program.  After talking with Steve, he directed me to a very easy to use website with a variety of agricultural production records that have been collected through various University efforts. It is called FinBin and is a Farm Financial Database collected from producers who use FinPack farm financial planning and analyses software.  It can be accessed at http://www.finbin.umn.edu/ and is supported by the University of Minnesota.  The benchmarking database has cow-calf records from primarily ND, MN, NE, MO operations accessing over 40,000 cows with an average of 333 farms/ranches each year starting in 1993 up to 2011.  The website pulls together the Beef cow-calf enterprise and provides a comprehensive overview of the costs and returns from the information provided.  It is very easy to use and I would encourage anyone who is interested in comparing their production records to use these benchmarks.

Getting back to the question at hand: Have the costs of production went up more, less or at the same pace as calf value in recent years?  Being a nutritionist the first area I am always interested in is with feed costs.  As you look at the graph below you can see why feed costs are so important.  Because feed costs make up a substantial amount of the total Direct expenses associated with maintaining the cow herd, it is always a logical target for managing costs.  Feed costs were generally $200 per cow in the 1990’s up until early 2000 to 2001.  They then moved to around $300 per cow in 2007 and are presently at around $350 per cow.  As we look at total direct expenses that would also include veterinary charges, supplies, fuel and repairs, we see these increased in a similar manner with a sharper increase in the last few years.  I then included historical CattleFax prices for 550 weight calves to look at the trend over time.  You can see that the calf prices generally have more variability from year to year compared to either feed costs or total direct costs, but the trend for calf prices appears to be providing enough returns to more than compensate for increases in feed cost.

Because of year to year variability, one should really look at the trends as one could really skew the take-home message by pulling out individual years.   If we estimate calf prices were about $450 in the early 90’s and today they are $800 you see that they rose about 178%.  Likewise, if you look at feed costs per cow at $200 in the early 90’s and they are $350 now they increased 175% or at basically a similar rate.   How have these changes impacted profitability for Cow-calf producers?   

In the Second part of this discussion next week, I will bring in some observations that CattleFax has made over the same time period and see how impacting calf prices, or increased direct costs, including feed costs, impact profitability.

Graph:  Feed costs and total direct costs are as reported by FinBin, a Farm Financial Database supported by the University of Minnesota, http://www.finbin.umn.edu/.  CattleFax 550 lb choice steer prices are from the March 13’ CF Factors to Watch Report.

We’re excited to begin communicating with customers on the Block Blog! Our goal is to share timely information and to provide information to help you manage your livestock operation.

On these pages you’ll find information on nutrition related topics, strategies for improving animal performances and efficiencies, and methods for increasing profitability.

One of our primary areas of interest is supplementation that will help you get more from your forages and pastures – resources you already have. We’ll focus on ways to help optimize your returns on land, time, labor and capital to keep you competitive in a changing livestock industry.

We have made significant investments in Research and Development. Some of our blog topics may include these findings that support our recommendations. Others may simply offer a better understanding of a topic from a nutritional point of view.

Seven members of our technical staff, identified below, will contribute to this blog. Our technical team works closely with producers, our sales team, dealers and distributors in providing nutritional solutions over a wide variety of product applications, geographies, forage types and production systems.

These bloggers are located throughout the U.S., so you can be confident that we can assist you with your nutritional needs regardless of where you live. You’re invited to submit questions or comment on blog posts at any time.

Jackie Nix, MS
Nutritionist

Education: BS Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA; MS Clemson Univ., Clemson, SC 

Past livestock industry work experience: Cooperative Extension agent, eastern North Carolina  1994-2000
       
A description of yourself and your work interest: Jackie is a native of eastern Ohio. Upon finishing up her education she worked for 6 years with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service as a county agent where she developed an expertise in goat production. Now Jackie offers technical support for CRYSTALYX® products with a special emphasis on educational support.  She also has quality assurance duties.

What motivates me:  I am a proud member of the animal science industry. I am not only committed to my role in producing the safest, most economical human food in the world, but also in defending agriculture and telling the agriculture story to those with non-agriculture backgrounds.

Teri Walsh, MS 
Nutritionist

Education: BS in Animal Science, MS in Animal Science Ruminant Nutrition, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD

Past livestock industry work experience:  Southern University Agricultural Research and Outreach Center, Baton Rouge, LA, Research Associate 2003-2007    

A description of yourself and your work interest: Teri is a native of western Iowa. Following her graduate program at SDSU, she worked for 4 years at the Southern University Ag Center with emphasis on small ruminants and small farmers. Today Teri’s interests center on ruminant nutrition (large and small), technical support for producers as well as working with our plants to ensure safe, dependable and consistent products.

What motivates me:  I’m motivated by a love for raising livestock. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to grow up on a livestock operation in small town Iowa. Now I’m in a position to work with producers across the country to find a product that will enhance their livestock’s performance and profitability. It’s great to be able to give back to and work in an industry that’s near and dear to me.

Jon Albro, MS 
Nutritionist

Education: B.S. Animal Science; University of Nebraska-Lincoln; M.S. Ruminant Nutrition; Oregon State University-Corvallis
 
Past livestock industry work experience: Dairy Research Assistant – University of Idaho; 1992-1993. PM Ag Products, Sales & Marketing Positions – Pacific Northwest, California, Texas, and Corporate Office in Illinois; 1993-1997. Ridley Block Operations - Account Manager; 1997-present.
          
A description of yourself and your work interest:  I have been involved in the Feed business for 18 years and have had great experiences all across the United States and Canada. My educational experience involved supplement strategies to improve forage utilization in beef cattle, and that same discipline has carried into my Feed Industry experience. Supporting the sales and marketing of free-choice block supplements has been my main career focus working with Ridley Block Operations.
 
What motivates me: Customers in the livestock business and the feed business it supports are my career motivators. Not many people in North America devote so much time and effort to their business as do those in the livestock industry.  It’s truly a way of life.  I have lived and worked in rural America and the animal agriculture industry my entire life.  I enjoy the process of our business; manufacturing and selling, but the most rewarding of all is to see our customers succeed in part by our efforts.

Tim Clark, MS 
Nutritionist

Education: MS in Dairy Science/Ruminant Nutrition at University of Kentucky, Lexington KY

Past livestock industry work experience: Doboy Feeds, New Richmond, WI, Lead Nutritionist; Clark Dairy, Battle Creek, IA, owner; Gray Hawk Dairy, McKee, KY, herdsman and employee manager

A description of yourself and your work interest:  Tim grew up on a dairy and beef farm in Kentucky. His Masters research focused on mineral metabolism, specifically the role of copper in immune function and reproduction of ruminants.  He spent 10 years in dairy production managing and then owning a dairy prior to entering the feed industry.  His roles in the feed industry have focused on technical and sales support for nutritionists and sales consultants as they develop programs that help beef and dairy producers improve profitability.    

What motivates me:  I look forward to the challenge of helping our customers expand the products, programs and services they offer that generate higher returns for their beef and dairy producers.  My focus is improving income over feed cost through greater forage utilization and improving animal health thus enhancing efficiency by producing more pounds with fewer inputs.

Mark Robbins, MS 
Nutritionist, Research and Nutrition Services Manager

Education: South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD.  Both BS, Animal Science ‘84 and MS, Ruminant Nutrition ‘94

Past livestock industry work experience: Manager for 8 years at the SDSU Research Feedlot, Brookings SD. Research and Nutrition Services Manager for 16 years with Ridley Block Operations.       

A description of yourself and your work interest: Mark was born and raised on a grain and livestock farm in Eastern South Dakota.  Early on in his career his interests were with feedlot nutrition and management.  For the past 16 years with Ridley, his focus has been with cow-calf and grazing animal nutrition, specifically with self-fed supplements.  Today, Mark lives in Northeast Wyoming, and offices in Whitewood, SD.

What motivates me: I am motivated by the knowledge that there is an easier and often better way to supplement grazing animals.  Let’s embrace new technology to make our lives better.  There was a time when all you had to do, to get ahead, was work hard.  Today you also need to work “smart”.  

Dan Dhuyvetter, MS, Ph.D. 
Ruminant Nutritionist, Director of Marketing, R&D and Nutrition Services

Education: BS: North Dakota State University, MS: Montana State University, Ph.D.: New Mexico State University

Past livestock industry work experience:  NDSU Extension Service as an Asst. County Extension Agent, County Extension Agent, Area Grazing and Livestock Specialist and State Beef Cow-Calf Nutritionist. Beef Cow-calf Nutritionist with Farmland Industries.  Southern Operations Manager with Ridley Block Operations.

A description of yourself and your work interest:  Dan is a native of North Dakota where he spent 12 years in the Extension service with county, area and state-wide appointments before entering the Feed Industry.  His interests have been focused on grazing ruminants and his Ph. D. research looked specifically at the effects of nutrition on reproduction in beef cows.  Today Dan is involved with the process of developing CRYSTALYX^® products, introducing them to the marketplace and then maintaining their consistency and performance in the field.
 
What motivates me:  I am continually looking for ways to create value for our customers.  In particular I want to help cow-calf producers and stocker operators improve their efficiencies by providing free-choice supplement solutions that help get more from their forages.  Greater, livestock performance, greater production efficiencies, greater returns.

We have just gotten by the holidays and some of the Southern States and Purebred breeders are starting their calving for the new year.  Others may be waiting a few months before spring calving starts or they may even wait for pastures to green up before calving begins.  It is a critical time to make sure your cows are consuming their vitamin and mineral supplements to help cows enter calving on a high plane of nutrition, including their vitamin and mineral status. 

We can break down the type of minerals into Macro and Micro, or sometimes called “Trace” minerals.  Macro minerals such as Phosphorus, Calcium, Sulfur, Magnesium and Potassium are regulated in a different manner than are Trace minerals such as Copper, Zinc, Manganese or Selenium.  For the most part Macro minerals are controlled homoeostatically whereby the body looks to maintain them at an equilibrium or balance in a normal physiological state. 

Trace minerals on the other hand have been described by R. J. Van Saun, 2007, from the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at Penn State Univ., to be controlled through movements in “pools” within the body.  What this means is that trace minerals are often associated as a component in one of several types of pools.  They can be associated with metalloenzymes or a biochemical function pool, transported by carrier proteins as part of a transport pool, or stored as a metal complex, referred to as  storage pools.  The body will try to maintain the necessary levels of activity or biological processes that these pools support depending upon the nutritional status of the animal. 

When diets are properly fortified, excess trace minerals will be stored and can help maintain these pools for optimum biological functions.  When diets are deficient, or mineral antagonists are present in the diet, trace mineral stores from the liver will be mobilized to help maintain the biological and biochemical pool activities they support.  This will take place until nutritional status increases or trace mineral excretion is reduced so that mineral retention is improved.

By looking at trace mineral status in this manner we can describe mineral deficiency in 4 phases:

1)      Depletion – loss of mineral in storage

2)      Deficiency – loss of mineral in the transport pool

3)      Dysfunction – compromise of the function pool

4)      Disease --  clinical signs associated with reduced function of a metalloenzyme

Subclinical disease occurs in the Dysfunction and Disease phases.  These can be observed as reduced growth rates, or reproductive efficiency, compromised immune function or other decreases in production performance or health status.  This is why nutrition prior to calving is critical in producing healthy calves in addition to cows cycling on time and breeding early in the breeding season. 

If we look at a few key nutrients it further supports the need to stay on top of your mineral and vitamin supplementation all the way through the winter.  It has been found in several studies that maternal liver trace mineral concentrations are lower than fetal liver trace mineral levels.  These fetal liver trace mineral concentrations have been reported in some cases to be more than twice that of their dams.  It is interesting that there must be some mechanism for the dam to preferentially allow for greater storage in the fetus than in her own liver.

It is interesting to note that milk does not provide adequate supplies of Copper, Iron, Zinc or Selenium to meet calf requirements.  Newborn calves will rely on liver stores until their diet can help meet requirements.  This may take weeks or months before any significant contribution can come from the diet in beef calves raised on pastures.  This is not the case for fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A and E.  These vitamins are primarily supplied via the colostrum upon calving.  This makes nutrition prior to and after calving extremely important for the cow herd.  Important prior to calving because key trace minerals are stored in the liver of the fetus and equally important after calving as key vitamins and selenium that are delivered via the colostrum. 

As you can see, if you want to minimize calf health challenges, maximize reproductive efficiencies and optimize calf growth, don’t let your mineral and vitamin nutrition fall short prior to calving.  Deficiencies prior to calving can easily decrease the Trace mineral pools that help make sure fetal liver stores will help them in the first few months of life.  Don’t let your mineral feeders go empty if you’re using a dry granular mineral program.  CRYSTALYX® also offers mineral formulations or the Breed-Up product line that is specifically fortified for cows prior to calving up to breeding. 

Fall is quickly coming to an end and the winter months are soon upon us.  For most cattle producers actively growing pastures have also begun to go dormant and you either have stock piled forages, crop residues or stored hay supplies to help get you through to next Spring.  Drought conditions could also have impacted your typical winter nutrition program with limitations in your normal forage base.  It is a good time to put your program together now as you do not want to fall short prior to spring green up, especially if you have a spring calving herd.

The first step is to get a good handle on both the quality and quantity of your forages.  Take samples of the different types of forages you have available and send them in for nutrient content analyses.   Be sure that you save good quality forages just prior to and through calving if you are not yet to green grass by then.  Nutrient requirements of your herd are at their highest once they calve. 

One feature of a beef cow herd that provides considerable flexibility in a nutrition program is their ability to store energy as measured by body condition.  While many other livestock segments focus on balancing diets with animal nutrient requirements, beef cows have the ability to bank body stores to help them through periods of erratic nutrient intake.  Why is it that feeding beef cows can differ so much in this regard, compared to dairy cows, sows or calves in feed lots?  One major reason is feed intake and another significant factor is the environment.  When you consider hog, dairy and feed yards, they know exactly how much animals are consuming by closely monitoring feed deliveries.  Furthermore, many of the environmental impacts on nutrient requirements of the animal are also controlled with enclosed production barns.

Beef cows are raised across North America in a wide variety of production systems under an equally diverse set of environmental conditions.  How many producers know the first part of any nutrition equation… how much are your cows eating?  The truth to this answer is quite honestly, very few.  It becomes difficult to dial in a nutrition program when total intake is not known. 

We often use an estimate of forage dry matter intake of between 1.5% and 3% of cow body weight.  The lower estimate is used on low quality forages during gestation and the higher amount is used on high quality forages once cows have calved.  When planning hay needs make sure that you also account for losses associated with feeding which can range from 5% to as high as 45% depending upon method of feeding.   For planning purposes, a value of 3% of cow body weight is often used for planning stored forage needs during the winter period. 

It becomes apparent that in order to maintain a cow that rebreeds on time each year, proper cow condition management is key.  Even though we may not balance a cow’s diet down to the last ounce of energy she needs every day of the year, we need to make sure we focus on her body condition over the course of the year by paying close attention to how she comes into the winter months through calving, leading up to green grass in the spring. 

When selecting a supplement to help maximize the nutrition of your forage make sure you have an adequate supply of forages to get through the winter.  If the drought has left you short, an alternative nutrition program may need to be considered unless you are reducing the size of your herd or purchasing additional forage.  Supplemental protein will help increase intake and digestibility of lower quality forages.  Well-fortified self-fed supplements from CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements can help cows maintain their body condition when fed with low quality forages.  In addition, the labor savings delivery requires significantly less labor and equipment when compared with other supplement programs.  When evaluating supplements, whether they come in the form of a cube, liquid, tub or blocks, make sure you evaluate the delivery of the nutrition program in its entirety.  Some references are commonly made that comparisons should be on cost per unit of protein delivered on a dry matter basis.  While this is good advice, it doesn’t go far enough when comparing supplements as delivery can, in some cases, cost as much as the supplement itself.  Make sure you evaluate supplements that are delivered all the way to the cow.

Last winter we put our toe in the water and developed an App that can be used to monitor Body Condition Scores within your beef cow herd.  We have had less than a year to use and collect feedback from cattle producers now and learn how we might be able to improve it.  An updated version is now available with additional features and added content that we think will make the App more responsive while retaining its simplicity of use.  Some of the updates are related to housekeeping items.  You can now delete records that are no longer of use to you to help clean up your herd’s information.  In addition you can edit/save a record as a draft which provides the opportunity to collect the photos in the pasture but to actually score the cattle at a later time or edit the records if needed.  This will allow producers to quickly collect photos and then score the cows when time permits.

The value of a picture record is that, when taking BCS photos of the same cow 45 to 60 days later, a producer can determine if the management changes are having the desired effect.  Producers are encouraged to body condition score cows at least 4 times during the year to determine best management practices:  1) Weaning, 2) Pre-Calving, 3) Breeding and 4)Late Lactation.  Now is a good time to be evaluating cow condition with the recent drought stricken pastures and the timing of traditional weaning for spring calving herds.  It will be a good visual record of how cows are going into the fall as there is still plenty of time to put some condition back on the cows if needed.

A new feature of the program is the flexibility of using photos of cows within your own herd or cattle type to use in the reference gallery.  No matter what color or breed type of cattle you own, you can now build your custom collection of BCS photos to use in your reference gallery.  We understand that it may be easier to compare cow body condition within a breed type and added this flexibility so Hereford producers can use Hereford cows, Brangus owners can use Brangus cows and any Composite operations can use their Composite cows. 

We also realized that once you have collected BCS measurements from a pasture or group of cows at one point in time and then followed up with BCS measurements at another point in time, you probably would want to know what is the actual difference in Body Condition Score.  We have now added a feature that will calculate the mean or average for a date range that you provide.  You can then compare that with another point in time and determine if cows are gaining, slipping or maintaining their condition. 

We have had very positive feedback with the BCS app and its usefulness as a quick and easy tool for collecting extremely important information when managing beef cows from small to large herds.  It is available on iOS (iphone) and Android platforms and you can go directly to the App stores with the QR codes or hot link below.

http://bit.ly/QrXuPx

Scan the appropriate QR Code with your iPhone or Android to download your app today!

Iphone QR Code

Android QR Code

The drought will have lingering effects on cow-calf producers well into next year, especially in the areas of forage quality and availability.  Any technologies, management practices or additives that can help us better use forages we have on hand should be evaluated to determine if their benefits will outweigh their expense.  Probably the most predictable forage utilization responses observed are those directly affected by protein supplementation, particularly on low quality forages that are less than 8% crude protein.  If you have lower quality forages, the addition of supplemental soluble protein that is degraded in the rumen provides an improvement in forage digestibility and often times increased forage intake.  This provides added energy to your cow-herd from the forages that you have on hand in two ways.  Cows will digest more nutrients from the forage and they will consume more of these low quality forages. 

You should make sure that you are selecting protein supplements that contain ingredients that are digested in the rumen.  Mark Robbins wrote an earlier Blog related to the use of Non Protein Nitrogen (NPN) ingredients like urea as a ruminally degradable protein (RDP) source.  Rumen microorganisms that ferment/digest fiber need a certain level of nitrogen available in the rumen that comes from the diet.  Urea is one of the lowest cost means of providing this first limiting nutrient in order for fiber digesting microflora to work efficiently.  A mix of other natural protein ingredients can then provide more slowly degraded protein to the rumen that will be used as microorganisms grow and ferment forages.  If you use supplements that contain high levels of ruminally undegradable protein (RUP) such as feather meal, blood meal or corn gluten meal among others, you should be aware that much of the protein supplied by these ingredients is not digested in the rumen and therefore are not made available for rumen microorganisms.  The key is to fix up the rumen first and then if additional protein is required to meet animal requirements, supplements with high levels of RUP can be optimally used.

As one looks at additives that can help improved forage utilization for Beef cows, the list is generally not very long.  Particularly when looking for products that are labeled for mature beef cows.  We did, however, find a marked improvement in forage digestibility with a natural dehydrated brown seaweed meal called Tasco®.    This work was conducted at North Dakota State University and the results published in the peer reviewed Journal of Animal Science 2005 83:2938-2945.  A digestibility study was set up to evaluate several feed additives on low quality forages (CP of 6%).  The steers were provided either no supplement, a 40% CP supplement (19% as NPN from urea) or the same 40% CP supplement that contained the Tasco seaweed meal feed additive at 10 grams per head per day.  Supplements were fed at .77 lb per head per day, typical of  CRYSTALYX® low-moisture block supplements.

The results of the study showed that protein supplementation of low quality hay increased dietary intake and digestibility as we would typically expect.  We also showed that when Tasco seaweed meal was added to the protein supplements, we saw an additional improvement in organic matter digestibility which came predominantly from NDF or fiber digestibility improvements.  The increase in digestibility was approximately a 10% improvement over and above the increases already observed with protein supplementation and resulted in an additive benefit.  This means that if a cow is consuming 25 lbs of hay or forage per day she will realize an added 2.5 lbs of forage digested, just with the addition of Tasco® in the protein supplement. 

As you are looking for economical ways to stretch your limited forages, first consider protein supplementation and for added returns make sure to ask for CRYSTALYX®  Tasco® 35-CP supplement from your local CRYSTALYX® dealer.  The additional benefit from Tasco® seaweed meal will pay dividends as the value of forage increases.  Let CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements help you get the most out of your forage supplies.

It is hard to pick up a livestock magazine today without reading about the impact of drought in much of the US.  Grain markets have been responding daily with large increases and cattle markets have soften considerably given the current conditions.   As producers evaluate the amount of forage they have in their pastures and that which will help them make it through the winter, the desire to put up hay or ensile any fiber source they can find, can lead to forages with hidden dangers.  Nitrate poisoning is one that can affect annual crops that may be cut for hay or put into silage given the harsh growing conditions that many are facing.  Below are some general guidelines when dealing with the potential for Nitrate poisoning:

1. Common forages susceptible to Nitrate accumulation include but are not limited to:  corn, barley, oats, millet, rye, sudan grass, sweet clover, soybean, wheat
2. Plant growth closest to the ground have the highest levels of Nitrates
3. Raise the cutter bar above 6 inches to avoid highest accumulations of Nitrates
4. Younger plants have highest levels of Nitrates compared to more mature plants
5. Nitrates accumulate in plants when normal growing conditions are interrupted such as during a drought, frost or periods of cool weather
6. Nitrates are converted to Nitrites and finally to Ammonia which is the normal pathway in Nitrogen metabolism in plants.  Excessive levels of Nitrates can lead to an accumulation of Nitrites in the rumen which is the most toxic form and can lead to toxicity
7. Nitrite is absorbed into red blood cells and interferes with the Oxygen carrying capacity of Hemoglobin which leads to suffocation in livestock  
8. Dilute forages known to contain high levels of Nitrate with forages that are low in Nitrates
9. If high Nitrate forages must be fed, gradually increase the amount fed in the diet so that cattle will adapt to the increased Nitrate levels.
10. Try to avoid over grazing of forages that are high in Nitrates so livestock will not be forced to graze lower plant parts that contain increased Nitrate levels
11. Fill cattle up on low Nitrate forages prior to introduction onto high Nitrate pastures to limit their exposure to large amounts of high Nitrate forages
12. Limit the time that cattle are grazing or are exposed to high Nitrate pastures when first introduced to these pastures
13. Ensiling forages can help reduce the Nitrate levels of forages through the fermentation process
14. Cattle that are in thin condition or that are in poor health are more susceptible to Nitrate toxicity
15. Don’t graze cattle after a killing frost for at least one week if possible with forages high in Nitrates
16. Observe cattle frequently when introducing them to forages high in Nitrates

There are numerous Extension bulletins available on guidelines for grazing forages with high Nitrates for the various regions of the country.  I have listed a few common guidelines that you should consider to help avoid or significantly reduce cattle losses from Nitrate poisoning.  Drought conditions followed by some light rains can interrupt the normal Nitrogen metabolism of plants and result in forages that contain high Nitrate levels leading to toxicity. 

Ruminant animals can deal with many feedstuffs resulting from the drought such as corn or small grains that fall short in crop production.  These do not come without potential health hazards.  Make sure you have your forages tested prior to feeding or pasture turn-out if you have any indications that Nitrate toxicity may be an issue.  The value of cattle is too great to turn a blind eye.

We would like to continue with our theme of maximizing profitability from forages as we head into the summer and fall.  The importance of making the most from your forage base is a key factor in reducing additional expenses as well as optimizing calf performance and cow reproduction.  Summer and Fall grazing conditions bring upon new opportunities for capturing added value from your forages.  I have outlined a few of those opportunities below that can pay dividends for most beef producers.  We will also expand on these areas over the next 5 weeks to help provide you more information to determine if they have the potential to help you with your bottom line. 

1. Fly control has demonstrated improved calf gains.  Flies, particularly the horn fly variety, can limit cattle performance on summer pastures when present in large populations.  Feed-through larvacides can be an important part of an integrated fly control program to help prevent reductions in calf body weight gain from fly pressure.  CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements have products that contain Rabon® Oral Larvacides (ROL) in addition to Altosid® Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) that can be used to help control flies on pasture. 
2. Limit the negative impact on animal performance from endophyte infected fescue pastures.  Endophyte infected fescue pastures can severely limit animal performance, especially during the heat of the summer.  Make sure you provide a supplement that is specifically formulated for fescue pastures to help cattle deal with the heat when endophyte consumption can impair the animal’s circulation to their extremities.  CRYSTALYX® products like Fescue-Phos® or Hi-Mag Tasco-lyx® are specifically formulated with Tasco® seaweed meal to help cattle grazing endophyte infected fescue pastures.  Current cattle economics indicate any loss in reproduction or calf weight gain will result in significant reductions in cow-calf returns.  Make sure you have a supplement program in place that allows your cattle to deal with fescue pastures as profitably as possible.
3. Grazing management with CRYSTALYX® low-moisture blocks maximizes pasture forage utilization.  Extensive research has been conducted on the use of CRYSTALYX® Brand Supplements to improve forage utilization through the use of barrel placement.  It has been clearly demonstrated that cattle will spend more time in areas within 200 to 600 yards of where CRYSTALYX® barrels are placed in the pasture.  Management strategies have been developed where barrels are placed away from water, which is normally not recommended with free-choice supplements.  Cattle will then graze to the supplement and then graze back to the water.  This can help producers encourage cattle to consume forages in pasture locations where they may typically avoid.  Unused forage at the end of the season does not do much for helping promote animal performance. 
4. Creep feeding can keep calves growing when pasture quality declines in the fall.  High calf prices have reiterated the importance of growing calves to their genetic potential while on grass.  As pastures mature in the fall, forage quality dips below cow maintenance requirements and as a result, milk production is significantly reduced.  When forage quality and milk quantities deteriorate, calf growth is negatively impacted and the opportunity for additional gain is limited without supplemental nutrition.  Economic returns for creep feeding become much more viable when forage availability and quality are dramatically reduced, in addition to when calf prices are extremely high.  Calf prices look to be very favorable this fall and should warrant serious consideration for creep feeding programs to ensure maximum calf growth and optimal returns to cow-calf producers.
5. Protein supplementation can increase forage intake and digestibility of low quality forages.  This extensively researched practice is well established as a method of increasing the utilization of low quality forages.  Protein that is available to ruminal microbes will increase their growth and therefore the amount of forage digested.  This often times results in increased forage intake which in many cases helps cows meet their energy requirement, particularly in mid gestation and the first month or two of late gestation.  During dry periods or later in the growing season as forages mature or are stockpiled for later use, the need for protein to maintain both calf gains and cow body weight maintenance often pays, and this year the returns should be even more evident given present calf values.  Calves are heavier at weaning and cows go into the winter with more body condition stores so they are better fit to calve and rebreed on time.

Feed grains and commodity prices are high and the latest words of wisdom echoing throughout the industry indicate that cow-calf and stocker operators should look at all possible options to maximize performance from their forage programs. There are numerous ways to manage your forages as well as supplemental inputs. These can vary considerably by geographic regions, cattle type, grazing and climate conditions or land resources that you have available. I have put together a list of five ways to help you get the most from your forages. Our team of bloggers will be looking at expanding on these areas over the next five weeks to help you more fully evaluate ways to maximize returns to your beef cattle operation.

1. Delay spring turn out on native cool season or mixed pastures in the plains and northern plains states. Overall forage production can be dramatically reduced (35 percent or greater) for the grazing period if these native pastures are grazed too early in the spring. Too early is prior to when there are four fully developed leaves and coincides with achieving positive energy balance within the grass plant. Use of tame cool season pastures is a natural way to get a jump on grazing well ahead of your native pastures. These types of grasses commonly include Smooth Brome or Crested Wheat. Use of winter annuals, crop residues or stored forages such as hay or silage can also help maintain early spring forage supplies. When cows are pushing on the fence, you can easily be convinced to just open the gate. Don’t do it if you want to maximize the forage potential of your grasslands.
2. Annual crops can provide additional grazing or stored forages when needed. If additional forages are needed to help during periods of drought, delaying turn out on native pastures or extending the grazing season when native pasture resources are depleted, annual crops planted for forage use can be very cost effective. A wide variety of crops, their growing characteristics and their use as grazed or stored forages can provide many options to cattle producers when they have access to cropland. Many operations come to rely on this forage base as a planned part of their overall feed program.
3. Forage preservatives can dramatically reduce dry matter loss in silage and hay. Forage preservatives applied during the ensiling process, or when baling hay, can help reduce losses associated with spoilage. Sulfite-based preservatives such as BulletProof® are different from organic acids or inoculants which can also be used when storing forages. Go to BulletProofYourForage.com to evaluate some of the differences. These products can help provide a wider harvest window, reduce losses from heating, increase DM recovery and significantly reduce mold and yeast growth. Forage preservatives like BulletProof® have even higher rates of return when forages and supplements are worth what they are today. They should be a part of any stored forage program.
4. Incorporate the use of feed additives for stockers and replacement heifers. To increase animal performance while grazing, feed additives such as ionophores can easily provide an extra 10 percent boost in ADG. Over the summer grazing season this could amount to an added 25 to 45 lbs on stocker cattle or replacement heifers. Free-choice delivery of government regulated feed additives such as ionophores must be approved by the FDA. There are only a few of these products available on the market today. CRYSTALYX® Ionolyx-B 300 contains Bovatec® and provides 30 percent CP formulated to supplement stocker cattle and/or replacement heifers. Make sure you read and follow label directions on their use. Products with free-choice clearance for the delivery of ionophores to mature beef cows are limited.
5. Pasture rotation systems can extend grazing. Depending upon your part of the country, soil type, growing conditions and pasture species, a rotational grazing system may help you maximize the forage produced on a per acre basis. A wide variety of rotation systems are in use and vary in complexity and results. Visit with your state land grant university or USDA research staff on recommendations for your area of the country.

Bovatec® is a registered trademark of Pfizer Animal Health, Madison, NJ.