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Drought places stress on grazing land, cattle, producers, and, ultimately, the producer’s bottom line. Cattle producers in many areas are facing difficult times because of a lack of available forage on pastures and hay supplies. The initial stress on the animal is due to poorer nutrition.

As forage matures, nutrients decline while the nutritional needs of the gestating animal increase. Producers are faced with their toughest challenge heading into the fall and winter ... a challenge that requires some creative strategies.

GET THE CATTLE TO MOVE FROM WATER TO GRAZING AREAS

During drought conditions the number of water sources usually diminishes and cows tend to congregate around the water that remains. It can be difficult to move cattle away from the water source. But there are effective ways.

“When your cattle are familiar with CRYSTALYX,^® which usually takes just a few weeks, you can place the barrels in undergrazed areas and cattle will follow,” said Mark Robbins, Research Manager for Ridley Block Operations. “Research has consistently proven cows will spend a significant amount of time grazing within 600 yards of CRYSTALYX.^®” With the protein, vitamins and trace minerals that cattle consume in CRYSTALYX,^® your herd is able to make better use of the forage they’re consuming, stretching the grass by getting more total energy into the cow.

GET THE MOST OUT OF CRP FORAGE

The number of counties that have received permission to graze or hay CRP acres is growing. While CRP acres can help relieve forage shortages, there are quality issues. “Because it’s not harvested every year, CRP forage is a very low quality forage by nature,” Robbins said. “Protein supplementation is the key to increase utilization of CRP forages. This can be especially important for CRP hay as cows are limited in their ability to select plants based on quality.”

KEEP KEY NUTRIENTS COMING

Energy is the major nutrient when fighting the effects of drought. However, supplementing “energy” feeds can be costly, time consuming and actually interfere with forage digestion. Typically, forage is your lowest cost energy source for your cow herd. Protein in CRYSTALYX^® allows cows to digest more forage and obtain more energy from it. Additionally, the fact that CRYSTALYX^® supplements are self-fed means your expenditure on fuel and labor are at an absolute minimum. Other nutrients supplied in CRYSTALYX^® include trace minerals and vitamins that become more important through the fall and winter for developing calves prior to weaning.

These nutrition strategies won’t make drought or forage shortages go away. But by supplementing with CRYSTALYX,^® producers can effectively manage grazing patterns in stressed pastures and get the most out of low quality forage while minimizing labor and fuel costs. It’s an important economic edge in countering the effects of drought within all aspects of your operation.

Can CRYSTAL-PHOS^® be a more cost-effective supplement than dry mineral, even with lush summer forage available? A group of ranchers, with the help of a local CRYSTALYX® dealer, decided to find out.

A western South Dakota CRYSTALYX^® dealer had a group of ranchers as customers that were part of a grazing association. They were running their co-mingled cattle on national grasslands. A dry mineral supplier approached the ranchers with a proposal. They were told they could supplement with dry mineral at a cost of no more than five cents per-head, per-day. The supplier would put out two weeks of mineral and only re-supply every two weeks. The ranchers quickly realized that a limit on how much mineral was delivered could be a problem. If the supply is consumed in a week, the cattle would be without mineral for another week until it was restocked.

The CRYSTALYX^® dealer had a better idea. Because of his own experience with CRYSTAL-PHOS,^® he recommended it to the grazing association. Past experience in his area projected CRYSTAL-PHOS^® intake to be around two ounces per-head, per-day on green grass.

“CRYSTAL-PHOS^® is formulated for an intake of a quarter pound in fall and winter when forage is dry and brown and the cattle need more nutrients,” said Mark Robbins, Research Manager for Ridley Block Operations. “In the summertime when forage is lush, you’ll likely see about an eighth of a pound or a two ounce intake. In the summer, when the grass gets green and things get warmer, it’s difficult to keep the animals on a mineral supplement. We generally see a lower intake of CRYSTAL-PHOS^® in the summer, but cattle still consume it at acceptable levels.”

The dealer told the grazing association they could have a summer supplementation program using CRYSTAL-PHOS^® at a cost of approximately five cents per-head, per-day. Better still, the supplement would be continuously available, and the barrels could be used to better manage grazing patterns by moving the cattle around in the pasture.

As the ranchers in the association learned over the summer, that is exactly what happened.

The demonstration tracked 1,308 head of cattle in three different pastures during a period from June 20th through the end of August. Using a CRYSTAL-PHOS^® cost of $830 per ton, the average cost across all pastures and all cattle was 4.7 cents per-head, per-day, and the average consumption was 1.8 ounces per-head, per-day.

“The demonstration showed that in lush summertime conditions, intake will generally be around two ounces per-head, per-day,” Robbins said. “That translates to a cost of less than five cents per-head, per-day.” Robbins added that CRYSTALYX^® supplements offer a number of advantages in addition to cost savings:
• Continuous availability
• Contains chelated/organic trace minerals
• Ability to focus grazing within a pasture — makes most efficient use of all the pasture
• Weatherproof (wind and rain)
• No waste
• Highly palatable — cows will consume it
• Eliminates need for expensive, specialized feeders

“As you go through the summer and the grass starts to dry off, you’ll get into a protein deficient situation,” Robbins said. “So then, in addition to CRYSTAL-PHOS,^® you should start feeding another CRYSTALYX^® product with protein like HE-20,^TM Natural 27,^TM BGF-30TM or HP-40.^TM

Can CRYSTAL-PHOS^® be a more cost-effective supplement than dry mineral, even with lush summer forage available? A group of ranchers, with the help of a local
CRYSTALYX^® dealer, decided to find out.

A western South Dakota CRYSTALYX^® dealer had a group of ranchers as customers that were part of a grazing association. They were running their co-mingled cattle on national grasslands. A dry mineral supplier approached the ranchers with a proposal. They were told they could supplement with dry mineral at a cost of no more than five cents per-head, per-day. The supplier would put out two weeks of mineral and only re-supply every two weeks. The ranchers quickly realized that a limit on how much mineral was delivered could be a problem. If the supply is consumed in a week, the cattle would be without mineral for another week until it was restocked.

The CRYSTALYX^® dealer had a better idea. Because of his own experience with CRYSTAL-PHOS^®, he recommended it to the grazing association. Past experience in his area projected CRYSTAL-PHOS^® intake to be around two ounces per-head, per-day on green grass. “CRYSTAL-PHOS^® is formulated for an intake of a quarter pound in fall and winter when forage is dry and brown and the cattle need more nutrients,” said Mark Robbins, Research Manager for Ridley
Block Operations. “In the summertime when forage is lush, you’ll likely see about an eighth of a pound or a two ounce intake. In the summer, when the grass gets green and things get warmer, it’s difficult to keep the animals on a mineral supplement. We generally see a lower intake of CRYSTAL-PHOS^® in the summer, but cattle still consume it at acceptable levels.”

The dealer told the grazing association they could have a summer supplementation program using CRYSTAL-PHOS^® at a cost of approximately five cents per-head, per-day. Better still, the supplement would be continuously available, and the barrels could be used to better manage grazing patterns by moving the cattle around in the pasture.

As the ranchers in the association learned over the summer, that is exactly what happened.

The demonstration tracked 1,308 head of cattle in three different pastures during a period from June 20th through the end of August. Using a CRYSTAL-PHOS^® cost of $830 per ton, the average cost across all pastures and all cattle was 4.7 cents per-head, per-day, and the average consumption was 1.8 ounces per-head, per-day.

“The demonstration showed that in lush summertime conditions, intake will generally be around two ounces per-head, per-day,” Robbins said. “That translates to a cost of less than five cents perhead, per-day.” Robbins added that CRYSTALYX® supplements offer a number of advantages in addition to cost savings:
• Continuous availability
• Contains chelated/organic trace minerals
• Ability to focus grazing within a pasture — makes most efficient use of all the pasture
• Weatherproof (wind and rain)
• No waste
• Highly palatable — cows will consume it
• Eliminates need for expensive, specialized feeders

“As you go through the summer and the grass starts to dry off, you’ll get into a protein deficient situation,” Robbins said. “So then, in addition to CRYSTAL-PHOS^®, you should start feeding another CRYSTALYX^® product with protein like HE-20,^TM Natural 27,^TM BGF-30TM or HP-40.^TM

Managing around the continuing drought in the West calls for a fine balance between spending money on supplemental feed and starving a living out of your cows and calves. Try these suggestions:
• Supplement effectively. Key to holding the line on costs during drought supplementation is your ability to extract all usable energy from the grazing that remains:

— Provide a protein supplement like CRYSTALYX® low-moisture blocks to improve the digestibility of low-quality forage and increase the amount of critical energy cows can extract from it. Supplement a blend of ruminally degradable protein and bypass protein that will both maximize rumen microbial fermentation efficiencies for digesting low-quality forages and improve protein status of the cow.Conserving protein tissues are important because they are the metabolically active tissues and organs of your reproductive cowherd. Cows in this stage of negative energy balance will have major difficulty producing healthy calves, milking sufficiently and rebreeding on time.

— Provide the same levels of trace minerals as during normal seasons, with particular attention to sufficient phosphorus consumption.
— Supplement Vitamin A, which can be deficient in forages harvested during and after drought.
— Position low-moisture blocks in strategic locations to help draw cattle away from traditional loafing areas and into areas that may be underutilized. Research shows they can be a more powerful draw than even water.

• Use a supplement that controls consumption physically, rather than by using salt. Salt only increases cattles’ requirements for clean, fresh water that usually is compromised and restricted during periods of drought. Physical consumption control using low moisture blocks permits you to continue to take advantage of free choice supplementation without further increasing the cost of labor and fence-walking in anticipation of scheduled deliveries.

• If you’re already feeding forages, limit grazing. Pulling animals off drought-stressed range permits grass to rebound if, and when moisture returns.

• Cull conservatively, if possible. Preg check early and ship non-producers first. Unless you’re scaling back the operation, heavy culling into quality breeding animals is the last resort. This is where performance testing pays off in prioritizing culling decisions.

• Wean early, especially for your fall calving cows. Be mindful of the management challenges: Early weaned light-weight calves will be even more vulnerable to the normal stresses of weaning, drylot acclimation, environmental challenges and processing.
Drought-management feeding strategies

• Effective drought management requires you to supplement effectively—to extract the most usable nutrition from the available forage supply.

Managing around the continuing drought in the West calls for a fine balance between spending money on supplemental feed and starving a living out of your cows and calves. Try these suggestions:

Supplement effectively. Key to holding the line on costs during drought supplementation is your ability to extract all usable energy from the grazing that remains:

• Provide a protein supplement like CRYSTALYX® low-moisture blocks to improve the digestibility of low-quality forage and increase the amount of critical energy cows can extract from it. Supplement a blend of ruminally degradable protein and bypass protein that will both maximize rumen microbial fermentation efficiencies for digesting low-quality forages and improve protein status of the cow. Conserving protein tissues are important because they are the metabolically active tissues and organs of your reproductive cowherd. Cows in this stage of negative energy balance will have major difficulty producing healthy calves, milking sufficiently and rebreeding on time.

• Provide the same levels of trace minerals as during normal seasons, with particular attention to sufficient phosphorus consumption.

• Supplement Vitamin A, which can be deficient in forages harvested during and after drought.

• Position low-moisture blocks in strategic locations to help draw cattle away from traditional loafing areas and into areas that may be underutilized. Research shows they can be a more powerful draw than even water.

• Use a supplement that controls consumption physically, rather than by using salt. Salt only increases cattles’ requirements for clean, fresh water that usually is compromised and restricted during periods of drought. Physical consumption control using low moisture blocks permits you to continue to take advantage of freechoice supplementation without further increasing the cost of labor and fence-walking in anticipation of scheduled deliveries.

• If you’re already feeding forages, limit grazing. Pulling animals off drought-stressed range permits grass to rebound if, and when moisture returns.

• Cull conservatively, if possible. Preg check early and ship non-producers first. Unless you’re scaling back the operation, heavy culling into quality breeding animals is the last resort. This is where performance testing pays off in prioritizing culling decisions.

• Wean early, especially for your fall calving cows. Be mindful of the management challenges: Early weaned light-weight calves will be even more vulnerable to the normal stresses of weaning, drylot acclimation, environmental challenges and processing.

Quick Summary
• Effective drought management requires you to supplement effectively—to extract the most usable nutrition from the available forage supply.

SUPPLEMENT STRATEGIES IN ACTION

In southeastern Colorado, Bill Riggins’ fourth summer of drought has left him long on country but short on grass. His strategy to hold things together includes leaving CRYSTALYX® low-moisture blocks out for cows all summer.

“Some people might think that was cost prohibitive,” says Riggins, who has now cut his cowherd by more than half.

“But you can’t sell the roof off the house and still expect to live in it. Our only hope for maintaining these cows on what little dry grass and oak brush they’re left with is to give them some supplement that helps get some good out of it.…

“Between the drought and cattle prices, our deal hasn’t been real lucrative the last couple years. But we have very few open cows at fall pregnancy test. We have very few problems at calving. If we do that again this summer on what little grass we’ve got, I’m going to feel pretty strongly the blocks had something to do with it.”

Results by the Barrel^TM
CRYSTALYX^® Brand BGF-30™ Supplement helps stretch a drought-limited forage base, by providing:

• Balances both rumen-available and bypass protein help to improve forage utilization, extract more energy from available forage and provide additional protein that is directly available to your cattle.

• CRYSTALYX® Brigade® Stress Fighting Formula in the first 30 days of receiving provides calves:

• A highly palatable supplement that assists calves with starting on feed

• Electrolytes, to help ward-off dehydration and maintain proper immune function

• High levels of key vitamins and organic trace minerals

• An early nutrient boost to beat the stresses of weaning

Today’s low-cost producer has been bluntly advised: Get out of hay production. As that economic reality drives more producers to graze cattle into late fall and winter, they find low-quality, dormant forages are often nutritionally deficient.

Now, recently reported research from Kansas State University finds that supplementing those low-quality forages with cooked molasses blocks, also known as low-moisture blocks, can stretch their efficiency by increasing both intake and digestion.

The researchers fitted 12 steers with devices to sample their rumen contents and manure output, and then put them on ad lib diets of prairie hay containing 5.9% crude protein and 69.4% neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The steers were fed either no supplement or one of three cooked blocks that differed only in their base molasses ingredient.

Steers fed any of the cooked molasses blocks consumed on average 22% more forage organic matter and neutral detergent fiber than the unsupplemented ones. Even better: Use of blocks increased digestible organic matter intake by 38% and digestible neutral detergent fiber intake by 31%.

The researchers attributed the increase in digestibility to the ruminally degradable protein provided by the cooked supplement blocks. That form of protein feeds the rumen microbes a steady supply of necessary ammonia, to increase fermentation of the low-quality forages. Better rumen fermentation extracts more usable energy from the more-bulky forage, overcoming the natural limitation in which animals, in effect, fill up before they can eat enough to meet their requirements.

HOW LOW DOES IT GO?
North Dakota research similarly analyzed rumen and manure samples  from animals as they grazed throughout the season. By measuring quality of the forage not as it lay on the ground, but inside the animal’s rumen, they got a better picture of just how low the amount of crude protein and NDF actually eaten and digested falls during winter.

Don Klein calls himself a grain farmer, but his commercial cow herd is the number one priority on this Kansas operation. “If my cows are not content, I’m not happy,” he says.

Feed is an important part of making his 125-cow herd content, along with a complete health program and solid genetics. “I’m the type that wants to make sure my cows get all they need. I get the most out of my cattle,” Klein says. “Feed is number one. If you don’t feed right, you’re neglecting the cow’s potential.”

CRYSTALYX^® has been part of his feeding program for the last two years. For his spring calving group, he puts CRYSTALYX® BGF-30 out in November when the cattle begin to graze stalks until grass comes on in May.

Klein also fall calves and he decided to leave the CRYSTALYX® in front of the cow-calf pairs all winter. The decision paid off with 24-pound heavier weaning weights than the year before. “I don’t sell numbers, I sell pounds,” he says.

Consumption patterns help Klein fine-tune his feeding program. When the cows are eating an average of three-quarters of a pound of CRYSTALYX® per head per day, all is well. But when consumption goes over that, Klein starts looking for the source of the problem.

“Someone can come out here and give me feed suggestions, but the cows know what they need,” he concludes. “That’s what I like about CRYSTALYX® —the cows will consume it if they need it.”

Don Klein calls himself a grain farmer, but his commercial cow herd is the number one priority on this Kansas operation. “If my cows are not content, I’m not happy,” he says.

Feed is an important part of making his 125-cow herd content, along with a complete health program and solid genetics. “I’m the type that wants to make sure my cows get all they need. I get the most out of my cattle,” Klein says. “Feed is number one. If you don’t feed right, you’re neglecting the cow’s potential.”

CRYSTALYX^® has been part of his feeding program for the last two years. For his spring calving group, he puts CRYSTALYX^® BGF-30 out in November when the cattle begin to graze stalks until grass comes on in May.

Klein also fall calves and he decided to leave the CRYSTALYX^® in front of the cow-calf pairs all winter. The decision paid off with 24-pound heavier weaning weights than the year before. “I don’t sell numbers, I sell pounds,” he says.

Consumption patterns help Klein fine-tune his feeding program. When the cows are eating an average of three-quarters of a pound of CRYSTALYX^® per head per day, all is well. But when consumption goes over that, Klein starts looking for the source of the problem.

“Someone can come out here and give me feed suggestions, but the cows know what they need,” he concludes. “That’s what I like about CRYSTALYX^® — the cows will consume it if they need it.”

Several CRYSTALYX^® blogs have been topics surrounding “volatility” in our business and how it is more or less the norm these days.  I think the weather we’ve had in the past couple of years could be summarized much the same.  From floods to drought to extreme heat and cold and late spring blizzards, it reminds me of a common saying I here almost everywhere I travel, “we sure have had a weird ____ “ (fill in the blank and pick your season of year).

I guess its spring by the calendar and yes, we made it through winter – I think.  For many cow-calf producers in the Northern U.S. it was a hard winter or it was a dry winter leaving many wondering about spring precipitation, grass for the 2013 growing season,  crop markets and planting,  etc…  Thankfully there have been some moisture improvements which give hope.  Just what would have last fall and winter have been like without a good supplement strategy, and of course CRYSTALYX^®? 

Our customers purchased and fed a lot of barrels this past year, and it made good sense to do so.  Record high forage cost and volatile commodity cost illustrated the best economics of an effective supplement program, and CRYSTALYX^® penciled very well versus many other supplement types, forms and methods.  Some of the so called “bargain” commodities really weren’t this past year or weren’t even available.

Feeding high quality forages to cows this past winter was either a luxury or not a good economic decision.  Thus we utilized more poor hay (where it could be found), crop residue like corn stalk grazing, bales or feeding, drought stressed silages, etc…   Still, the returns on any supplement program need to be justified.  We nutritionist and feed specialist talk about this all the time.  One thing maybe we ought to think of more is just what we would give up or put at risk without a good supplement program?  With this in mind, what would have the past fall and winter looked like without CRYSTALYX^®, or more importantly what would our cows look like now without it?

What’s the monetary value of CRYSTALYX^®?  What is its benefits worth?

It may be hard to put one hard figure on the value of any supplement program but listed below are some values applied to some of the efficiencies gained:

• A 10% or better hay savings or forage utilization could be realized by feeding CRYSTALYX^® versus not.  If hay is $200 per ton and you’re feeding 25-30 lbs. per cow per day, a 10% improvement in forage utilization could be worth $35.00 or more per cow in a winter feeding season.

• Better Grazing Distribution can extend the number of days on pasture by as much as 2 weeks.  The cost of grazing varies greatly by locale but considering pasture rates from $150-$300 per season, two weeks is worth $14-$28 per cow.

• CRYSTALYX^® eliminates a great deal of labor and equipment cost associated with supplementation.  Again values may vary but by evaluation using the Crystal Clear Economyx^® program, CRYSTALYX^® would have a 10 cent advantage per cow per day versus hand fed supplements.  This equates to $15.00 per cow over a 150 day season.

By not supplementing at all, we may be saving on inputs but we put to risk many health and performance benefits.  These may be considered opportunity cost but the cost of a missed breeding cycle due to poor reproductive performance could be $60.00+ at today’s market and what do sick, and poor doing calves cost??

The cost to feed CRYSTALYX^® for 150 days is approximately $56.00 (more or less depending on formulation chosen and typical intakes).    It is a cost but it does pay.  Nobody likes to write the check but by doing it we can eliminate some of the cost factors above or gain some of the efficiencies above.  With today’s costs and the price of calves, it doesn’t take a lot to make a CRYSTALYX^® program pay. CRYSTALYX^® has weathered the volatility we face very well.  Thus perhaps one of the reasons it’s worked so well.  I’d argue (as I have in past writings) that it brings more value to our industry now than ever.

Be assured that CRYSTALYX^® was a good supplement decision last season and likely will be going forward.  Thank you, cattle producers for your business and the opportunity to serve you.  Our success depends upon yours as we are all in this together.  Here’s to good weather, green grass and success this summer!

In my last blog (about 7 weeks ago), I predicted that it always rains at the end of a drought.  For many of us in the northern plains, we received one to two feet of snow in April.  Some had more, and some had less, but in many areas it was the first appreciable amount of precipitation in months.  Could it be that it may snow at the end of a drought?  Perhaps so, but it is way too early to say we are coming out of the great drought of 2012.  There will be ample moisture in many places to spur some spring growth of cool season grasses.  Jon Albro had an excellent Blog on March 19th about the increased likelihood of grass tetany following a dry winter.  As you read this today, many of you may already be experiencing that.  Hopefully you have had high magnesium supplements out ahead of the threat. 

As we move into May, many of you are close to turning your bulls out, and for those of you that calve in February, they are already out.  Whether you have had to deal with grass tetany or not, your next nutritional opportunity is your summer mineral program.  While the grass may be lush, and you may be tempted to reduce supplement costs, your summer mineral program is one of the cheapest times of the year to meet your herd’s supplemental nutrient needs.  This is primarily because (most of the time) you do not need to supplement protein, and self-fed supplement intake in the summer time is generally low.  Spring and summer supplementation programs also ensure that your beef herd is in optimal condition to conceive next year’s calf crop.  I would place that fairly high on any Cattleman’s priority list.  Should we really be cutting corners here?

But do you need supplements on lush spring forage?  For your local area, your County Extension Agents would have the best information.  From a broader view, we can look at the NAHMS (National Animal Health Monitoring System) 1997 forage survey, which summarized over 700 forage samples in 23 states.  Of 38 native grass samples submitted, only 18% were adequate for copper and only 23 % were adequate for zinc.  Similarly, of 70 introduced grass samples submitted, 30% were adequate for copper and 34 % were adequate for zinc.  Only about 23% of all 108 grass samples were adequate for selenium.  While it stated that these samples were fairly mature at the time of sampling, it still demonstrates that your grass pastures are more often than not, going to be inadequate for copper, zinc and selenium.   These are three of the most important trace minerals for reproduction in a beef cow.

But, you say, will they be adequate in the spring?  Can I skip spring mineral supplementation?  While grasses will likely have their highest concentration of trace minerals in the spring, there is still a chance that they may not be adequate.  If we look at the two graphs below form work conducted in Oregon, we can see the average concentration for zinc and copper, in 10 grasses sampled, never do reach an adequate level over a 2 year period (10 ppm for copper and 30 ppm for zinc).  Again, your local Extension Agent would have more specific information for your local forages.

Adapted from Ganskopp and Bohnert 2003

Adapted from Ganskopp and Bohnert 2003

May and June are very busy times for all Ranchers and Farmers.  But self-fed summer mineral programs will generally only cost from 6 to 12 cents per head per day.  While your grasses may be deficient in just a few trace minerals, it is important to supplement with a properly balanced mineral product.  CRYSTALYX^® Brand Mineral Supplement blocks are available to your herd 24/7, and are formulated to take the guess work out of those ratios.  Additionally, CRYSTALYX^® Brand Supplements can be used to lure your cattle to underutilized rangeland and pastures, so that you get maximum utilization of your grass and efficient herd breed-up, all with a minimum requirement on your time, to just roll out the barrels.  

For me, College NCAA Basketball is one thing that makes it possible to get through March and April.  This year has been especially fun.  Who knew what would happen.  A number 11, three 12s, a 13, a 14 and a 15 all won.  The Final Four had only one number 1 seed.  How did these lower ranked teams win?  They played the whole game.  Many games went to the wire with teams fighting to the end.

Much like the basketball players in the final minutes, cattle producers cannot stop investing in proper nutrition for the cow herd during spring calving season.  Many cows are in the last trimester of pregnancy.  This is a critical time for nutrient transfer to the calf.  The cow will transfer trace minerals from her body reserves to the calf.  The calf’s mineral status at birth is critical for optimum immune function and growth in the first months of life.  This is especially true for copper and zinc.  The young calf is on a milk diet and milk is a poor source of the trace minerals copper and zinc. Grass is also low in copper and zinc.  The CRYSTALYX^® Breed Up™ product line is designed to provide added trace mineral and vitamin E during the pre-calving through breeding season.  The Breed Up™ 20 and 28 provide protein and mineral where the Breed Up™ Max is a mineral only supplement.   Breed Up™ 17 Mag has been added for the areas that need additional magnesium.          

Less than a minute to go!  Down by 3!                    Hay supplies are tight.  It costs too much!!

The 2012 hay acreage was down 20% from 2011.  It was the smallest harvested area since 1948.  The December 1 crop report showed supplies of less than 77 million ton, which was the smallest December 1 amount since 1957.   This winter weather from January to April was cold for most of cattle country and cattle went through some feed.  There is not a great deal of hay left and what is available is expensive.  The severity of the hay situation was demonstrated to me this week.  In Western Wisconsin, I followed a load of what had to be 2-3 year old hay that had been in someone’s fence row.  It was traveling west on Interstate 94.  No strings were left and the load was secured with straps and a cargo net.  The tractor and trailer were from Nebraska.

Cows in late pregnancy and early lactation need the best forage and supplements possible.  If you are buying hay it may be tempting to “save” some money by skipping the supplement.  Actually, CRYSTALYX^® can help stretch forage supplies by improving fiber digestibility, while providing the additional mineral and vitamins the cows and calves need.  Research has shown a 10% improvement in fiber digestibility which will allow your cows to get more out of the hay.   Cheating the cows now can cause too much weight loss and poor breed back later, which can be really costly. 

Much like a basketball game, we cannot stop before the buzzer sounds.  

The holiday season is a good time to reflect upon the past year.  We might ask ourselves, what went wrong, right, what we’d do again, and what we learned not to do.  2012 was a challenging year in many respects.  No doubt the drought was the most challenging and a news making event.  It will be a large factor in shaping our industry for the next several years.

It’s easy to get caught up in all the negatives but there is some good news, or at least things to be thankful for. Winter has not taken a hard grip (at least not at the time of writing this) making it just a little easier to deal with limited feed resources and higher cost.  Yes, we in the feed and supplement business have been challenged by more production demand and in making feed programs more efficient but we are grateful to be in this business.    In addition, beef cattle prices have remained solid.  Sure, there have been some ups and downs and production costs have been rising, but by in large the cow-calf producer will be profitable in 2012 and experts point to an optimistic 2013 given a little help from mother nature.  With all the above being said, if you were to ask a cow to reflect on 2012 and the Christmas season, she might write a letter to Santa Claus and I have a feeling it would go something like this:

Dear Santa,

Its dry and I’ve consumed low quality forage this past summer & fall.  I’ve got by okay due to some supplemental help.  I’ve not been naughty this year, I’ve been nice.  I’ve done my best to breed well, maintain body condition and even gained some because I’ve been fed CRYSTALYX^® on the ranch this fall.  I’m sure some naughty cows in other places might not get any supplement this winter and will have to “just rough it.”  Maybe it’s because they think it costs too much.  I’m sure they will be sorry come calving or rebreeding time as they’ll have more problems.  The lump of coal in their stocking might be a trip to the sale barn next summer or fall.

 Again Santa, I’ve been more nice than naughty so some supplement like CRYSTALYX^® would sure help again. It sounds like the calf market will be good next year and I’ll raise a good calf if I’m fed right.  I’ll also breed back, and do it early in the breeding season as to have a heavier calf to sell in 2014.  This will be even more likely if you allow me to have a good CRYTALYX^® mineral program through the summer months, or a good fly control program too?  If you do this, I’ll be able to withstand the stresses of summer, especially if it’s dry again, and will be in good shape next fall.  In fact, I’ll be easier to feed next fall and winter if I’m taken care of this winter into spring and next summer.

Santa, my job is pretty simple.  I graze, get bred, calve, and nurse a calf.  If I can do it under budget and perform each year, I’ll stay on the ranch.  I do need some tools however and CRYSTALYX^® fits well.  Thank you Santa and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  P.S.  Please send rain.

There are uncertainties in 2013 but the future is never fully clear.  We do know that Beef Cattle numbers and beef production will be lower in 2013.  This coupled with decent demand (certain or uncertain?) should translate into good beef cow-calf economics.  So if you look at supplementation like playing Santa Claus, I hope you think of your cows being more nice than naughty.  Take care of the cows that take care of you. Thank you Livestock Producers for allowing us to serve you and for your resilience in 2012.  We wish you success in 2013!

We are in the middle of the Holiday Season with many gatherings of family and friends to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.  The primary topics of conversation will involve family happenings and recent events.  Since most of the population is at least a generation removed from production agriculture, these gatherings gives us an opportunity to educate our friends and extended family about raising cattle with why we manage cattle a particular way and current trends in beef production.  Everyone will have some interest since the cost of beef has been noticed by most consumers.  The two current topics below are what I consider to be important messages and many of the statistics are taken from Cattle Fax Updates.  We have done more with fewer cows for several decades but we may be at the tipping point for the beef cow herd.

Technology is good and it will drive efficiency.  Beef today is not “Franken Food”

Look around any room and compare the advancement in electronic and cell phone technology to technological advancement in agriculture and beef cattle production.  The first computers were massive central processing units that filled rooms.  The technology advanced quickly into desk top units, then laptops, tablets and now smart phones.  Most consumers do not fear their phone.

Technology used in animal agriculture is not as threatening to the general population when discussed in this context.  Today the beef industry produces more beef with fewer animals.  The total cow herd has been on decline since the late 1970s; however, since 1980 more beef has been harvested each year from fewer animals.   

The smart phone is the result of many individual advancements and the improvement in beef production is a result of many factors.  When consumers realize this additive effect they are less apt to believe scare tactics of some anti-agriculture groups that want to portray modern food as a science project gone bad.  Explain the improvements in breeding programs, nutrition, animal health and management programs to produce a safe and wholesome product. Most cow calf producers can show a picture of a cow with a calf on pasture with pride and confidence that this is a true representation of their part of the beef industry.  Our next steps are to explain how that cow is the result of three generations of selective breeding for the traits THEY want and then explain how the calf will be feed a diet that is better balanced than their own diet and at times that calf may be fed antibiotics to keep it healthy and other feed additives for improved feed efficiency.  However, we need to remember to relate this back to what most consumers consider important: safe, affordable food and humane animal care.

The Beef Cow Herd is at a Tipping Point.  Doing Less and Costing More with Fewer Cows.

Beef will cost more due to declining supplies.  Beef production has been maintained since 2010 due to higher finish weights and increased cow culling.  The average per capita consumption of beef is 56 pounds per person, which requires a cow herd of at least 31 million head.  Due to two consecutive years of drought, the cow herd is expected to be near 29 million head in 2013.  With the high cost of gain in the feed lot, it is unrealistic to expect a continuation of feeding to larger weights unless beef prices increase.  There will be fewer heifers in the feedlot.  In recent years, the heifer placement in feedlots has been in the 35-39% range.  It will require 5-6 million heifers to grow the cow herd and this will further decrease the beef supply.

For this Holiday Season, you can proudly discuss the history of the beef industry and take credit for many of the efficiencies and the advancements in food safety.  Cost will be brought up and relating it back to the current cow herd situation is another way to help explain how using technology is a good thing.  This topic may be less controversial than debating the results of the election.  

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.

As we all know, hay is in short supply this year due to drought. Feed costs represent 40 to 60% of the total budget for a cattle operation. Of this, hay represents a sizable proportion. Your choice of hay feeder design can significantly influence how much hay is wasted and thus your total feed costs.

Researchers at Oklahoma State compared four common types of hay feeders. These were the modified cone (CONE), the open-bottomed steel ring (RING), polyethylene pipe (POLY) and the sheeted-bottom steel ring (SHEET).  Table 1 (see below) outlines the results. Modified cone hay feeders (See Figure 1) were by far the most efficient means to feed hay to cattle. 

Table 1.  Comparative hay wastage in four hay feeder designs. Oklahoma State University

Water is a vital nutrient that we take for granted. We assume that if water is available, we’ve taken care of that requirement. However, there are a number of factors that can negatively affect water quality and livestock performance. So far we’ve talked about cyanobacteria and nitrates. This time, I’ll cover sulfates.

Rumen microbes need sulfur for growth and metabolism. Sulfur is needed to make sulfur-containing amino acids (methionine, cysteine and homocysteine) as well as thiamine and biotin. However when excessive amounts of sulfur are present (greater than the ability of the rumen microbes to utilize it), the excess sulfur is absorbed into the bloodstream as sulfides. As sulfate level in the total diet increases, from water, feed and/or forage, the level of sulfide in the rumen increases. This can cause a number of problems.

Sulfides in the body can lead to necrosis of neural tissues. This is thought to be the primary cause of polioencephalomalacia (PEM).  In addition, some sulfur-compounds can destroy thiamine activity. Additionally, sulfides interfere with trace mineral availability. The sulfides bind with copper in the rumen making it insoluble, thus increasing copper requirements for ruminants. Selenium utilization by livestock is antagonized by high sulfates, by increasing the excretion of selenium. Sulfur also negatively interacts with zinc and calcium absorption.

So when do you need to be concerned about sulfates in water? Testing is the only way to determine the safety of your water source. Signs of a sulfate related problem will change with the level of sulfates in water as shown in the table below.

Sulfate level in water

1,500 – 2,000 ppm           Reduced water intake, diarrhea, decreased performance

2,000 – 2,500 ppm           Maximum tolerated intake (provided feed level is low)

3,000 ppm and over         Reduced feed intake, weight gain, possible water rejection, PEM,

                                           possible death

Cattle can be acclimated to tolerate higher levels of sulfates in water. Diluting high sulfate water with low sulfate water is a good option for newly received cattle. The upper limit for calves is 500 ppm sulfates and 1000 ppm for adult cattle. Sulfate/sulfur levels of the feed that cattle consume also needs to be taken into consideration as they will compound each other, just like nitrates. Sulfur intakes of 0.3% of diet dry matter or less are considered safe for all classes of cattle. Cattle on forage based diets have been able to safely tolerate as much as 0.5% of dry matter intake.

In summary, excess sulfur in water is a hazard to cattle. Testing is the best way to know where sulfate levels are for water and feeds. Contact your county extension service for advice on proper sampling techniques and testing options.

Cows grazing cornstalks, it’s a common practice in the Midwest, albeit some information is being written about it as though it was a new practice.  It isn’t. However much has been learned with more recent research data and the ability to efficiently utilize this resource has improved with different strategies.  This season, with the drought conditions plaguing a large area of beef cattle production, grazing not only cornstalks but other crop residue will have a new value component.

What’s in the Residue?

Corn Residue or Cornstalks do provide an abundant source of forage.  In Nebraska and other states of the Western Corn belt, it’s been called our winter pasture.  Corn residue is composed of the husk, leaf, stem, and cob and waste grain left in the field after harvesting.  The stem or stalk portion of the residue comprises nearly 40% of the dry matter, while the leaf and husk comprise about 45%, and cob about 10-15%.  All of these components will vary in nutritional quality and digestibility and most attention should be given to the husk and leaf portion; which is what will provide the majority of the diet based on grazing management and diet selection of the animal.  Thus, husk and leaf is about 60% digestible (based on in-vitro dry matter digestibility data) and will average about 3.5 -7.5% crude protein.  Comparatively, cornstalk grazing is similar in quality as moderate to low quality hay.

What’s Grazed and When?

Most cornstalk grazing management recommends a 50% removal of the residue.  When cattle are first turned into fields for grazing, they seek out waste corn first, then the husk and leaves.  The stalks are normally the last components to be grazed and are lowest in quality.  The amount of waste corn is variable due to harvest efficiency, ear drop caused by weather damage or other factors.  A general rule is the amount of waste corn will average near 4% of the total dry matter available.  If a great deal of waste corn is present (more than 8-10 bushel/acre) the risk of acidosis may be a concern, especially if the stocking rate is low.  Having some waste corn in the residue does improve overall diet quality and digestibility, but this quality disappears quickly over time and is hastened by stocking rate.  The diagram below illustrates this decrease in in-vitro dry matter digestibility as grazing days prolong.

Determining Stocking Rate

Appropriate stocking rate is related to the corn grain yield. A general rule is that 175 bushel per acre corn yield would supply about 1.5 AUM/acre of grazing; about 45 days of grazing for a 1200 lb. cow. [1]  Grazing at 1 AUM per acre would be considered a light stocking rate and 2 AUM would be considered heavy.    There is a free spreadsheet named “Corn Stalk Calculator” available through the University of Nebraska Extension Service.  This spreadsheet can help calculate stocking rate, days of grazing, and total grazing cost.  It can be found at www.unl.beef.edu.   This is very handy to use and would be a good guide this year as corn yields under 175 bushel per acre are more common with the drought.  Past stocking rates will probably not be a good guideline this season.

Supplementation Needs

When evaluating the protein and digestibility values of various corn residue components, a convincing argument can be made for supplementation, especially protein.  Quality of cornstalk grazing will be determined by stocking rate.  The higher the stocking rate the faster the “goody” found in cornstalk grazing will be used up.  Thus, the longer cows are grazed cornstalks in the same field, the lower the quality of their diet.   There have been recent and ongoing studies evaluating the need for supplementation with cornstalk grazing.   It would appear that with appropriate stocking rates, minimal weather challenges and a not so demanding stage of animal production ( 2nd trimester of gestation), mature beef cows would maintain Body Condition without protein or energy supplementation.  I would caution the readers of that research to consider many things as it’s also shown that by supplementing on cornstalks, Body Condition can be gained.  Mineral, vitamin and salt supplementation is also still necessary.

 The 2012-2013 season is one where we will find many drought stressed cows and gaining a condition score in October, November and December will be a good thing, much better than just maintaining.  In addition, with limited forage supplies, the use of cornstalk grazing or feeding cornstalks in many rations will be increased.    As a cow-calf producer, one may be tempted to graze stalks a little longer or utilize more than the 50% recommended, simply due to the cost of forage.  So with this in mind, supplementation is and will be warranted to best utilize the forage available.  Crystalyx^® has many good answers in products ranging from 20-40% crude protein.   Consider these, and ones with a small portion of the protein from non-protein nitrogen (urea) to best utilize the fiber.

 Nitrate, Mycotoxin, and Acidosis Concerns

Nitrates have been a concern in drought stressed corn.  The good news is that most nitrate concentration in corn is found in the lower portion of the stem/stalk.  Again, this would be the last component of the residue cattle would graze so avoiding nitrates is relatively easy with proper management and not over grazing.   Similarly, with mycotoxins, the concern is in the corn grain fraction which, in most cornstalk grazing, is not a significant portion of the diet.  Again, if more that 8-10 bushels per acre are determined to be wasted, acidosis may be a concern.  In this case, management can help by cleaning up spilled areas of corn grain, strip grazing cornstalks (if practical), or simply increasing the stocking rate which removes the corn grain sooner and by a larger number of animals.

Cost of Cornstalk Grazing?

The numbers are all over the board.  Here in Western Nebraska, the rates may have doubled in the last two years.  Crop and hay values, coupled with drought and limited forage, have driven this.  Cornstalks may not be the bargain they once were but still are a good value; even at $25.00 an acre, which is the asking price in many areas, it’s less than many summer grazing rates.  Again, this number will vary from free for “Aunt Betty’s north quarter”, to as high as $50 or more by some exaggeration of coffee shop talk.  What it is worth, is what’s paid for it.  Thank goodness we have some cornstalk grazing this year

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[1] Calculation based on 175 bushel per acre yield = approx. 16 lbs. of residue material, 50% of which is available for grazing.  50% X (16X175) = 1400 lbs. of DM available.  A 1000 lb. cow = 1 AUM and requires 780 lbs. of DM/month.  1200 lb. cow = 1.2 AUM or 936 lbs. of DM/month.   (1400)/ (1.2 X 780) = 1.50 AUM.

Water is a vital nutrient that we take for granted. We assume that if there’s water available for the livestock that we’ve taken care of that requirement. However, there are a number of factors that can negatively affect water quality and livestock performance. Earlier I talked about an easily identifiable factor of water quality, cyanobacteria. This time, I’ll cover one you can’t see, nitrates.

Nitrates are utilized by rumen bacteria to produce ammonia. Nitrate/nitrite toxicity happens when higher than normal amounts of nitrates are consumed. This causes a build of nitrites in the rumen, which are absorbed into the bloodstream. Nitrites convert hemoglobin to methemoglobin, rendering it unable to transport oxygen. So the blood is able to transport much less oxygen.

Signs of nitrate toxicity include: chocolate colored blood, bluish or chocolate colored mucus membranes, difficulty breathing, noisy breathing, salivation, tremors and staggering. Unfortunately the first sign of a problem is a dead animal as symptoms can appear 30 minutes to 4 hours after ingestion. If you suspect nitrate poisoning, it’s important to call your veterinarian immediately and tell them what you suspect. Nitrate poisoning is treatable, but only if your veterinarian is prepared. A quick way to check a suspect animal is to give it a small cut and check the blood color.

All water sources have the potential to contain nitrates. Nitrate sources include run off from heavily fertilized (manure, commercial fertilizer, human waste) fields and pastures as well as decomposing organic matter. Surface water sources such as stock damns, ponds, ditches and poorly sealed, shallow wells are more likely to have higher nitrate levels, due to run off. Evaporation of stock dams, ponds, etc. without replenishing the water level will concentrate the level of nitrates.

Nitrate levels in water and forage can have an accumulative effect in the rumen. Testing water sources, and forages, is the only way to know what the total nitrate level is. Nitrate levels can be reported as either nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N) or nitrate (NO₃). Your county extension service can assist you with proper testing techniques as well as interpreting the results.

NO₃-N in water

• 0-100 ppm           Safe
• 101-300 ppm      Use with caution, consider level in feed
• >301 ppm            Potentially toxic

NO₃ in water

• 0-440 ppm           Safe
• 441-1300 ppm    Use with caution, consider level in feed
• >1301 ppm          Potentially toxic

Maximizing Rumen Bacterial Growth and Forage Digestion

Several recent Block Blogs have discussed various aspect of feeding cattle to get the most out of the available forage.  Mark Robbins discussed the use of Non-Protein Nitrogen and Dan Dhuyvetter reviewed how a natural brown seaweed meal called Tasco^® and how they impact forage digestibility through improved rumen function.  If we examine rumen function at the microbial level we get a better understanding of how nutrient and additive delivery through a low moisture block (LMB) self-fed supplement like CRYSTALYX^® can dramatically improve fiber digestibility.    

Rumen Microbial Populations and Rumen pH

The rumen is a large fermentation vat, with a total volume of 40-50 gallons for a 1500 pound beef cow. The rumen provides a site where billions of rumen microorganisms can digest carbohydrate, proteins and fiber.  These microbes convert feedstuffs into energy in for the form of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and microbial protein that can be utilized by the animal. Rumen bacteria can be grouped into different categories depending on the material they digest.  It is estimated, there are over 100 billion bacteria in the rumen.  Protozoa and rumen fungi (yeast) make up the remaining microbial population. 

The microbes are very sensitive to rumen pH and nutrient supply.  At pH between 6 and 7 the VFAs produced are acetate (50-65%), propionate (18-20%) and a small amount of butyric acid (10-18%).  Acetate and butyric acid is utilized for body fat and milk fat synthesis.  Propionate is utilized to maintain blood glucose levels.   A small amount of butyric acid is used as an energy source for the cells lining the rumen wall.  At pH 6 to 7 and the resulting VFAs provides an optimal amount of energy and microbial protein to the cow.  The predominate bacteria are the fiber digesters.   Rumen pH below 5.8 will shift the microbial population from primary fiber digesters to starch digesters.  These microbes will produce lactic acid.  The amount of feed and how quickly it is consumed will impact rumen pH.  Feeds high in starch will result in rapid fermentation and a subsequent drop in pH.  In general, as the forage to concentrate ratio decreases, the acetate to propionate ratio drops.  If pH drops below 5.5 there is a risk of acidosis due to the accumulation of lactic acid.  The bacteria that digest fiber die and it can be several days before their numbers return to normal levels.  The rumen is in a constant flux and maintaining a balance of the microbial population is critical to maximizing forage digestion. 

Rumination and the Benefit of Saliva

Cows that are chewing their “cud” for 8-10 hours per day will recirculate about 45 gallons of saliva.    Cattle are great at recycling.  The saliva is composed on sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate ions.  These minerals are recycled back to the rumen and act as a powerful natural buffer helping maintain a consistent rumen pH.  Saliva also helps make the cow more efficient in nitrogen metabolism.  As proteins are broken down in the rumen ammonia is produced.  Fiber digesting bacteria require a certain level of nitrogen available in the rumen as ammonia.  When there is excess nitrogen in the rumen it is absorbed and recalculated through the saliva.  In general, as the level of grain in the diet is increased, the amount of rumination and saliva produced is decreased which can result in the rumen function being less efficient due to the loss the natural recycling of buffer and ammonia.  LMB supplements will stimulate saliva production due to the licking action need to consume them.   There is an enhancement in rumen function beyond just the nutrients that the LMB supplies.

Nutrient Deliver Impact on Net Nutrient Availability

Feedstuffs are analyzed for energy and crude protein content.  These are lab methods that estimate nutrient content based on chemical analysis. However, the true nutrient value is what the cow is able to digest.  We often think of corn as an energy source, but research has shown that 3 pounds of corn fed in a diet of low quality forage resulted in reduced fiber digestion compared to 1 pound of LMB.  The sugars in the LMB do not lower pH like the starch in corn and are consumed over a longer time frame.  The net result of corn diet was less energy being made available to the animal due to lower forage digestion.  On paper, the nutrient analysis of the hay in the diet was the same for the corn and LMB treatment.  However, the amount of nutrients metabolized from the forage was much higher for the LMB treatment.

In practical terms, the energy content of forage is more dependent on how it is fed and the other ingredients in the diet than what the lab reported energy content.  We have seen instances where one farm will have exceptional animal performance and another farm with very similar forage will have poor animal performance.  If we look at digestion at the microbial level we are able to explain some of these differences.  Were there different methods of feeding and what were the other ingredients in the diet?  Often a nutritionist or cattle producer will doubt the benefit of delivering 0.5 to 1.0 pound of a LMB supplement.  CRYSTALYX^® offers a wide variety of self-fed supplements for a variety of forage quality and feeding situations.  At the rumen microbial level, a consistent supply of rumen friendly carbohydrate and protein and a stable rumen pH can result in optimal performance and maximizing your forage.    

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.

We are still a long way off from knowing the final effects of the most widespread drought in the United States in more than 50 years. Given current market volatility and fears of feed shortages, it only makes sense to do everything in your power to make the most of available feedstuffs. Below are a list of tips that can help you make the most efficient use of available feed.

1.      Reduce the amount of wasted forages.

You can do this by utilizing more efficient methods to feed hay (for instance use of a hay ring instead of a free-standing round bale).  Another method to reduce waste is use of CRYSTALYX^® brand supplements to draw livestock into underutilized areas of pasture to assure maximum grazing coverage.  Additionally, studies have shown that use of CRYSTALYX^® brand supplements helps rumen microbes more efficiently utilize available forages. 

2.      Treat all animals for parasites.

Now is the time to get aggressive in ridding your animals of both internal and external parasites.  Deworm, treat for coccidia and maintain adequate fly and tick control (see Figure 1). You want to make sure that available forages, feeds and supplements go toward supporting your livestock, not parasites.

3.     Have all hay forage tested.

This relatively inexpensive tool will allow you to better allocate available hay to the animals that need it the most. By knowing the nutritional value of available hay, you will be able to make more informed buying decisions when it comes to purchase of supplemental feedstuffs. Contact your local Cooperative Extension agent or feed store employee for more information about forage testing services.

4.      Cull unproductive animals.

If she didn’t give you a calf/kid/lamb this year, now is not the time to give her “one more chance”.  Don’t carry livestock that don’t fit into your genetic parameters. Better to use available feed resources to support superior genetics than to keep mediocre breeding animals.

5.     Use high quality mineral supplements to fill gaps created by commodity feedstuffs.                                                                    

Tight feed markets are going to increase use of “opportunity feeds”. These are the commodity items that you’ve probably not used in the past but are tempted to use now based on availability, price or both.  One of the downsides of utilizing these types of feedstuffs is that while they may contain very high levels of one or more nutrients (i.e. protein), they lack other key nutrients (i.e. trace minerals) and are not balanced. Without the benefit of a high quality supplement, like one of the CRYSTALYX^® Breed-Up^® supplements, to offset potential imbalances, production is likely to suffer in the long run.  Fall and winter are critical times in the production cycle, as most livestock are pregnant. Proper mineral and vitamin nutrition directly affects the developing calf/kid/lamb as well as the dam’s ability to rebreed in a timely manner.

Figure 1.  Each horn fly feeds on the host 10 to 38 times per day. Excessive horn fly infestations tax cattle already stressed by heat and limited feed resources and result in lowered milk production, reduced growth and lowered reproductive efficiency.

2012 has been a tough year for many in our business so far.  The negatives of the drought and its effect on the industry continue to make headlines.  In times such as these I find it important to remind customers, prospects and fellow colleagues of the basic fundamentals of CRYSTALYX^® supplement programs.  During opportune or inopportune times (depending on how you see the glass as ½ full or empty), a lot of producers and sales people study alternatives which means there are new people looking at CRYSTALYX^® programs.

I’ve been fortunate over the years to work with a lot of good sales people and producers in the field of Animal Nutrition and have learned a great deal from the many professionals in our industry.   Whether you are a rancher, farmer, feed professional or involved at any other level of food production in the U.S., you’ve had to learn basic fundamentals of your business and practice them to be successful.  Below I’ve listed what I consider to be three fundamental reasons CRYSTALYX^® is successful, and made reference to some past research.  Much of these areas have been discussed in more detail in past blogs here on www.crystalyx.com. 

CRYSTALYX^® Fundamental Number 1:  Forage utilization

The word supplement means to improve, help, or make better.  This is what CRYSTALYX^® does for forage, especially low quality forages.  What 0.75 pounds of  CRYSTALYX^®  does to stimulate fiber digestibility, increase rate of passage, and improve rumen microbial activity and turnover is classic in terms of what protein supplementation does for utilization of low quality forages.  This is supplement strategy.  The benefits are greater intake of the forage fraction of the diet; which means more energy intake all because of a little protein supplement.  Nutritionists call this Positive Associative Effects.  A Cowman calls it better feed efficiency and the cow herself will call it maintaining Body Condition.   One CRYSTALYX^®  study conducted at Kansas State Univ. in 1997 measured a 19% increase in dry matter intake which translated to a 26% increase in digestible energy intake of steers on low quality forage (< 6% Crude Protein and >70% neutral detergent fiber).  Again, in cow language, this is more energy from low quality forages.  With the ongoing drought, high forage cost and a limited supply, every stem of fiber is important.  

Crystalyx Fundamental Number 2:  Predictable Intake for the ideal delivery mechanism of self-fed supplements

Have you ever heard the adage, “A supplement is only as good as it is consumed?”  CRYSTALYX^® being a molasses based supplement is very palatable and cattle will seek it out and consume it consistently on a daily basis.  Research has proven it’s a great tool to use in attracting cattle to underutilized rangeland/pastureland (when placed farther from water or in difficult terrain) and that cattle prefer CRYSTALYX^® over salt and dry mineral when given the choice.  Consistent intake makes CRYSTALYX^® an attractive supplement in managing costs, and in offering supplemental additives such as feed through fly control compounds (Altosid^® or Rabon^® Oral Larvacide) or the Ionophore Bovatec^® for improved feed efficiency.  In addition to consistent intake, CRYSTALYX^® is fed with virtually no waste and very low time and labor inputs.

Fundamental No. 3 -- Herd health and Productivity

More recent research and production applications with weaning/receiving beef cattle and in dairy production have shown the health benefits of CRYSTALYX^®.  When animals are stressed they don’t eat as well putting them at risk for immune suppression, disease and poor performance.  It has been well noted that when CRYSTALYX^® Brigade^® for beef cattle or Transition Stress Formula™ for dry and fresh dairy cows has been fed, a positive intake of the basal diet dry matter occurs.  CRYSTALYX^® does not replace anything in the basal diet but it will provide important nutrients during stress periods and can help stimulate appetite.  It only makes sense that when cattle consume feed better there is less sickness, less death loss, and more efficient performance.

These are some of the fundamental features and benefits of CRYSTALYX^® programs.  With better forage utilization, consistent intake, and positive health benefits, CRYSTALYX^® performs.   Its reputation and success would not have lasted over 30 years if it didn’t.  Mother Nature always has challenges for beef producers and 2012 is obviously no different.  Put CRYSTALYX^® to work in your herd and help manage the fundamentals of your business.  

When in a drought situation, thoughts turn immediately to pastures. However water quality can drop off just as quickly during extended periods of hot, dry weather. Water is often the forgotten nutrient. We take it for granted that if there’s water available in the pen or pasture, that the livestock are set.

Following hot, dry, still days, you’ll see ponds, stock dams and a few water tanks with a layer of scum or be completely green in color. This scum/green color is blue-green algae, photosynthetic bacteria also known as cyanobacteria. As the water temperature rises, the cyanobacteria will bloom, causing the noticeable changes. Drought conditions increase the likelihood of a bloom. This year couples low water levels with high temperatures making ideal conditions for cyanobacteria.

photo from: http://ks.water.usgu.gov/studies/qw/cyanobacteria. 

Cyanobacterial blooms are harmful to livestock. As the cyanobacteria grow, they store toxins, which are released in the water when they die. There are 2 types of toxins that are associated with blooms, neurotoxin and hepatotoxin. Neurotoxin poisoning is fast acting (15-20 min) and ultimately ends in death. Hepatotoxin (liver) poisoning is much slower acting (a few hours to a day) and is survivable, but the animals will be chronic poor doers. Unfortunately dead animals are often the first sign that there is a problem with cyanobacteria.

However, the toxins are only half of the problem. This scummy, green water tastes and smells bad, which could cause livestock to avoid water altogether. If this is the only water source, livestock are then facing dehydration. When water intake drops off, so does dry matter intake and it’s a downhill slide with all production.

photo from: http://wacf.com. 

Fortunately there is a silver lining. There are several practices to prevent cyanobacteria; aeration, aquatic dyes, copper sulfate, straw mats and barley straw to name a few. Contact your local Cooperative Extension Service office for advice on the best prevention plan for your operation.

Hay is going to be more valuable than ever this year in light of the drought. For this reason, it is critical to maximize usable hay. Round bales are a popular means to harvest hay in many parts of the country. Proper round bale storage can make or break you. If your current storage method is allowing several inches of bale to rot, you might be surprised at how much hay is being wasted. The outer 4 to 6 inches, where most losses occur, make up a large percentage of the bale as shown in Table 1.

Amount of loss depends on several factors including storage method, length of storage, rainfall, bale density and size. Changing the method of storage is the most practical way to decrease hay loss. Table 2 gives average losses for different storage methods.

Hay tarps are an attractive option for many producers because of low initial cost. They are especially popular for hay storage on rented land. Tarps come in many different sizes. Bales size and stacking method will determine tarp size needed and how many bales will fit under one tarp. Hay tarp prices range from $150 to $300 and tend to last from 1 to 5 years. Even if resources do not permit the use of a tarp, several changes can still be made to reduce storage losses outside. 

• Select a well drained area
  

• Get bales off the ground by using rock, poles, tires or pallets

• Do not store under trees
  

• Tightly place bales end to end in a north­-south row
  

• Leave at least 3 ft between rows

• Use individual bale wraps or bonnets

In summary, proper hay storage will reduce overall losses and reduce feeding costs. Make necessary storage changes now to maximize the amount of hay available later. CRYSTALYX^® offers a complete line of economical protein and mineral/vitamin supplements ideal for augmenting stored hay for all types of livestock. For more information about these products and how they can fit into your current management system, contact your local CRYSTALYX^® representative or visit www.crystalyx.com.

Adapted from Univ. of Tennessee publication P&SS Info#300

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.

USDA’s Weekly Crop Condition Report includes pasture conditions for each state.  Pasture conditions are currently as poor for this time of year as seen in the last 16 years.  The data for the whole US and selected states in cattle country are listed below.  Some of the drier and warmer months of the grazing season are still to come and expectations are that pasture conditions will continue to decline. 

USDA Pasture Condition Report, June 17, 2012

Several management factors related to stocking rate need to be considered to address the declining pasture conditions, such as cow body condition, creep feeding and supplementation strategy.  With some modifications we can extend days to graze and delay the need to begin hay feeding.

Cow Body Condition

We hope to have cows in a body condition score of 6 or greater going into the late fall and winter feeding season.  It is much more economical to add condition now as compared to later in the winter.  The CRYSTALYX^® Body Condition Score App is a great tool that creates a pictorial record of individual cow’s body condition. The app is available for both the iPhone and Droid operating systems.  We would expect cows to be adding condition after peak milk production.  Use the Body Condition App to create a record today that can be evaluated again in 30 days.  If cows have not added condition or worse yet, lost body condition, we need to make some adjustments.  

To find out more information in regards to the CRYSTALYX^® Body Condition Score app please click the link below.

http://www.crystalyx.com/news/

Creep Feeding

Creep feed has increased in cost compared to historical prices, but the economic return in added calf weight has never been greater.  Pasture carrying capacity and cow body condition can be improved by utilizing a creep program.  These factors in addition to added calf weight make the economics of creep extremely positive.  Calves on creep will rely less on pasture and mother’s milk.  This takes the nutrient demand off the cow for milk production and can provide more pasture to meet her needs for body condition.

Stocking Rate and Early Weaning

Matching stocking rate of a pasture to the forage production is a key management tool.  This year may be a time when we evaluate this relationship more often.  Moving some cows to other pasture, crop residue or grazing non-traditional forage will help extend the grazing season.  In some areas with the worst pasture condition, we may need to consider early weaning or herd reduction.

Matching Supplement Strategy with Pasture Condition

We have not been able to say the weather has been normal for several years.  That was the case last year in western Minnesota.  Normally July is a very dry month, but some timely rains helped maintain pasture productivity.  However, August turned hot and dry which caused pasture quality to drop rapidly.  As forages mature the protein content declines, fiber content increases and energy content decreases.  Experience and research have shown a positive response to protein supplementation of low quality forage.  Working with a producer in the Holland MN area, we were able to take pasture samples and determine when to change from a mineral type supplement such as Mineral-Lyx ™ to a protein type supplement such as BGF-30™.  This change improved the forage digestibility of the maturing grass.  Cows continued to improve body condition and the producer was able to continue grazing this pasture through the season.

Pastures that are rated as Good to Excellent are the lowest for this time of year as anytime in recent history.  There are several things that can be done to ensure a profitable calf crop this year and getting cows back in proper body condition for a successful calving and breeding season next year.  Monitoring pasture condition, creep feeding, adjusting stocking rate and supplement strategy are items that need to be evaluated often as the summer progresses.

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.

Your largest feed expense is stored forage.  Your hay and silage is worth more than ever before.  Efforts to improve your management of forage storage will result in a good return on your investment. 

What is the New Normal for forage cost?  The average hay price has increased for all hay types.  Fair quality grass hay is $120 - $150 per ton and premium quality alfalfa hay is $200 - $300 per ton.  Current corn price dictates that corn silage should be valued at $60 to $70 per ton.  There are several reasons for increased forage cost listed below. 

*2012 was the smallest hay crop in 22 years

*the conversion of hay and pasture to row crops

*increased demand for hay in the southwest and southeast

*high corn price equates to high corn silage cost

*increasing harvest cost due to high fuel cost

USDA estimates that forage DM loss can be as high as 50% under the poorest conditions.  From what I observe on many farms and ranches, we commonly accept 15% to 20% DM loss as acceptable and normal.  We are at a New Normal with all aspects of livestock production, and at current forage costs, we need a New Normal in what we accept for DM loss.  Evaluate these 3 areas in your forage program to reduce DM loss in your hay and silage.

1. In-Field Loss
2. Harvest and Storage Loss
3. Feed out losses

Decreasing the amount of dry matter loss associated with hay and silage can greatly improve your income potential.  Where can DM loss occur and what is the benefit of using a preservative?

Not all forage treatment products are created equal.  Preservatives are generally considered to be chemical products and often used on dry hay.  Their main mode of action is changing the environment in the hay bale or silage.  The most common preservatives are organic acids such as propionic, acetic and citric acids.  They are applied at 5-15 lbs. per ton depending on hay moisture.  The mode of action is lowering pH to inhibit spoilage organisms.  Preservative such as BulletProof^® uses oxygen scavenging technology to inhibit spoilage organisms.  It is applied at 2-3 lbs. per ton depending on hay moisture.  You need to consider application rate and total cost per treated ton of hay when making comparisons. 

The highest feed expenditure you have is your stored forage.  Using a preservative to reduce DM and nutrient loss will have a significant positive impact on your income over feed cost.  You will have more forage available and forage quality should be improved.

In one of his recent blogs, Dan Colling explained the “large” benefit that you can get from a “small” amount of protein supplement on dry or mature pastures.

This week I’d like to talk about another benefit of self-fed protein supplements. While this benefit of CRYSTALYX^® does impact the nutritional status of your herd, it is primarily a behavioral modification of your cattle.

We have known for years that cattle will seek out palatable supplements, and even salt, in pastures.  Research by Dr. Derek Bailey at Havre, MT, has actually quantified this effect. It shows low-moisture block (LMB) supplements, like CRYSTALYX^®, to be much more effective than salt alone at luring cattle to underutilized areas of pastures.

From the table below, we can see that grazing cattle spent a larger percentage of their total time within 100, 400 and 600 yards of LMB (CRYSTALYX^®) and salt than just salt alone. This difference was found to be statistically significant.

During periods of drought, or when grasses naturally mature (as with stockpiled forage) CRYSTALYX^®  can offer you two distinct advantages:

1.) It can increase the digestibility of a low quality forage

2.) It will lure your cattle to the underutilized areas of a pasture where they may not normally travel to. 

During periods of drought, naturally occurring sources of water may dry up. This can leave many pastures with areas that cattle avoid due to lack of water. Research has shown cattle will travel over a mile from a water source, to consume CRYSTALYX^®. While the cattle are there, they will also graze the adjacent forage.

Does your current supplement multi-task? CRYSTALYX^® does. Put the CRYSTALYX^® benefits from nutrition and behavior to work for you.  

CRYSTALYX^® Brand self-fed supplements are an excellent way to maximize your returns from a supplement program that’s available 24/7, while minimizing your investment in time, labor and equipment.

The price we pay for the performance we get determines if there is a profit to be made. Prices of all inputs have gone up, some much more than others. Cattle cost more and pasture rents are higher. Pasturing methods and feed supplements we have historically used need to be evaluated to determine if the economics are still valid. Assuming you have adequate water, the amount and quality of available grass is the greatest determining factor of animal performance. 

No grass has the perfect balance of nutrients for any animal grazing it. We can improve the performance from any grass consumed with the proper trace mineral supplement.  As grass matures, a small amount of protein supplement can improve performance of the animal and the grass consumed. Grazing patterns can be influenced by trace mineral and protein supplement placement in order to improve pasture utilization.

If you utilized a distillers based program to maintain or grow calves over the late winter and early spring you needed a trace mineral supplement with high copper levels. And grass is almost always low in copper.  Copper is important in several of the animal’s biological systems so it should always be supplemented. Oklahoma State University research has shown that calves have an increased growth rate when provided a trace mineral supplement during grazing. And OSU has shown additional response when using a feed additive mixed with the balanced trace mineral mix.

Supplementing with one of the FDA approved feed additives such as Rumensin^®, Bovatec^®, or Gainpro^® is one of the easiest ways to improve gain on grass. It has been proven time and time again; any of these three can be used in many programs to improve gain from 0.14 to over 0.25 pounds per head per day. The cost to supplement these should be under 25 cents per pound of gain, which includes the cost of the trace mineral. 

So whether you own the cattle or are supplementing on a cost of gain, providing a mineral supplement with any of these three additives should make you more money.  There are also natural feed ingredients that have been shown to help with animal performance. Tasco^® is an organic feed ingredient approved by many Natural Beef Programs.

Fortunately, trace mineral supplements have not increased in price nearly as much as other inputs. The current cattle market means the response to mineral supplements and the performance improving additives they can contain is now worth more than ever.  Now is not the time to quit feeding trace minerals to “save money.” Consult with your Ridley feed supplier to determine the best options for your cattle and management situations.

Moisture levels still determine how much grass is available for us to graze. What we do to maximize the use of that grass is up to us.

As we near the end of the winter feeding period, sometimes we have to make tough choices regarding use of moldy hay. Horses and other non-ruminants are most susceptible to mold toxicity and should not be fed moldy hay except under the most dire situations.

Ruminants are protected to some extent because the rumen destroys most mycotoxins, but they are still susceptible to chronic symptoms, especially pregnant animals and those under stress.  We can all agree that feeding moldy hay is not most desirable, but what can you do if it is your only option?

The first strategy is to dilute the mold with “clean” feed. In the absence of good quality hay, high fiber feedstuffs such as soyhull pellets, dried distillers grains or baled corn stover can help your livestock eat less of the offending moldy hay. Another strategy is to inspect all hay and feed the worst hay to the least susceptible animals (mature male ruminants, open mature female ruminants). Another strategy is to use temporary fencing to take advantage of new spring growth in non-pasture areas to reduce reliance on hay. It also goes without saying that well-fed livestock that are not lacking in protein, energy, minerals or vitamins in their diet will be much more capable of withstanding a temporary encounter with mycotoxins than animals that are lacking.

Mold causes problems in two main ways, through spores or mycotoxins. Spores can cause respiratory problems when breathed in, especially for horses. Mycotoxins negatively affect a variety of systems in the body. Most molds are harmless and do not produce m

ycotoxins; however, when feeding moldly hay one must assume that mycotoxins could be present and watch carefully for the following symptoms:
    *reduced feed intake or feed refusal
    *diarrhea
    *lowered fertility and abortions
    *lethargy and increased morbidity
    *suppressed immune system leading to lack of response to medications and vaccinations

Have you faced a similar situation in your livestock operation this winter? If so, let us know how you dealt with it.