December Preparation for the Cattle Herd

December for many cattle producers means much preparation for winterizing their herds. What is on your checklist for this month? Nutrition and winter feeding, body condition evaluation, and calving issues should all be on your list.

December is the perfect time to evaluate your cow’s body condition. Cows that will be calving should have a body condition score that is between 5 and 7. Cows that have scores of less than a 5 should be on a separate diet to condition them with adequate nutrition for calving. If feasible, separate your cows into production classes and feed according to their body condition score and production needs.

If you have not already started, prepare your winter feeding program for your cows. Hay and feed supplements are usually the most expensive in your budget. Evaluate your winter forage supply by determining lowest to highest quality hay. Mid pregnancy cows should receive the lowest quality of forages while late pregnancy cows should receive medium quality and the highest quality hay should be given to calves, lactating cattle, and replacement heifers. Cows should receive 25 to 30 pounds of hay per day.

Feeding corn silage is also a good way to make sure your cows stay at a healthy body condition score. Pregnant heifers and dry cows in mid pregnancy should receive 45 to 50 pounds of corn silage plus .75 pounds of soybean meal or cottonseed meal. Dry cows in late pregnancy should receive 50 to 55 pounds of corn silage and .75 pound of soybean meal while lactating cows should be given 60 to 80 pounds of silage and 1 to 2 pounds of soybean meal. Another important part of the feeding program that sometimes is neglected is the mineral mix. All cattle should receive a free choice balanced salt mineral mix. Also, avoid underfeeding heifers or cows to achieve decreased birth weights. Doing this could cause a longer pregnancy and reduction in calf survival. Research has proven that there is no difference in birth weights or calving ease in comparing cows that are underfed and cows that are fed adequate diets.

For many producers, winter marks the start of calving season. Be sure to check all facilities and equipment that will be used during calving. If calving pens are available they should be clean and dry. A warmer environment should be prepared just in case you have chilled calves. Make sure that all calving assistance equipment is in one location and in working order. Producers should have all of these calving supplies in a ‘calving kit’ to easily grab when a cow is calving. Be prepared to check your herd frequently and keep a close watch on first time calving heifers. These heifers should be moved into a smaller area so you will be able to check them more frequently.

Be sure to prepare your herd for the winter by evaluating your winter feeding program, body condition score your herd, and organize your calving kit. For further information on winter preparation for your cow/calf herd, contact your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office.

Photo courtesy of: lisa a. johnston | aeternus.com

Baxter Black Speaks About Beef Checkoff

Minimizing Equine Costs in Tough Times

According to some Equine Specialists, the annual cost of raising a horse could reach up to 1000 dollars or more. For some, 1000 to 2000 dollars is just not feasible in today’s tough times. Below are just a few ways to cut costs while still enjoying the pleasure of having a horse.

The largest cost of caring for a horse always seems to be the feed bill. Is your horse receiving grain, nutritional supplements, hay, and pasture or is the horse just on pasture? Evaluate your current feeding plan as well as your horse’s condition. If your horse is overweight, it might not have a balanced diet. Also the feeding plan is determined by the use of your horse, if it is a mature pleasure horse not being exercised frequently it requires approximately 20 to 50 percent less feed. Your best option is to simplify the feeding plan by evaluating each ingredient that is being consumed. Sometimes it is not necessary for your horse to consume both grain and hay. Grain tends to be much pricier than hay. Most horses do very well on just consuming hay or being out on the pasture. This could be a cost saving tactic as well as a much healthier option for your horse. Remember if you switch to a forage diet make sure you know the quality of hay they are eating. An easy way to determine your hay quality is to send a sample of your hay to a lab for testing. Once you find a high quality hay source, buy in bulk to lower your cost per bale.

Utilize your pastures when available. Pastures are a great option instead of feeding hay during the spring and summer months. Before you put your horses on your pasture, test the soil to see if you need to fertilize. Soil testing is important so you do not waste money putting extra fertilizer on your pastures or by putting it on soil with a low pH. Setting up a rotational grazing system will also be beneficial for your pastures, horses, and your pocket. Rotational grazing moves horses to different paddocks every few days. This is the most economical way to feed animals. Rotational grazing allows the pasture to rest and re-grow and in turn allow for quality pasture throughout the entire grazing season.

Another high cost are your veterinarian bills. It is necessary to have your veterinarian do a check up on your horse once a year to determine if it is good condition. This could reduce your bills throughout the entire year. Giving your horse vaccinations may also reduce your costs. A veterinarian can show you how to give a proper injection and save him a trip and you a large bill. You will still be able to purchase the proper vaccinations from your veterinarian or you can obtain them from an animal health store. Another option to reduce your bills is to take your horse to the veterinarian instead of having to pay for a farm visit.

It is very important that you perform daily care and maintenance for your horse. Be sure to check hooves, teeth, and change water buckets daily. Keeping the stable area dry and clean is also imperative for horse health. Remember it is less expensive to do preventative then emergency care.

Have you heard it?

Water 'n Poo a song sang by Will Gilmer, dairy farmer in Alabama, while he is spreading manure in his fields. He sings an educational song about the nutrient management cycle. Watch the video and learn more about the agriculture industry.

Hot Hay Prevention and Control

This past spring and summer the Berks County area experienced wet conditions and producers were challenged with small windows of time to bale hay at proper moisture levels for nutrition and safety. Frequent showers, constant cloudiness, and wet fields increase the risk of putting wet hay away in your barn, which may lead to hot hay or hay fires. Taking a few extra steps during hay season may significantly reduce the possibility of barn and hay fires.

Within the first two to six weeks after baling, hay is still curing, so spontaneous combustion is the most common. When the internal temperature of the hay rises above 140°F, the hay produces heat activated bacteria which, when combined with oxygen, causes spontaneous combustion.

Fires can take place both inside and outside in loose hay, small bales, large bales, or stacks. Wet hay or excessive moisture is the most common cause of hay fires. Stored small hay bales should have moisture content between 18 to 25 percent and large round bales should be lower at 14 to 18 percent. Even if you know you put your hay away dry, hay can become damp due to barn leaks, moisture from the ground, or high humidity. It is best to check your hay regularly. If you detect a distinct caramel odor or a musty smell, your hay is probably heating.

An easy way to check the temperature in the haystack is to insert a thermometer inside a probe to accurately determine the heat level. This can be made with a 10 foot pipe that is hammered together at one end to form a pointed dowel. Drill eight holes in the pipe about three inches above the dowel end. Connect a long rope to the thermometer and insert into the probe. Check hay temperature by inserting the probe from the top of the stack. Leave the probe in the hay for at least 10 minutes.

Watch for the following temperatures:

150°F Entering the Danger Zone.

Check temperature every two hours.

160°F Danger! Stacked hay should be dissembled to allow air flow to cool them down.

175°F Call the Fire Department! Have them onsite before moving the hay.

185°F Hot Spots and Pockets May be Expected. Flames will develop when heating hay comes in

contact with the air.

200°F Critical! Temperature rise is rapid above this point. Hay will almost certainly ignite.

Remove hay with fire department on site.

Caution: Before entering the hay, place long planks or a ladder on top of the stack. Do not walk on the hay itself. Pockets may have already burned out under the top surface. It is a good idea to tie a rope around your waist and have a second person on the other end in a safe location ready to pull you out should the surface of the hay collapse into a fire pocket.

Many farmers sprinkle salt on hay as it is stored, in an effort to prevent hay fires. However, tests have shown that salt has no effect on controlling spontaneous combustion. Dry ice, liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide gas pumped into the hay will prevent combustion by eliminating the oxygen from the hay mass.

Spontaneous combustion is not an accident. By following good storage practices, not only will spontaneous combustion by avoided, but a higher quality of hay will be obtained.

-Information collected from Cornell University Cooperative Extension, University of Tennessee, and Penn State University