Cow Nutrition

Cow Nutrition

Bos Taurus vs Bos Indicus

  • ### Intensive System

    • Most efficient for young animals.

    • Timing of feeding:

    • Weaning: 240 days.

    • Yearlings: 120 days.

    • Increases gain and carcass characteristics.

    • Concerns include:

    • Acidosis.

    • Founder.

    • Liver abscesses.

    • Comparison with an extensive system, where animals catch up slower due to conditions.

Location of Bunk Line

  • Not in pen: Quickly becomes muddy and dirty.

  • Ensure enough bunk space:

    • Dominant animals may prevent weaker animals from eating.

The Weather

  • ### Windbreaks

    • Can utilize trees, bales, buildings, etc.

    • Protects from the wind, reducing snow accumulation.

  • ### Mud

    • Pulls heat from animals and costs energy.

    • Requires significant energy for cows to pull themselves out of mud.

Feedlot Management

  • Mound structures help keep animals out of mud, keeping them drier and warmer.

  • Bedding provides significant benefits:

    • Summer: reduces temperature, keeps cooler.

    • Winter: keeps animals drier and warmer.

  • Strategic Feedlot Bedding

    • Improved Average Daily Gain (ADG) when bedding is utilized; animals eat less.

    • Cheaper than purchasing additional feed.

  • Shade in Summer

    • Essential for cooling animals; excessive heat exposure can cause deaths.

Step-Up Rations

  • Gradually increase concentrates while lowering roughage to allow rumen adaptation.

Concerns in Feedlot Cattle

  • Limestone

    • Adds calcium and serves as a buffer.

    • Can prevent urinary calculi.

  • Feedlot Diet Composition

    • Majority consists of corn and forage.

    • Cellulolytic activity is essential for producing B vitamins, particularly Thiamine, which is necessary to avoid rapid pH drops.

    • Polioencephalomalacia (PEM)

    • Linked to low thiamine levels

  • Additives in Diets:

    • Heifers - MGA (Melengestrol Acetate)

    • Prevents cycling in heat, impacting feeding behavior.

    • Ionophores

    • Increase production of propionic acid.

    • Antibiotics

    • Administered at sub-therapeutic levels to reduce liver abscess incidence.

    • Buffers

    • Can be estrogenic, androgenic, or progestagenic; concerns include potential estrogen presence in meat. Phytoestrogens in many foods.

    • Implants

    • Impact on growth efficiency.

Cow Nutrition: Dairy Cows

  • Exam Details

    • Focus on small ruminants, beef, and dairy.

    • Important lab schedule outlined (first two weeks at beef center).

Calves and Milk Production

  • Calf Requirements

    • Must consume milk, dependent on having had a calf to induce lactation.

  • Cow Behavior

    • Stealing calves if they perceive themselves as needing more.

    • Historically, there was no market for dairy calves.

  • Dairy Breeds

    • Breeds include:

    • Holstein.

    • Jersey.

    • Guernsey.

    • Ayrshire.

    • Brown Swiss.

    • Milking Shorthorn.

Animal Genetics and Breeding

  • Red Holstein Genetics

    • Double recessive traits, issues of genetic preference for black and white.

  • Milk Production Record

    • Record set by a 14-year-old cow producing 123.61 L (32.66 gallons) per day.

    • Feed to milk ratio of 2.75-3.17 lb of feed per liter of milk.

Cow/Calf Nutrition

  • Management Practices and Key Points

    • Roughage management is crucial for beef cows.

    • Traditional practices may lead to overfeeding in late gestation and underfeeding during lactation.

    • Calving seasons influenced by culture and demand; need to balance nutrient availability across seasons.

Ruminant Nutrition Principles

  • Calving Season Management

    • Categories include:

    • Winter: calves born in January-February, wean by summer grazing.

    • Spring: calves born in March-April; benefits from winter nutrition.

    • Fall: calves born in September-October; reliance on summer pasture.

  • Animal Adaptation

    • Manage forage and supplements based on environment and conditions.

  • Breed Characteristics

    • Simmental (Bos Taurus): Early sexual maturity and good fertility.

    • Brahman (Bos Indicus): Heat tolerance and maternal efficiency.

    • Use crossbreeding for benefits like increased carcass size and heat tolerance.

Transition and Growth in Feeding

  • Provide adequate nitrogen due to rumen bacteria needs.

  • Importance of seasonal grass cycles and grazing practices.

Health Considerations in Ruminants

  • Broket Disease

    • Pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary edema, often related to high-altitude grazing.

  • Pap Test

    • Measurement of pulmonary arterial pressure via catheterization.

Dairy Cow Advances and Systems

  • Milking Technology

    • Use of robotic milking systems allows for cows to be milked without human intervention, increasing convenience.

    • Impact of diets on milk quality; New Zealand systems favor grass-fed without grain leading to unique milk characteristics.

    • Regulatory compliance in organic dairy systems.

Sheep Nutrition

  • Parasite Management

    • Challenges of managing sheep under harsh weather conditions.

  • Historical Context

    • Insights into sheep's roles and impacts; e.g., Navajo churro conservation efforts.

Nutritional Management of Small Ruminants

  • Importance of managing condition scores and feeding strategies to avoid obesity.

  • Use of exercise and varied feeding locations to promote health and prevent complications.

Conclusion

  • Focus on body condition scores and nutritional management throughout life stages is critical for optimal performance and reproduction in bovine and small ruminant systems.