Week 8
Beef: Cow-Calf |
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Forages
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- Majority of Beef Production is from forages
- Forages are our primary source of
- Energy
- Protein
- Many Minerals and Vitamins
- In most cases we are supplementing our forages
- We also may act to enhance utilization of forages
Why Are Forages Important?
- We do have some beef produced, or a percentage of beef from concentrate
feeding.
- However, the majority of beef production arises from forages in the
U.S. and especially worldwide.
Maturity and Forage Quality
- As forage plants and(or) hays mature, “quality” declines
- CP and TDN decrease
- NDF increases
- ADF increases
- Estimate of digestibility
- Equals decreased digestibility and CP
Forage Quality and Intake
|
% of BW |
Low Quality |
1.5-2.0 |
Medium Quality |
2.0-2.5 |
High Quality |
2.5-3.0 |
Spring Range |
2.4-2.9 |
Summer Range |
1.8-2.4 |
Fall Range |
1.7-2.2 |
| Winter Range |
1.4-1.8 |
Beef Cow Requirements
|
% TDN |
%CP |
Mid-gestation |
44 |
6.3 |
60-90 days precalving |
48 |
7.0 |
Lactation (10 lbs) |
56 |
8.5 |
| Lactation (20
lbs) |
58 |
10.7 |
Maturity: CP & ADF
Maturity: CP & TDN
Crude Protein Content of Summer Range
Cow Gains During Summer Grazing
Calf Gains During Summer Grazing 
Summer Range
- Cows and calves weight gains are different
- Options for increasing ADG during end of gazing period
- Early weaning
- Supplementation
- Removal from summer range
- Creep feeding
Problems with Low Quality Forages
- If CP is less than 7% in diet, inadequate to maintain rumen function
- Energy in the forage is of little use without protein to stimulate
microbial fermentation
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