With the current price of calves, targeting high pregnancy rates should be a priority on any cow-calf operation. In addition to remaining pregnant, they must conceive early in the breeding season to maintain a 365-day calving interval and ensure a uniform calf crop. This will promote better returns for the weaned calves and profitability for the cow-calf operation.
Read Also
Shifting to the Sandhills calving system to cut scours in young beef calves
Cow-calf producers across North America face wide-ranging challenges each calving season but scours and neonatal diarrhea often top the list….
However, most producers know some years this can be easier said than done. We have heard many producers in Western Canada reporting very low conception rates in the past year, with 15 to 25 per cent of cows ending the breeding season open. Poor conception rates can be due to a variety of reasons, but it is likely poor cow nutrition due to the drought that has affected Western Canada in the last few years. Its effect on feed ingredient availability, quantity and quality is a main factor. How do we prevent this from happening in 2024?
The first step is developing a yearly feeding program for your operation that takes into consideration the different reproductive stages of the cow and consequently the cow’s nutrient requirements. Dividing the year into four periods (calving to conception, bred cow to weaning, post-weaned dry cow to the end of the second third of gestation, and the last third of the gestation period) can help ensure we design diets that target the cow’s nutritional needs at a specific time point, reducing feed costs.
The last third of the gestation and the first 90 days after calving are the periods where the cows have the greatest nutritional needs for energy, protein, minerals and vitamins. Making sure you “keep your foot on the gas” post-calving (see Dr. John McKinnon’s Nutrition column) will be important to get the cows cycling and promote high first-service conception rates. Barry Yaremcio has recently discussed the nutritional requirements of cows and changing feeding programs after calving.
There are a couple of important highlights that will affect the feeding program during this period. First, the common management strategy of late winter or early spring calving in Western Canada increases the need for supplementation after calving as high-quality forages/pastures are not yet available. Stubble fields will not meet the nutrient requirements of cows in that period as they are low in protein, high in fibre, and very low in energy content.
Second, weather patterns that create late spring and drought will also delay pasture regrowth and increase the need for supplementation of the herd. Producers should have a plan for supplementing not just concentrate but also forage/roughage during this time. Having a proper feed inventory with associated feed tests will help design a precise feeding program and help identify any feed ingredient shortages. If short on feed, the producer will have to consider purchasing additional feed until pasture is available or if it makes more sense, reducing herd size for the time being. Planning this feeding program and having backup strategies for when the weather (very often) does not co-operate is essential for preventing cows from paying the price by loss of body condition.
The next step to preventing drought and poorer feed quality from affecting reproductive rates is to keep cows in an adequate body condition score. Evaluating body condition score can be difficult and requires training. The Beef Cattle Research Council has some excellent materials on their website to help understand what it is and how best to do it. Ideally, you will put your hands on the cows as looks can be quite deceiving. Cows with a body condition score between three and 3.5 (scale one to five) will return to estrus and conceive earlier than cows with a body condition score lower than three.
After calving, a balanced diet will ensure cows don’t lose body condition to produce milk. At calving, cows that may have a lower body condition score than three will need extra supplementation to recover condition quickly and conceive in the breeding season. Special attention should be given to the first calvers, as they are still growing (need more nutrients), are not as aggressive/competitive on the bunk and a deficit of nutrients will delay their second pregnancy. After calving, these cows and the ones with low body condition scores should likely be grouped separately from the main cow herd so extra supplementation can be strategically given.
It is important to note that cows with low body condition scores at calving indicate feeding management errors in the previous year. Feeding to regain body condition score after calving is not very efficient. Ideally, a cow’s body condition score should be evaluated and corrected right after weaning, as that is the period of lowest nutrient requirement, and the diet fed will be used more efficiently to gain body condition, which means fewer dollars spent on feed.
One final point is how and where to feed the cows after calving. By this time, the snow is often melting, and it can get quite muddy, making it difficult to feed if we don’t have good facilities/structure. Additionally, we may not want to keep those cows confined due to the increased risk of scours for the calves. Investing in some portable feeders that can be moved every so often can help ensure we feed the cows in drier conditions and keep the calves in a clean and healthy environment.
As stated above, poor conception rates can be due to a variety of reasons (nutrition, infections, bull fertility, etc.) but working ahead of time with your veterinarian, nutritionist or extension agent to have well-designed long and short-term plans will pay off. A plan that simplifies the feeding program, makes it easier day-to-day (reducing workload), and meets the cows’ needs without added expenses is possible!
Credit: Source link