Tri-State Neighbor: South Dakota Farm Newspaper

Harvest has started and most farmers are busy in the fields. The weather is cooler and hopefully soon the flies will be gone too.

As cattle producers stockpile feedstuffs for winter feeding, it doesn't take much calculating to decide wintering costs could be very high. There are several strategies which will help producers decrease the cost of production.

Early in the fall and winter, producers must feed as much crop residue as possible. Grazing these areas before snow can be very beneficial. Most of our producers have found their cows gain a body condition score (BCS) in the months of October and November when the calves have been weaned and the cows are placed on cornstalks.

With the crop this year, the grazing should be great because it has been estimated that after harvest about half the feed energy remains in the field. Most corn fields should provide adequate nutrition for several months if producers allow 2-3 acres per cow.

Bean stubble should also be utilized for fall grazing. Once trained, cows will actually eat the beans and pods off the ground. The straw and dropped leaves will also be consumed. Soybeans are similar to alfalfa and contain a higher protein value than most residue crops. The beans are high in energy and provide excellent nutrition for the calf still in the cow's uterus. They add to the brown fat which is stored in a calf until delivery and give extra energy right after birth.

This fall, I have seen several producers reseeding short-season crops into the wheat stubbles to be used for fall grazing. Other producers have saved some re-growth pastures for late-season grazing. The longer producers avoid daily feeding of the herd while they maintain BCSs the more cost-effective a feeding program will be.

Many producers harvest or bale residues to mix with their hay and silage. Producers must remember it is always cheaper to have the cow harvest the crop herself by grazing than it is to harvest, move, store and feed the residue.

When blending forages it is best to grind the bales. Make separate piles of hay, cornstalks, bean straw, etc. rather than mixing everything into one large pile. This allows them to mix appropriately for the cows' needs to maintain BCS.

Straw is low in digestibility and usually leads to higher energy intakes which increases cost. Bunk feeding the mix, if possible, eliminates waste and avoids contamination with manure if cows are in tight paddocks.

Protein supplements may not be needed if producers have adequate quality alfalfa hay. Most producers find wheat straw fed a 75 percent on an as-fed basis with 25 percent alfalfa hay is adequate in the second trimester of pregnancy. Recent feed trials have found that protein supplements need not be fed on a daily basis, but may be fed on 2- to 3-day intervals.

Most producers over-feed energy in the cold of winter. It is best to increase BCS with energy when the weather is warm and not as much energy is needed for warmth. Good mineral supplementation is essential throughout the winter feeding period. If possible, they should add ionophores to the ration. This will decrease consumption while increasing the efficiency of feedstuffs.

This winter feed costs will be high. Careful monitoring of a cow's BCS, forage analysis and ration calculation will help bring costs into manageable levels. A veterinarian, feed consultant or Extension specialist can help keep the herd in optimum condition to insure the profitability of a cow/calf operation.

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