Heat stress in dairy cattle causes increased water intake, rapid respiration, elevated body temperature, altered hormone profiles and more. In other words, it’s bad, and it’s often devastating effects extend beyond the period of heat stress itself
Many feeders can become frustrated with their inability to achieve a consistent cattle feed intake in their cattle, and their apparent need to constantly adjust the amount of feed they deliver to a given pen of animals each day.
Many feeders can become frustrated with their inability to achieve a consistent cattle feed intake in their cattle, and their apparent need to constantly adjust the amount of feed they deliver to a given pen of animals each day.
The goal of a total mixed ration (TMR) is to make a uniform mix of all the ingredients in a ration such that each animal consumes its share of the ingredients in the intended proportions. This only works, however, if there is sufficient surface moisture in
The reproductive success of a beef cow-calf operation is built on its replacement heifer development and feeding programs. In an optimal system, replacement heifers are selected as calves at weaning. They must then grow at a minimal rate so they are ready to be bred and
Sitting here with the temperature outside still below freezing and the ground still well covered with snow, may seem early to think about the upcoming forage season. But it is a good time to consider the feed requirements for the coming year and plan any
The practice of feeding corn stover to beef cattle ranges from well-established to unknown across North America. Corn stover is the plant material or residue that remains after grain harvest. It consists of dropped ears and other lost grain, the husks and cobs, and the
Feedlot rations require special attention to ensure they are uniform throughout the TMR mixer before they are fed. Firstly, a single batch of feed is normally fed to multiple pens, creating the potential for pen-to-pen variation on top of the usual concern of within pen
The combination of unusually warm and dry conditions this summer has left areas of the Northern Plains in the US and Canadian Prairie with reduced and more costly forage supplies. In some cases, this will make feeding the beef herd more challenging and expensive this
When cattle are fed quality forages or mixed rations free-choice, changes in nutritional requirements associated with stage of production or weather are generally compensated for by the animal through a change in intake. When a TMR ration is fed, intake is normally adjusted by the