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Cutting the Costs of Wintering, Growing & Finishing Cattle

Learn ways to reduce time and expenses in wintering, growing, and finishing cattle while maintaining optimal productivity. Explore strategies such as grazing perennial forage, utilizing plant protein, and comparing different feeding methods.

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Cutting the Costs of Wintering, Growing & Finishing Cattle

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  1. Cutting the Costs of Wintering, Growing & Finishing Cattle Scott Kronberg USDA-ARSNorthern Great Plains Research Lab Mandan, ND

  2. Most cattle producers are short on time and money. So why do they spend so much time and money to harvest, haul, and store feed then spend more time and money to feed cattle? Some spend more time and money to build and repair pens and scrape, haul and spread manure.

  3. Cattle have free time and don’t need money. So why not let them hustle more of their feed rather than provide it to them?

  4. Ideal Feed for Low Cost Cattle Growing & Finishing • Perennial forage (grass or legume) that is not seeded, fertilized or sprayed with herbicides yearly to maintain its productivity and that cattle can gain 2 – 3 lbs. per day while grazing it.

  5. Ideal Feed for Low Cost Cattle Growing & Finishing • In winter, perennial grasses (smooth brome, western wheatgrass, etc.) that was mature when winter began will likely provide enough energy but a little protein supplementation will likely be needed for bred (2nd or 3rd trimester) cows. • In summer, immature perennial grass &/or legumes should be sufficient for good productivity of lactating cows and calves, and gains of 2 – 3 lbs. per day for yearlings.

  6. Ideal Feed for Low Cost Cattle Growing and Finishing • Drawbacks of growing yearlings fast while grazing high quality perennial forage: • this is only possible during the growing season so the cattle production cycle has to coincide with it, and • challenging to use this strategy for the whole summer in the central and western Dakotas with less-than-ideal rainfall.

  7. Ideal Location for Wintering or Growing & Finishing Cattle • Pasture or field with wind breaks or other protection from high wind where their manure can be recycled without hauling and spreading. • Cost to move manure: ($30 per load of 17-20 tons plus $1 per mile after the first mile – custom rate).

  8. More Plant Protein may be Utilized by Cattle if Plants are Grazed • 90% of nitrogen in live alfalfa is true protein, but only 75% of nitrogen in alfalfa hay is true protein and only 45% of alfalfa haylage is true protein (the rest is NPN) • Non-protein nitrogen (NPN) breaks down rapidly in the rumen and much of it is absorbed as ammonia and excreted as urea in urine.

  9. Probably Next Best Feed for Low Cost Cattle Growing and Finishing • Annual forages that are grown using no-till techniques and in rotation to reduce fertilizer needs and are then grazed by cattle (yearlings gaining 2–3 lbs. per day). • Pros: lots of high quality forage to graze in good rainfall years. • Cons: Annual costs for seed, fertilizer, herbicide, fuel, labor, etc. and these costs are harder to justify with low rainfall.

  10. Comparison of Wintering Cows on Hay in Pens vs. Grazing Swathed Annuals • Corn, oat/pea and triticale/sweetclover were grown in rotation using no-till techniques. • Swaths of whole corn or the residue (straw and chaff) of oat/pea or triticale were offered to the cows using electric fencing to provide them new feed each day. • During cold weather, a supplement of oat, pea and triticale grain was offered to the cows grazing swaths. • Winter swath grazing had no adverse impact on middle-aged Hereford cows in their 2nd trimester of gestation during the trial in respect to their weight changes, body condition scores and reproductive performance. • Averaged over 3 years, it cost 49¢/cow/day to feed them with the swaths and supplement versus 73¢/cow/day to feed them grass hay. • Although cattle can graze swaths through up to 20” of snow, it may be necessary to drive on swaths if they are coated in ice.

  11. Comparison of Growing Cattle on Pastures or Fields vs. in Pens • Assume $1.00/head/day cost for 2.5 lbs/day ADG in feedlot ($0.40/lb gained) • Need to cover costs for: • labor to feed & manage cattle • feedlot pens • feed wagon (probably) • feed storage & processing • manure hauling & spreading

  12. Assumptions for Comparison • Producer has large tractor and no-till drill and is now trying to decide how to grow the yearling cattle he or she owns. • Producer has perennial grass pasture that can be used or leased for grazing. • Producer has cropland that can be used or leased to grow annuals or alfalfa.

  13. Growing while Grazing Grass • Cost: • Land cost = $15/acre • Total cost = $15/acre • Gross Return: • 4.76 acres/steer (stocking rate) • 105 days grazing x 2 lbs/day = 210 lbs gained/steer • 210 lbs x $1.01/lb for 1000 lb steer = $212.10/4.76 ac or $44.56/acre • 210 lbs/4.76 acre = 44.12 lbs/acre • Cost per lb of gain: • $15/acre ÷ 44.12 lbs/acre = $0.34/lb gained

  14. Growing while Grazing Alfalfa • Costs: • Seed = $28/acre ÷ 5 years (life of stand) = $5.60/acre/year • Herbicide = $4.50/acre (spraydown) ÷ 5 yrs = $0.90/ac/yr • Fertilizer = $17/acre (100 lbs/ac 11-52) ÷ 5 yrs = $3.40/ac/yr • Fuel cost = $29/acre (to seed & spray) ÷5 yrs = $5.80/ac/yr • Land cost = $25/acre/year • Total cost = $40.70/acre/year • Gross Return: • 1 acre/steer (stocking rate) • 90 days of grazing x 2 lbs/day = 180 lbs • 180 lbs x $1.01/lb for 1000 lb steer = $181.80/acre/year • Cost per lb of gain: • $38.10/acre ÷180 lbs/acre = $0.21/lb gained

  15. Preventing Bloat and Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency with Condensed Tannin • Condensed tannins are naturally occurring chemicals in many plants including the skins of grapes, which give red wine the red color and the astringent taste. • Forages like birdsfoot trefoil that contain condensed tannins don’t cause bloat. • We’re evaluating the possibility of putting small amounts of condensed tannin in stock water to allow cattle to graze alfalfa without bloating and to reduce their urine urea excretion.

  16. Growing while Grazing Annuals(oat/pea then proso millet/hairy vetch) • Costs: • Seed = $18.00/acre • Herbicide = $2.70/acre (spraydown) • Fertilizer = $16.00/acre (100 lbs/ac 11-52) • Fuel cost = $29.00/acre (to seed & spray) • Land cost = $25.00/acre • Total cost = $90.70/acre • Gross Return: • 1 acre/steer (stocking rate) • 90 days of grazing x 2.4 lbs/day = 216 lbs • 216 lbs x $1.01/lb for 1000 lb steer = $218.16/acre/year • Cost per lb of gain: • $90.70/acre ÷ 216 lbs/acre = $0.42/lb gained

  17. Comparison of Different Strategies for Growing Cattle* • Feedlot • Cost per lb gained - $0.40 (growing phase) • Grazing perennial grass • Cost per lb gained = $0.34 • Cost per acre = $15.00 • Gross return per acre = $44.56 • Net return per acre = $44.56 – $15.00 = $29.56 • Grazing alfalfa • Cost per lb gained = $0.21 • Cost per acre = $40.70 • Gross return per acre = $181.80 • Net return per acre = $181.80 - $40.70 = $141.10 • Grazing annuals • Cost per lb gained = $0.42 • Cost per acre = $90.70 • Gross return per acre = $218.16 • Net return per acre = $218.16 – 90.70 = $127.46 *Assumes no death loss for any strategy

  18. Fattening Cattle while Grazing Corn • Costs: • Seed = $23/acre (RR) • Herbicide = $7.27/ac (Roundup/Sterling once, Roundup again) • Fertilizer = $25.50/acre (150 lbs/acre urea) • Fuel cost = $41.73/acre (to seed & spray twice) • Land cost - $26.00/acre • Total cost - $123.50/acre • Gross Return: • 0.5 acre/steer (stocking rate) • 60 days of grazing x 3 lbs/day = 180 lbs/0.5 acre (or 360 lbs/acre) • 180 lbs x $0.89/lb = $160.20/0.5 acre = $320.40/acre • Assumption: Angus or Angus/Hereford steers used that finish (Choice) at 1150 -1250 lbs • Net Return: • $320.40/acre - $123.50/acre = $196.90/acre • Cost per lb of gain (grazing cornfield): • $123.50/acre ÷ 360 lbs/acre = $0.34/lb gained • Cost per lb of gain (feedlot - finishing phase): • $0.40 - $0.46/lb gained

  19. Questions?

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