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Feeding Strategies for Coping with High Commodity Prices . Dan Loy Iowa State University. Strategies. Be efficient Maximize time outside the feedlot Minimize storage and feeding losses Find local feed bargains Use more corn co products. How to deal with high priced corn?. Feed less corn
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Feeding Strategies for Coping with High Commodity Prices Dan Loy Iowa State University
Strategies • Be efficient • Maximize time outside the feedlot • Minimize storage and feeding losses • Find local feed bargains • Use more corn co products
How to deal with high priced corn? • Feed less corn • Price of WDG and MDG in relation to corn: 75% and 62% (2/4/11)
WDG trial 2—Mixed in mixer wagon and packed into bunker silo • Fed to 255 kg calves for 118 days • 54 calves were allotted to 9 pens (6/pen) with 3 reps per treatment • Treatments were control, bunker mixture and WDG/hay (mixed daily)
Summary ISU WDG storage demos • Mixtures of WDG (30% DM) and ground hay of a ration of 80-20% as-fed (60-40% DM basis) • Yields a mixture that is approximately 40% dry matter and can be handled and stored using silage preservation methods • Storage losses were 9-11% • Mixing effectiveness using an end loader was acceptable
MDG storage trial 1 Three loads of MDG were delivered on October 18 and placed in silo bags
MDG trial 2 • Three loads of MDG were “piled” into pyramids, covered with 4mm plastic and sealed with ground limestone • Individual piles were opened 85 to 211 days later • MDG was fed as a supplement to cows from the ISU beef breeding project
Summary ISU MDG storage demos • MDG can be stored for 80-200 days with storage losses from 7-12% • Higher losses can occur if the rate of feedout too slow • Low cost methods can be used if they successfully limit exposure of the feed to air
Are your cattle “locavores” • Home grown feeds • Similar feeds available from neighbors or unique byproduct feeds • Regional opportunities like wet corn co products • Seasonal bargains, long term storage • Local commodity pricing opportunities
ISU: S. Hansen, M. Drewnoski, S. Ensley, E. Richter UNL: C. Nichols, J. Sarturi, D. Smith, T. Klopfenstein & G. Erickson Sulfur: the people that did the work: Much of the information presented is from a webinar that was broadcast January 6, 2011
Sulfur is a required mineral-so what’s the problem with too much? Metabolism of S in the rumen
60% of ruminal gas that is eructated is inhaled pH dependent SRB
PEM in feedlots with high S water PEM in feedlots with high S water McAllister: JAVMA 1997, 211:1275
Ad lib 45% 30% 15% 8%
UNL Analysis • 17,080 head • Finishing trials • Trials conducted from 2002-2009 • 28 diagnosed polios
Results (Sulfur Level) Sulfur P < 0.01 Forage NDF P = 0.13 S x F P = 0.04
This is your calf’s rumen… This is your calf’s rumen on sulfur Dietary Sulfate (DDGS, WDGS, etc) SO4S- S- S- SRB SRB SRB S- S- S- S- S- SRB S- S- SRB S- S- S- S- S- SRB S- S- SRB Animation by Dr. S Hansen, ISU
Effect of pH on H2S S- S- pH S- H2S H2S S- S- H2S S- H2S S- H2S H2S S- H2S S- S- H2S H2S S- H2S S- H2S S- H2S S- S- H2S S- Animation by Dr. S Hansen, ISU
How to Induce PEM • High S diet • Low (or no) roughage diet • Highly fermentable diet (corn starch, wheat midds, grains, etc.) • Drop rumen pH and keep it low
Summary • pH plays an important role in toxicity • Manage for acidosis • Consistent feeding (time and amount) • Increase ionophores (30-40g/ton) • Increase roughage level (~15%) • Cattle are most at risk during the early part of the finishing period
With good bunk management and inclusion of 15% roughage in the diet producers could include up to 0.5% S 10-20% increase in co-product inclusion
Variability in S content • Increasing inclusion levels of co-products will increase risk due to variation of S in co-products • Variation of S in co-products among plants can be considerable • Load to load variation of S within a plant is typically 5-10%
Recommendations • Can have up to 0.5% S if you include at least 15% roughage in the diet • Use a consistent source (ethanol plant) of co-product • Do not include high levels of S (>0.3%) until after the first 30 d • Don’t forget to account for S from water