Effect of Yeast Supplement on Performance of Steer Calves

The effect of Prosponse® yeast supplement fed to newly arrived steers was evaluated at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis, Iowa. Four pens of approximately 32 head were fed similar diets with 2 pens receiving yeast supplement and 2 pens not. Calves were weighed on delivery to the feedlot and allocated on weight and sire. Calves were on test 34 days. There was no effect on daily gain or feed to gain. Dry matter intake trended higher for the yeast supplemented calves (P=.10). These data suggest that yeast supplement may improve dry matter intake in newly arrived feedlot calves

Management of Optaflexx in Feedlots that Sort Cattle prior to Market

One hundred and thirty five steers from were used in a study to compare strategies for managing Optaflexx in feedlots that sort cattle just prior to market. The pens were assigned to one of two Optaflexx management treatments. Two pens were each assigned to each treatment. The Optaflexx management treatments were: 1) Topped Out (TO), where half the cattle in each pen were sorted without being fed Optaflexx. The remaining cattle were fed Optaflexx for 28 days, or 2) Sorted Early (SE), where market timing decisions were made more than 28 days prior to the first marketing so that Optaflexx could be fed to all of the cattle. Feed consumption levels and patterns were not affected by sorting cattle early into market outcome groups. There were no differences in performance between the two sorting treatments. Cattle in the SE treatment had significantly larger ribeye areas. Based on the results of this study sorting cattle into market outcome groups prior to the last 28 days of feeding of the first group to be marketed so that Optaflexx can be fed to all of the cattle in the pen is a viable alternative to only feeding Optaflexx to the “last draft” to be marketed

Effect of Synovex Choice Implant on Performance and Carcass Traits of Steer Calves

As marketing of fed cattle has evolved over the past few years, technologies that improve performance and lower cost with the least effect on carcass quality have become more important. One such technology is the intermediate dosage combination implant. These implants combine TBA and estrogen for additive growth response, but at a lower dosage that may reduce potential negative effects of combination implants on carcass quality. Intermediate dosage implants have been used to provide a more aggressive arrival implant for feedlot cattle, or a more conservative terminal implant depending on the goals of the manager. With the recent clearance of Synovex Choice for feedlot steers, the cattle feeder now has two options relative to intermediate dosage combination implants, Synovex Choice and Revalor IS. This study was designed to compare two practical implant combinations—Synovex Choice implanted initially and reimplanted, and Synovex S implanted initially and reimplanted with Revalor IS

Cows in the Corn Grazing Project

Corn is the most productive grass grown in Iowa with dry matter yields often exceeding 6 t/a. Harvesting corn by grazing can provide abundant pasture in mid- to late-summer when pastures in southern Iowa normally make little growth. This approach eliminates harvesting, drying, storage, and transportation costs associated with marketing the grain and leaves almost all of the surplus or waste nutrients in the field. Objectives of this project were to measure animal performance when standing corn crop was the sole feed source for pregnant diary heifers and to increase our understanding of the management practices necessary to optimize the use of this feed source

Effect of Yeast Supplement on Performance of Steer Calves

The effect of Prosponse1 yeast supplement fed to newly arrived steers was evaluated at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis, Iowa. Four pens of approximately 32 head were fed similar diets with 2 pens receiving yeast supplement and 2 pens not. Calves were weighed on delivery to the feedlot and allocated on weight and sire. Calves were on test 34 days. There was no effect on daily gain or feed to gain. Dry matter intake trended higher for the yeast supplemented calves (P=.10). These data suggest that yeast supplement may improve dry matter intake in newly arrived feedlot calves. Yeast supplements have been evaluated in dairy cattle but have not been evaluated in newly arrived feedlot calves

Effects of Second Implant on Feedlot Gain and Carcass Traits

Two hundred eighteen steers were finished in a total confinement deep-bedded system at the Armstrong Research Farm, Lewis, IA during 2009. All steers were implanted with Synovex-Choice on day 1 and half the steers in each pen were implanted with Synovex-Choice on day 56. All steers were harvested on day 118. The 2nd implant resulted in an immediate and significant improvement in average daily gain. In the 76 day weigh period following reimplantation the group receiving the 2nd implant gained .66 lb/day more than the group not receiving an additional implant. The overall average daily gain of steers implanted once compared to the steers implanted twice was 3.81 vs. 4.10. The 2nd implant group produced significantly heavier carcasses. There were no significant differences in carcass fat cover or ribeye area. The twice implanted steers had a lower percentage low Choice or better (P=.0571) and a greater percentage Select (P=.0555). Implanting a second time resulted in an increase in carcass weights, an almost significant reduction in % Choice but still resulted in a numerical, non-significant increase in carcass value

Utilization of Pelleted Corn Stover/DDG Feed as Primary Source of Roughage and Protein in Beef Feedlot Rations

High feed prices and abundant corn stalk residue have created growing interest in the utilization of corn stalk residue or corn stover as a component of beef feedlot rations

Designing a Hoop Building for Feeding Beef Cattle

At the request and urging of beef cattle feeders in southwest Iowa, this project was designed to explore the feasibility of using a hoop building to reduce the facility costs associated with feeding beef cattle in bedded confinement. Design and construction of the facility followed best available industry recommendations and judgment of the authors and experienced cattle feeders, where innovation was required. Following this initial design and construction, performance of the cattle and facility have been compared with a semiconfinement feeding facility on the same farm