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Effects of Late Gestation Supplementation, Synchronization, and Creep Feeding in a Spring Calving Beef Herd in the Nebraska Sandhills

Supplementation during winter grazing increased cow BW and BCS but had no effect on reproduction or calf performance, thus increasing production costs without increasing returns. Using a CIDR for estrus synchronization in a herd with existing acceptable reproductive performance did not increase cow pregnancy rate or advance calving date. Feeding creep feed to calves is an effective means of increasing weaning BW which resulted in increased live and carcass weight. Under the conditions of this study, when additional feed and price slide for heavier calves was considered, feeding creep feed did not result in added profits

Impact of Winter Supplementation of May Calving Cows and Heifer Development System in Two Different Breeding Seasons on Subsequent Growth and Reproduction

In Exp. 1, May-calving cows were utilized to evaluate the effects of winter supplementation on heifer progeny. Cows grazed either dormant upland winter range with or without a protein supplement or grazed dormant meadow with or without a protein supplement. In Exp. 2, replacement heifers from March and May calving herds were offered ad libitum meadow hay and 4 lb/d supplement or grazed meadow and offered 1 lb/d supplement from mid-January to mid-April. Calf weaning BW and ADG from birth to weaning was less for calves from cows grazing winter range with no supplement compared with all other dam treatments. Heifer development system did not impact final pregnancy rates. Therefore, a reduced input winter heifer development system is a viable option in both early and late summer breeding seasons. However, winter supplementation of May-calving dams did influence heifer progeny ADG from birth to weaning

Effect of Supplementation during the Breeding Season on a May-calving Herd in the Nebraska Sandhills

Females in their first and second breeding season received either a 32% crude protein (DM) supplement or no supplement throughout the breeding season. Supplementation did not affect heifer BW, BCS, and pregnancy rate at pregnancy diagnosis. Supplementation impacted primiparous cow BW and BCS at pregnancy diagnosis, but did not affect pregnancy rates. Calf birth weight and dystocia rates were unaffected by supplementation for both heifers and primiparous cow. Calves nursing supplemented dams were heavier at weaning. Greater supplementation may be needed to affect pregnancy rate

Impact of Pre-and Postpartum Nutrition on March-calving Cow and Progeny Productivity

March-calving cows were fed hay or grazed corn residue prepartum, and then either fed hay or grazed subirrigated meadow postpartum. Combinations of these different feeding strategies impacted body weight (BW) and body condition score (BCS) during the pre-and postpartum period; however, resulted in similar pregnancy rates. Although differences were not observed in cow pregnancy rates, a benefit in pre-weaning growth was observed for calves from the dams in postpartum meadow treatment. A tendency for an improvement in marbling score was observed for steers born to cows fed hay prepartum, perhaps indicating a higher plane of nutrition prepartum may improve quality grade

Impact of cow milk production on cow–calf performance in the Nebraska Sandhills

Livestock producers have tended to select for increased output traits like milk production and growth to increase productivity. Even with the increased selection for greater calf growth potential, some regions in the United States have seen a plateau in calf body weight (BW) at weaning (Lalman et al., 2019). When focusing on reaching maximum potential of these output traits, it is important to consider the multitude of variables that affect a production system. With increased milk production, nutrient requirements for cows become increased (Ferrell and Jenkins, 1984; Montaño-Bermudez et al., 1990), which may not be met if range and forage availability for grazing is already limited at meeting lactation demands. Historically, weaning weight and milk production have been associated with a positive relationship with greater milk production resulting in heavier calves at weaning (Clutter and Nielsen, 1987; Abdelsamei et al., 2005). In contrast, others have only observed the benefit of increased milk production improving calf performance within the first 60 d after birth (Clutter and Nielsen, 1987; Ansotegui et al, 1991; Edwards et al., 2017). Gleddie and Berg (1968) reported the correlation between average daily gain (ADG) of calves and milk yield estimates increased between the first and second month and continued to decrease thereafter as the forage consumption increased. The reliance on milk for dietary energy can result in increased calf BW at peak lactation (Edwards et al., 2017), but benefits of increased milk production may decrease as stage of lactation increases. Our hypothesis was that increasing milk production would negatively affect cow reproductive performance while having no effect on calf performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the impact milk production has on subsequent cow reproductive performance and calf performance throughout the preweaning and postweaning phases

Impact of cow milk production on cow–calf performance in the Nebraska Sandhills

Livestock producers have tended to select for increased output traits like milk production and growth to increase productivity. Even with the increased selection for greater calf growth potential, some regions in the United States have seen a plateau in calf body weight (BW) at weaning (Lalman et al., 2019). When focusing on reaching maximum potential of these output traits, it is important to consider the multitude of variables that affect a production system. With increased milk production, nutrient requirements for cows become increased (Ferrell and Jenkins, 1984; Montaño-Bermudez et al., 1990), which may not be met if range and forage availability for grazing is already limited at meeting lactation demands. Historically, weaning weight and milk production have been associated with a positive relationship with greater milk production resulting in heavier calves at weaning (Clutter and Nielsen, 1987; Abdelsamei et al., 2005). In contrast, others have only observed the benefit of increased milk production improving calf performance within the first 60 d after birth (Clutter and Nielsen, 1987; Ansotegui et al, 1991; Edwards et al., 2017). Gleddie and Berg (1968) reported the correlation between average daily gain (ADG) of calves and milk yield estimates increased between the first and second month and continued to decrease thereafter as the forage consumption increased. The reliance on milk for dietary energy can result in increased calf BW at peak lactation (Edwards et al., 2017), but benefits of increased milk production may decrease as stage of lactation increases. Our hypothesis was that increasing milk production would negatively affect cow reproductive performance while having no effect on calf performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the impact milk production has on subsequent cow reproductive performance and calf performance throughout the preweaning and postweaning phases