Diet Roughage Ingredients for Newly Weaned Calves

Several commodity feeds that are high in fiber are available that may substitute for corn cobs in a complete starting ration. This study was designed to evaluate the use of soyhulls and sunflower meal as substitutes for corncobs as a roughage source for newly weaned calves. One-hundred-and-fifty calves from the ISU Rhodes Research Farm were weaned, weighed, sorted by sex, and stratified by weight to eight pens. Two pens of each sex were assigned to one of two diet treatments. Calves fed the corncob diet consumed two pounds more feed dry matter, gained 1.5 pounds more per day, and were more efficient the first 14 days on feed. The soyhull diet was quite fine in particle size, and some feed particle separation occurred in the bunk. Some compensatory performance may have occurred with the soyhull diet the second 14 days on feed, although no statistical differences existed. This suggests that palatability, feed presentation, and bunk characteristics are important considerations in selecting roughage sources for complete starting diets for newly weaned calves

Use of Interactive Electronic Audience Response Tools (Clickers) to Evaluate Knowledge Gained in Extension Programming

Effectively measuring short-term impact, particularly a change in knowledge resulting from Extension programming, can prove to be challenging. Clicker-based technology, when used properly, is one alternative that may allow educators to better evaluate this aspect of the logic model. While the potential interface between clicker technology and Extension programming has been a topic of discussion, the successful use and stakeholder attitude towards such technology in an Extension setting is not well known. This article addresses this gap in understanding and provides an assessment of clicker use in Extension programming

Heat Stress In Feedlot Cattle: Producer Survey Results

The weather on July 11 and 12, 1995 was a deadly combination of high temperature, high relative humidity, no cloud cover and no wind. The combination of heat and humidity has been matched only five times in Iowa’s 101 years of weather records. Estimated cattle death loss in a 13-county area of West Central Iowa was 3,750 head or 2.32% of the cattle on feed. A survey of 36 beef producers with 9,830 head of cattle on feed in 81 lots was summarized. Thirty-five lots with shade (24 square feet per head) reported an average death loss of .2% as compared to 46 lots without shade with losses of 4.8%. Producers reported a disproportionately higher death loss in dark-hided cattle. Non-shaded lots facing south, southwest, or west had higher death loss than lots facing east or southeast. Heavier animals were more susceptible to heat stress. Lots containing heifers that were fed MGA had lower death loss ( 3.8% vs. 6.2% ) as compared to lots with heifers but not receiving MGA

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Adapting the 2016 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine—Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle to BRaNDS Software—Considering Metabolizable Protein

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine - Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle (NASEM), formally referred to as the National Research Council (NRC), has long been the standard of formulation for beef cattle rations. However, the changes presented in the 8thEdition (2016) regarding the empirical method of formulation appear to only work well with cows and more mature stocker cattle consuming medium- to high-quality forage (51.5-64% TDN) when the microbial efficiency of converting diet TDN to microbial protein are adjusted from the current recommendation back to previously published efficiencies

Effect of MGA on Performance, Sexual Behavior, Carcass Quality and Tenderness in Mixed-Sex Pens of Cattle

The effect of MGA in mixed pens of steers and heifers was evaluated over a three-year period at the ISU Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis, Iowa. Two pens of approximately 40 head were fed diets with or without MGA in each of three replications. Estrus and riding activity was monitored using the Heat Watchâ system. At slaughter, in addition to routine carcass data collection, a rib sample was collected from each carcass for tenderness evaluation. There was no effect on dry matter intake due to MGA treatment. Mixed-sex pens that were fed MGA were 4% more efficient than controls. MGA-fed steers gained similarly to control steers. MGA fed heifers gained 8% faster than control heifers. MGA highly reduced measures of estrus and riding activity throughout the feeding period. MGA feeding improved marbling and tenderness measured in both steers and heifers. These data suggest that MGA has potential to improve performance, quality grade and tenderness in mixed pens of steers and heifers

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

Effect of Early Weaning of Beef Calves on Performance and Carcass Quality

A study was conducted to evaluate early weaning of beef calves at 60-70 days of age on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. One hundred twenty steer calves sired by either Simmental or Angus sires were weaned at an average age of 67 (early weaned, EW) or 147 (late weaned, LW) days. Calves were allotted to 16 feedlot pens by weaning treatment and sire breed at approximately 750-800 lb. EW calves were heavier (P \u3c .05) in initial feedlot weight. There were no differences due to weaning age on daily gain, dry matter intake, feed efficiency or slaughter weights. Simmental steers required more days on feed than Angus steers (P \u3c .05). Early-weaned calves had a higher percent intramuscular fat (5.7 vs. 5.1%), higher average marbling scores (Small78 vs. Small20, P \u3c .05), a higher percentage of cattle grading average USDA Choice and higher (38% vs. 14%, P \u3c .05) and a higher percentage of USDA Prime (10% vs. 0%, P \u3c .05). These data confirm observations in previous studies that early weaning and placing calves on a higher grain diet improves marbling at slaughter. In this study, the effect was shown in calves weaned at an average of 67 days

Performance Comparison of Fall-Calving Cow-Calf Pairs Grazing Cover Crops vs. Traditional Drylot System

Utilization of cover crops as a forage source for the cowherd provides another feed resource at a time when pasture productivity is minimal. However, limited data are available on cover crop utilization by cattle, including cow and calf performance when grazing cover crops. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate cow and calf performance while grazing cover crops compared to a traditional, drylot management system of the Beef Teaching fall-calving herd