Are you having trouble keeping body condition on grazing livestock? Do you have heifers or ewe lambs that struggle getting rebred? If so, there is a good chance that a lack on available energy in your pasture or ration may be the culprit.
I have these types of discussions with producers fairly often, and usually — but not always — supplementing additional energy into the diet seems to aid in rectifying the situation.
As managers we must remember that livestock utilizes nutrients in waste not, want not hierarchy. Think of an order of operations where Maintenance > Development > Growth > Lactation> Reproduction > Fattening.
Therefore, an animal that is not maintaining its body condition is less likely to reproduce. That first calf heifer that is thin at weaning still has requirements for growth and development before we ever think about getting her to a point where she will breed back in a timely fashion.
How do we address this lack of energy in a pasture-based system? Supplementation in some form or fashion is the most likely response, but I’ve tried many supplement strategies that vary greatly in effectiveness and cost.
Additional forage, i.e. hay
This strategy can work depending on the class of animal and the quality of the hay. A high-quality, 2nd or 3rd cutting, well-kept round bale of hay can often meet the needs of mature animals of the herd. In the case of the thin, first-calf heifer, unless the hay is of exceptional quality it might keep her belly full but is unlikely to get her to the desired body condition.
Don’t guess — forage test. Hay quality varies tremendously from farm to farm. Consider dry matter losses when buying hay. That year-old bale that has sat uncovered in a fence row somewhere, no matter the cost, is still overpriced when you consider dry matter lost.
Tubs
Too often in these instances, I’ve seen tubs relied on as a cure-all. Look at the analysis of a tub and the ingredients and then compare the cost. Tubs may have a place in stocker situations providing weaned calves with some protein, but considering the cost and energy provided, they are likely, not cost-effective in providing supplemental energy to grazing livestock. Also, not all tubs are created equal. To a degree, you get what you pay for.
Grain
Pound for pound, supplementing grain, typically whole-shelled corn is a cost-effective and efficient way to supplement energy in a grazing operation. Once we know the energy requirement of our livestock, we can calculate pounds of corn per head per day. In most instances, it doesn’t take much corn to supplement the needed balance of energy.
Research conducted at Ohio State looking at the supplemental energy requirements of third-trimester bred heifers in muddy conditions versus those in dry conditions demonstrated that only 2.5 pounds of corn was needed to maintain body conditions. At $7/bushel corn that is a cost of $.25 cents per head per day, still very cost effective when compared to longer breeding intervals and open cows.
Bottom line
Supplemental energy is often needed to maintain grazing livestock through a typical Ohio winter. Consider the cost and energy density of feedstuffs when making the decision to supplement animals on pasture.
