The Digestive Tract
Considerations for winter nutrition.
August 26, 2024
As we near the end of summer, now is the time to make sure you have a good winter management plan. There are many management decisions to be made, but managing the nutrition of your herd is certainly toward the top of the list.
One of the keys to profitability in a cow-calf operation is managing feed costs, which account for more than 60% of annual cow costs. Much of the variation in feed costs from operation to operation is due to differences in winter feed costs.
Producers should have a well-developed plan prior to the start of winter feeding in order to manage this expense. There are multiple factors to consider when developing a winter feeding plan, and these considerations will vary greatly depending on geographic location and available resources.
An ounce of planning
It doesn’t take long to learn there is no such thing as a normal year. However, for planning purposes, having historical data on the number of grazing days for your operation will certainly provide a starting point.
One of the best ways to control winter feed costs is to extend the grazing system. Grazing schemes vary greatly depending on pasture species, soil type and rainfall. Rotational grazing and stockpiling are examples of grazing systems that can extend the grazing season.
Incorporating grazing of crop residue and cover crops are great ways to significantly reduce the number of days cows will need to be fed stored feed. Although these alternative grazing systems can often provide several weeks, and in some cases months, of grazing, this will be greatly affected by weather. Drought can limit cover crop growth, while excessive rainfall or snowfall can significantly reduce the number of grazing days on stockpiled forages, residue and cover crops.
A good winter feeding plan will have extra stored feed on hand in case the planned fall/winter grazing season is cut short. If you wait until you need the feed, expect to pay more (sometimes exponentially more).
Forage management
There has been significant work done on winter feeding options for when cows no longer have forage available to graze. The traditional standard for wintering beef cows is offering ad libitum access to hay.
There are a number of reasons why free-choice hay has been the “go-to” winter feed choice. Many operations bale excess forage in the spring for use in the winter. Hay produced on location provides a similar forage base as when grazing, which makes for an easy transition to winter feeding.
Hidden costs
For smaller-scale operations, feeding big bales of hay is appealing from a labor and equipment standpoint. However, there can be significant “hidden” costs from storage and feeding losses, for which producers don’t always do a great job of accounting.
Hay needs to be pretty cheap if you are going to harvest or buy twice as much as you need!
Hay that is stored uncovered outside on the ground can have storage losses of nearly 50%. Hay needs to be pretty cheap if you are going to harvest or buy twice as much as you need!
At the other end of the spectrum, hay that is stored in a building may have storage losses as low as 2%.
If hay is the primary source of winter feed for your operation, you should do some math to see how long it would take for you to pay for a hay shed.
If storing hay outside is your only option, there are several basic things you should do to minimize loss. Place bales end to end with approximately 3 feet (ft.) between rows, orient rows north and south, and avoid storing in low-lying areas.
Additionally, you may want to consider storing bales on gravel or on pallets and covering with net wrap or plastic.
Minimizing storage losses is just half the battle. Feeding method also contributes substantially to hay loss. There are multiple options for feeding hay, including traditional bale-ring feeders, cone feeders, trailers and cradles, rolling out hay, and bale processors. When feeding fescue or corn stover, cone feeders can limit waste to 10% or less. However, open rings could result in 20% waste with fescue or up to 40% waste with corn stover.
Alternatives
There has been a significant amount of work identifying alternatives to feeding hay. Byproducts and crop residues provide excellent alternatives. Obviously, the availability and type of byproducts and crop residues will vary greatly geographically.
Many combinations have been evaluated. The common finding is that as long as the ration is balanced and formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the target group of cows, these byproduct/residue rations result in similar to improved performance when compared to hay. Thus, the decision on whether to feed hay or to feed byproducts and crop residue comes down to which option is the least expensive for your operation.
This comparison isn’t always as straightforward as you might hope though. To make an accurate comparison, you need to factor in storage and feeding waste, labor, and equipment. The answer will often vary based on herd size, as well. For smaller herds it is difficult to justify the costs associated with storing byproducts and feeding a byproduct/crop residue total mixed ration (TMR).
Once you have decided what feedstuffs you plan to feed, you must next determine how much feed you need to have on hand. It is impossible to predict how mild or severe each winter will be. It is a good practice to build in extra.
If you are going to calculate the amount of feed needed, you need to account for those previously mentioned storage and feeding losses, as well as the number of days you plan to feed and an estimated intake.
Considerations
Clearly, a well-developed winter feeding plan is essential to a profitable cow-calf operation. Although not the focus of this column, there are several other management considerations that need to be addressed for the upcoming winter months.
For those in the north, protecting cattle from the elements is key. Cows need to have protection from the wind, especially when temperatures are extremely cold. For cows maintained in drylot, pen maintenance and bedding need to be considered.
These environmental factors are essential to manage and need to be taken into consideration when evaluating the nutritional needs for the herd. When temperatures drop below 5° F, intake can increase up to 25%.
Ensuring access to water and managing health are always essential, but they need special attention during the winter months.
Winter can be tough. The key to successful management is having a plan and planning for the unexpected. Work on reducing the number of days you need to feed stored/purchased feed. Identify the most economical feedstuffs, as well as the best storage and feeding methods for your operation. Finally, remember that although nutritional management is arguably the most important management consideration during the winter, there are several other decisions to be made.
Editor’s note: “The Digestive Tract” is a regular column focused on nutrition for the beef cattle life cycle. Dan Shike is professor and interim head of the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois.
Topics: Nutrition , Feedstuffs , Pasture and Forage
Publication: Angus Beef Bulletin
Issue: September 2024
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