NCERA_OLD87: Beef-Cow-Calf Nutrition and Management Committee
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
NCERA_OLD87: Beef-Cow-Calf Nutrition and Management Committee
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Approximately one-third of the 33.9 million beef cows in the United States are
located in the 12 states comprising the North Central Region. Adding the 2 million, .9
million, and .7 million cows found in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Virginia respectively,
more than 40 of the beef cows and beef cow operations in the United States are present
in states with representation on the NCR-87 Cow-Calf Management and Nutrition
Committee. Beef cows are particularly well suited to profitability utilizing high quality
pasture and hay crop forages, grown as part of sustainable cropping systems in the North
Central Region. Furthermore, beef cows can effectively utilize crop residues, grain
processing byproducts, and excess grain, which may be in abundance in the North
Central Region when and where environmentally and economically appropriate.
Unfortunately, while some producers have developed skills to manage these resources
effectively, many cow-calf producers do not effectively manage these resources to yield a
profit from cow-calf production. Analysis of the IRM records for Iowa and Illinois for
1995 to 1999 shows that feed cost is by far the most critical factor in economic return.
Similar results have been observed in other states in the region. Even the better cow-calf
producers graze summer pastures with less than optimal stocking rates and management,
and feed excessive amounts of stored feeds during winter. Most producers could have
greater profit if they made more effective use of feed resources.
Further inefficiencies in reproductive and health management of calves, heifers,
and cows also limit profitability of cow-calf enterprises. These inefficiencies may result
from excessive or inadequate investments in management tools and/or improper
application of management practices. Because it seems unlikely that the price of feeder
calves will be high enough to result in high gross returns from cow-calf production in the
foreseeable future, net profit will be highly related to efficient use of feed and other
resources.
The original NCR-87 justification statement included the objective of "the
development of nutritional and management data which permit economic evaluation of
systems by simulation models." Towards this goal, the committee not only exchanged
research information and techniques, but also prepared papers for refereed journals on
use of anthelmintics and on estrus synchronization with Melengestrol acetate. Since the
last renewal of the committee, papers on: 1) anhydrous ammonia treatment of low
quality roughages; 2) body condition and reproductive performance of beef cows; 3)
extent and control of storage losses from large round bales; and 4) use of wheat
middlings as a feed for beef cows have been prepared and submitted for publication. The
first renewal (1997-2000) resulted in a publication on early weaning and the initiation of
a symposium series at the Midwest section of American Society of Animal Sciences.
Several factors have important implications for the future of the beef cow-calf
industry in the North Central Region and provided justification for the renewal of NCR-
87 committee for 1997-2000, and a basis for their renewal. First, in 1996, the National
Research Council published the 7th Revised Edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef
Cattle. This publication is quite different from previous editions in that rather than being
a collection of nutrient requirement and feed analysis tables, the information is
consolidated into a spreadsheet model used for ration analysis. Concepts incorporated
into the model include aspects related to the net energy and net protein contents of the
diet, feed intake control by energy density of the diet or forage allowance of pastures and
the effects of genotype, physiological state, environmental exposure and management of
the animal. Because it considers many of the factors believed to affect nutrient
requirements and utilization of cattle, this model should eventually allow for more
accurate ration balancing and feed resource utilization in cow-calf production. However,
because some of the information supporting feed composition and nutrient requirements
is currently deficient or estimated, the accuracy of this software may be at times limited.
Therefore, it is the intention of the NCR-87 committee to identify weaknesses in the feed
composition and nutrient requirement calculations and attempt to obtain and summarize
the data necessary to improve the accuracy of the predictions. Furthermore, because of
the highly technical nature of this model, some local extensionists and/or producers may
be hesitant to utilize this software. Thus, the NCR-87 committee will develop
publications and/or software to convert information from the model in the NRC Nutrient
Requirements of Beef Cattle to a more user-friendly format for extension personnel and
cow-calf producers in the North Central Region.
A second objective is to improve the efficiency of utilization of available feed and
labor resources, improve reproductive efficiency and/or alter the timing and methods of
marketing calves, unconventional management practices for cow-calf production, such as
fall calving or early weaning or heifer development such as stepwise gains have begun to
be evaluated by members of the NCR-87 committee. In order to be effective, such
systems must consider the availability of feed and other resources to meet the altered
nutritional and management needs of the cows, heifers, and calves to best match
resources with animal needs.
Finally, continual changes in harvest technologies using either machine or animal,
land and feed prices, governmental crop and environmental programs, climatic conditions
and in the availability of food processing byproducts imply the continuing need for
research to develop management systems to optimize profitability from cow-calf
enterprises using the large variety of forage, grain co-product feedstuffs available in the
North Central Region in different years. The multi-state nature of the NCR-87 committee
allows for evaluation of systems of feedstuff utilization under a variety of climatic
conditions. We also can evaluate manure output under various feeding and management
systems. Providing producers with this information will be increasingly important as we
address environmental concerns.
Objectives
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To continue to exchange data, information, and research techniques in a cooperative,interdisciplinary effort among stations to maintain an environmentally andeconomically sound beef cow-calf industry through integrated resource management.Components of this effort include:
a) The development of data bases regarding feed composition values and nutrientrequirements of beef cows, heifers, and calves to validate and improve the modelsused in the 7th Edition of the Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle for dietanalysis of animals in beef breeding herds.
b) The evaluation of management systems of cow-calf production and heiferdevelopment which promote efficient use of feed, labor, and economic resources through manipulation of reproductive cycles, lactation stages and/or growth.
c) The development of integrated, year-round feeding management systems whichutilize forages and other feed resources to optimize reproductive efficiency inbeef cows and heifers at minimal economic or environmental costs.
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To summarize information regarding practices to reduce unit cost of production andimprove profitability in cow-calf production, to produce publications for producers,extension personnel and refereed journals and to coordinate cow-calf extensionactivities in the region. Areas of coordination during the period of 2001-2004 willinclude:
a) Use of the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle model for balancing beefcow, calf, and heifer rations with common midwestern feedstuffs.
b) Symposium at Midwest section of American Society of Animal Sciences eachyear sponsored by this committee on some aspect of their findings. In 2001, thetopic will be early weaning. Future topics include synchronizing beef cows,alternative ways to feed beef cows in the winter, and utilization and modificationof the 7th Edition of Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle for diet formulation.Authors will be requested to write an extension fact-sheet on their presentation.
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Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Identification of weaknesses in the feed composition and nutrient requirement calculations and attempt to obtain and summarize the data necessary to improve the accuracy of the predictions.
- Development of publications and/or software to convert information from the model in the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle to a more user-friendly format for extension personnel and cow-calf producers in the North Central Region.
- Management programs will be developed to improve the efficiency of utilization of available feed and labor resources, improve reproductive efficiency and/or alter the timing and methods of marketing calves.
- Development of management programs that optimize the profitability of cow-calf enterprises while reducing nutrient outputs and environmental impacts.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
Symposium at Midwest section of American Society of Animal Sciences each year
sponsored by this committee on some aspect of their findings. Authors will be requested
to write an extension fact-sheet on their presentation.
Organization/Governance
The recommended Standard Governance for multistate research activities include the election of a Chair, a Chair-elect, and a Secretary. All officers are to be elected for at least two-year terms to provide continuity. Administrative guidance will be provided by an assigned Administrative Advisor and a CSREES Representative.
Literature Cited