Winter

Drought Information
January Beef Cattle Management Tips
Cold Weather Changes Cattle Feeding Strategy
Safety Around Beef Animas is Very Important
Senior Bull Test Station Final Results

Manage Hay Feeding to Reduce Waste & Improve Performance (pdf)
James B. Neel, Professor, Animal Science

Don't Leave Money In the Pasture (pdf)
James B. Neel, Professor, Animal Science

Fall and Winter Management of the Herd Bull (pdf)
James B. Neel, Professors, Animal Science

Feeding Large Round Bales This Winter (pdf)
W. Warren Gill and Doyle G. Meadows, Professors, Animal Science

Winter Feeding Management Critical for Beef Cattle (pdf)
W. Warren Gill and James B. Neel, Professors, Animal Science

January Beef Cattle Management Tips
W. Warren Gill, Professor, Animal Science

Winter is here. The cold weather can make management a challenge. Suggestions for January are given below.

Hay and supplement are usually the most expensive item in the cattle producer's budget. Good supplementation may be more critical than usual in 2005 because test results indicate that much of the hay cut in 2004 may be inferior in quality. Have forages tested by the University of Tennessee Agricultural Forage Testing Lab or other laboratory and supplement based on the results of this test.

Many Tennessee calves are born in January so producers should be prepared. Discuss medicine and equipment needs with your veterinarian and/or county Extension agent. Carefully observe heifers and cows for signs of labor. Know when to assist and when to call the veterinarian. Calves should be kept in as clean an area as possible. Scours and pneumonia can result if conditions become too unsanitary. Purebred producers should plan to take birth weights on all calves.

Watch the water. Ponds may freeze during cold weather. This can decrease performance and even be dangerous if cattle walk out on ice in search of water. If electric water heaters are used in automatic waterers, make certain there is no stray voltage to decrease or prevent water consumption.

Cold Weather Changes Cattle Feeding Strategy
W. Warren Gill, Professor, Animal Science

When winter comes, bad weather comes with it. Temperature drops, cold rain and snow appear and cattle need your attention if they are to thrive. Common sense says that cows need more feed more during cold weather, but how much? What type of feed should be used? How cold does it need to be before you adjust the ration?

Dr. Warren Gill, Professor and Extension Beef Specialist in the University of Tennessee Animal Science Department, says, "Since temperature and wind both affect the amount of cold stress the animal feels, both of these must be taken into account by calculating an 'effective temperature.'"
Effective temperature is figured by taking the thermometer temperature in Fahrenheit and subtracting one degree for every mile per hour of wind speed. For every degree of effective temperature below 30-32 F, increase feed by 1 percent.

"For example," Gill says, "If a cow is eating 20 pounds of hay and the temperature drops to 20 F and the wind is blowing 13 mph, how much extra feed is needed?

First, subtract the speed of the wind in miles per hour, 13, from the thermometer temperature, 20 F. (20 minus 13 = 7). Subtract this number from 32 F. (32 minus 7 = 25). So, the producer should increase the cow's hay intake by 25 percent. Since she was eating 20 pounds before the temperature dropped, the producer increases the amount by five pounds. If the animals are wet, additional hay may be needed.

Gill also says. "Cows have an important advantage in staying warm. Microbial digestion of hay releases heat. There is more heat of digestion produced when cattle are fed high-roughage diets than when they are fed high-concentrate diets. Because of this, experienced producers commonly increase the amount of roughage in the diet of cattle during cold periods rather than increasing concentrate or grain feeding.

“Now, let’s get even more practical. Many producers use large package hay bales which do not allow precise adjustments in the amount fed. Since there is more heat generated by high quality hay than low quality hay, a workable strategy for those feeding big bales is to simply switch to a higher quality hay.

“Certain feed ingredients also improve digestibility of hay, particularly low quality hay. Soybean hulls and corn gluten feeds are known to do this, and some high protein feeds also increase microbial activity if fed as a supplement to lower quality hay. Many feed dealers have feed products especially designed to improve hay digestion.”

For more information, contact your local Extension office.

Safety Around Beef Animas is Very Important
Clyde D. Lane, Professor, Animal Science

Beef producers cannot be too careful when working around their animals.

Working around the bull can be very dangerous. Bulls are generally docile, however, they should not be trusted. Even bulls with a good disposition can get rowdy and cause personal injury to the owner. When feeding bulls be careful to not get between the bull and the feed. Because of the size of a bull, just a push can result in an injury. Extra care should be used When placing a bull in a chute for routine health care. Bulls have a habit of getting their own way and trying to make them do something they do not want to do can prove dangerous.

Do not try to break up a fight between two bulls. Let them finish their fight before trying to place them in separate pens. Trying to separate fight bulls could get you in the wrong place where you could get injured. In addition, one or both of the bulls could turn on you. During breeding season be extra careful. A bull will have cows on his mind and will do what ever is necessary to get to them. If the producer is in the way, injuries can occur.

Cows can also cause injury to producers. During feeding the cows can easily hurt you while trying to get to the feed. Although unintentional, the cow may step on your foot or knock you down. During calving season producers need to exercise extreme care. Some cows become very protective immediately after calving. When catching the calf always have an escape route planned. Placing the calf in the back of a truck or trailer, hay ring or other structure can provide an extra level of protection. A novel idea used by one producer was to mount a structure similar to a hay ring on the 3 point hitch of a tractor. The producer could back up to the calf, drop the structure over the calf and climb into the structure without fear of having the cow get too close.

If there are animals in the herd that have a bad disposition, cull them! These animals are just waiting to hurt someone. It does not matter if it is the highest producing animal in the herd. The extra profits can never offset the pain and suffering from an injury, not even considering the medical costs.

In summary, being around bulls and cows can be dangerous. Producers need to take extra care to prevent injury. For more information about beef cattle production, contact the local University of Tennessee Extension office.

Senior Bull Test Station Final Results
F. David Kirkpatrick, Professor, Animal Science

One hundred eleven Angus bulls from purebred breeders in Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama just finished their 112 day gain test at the University of Tennessee Bull Evaluation Center located at the Middle Tennessee Experiment Station. These bulls gained an average of 4.46 pounds per day while on test. The top gaining bull in the station was a consignment from Grassy Valley Farms of Greeneville, Tennessee. This Hyline Right Time 338 sired bull gained 5.96 pounds per day. Second high gaining honors also went to a Grassy Valley Farm bull, sired by SAF 598 Bando 5175, that gained 5.63 pounds per day.

Eighty-five of all the bulls tested qualified for the sale to be held January 20, 2005 at the Middle Tennessee Experiment Station. These bulls excelled in performance and passed their Breeding Soundness Examination. All bulls in the sale will have complete performance data to include ultrasound data for carcass traits Three tele-video sites for the sale will be available at the Greeneville 4-H Camp, Knoxville Livestock Center and the University of Tennessee at Martin. Bulls can be purchased over the telephone at these three different sites.

The University of Tennessee Bull Evaluation program is a cooperative program with the University of Tennessee Extension, University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Tennessee Farm Bureau and the Tennessee Beef Cattle Improvement Association.

Dates to Know

More dates are available on the Calendar of Events.