8/6/2023 0 Comments Cattle range cubes![]() ![]() Go to Rancher's Thursday Lunchtime Series - Beef Extension () for links to all the previous Rancher’s Thursday Lunchtime Webinars. Derrell Peel ( OSU Extension: Controlling Winter Feed Costs - YouTube), and Efficient Use of Range Cubes by Earl Ward ( OSU Extension: Controlling Winter Feed Costs - YouTube). The Rancher’s Thursday Lunchtime webinar series is currently about Controlling Winter Feed Costs featuring a current cattle outlook by Dr. These and other useful tools can be found at .īeef Cattle Manual. Can you afford not to?Ĭomputer software, such as OSU Cowculator, can better pinpoint an animal’s nutrient requirement at a specific time and in a specific stage of production. Determining the most cost effective means of supplementing cows requires the evaluation of feeds on a cost per unit of protein and energy provided. The goal of supplementation is to feed just enough of the right supplement to improve the overall diet. ![]() Un-needed supplementation increases feed cost without real benefit. Supplementing the 38% range cubes purchased at a cost of $425/ton instead of the 20% cubes at a lower price per ton resulted in a savings of $837.60 to supplement the 60 cows for 100 days. This daily cost x 100 days of supplementation x 60 cows equals an expense of $1,982.40 CP deficiency x $.56 = $.33/day cost to supplement the cows with 38% cubes to meet their CP needs. Last week, we determined the cost per unit of CP in the 38% range cubes to be $.56. It would take 1.58 lbs./day of the 38% cubes to meet the CP requirement. This daily cost x 100 days of supplementation x 60 cows equals an expense of $2,820 CP deficiency x $.78 = $.47/day cost with 20% cubes to meet CP needs. Last week, we determined the cost per unit of CP in the 20% range cubes to be $.78. It would take 3 lbs./day of the 20% cubes to meet the CP requirement. Now the questions is: Which of the two protein supplements evaluated last week can most cost effectively meet our goal? The 20% CP range cubes at $312/ton or the 38% range cubes at $425/ton. ![]() Knowing that reproductive efficiency is highly correlated to nutrition, our objective is for cows to maintain current weight and BCS until calving. On grass of this type, cows should consume 1.9 – 2.0% of their body weight resulting in forage dry matter consumption of 25 lbs./day. We have ample standing forage in the form of native grass which forage analysis indicates is 5% CP and 55% TDN. We have 60 mature cows, average weight of 1,300 lbs., due to calve in late January, entering the last trimester of pregnancy, cows are in a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 5.5. Feed at a rate of 1.0 to 5.0 lb/head/day to provide adequate nutrition. This week we take a closer look at a specific goal and show the money saved by evaluating purchased feed on a cost of nutrient basis. Many factors impact the nutrient requirements of cattle. The final point of that article was this: determining the most cost effective ration or supplement should be based on the feeding or supplementation objective. I like it cause it can be put in a bunk or just dumped on the ground making for easy feeding.Last week we looked at how to evaluate feeds based on cost per unit of crude protein (CP) and energy (TDN) basis rather than just purchasing based on price per ton or bag. I've talked with more than one person who felt the cubes were the best "complete" feed to give to cattle. None of the heifers had scours but their stools were a bit loose untill I began feeding the cubes and noticed within a day their poop looked "normal". I'm doing it to keep them growing at a good rate and make sure they will be ready to be bred here in a few month with optimal health. I also keep out hay and they right now are on a pasture I did not have cattle on this year so there is plenty of grass as well for them to eat. Here in another two weeks I'll go to nothing but cubes and feed the same 14% cubes every other day till they are ready to be bred in April/May. Purina® 4-Square cattle breeder cubes provide supplemental protein or energy for beef cattle on forage based diets. I've got 24 heifers that were on a grain feed along with quality grass and hay when I bought them about a month ago and have been mixing the feed they were on for just over a week now 50/50 with a 14% range cube daily giving them each approx. By pouring them out on the ground in a long line it sure makes it easy doing herd checks. They love the things and will follow me anywhere if they think I have some. Keeps them all "tame" and makes moving/working them easy. I feed out the 20% protein cubes to my cows usually once a week year round but during the winter will feed out sometimes twice a week at the rate of 1-2 lbs. ![]()
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