Preconditioning Nutrition and Management

1. Preconditioning Nutrition and Management

2. Discussion Topics • Pre-weaning management • Weaning management • Post-weaning management • Post-weaning nutrition

3. Preconditioning: Management steps executed prior to, during, and after weaning to insure optimum health and performance of calves.

4. Preweaning and Weaning Dam’s precalving nutrition Mineral supplementation for dam and calf Deworming Vaccination Castration Dehorning Postweaning Weaning management to minimize stress Training cattle to eat from a bunk Well balanced nutrition program to achieve positive weight gain Minimum 45 day weaning period Preconditioning Steps

5. Superior Livestock

7. 2003 Health Assessment • 45 sale lots of cattle, each to a different buyer • From 8 different OQBN sales • 1,711 head of OQBN certified cattle • Buyers were asked to provide pull rate and death loss data on “other” non-certified cattle purchased during the same time period

8. Cattle Destination

9. Frequency of Deaths and Sickness 80 to 85% improvement!

10. The Effect of Weaning Status on BRD Morbidity and First Treatment Relapse

11. The Effect of Pre-Trial Vaccine Type (Killed or MLV) on BRD Morbidity

12. Risk of BRD by Weaning Status and Vaccine Type

13. Pre-weaning Management

14. Passive Immunity • Passive transfer of colostral immunoglobulins • Dramatic impact on preweaning health • Calves that do not receive adequate passive transfer are 3 times as likely to be treated for BRD during the finishing phase • Precalving nutrition impacts colostral quantity and quality • Protein • Energy • Vitamins • Minerals

15. Mineral Nutrition of Cows and Calves • Of particular concern in OK: Cu, Se, Zn • Deficiencies of Cu, Se, Zn cause immunosupression • Vaccine effectiveness is reduced with Cu, Se, Zn deficiency • See Chapter 14, OK Beef Cattle Manual

16. Deworming • Cattle do not acquire full immunity to GI parasites until about 20-24 mos of age • Calves infected with internal parasites have reduced appetite, suppressed immune function, and reduced ability to respond to vaccination • Most certified preconditioning programs provide an option for vaccinating calves 2-6 weeks prior to weaning. Producers can take advantage of this to increase sale weight.

17. Practices to Reduce Stress at Weaning Time • Provide familiar environment • Minimize pacing by using small pens, etc. • Fence line weaning using corral or pasture fence with electric fence supplement

18. Post-weaning Management

19. Post-weaning Nutritional Options • One strategy doesn’t fit all situations • Feeding program begins at weaning • Risk assessment • Home-raised: not exposed, low stress • Exposed: exposed, highly stressed • Nutritional program can be 50 to 70% of preconditioning budget

20. Native Range and/or Mature Bermudagrass Pasture • Oklahoma Gold • 1 lb / hd / day 37-40% CP supplement • Vit. A, trace minerals, ionophore • (7) research trials of .9 to 1.2 lb / day protein • Response was .37 lb improvement in ADG • Response to ionophore is about .15 to .2 lb • Response to complete is about .57 lb. • Fed every other day, or pro rated for Mon.-Wed.-Fri.

21. Native Range and/or Mature Bermudagrass Pasture (cont.) • Super Gold • 2.5 lb / hd / day of 25% CP supplement • Vitamins, minerals, and additive • Response was .76 lb / hd / day increase • FE was 3.3 lb of supplement / lb added gain • Fed every day, or every other day (based upon feed additive label directions)

22. Stockpiled Fescue or Bermudagrass Pasture • Minimal supplementation required • Forage 12 to 16% CP until December • Feed 2 to 3 lb / hd / day of 12 to 14% CP feed • Vitamins, minerals, additive • Response .35 to .42 lbs. ADG improvement • FE 4.7 to 5.25 lbs. of supplement/lbs. added gain • Fed every day, or every other day (based on feed additive labeled directions).

23. Small Grains and other Lush Pasture • Oklahoma Green Gold • 2 lb / hd / day, 10 to 14% CP supplement • Vitamins, minerals, additive • Response was .42 lb ADG improvement • FE was 4.7 lb of supplement / lb added gain • Fed every day, or every other day (based on feed additive labeled directions).

24. Dry Lot Programs • Pasture limited, or not available • Hay and concentrate alternatives unlimited • Use high quality hay (10% or better) • Free choice hay, supplement fed at 1 – 1.5 % BW • Expected gain = 1 to 2 lb ADG • Vitamins, minerals, and additive can be fed in feed or mineral mix.

25. Dry Lot Programs (cont.) • Alfalfa hay and corn or grain sorgham • Blend at 60% hay and 40% grain • Response 1.7 to 2.0 lb ADG • Free choice alfalfa, feed grain at 1% BW • For faster gain, feed hay at 40% and grain at 60% • Begin at 2 to 3 lb of grain and work up

26. Summary, Nutritional Options • Define and prioritize objectives of nutritional management program • Be careful to not over-condition calves • Preconditioning feeds must be palatable • Performance is difficult to predict • High quality pasture is cheapest and most convenient preconditioning nutrition program

27. Receiving Programs for Stressed Cattle Total mixed ration Self feeders Hay, pasture, supplement

28. Age and Weight Considerations • Cattle < 300 lb require high energy and protein = concentrate diets • Light, young cattle cannot efficiently utilize low quality forage • Feed cost is often of little consequence

29. “Early Weaning Ration”

30. Early Weaning RationAverage Results: 3 Studies Days 36 Initial Weight 223 Intake, Lb./day 7.77 Intake, % BW 2.91 ADG 2.16 Feed/Gain 3.60

31. 350 and Up • Hay and supplement can work • Use only excellent quality hay • Feed minimum of 2 lb of supplement per feeding • Supplement should contain: • Protein • Vitamins • Minerals • Other additives

32. Nutrient Requirements of Stressed Calves

33. Nutrient Requirements of Stressed Calves • Actual requirement for protein, energy and other nutrients is not different compared to healthy calves • Getting them to consume the same amount is the problem

34. Feed Intake of Newly Arrived Calves Hutcheson and Cole, 1986

35. Feed Intake of Newly Arrived Calves Hutcheson and Cole, 1986

36. Requirements of 440 Lb. Calves Eating 1, 2 or 3% of Body Weight Intake, LB / day 4.4 8.8 13.2 Daily gain -.29 1.10 2.35 Required Concentration Protein, % 16.0 13.0 11.8 Copper, ppm 20 10 8 Intake, % of body weight 1 2 3

37. High Energy (>60% Conc.) • Morbidity may increase slightly compared to feeding hay and supplement • Performance is improved • Cost of gain decreases • Subsequent gain on grass?

38. How much should they gainduring the receiving period? Depends on timing (days to wheat), genetic potential for growth, flesh and cost of receiving ration

39. High Energy • Feed good quality hay at receiving for minimum of 7 days • Fat should not be added to receiving diets. • Increases morbidity and mortality. • May tie up Vitamin E. • Type of grain has little effect on calf health and performance

40. Minerals • Requirement is the same for stressed and non-stressed cattle. • Potassium requirement has been shown to be increased 20% for stressed calves. • Trace minerals requirements don’t appear to change during the receiving period (Zn, Cu, Cr, and Se).

41. Vitamin E • Performance results have shown increased ADG and feed efficiency • Medical cost per head decreased from $8.36 to $6.57 with 2000 I.U. • 21.4% decrease • 20 to 50 IU / lb feed is common

42. Summary • Define and prioritize objectives of nutritional management program • Be careful to not over condition calves • Preconditioning feeds must be palatable • Performance is difficult to predict • High quality pasture is cheapest and most convenient preconditioning nutrition program