Jason M. Warner

The effects of supplementing beef cows grazing cornstalk residue with a dried distillers grain based cube on cow and calf performance1

ABSTRACT Multiparous beef females (n = 832) were used to study the effects of supplementing cows grazing cornstalk residue with a dried distillers grain based cube on cow and calf performance. Cows were blocked by age, BCS, BW, and calving date and assigned randomly to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) supplemented with protein and energy using a dried distillers grain based cube or 2) not supplemented (control) during the last trimester of pregnancy. Cow BW was similar at initiation and at the end of cornstalk grazing, and at the initiation of the breeding season. Supplementation did not affect BCS at the start of breeding (5.4 ± 0.1) or at the initiation of cornstalk grazing the subsequent year. Body condition score of supplemented cows was greater (P = 0.02) at the end of cornstalk grazing compared with that of control cows (5.6 vs. 5.4 ± 0.1). Calving interval, calf birth weight, and calf weaning weight were not different. Percentage of cows cyclic before breeding and final pregnancy rates did not differ. Heifer progeny (n = 306) retained as replacements were similar in initial weight (277.5 ± 10.2 kg), final weight (351 ± 11.5 kg), initial and final BCS, and ADG (0.45 ± 0.04 kg/d). Age at puberty, response to synchronization, AI conception and pregnancy rates, and final pregnancy rates were not different. Supplementation of a dried distillers grain based cube to cows grazing cornstalks improves BCS in the last trimester without affecting reproduction, calf performance, or reproductive performance of heifer progeny.

Limit feeding nonlactating, nonpregnant beef cows with bunkered wet distillers grains plus solubles or distillers solubles1

ABSTRACT Nonlactating, nonpregnant beef cows (593 ± 10.0 kg) were used in a completely randomized design to evaluate the performance of limit-fed diets containing bunkered wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS; n = 24) or bunkered condensed corn distillers solubles (DS; n = 22) compared with a control diet offered ad libitum (CON; n = 24). Cows were stratified by age and BW and randomly assigned to pens (3 pens/treatment, 7 or 8 cows per pen). The WDGS and DS were mixed and stored with 30% and 59% ground cornstalks (DM basis), respectively, for 30 d before feeding. Diets were fed for 76 d and formulated to maintain BW. Both WDGS and DS diets contained 41% by-product and 59% cornstalks at time of feeding, with DMI limited to 7.7 kg/d. The CON diet consisted of 43% bromegrass hay, 34% cornstalks, and 23% alfalfa haylage and was fed ad libitum (DMI = 10.4 kg/d). The WDGS diet was 4.1% fat and 0.24% sulfur. The DS diet was 5.5% fat and 0.37% sulfur on a DM basis. Initial BW and BCS among treatments were similar. Final BW was greater (P

Case Study: Supplementation of cow-calf pairs grazing smooth bromegrass pastures with ethanol by-products and low-quality forages

ABSTRACT Multiparous, lactating, crossbred (Simmental × Angus) beef cows with spring-born calves at side (n = 16 per year; 4 per pasture) were used each of 3 yr to evaluate supplementing modified distillers grains plus solubles mixed with low-quality forage on cow and calf performance while grazing. Cow-calf pairs were assigned randomly to treatment with 2 replications (pasture) per year for 3 yr. Treatments were (1) recommended stocking rate of 9.46 animal-unit month/ha with no supplementation (CON) or (2) double the recommended stocking rate (18.9 animal-unit month/ha) and supplemented with a 30:70 modified distillers grains plus solubles:cornstalks (DM) mixture (SUPP). To replace 50% of grazed forage DMI, SUPP pairs were fed an average of 1.13% of BW (DM) over the grazing season. Pairs grazed adjacent smooth bromegrass pastures for 130 d during the summer. Gain was not different (P = 0.19) between SUPP and CON cows (0.28 vs. 0.19 kg/d, respectively). Ending cow BW was not affected (P = 0.46) by treatment. Similarly, calf gain was not affected (P = 0.31) by supplementation. In studies where confined cow-calf pairs were fed average-quality (IVDMD = 52.9%) forage, DMI was 2.58% of pair BW. Based on these data, CON and SUPP pairs consumed 18.6 and 19.1 kg of DM, respectively, of total feed per pair daily. The SUPP pairs consumed 7.1 kg of DM/pair daily of the supplement, replacing approximately 35% of grazed forage intake. These data suggest mixtures of ethanol co-products and low-quality forages can be supplemented to replace grazed forage intake of cattle, allowing for increased stocking rate without affecting animal performance.