The key to a successful calving season? Getting nutrition right. As the nutritional requirements of beef cattle vary throughout the year, meeting nutrient demands in an economical way can be a challenge.
No matter where or when calving occurs, nutrition can be optimized by planning for these high-nutrient-demand windows.
Breeding and Pre-Gestation
Cory Colburn, an independent cattle nutritionist, says beef cattle’s nutrition requirements increase a significant amount during pregnancy.
“Beef cattle can survive and even thrive on a relatively lower-maintenance, lower-nutrition diet,” she says.
The need for a high-nutrition diet starts later at breeding.
“We want to make sure that we’re priming their bodies to be optimally conditioned with vitamins and minerals during the breeding phase,” Colburn says.
Early Gestation
Once pregnant, beef cattle’s nutrition needs ramp up. Early in the gestational process, mothers require extra energy to support that growth. That comes in their diets.
Colburn warns malnutrition at this stage can cause major problems: “Improper nutrition often leads to calf disorders or birth defects that can create further issues.”
Mid- to Late-Gestation
Colburn pays attention to not just body condition scores (BCS) but also the amount of protein and energy cattle are eating.
“It’s important to monitor the energy levels in cows’ diets throughout the pregnancy, so we can avoid having to increase or decrease weight close to calving,” she says.
If necessary, mid-gestation is the prime time to adjust nutrition. Once cattle move into late gestation, proper nutrition becomes more essential and difficult to tweak.
“Adjusting diets during pregnancy must be done carefully. If we add weight too quickly, it can cause metabolic issues in the animals. Take it off too quickly, and fat is released into the bloodstream, increasing the chance of metabolic issues,” Colburn says.
That’s why it’s critical to keep a pulse on what they’re eating.
“If we notice cattle are over-conditioned, then we can quickly make adjustments and cut back on higher-energy feed sources,” she says.
Calving
At calving, the ideal BCS is around 5-6. If cows aren’t in that range, the consequences are noticeable, Colburn warns.
“The biggest impact is how cows handle calving. Over-conditioned animals are significantly more likely to have calving issues. If we have optimal BCS at calving, we’re more likely to have a smooth, healthy calving,” she says.
A Beef Nutritionist’s Recommendations for Calving Season
When nutrition needs are most demanding, Colburn recommends adding whole cottonseed into the ration.
“Whole cottonseed is a great option to help support nutrition during critical stages. Especially if pasture is inadequate, whole cottonseed can help provide the missing nutrients cattle need: fat, fiber and protein.”1
But it’s more than just nutrient-dense; whole cottonseed is also an effective and efficient feed ingredient,2 making it a valuable part of her recommendations as a nutritionist.
“Whole cottonseed is concentrated, which allows for some flexibility with other ingredients. With beef cattle, we often add it in with a mineral to provide a boost to that mix,” she says.
Take All Cost Variables Into Account
No doubt, cost is one of the biggest considerations when making feed decisions. But when Colburn makes her recommendations, she urges beef producers to think about the sacrifices of cutting back on strong nutrition.
“We have to ask — ‘What are we missing out on by removing nutrients?’ We know there’s going to be some kind of cost associated with the decision to cut an ingredient like whole cottonseed, such as decreases in pregnancy rates or growth on a calf,” she says. “That loss in efficiency has its own cost.”
1Smith, N.E., Collar, L.S., Bath, D.L., Dunkley, W.L., Franke, A.A. (1981). Digestibility and effects of whole cottonseed fed to lactating cows. J. Dairy. Sci. Vol. 64, no. 11, pp. 2209-2215., doi: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(81)82831-7.
2Kellogg, D.W., Pennington, J.A., Johnson, Z.B. and Panivivat, R. (2001). Survey of management practices used for the highest producing DHI herds in the United States. J. Dairy. Sci. Vol. 84, Supplement, E120– E127. doi: 10.3168/-jds.S0022-0302(01)70206–8.
