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Cow Supplementation
Project - 2002
Project Summary: Started in 2002, this project is to demonstrate
supplementation of cows on pasture. This project demonstrates the advantages of
supplementing cattle on pasture to increase milk yield for calves. As well, it
keeps cow weights maintained or increased rather than letting the cows body
condition suffer due to poor pasture conditions.
These cattle were fed a
pellet containing: 45% Barley, 7.5% Soybean Meal, 43% Pea Screenings, 2% Salt,
1% Canola Oil, .06% Rumensin, .3% Beef Premix, and 1% Calcium. This was fed at
a rate of 2 kg/cow/day or 4.4 lbs/cow/day.
The cost this year was $0.48/hd/day for the supplement. Cost per cow is
$54.21/head. Supplemented cows gained an
extra 78 lbs/hd. over the control group. The supplemented calves gained an extra 17
lbs/hd. over the control calves. A
question, which is hard to quantify, is how much pasture forage did we save
this year by using the supplementation?
A
control group was used to illustrate the differences in weight gain when cows
are placed on pasture for the season with no supplementation.
Objectives:
To keep milk
yields at desirable levels for nursing calves, so calves will wean at higher
weights.
To keep cow
weights maintained or increased during drought conditions.
To discover a
supplementation schedule that will work for cattle producers who have a busy
schedule.
To show
producers how to sustain pastures through various management techniques and
increase livestock production during drought conditions.
Cooperators: Wyett Swanson
Land Location: 36-37-4-W4
Project Advisors:
- Burt Forbes- Ag. Fieldman
- E.C.A.F.A- Sub-committee
- Barry Robinson - Nutritionist
Background/Description:
In 2002, 2 small herds of cattle (one group of 23 head
and another with 14 head) were placed south west of Provost near Sounding Lake.
One group was the control group and the other group was the supplemented group.
These 2 groups of cattle were grazing Crested Wheatgrass
and Bromegrass. The paddocks these cattle were grazing were 400m x 800m in size
and fenced by electric fence for rotational grazing purposes.
These groups were both watered out of the dugout
located on the SE . The control group was watered from a tire trough. The water was pumped a mile from the dugout
to the trough. The supplemented group had access straight to the dugout from
both paddocks that they were rotationally grazing.
These
two groups of cattle were rotated monthly and grazed paddocks that were 80
acres in size. The supplement group went on the South East quarter of the
pasture and the control group grazed on the South West quarter of the pasture.
In October these two groups of cattle were moved to the North half of the
section. Once again the supplemented group
grazed the east quarter and the control group grazed the west quarter.
The supplemented group was fed the supplement for 112
days at 4 kg/cow every 2nd day. The pelleted supplement was
specifically formulated for this project.
Observations:
Cow Weights taken on July 2,
2002 at start of project & Oct. 21, 2002 at end of project.
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Supplement Group
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Control Group
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23 head
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July 2
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Oct 21
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Control Group
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