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December 2011 Articles

Plant trees now through midwinter
USDA and Feld Entertainment, Inc., Reach Settlement Agreement
Statement by Bob stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding
Winter, early spring are good times to prune most trees, shrubs
Cattle on Feed Report Trends are a Key
Effect of Supplemental Trace Minerals From Injection on Health and Performance o
EPA's Crushing Regulatory Burdens Threaten Family Farms
Tight Stocks, Strong Demand continue for Corn Market
2011 Food and Health Survey - Consumer Attitudes Towards Food Safety, Nutrition
GIPSA Rules
Compare Cost of Raising Replacements Versus Purchasing
Corn research pays dividends for La. Farmers
Vow not to gain weight over the holiday season
LSU AgCenter nutritionist gives advice about diabetes
American Tree Farm System
Statement by Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding
Agricultural Secretary Vilsack Highlights the 150th Anniversary of USDA
AFBF: Farm Youth Labor Rule Overreaches DOL Authority
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces $50 Million for Gulf Coast Restoration
Notes from Germany
Cutting Corners
Just Rambling
Inaugural WTC agricultural committee meets in New Orleans
Just Rambling
Scholarship Donkey
Horse owners advised to be on the lookout for infectious disease
Early wheat harvest helps farmers avoid floods
FORAGE UPDATE: HAY STOCKS AND PASTURES:
Blueberries offer health benefits
Arkansas Agriculture Newsletters Livestock Market News - Situation and Outlook
La. farmers face huge losses from flood, drought damage
Bring butterflies with buddleias
AFBF Estimates 3.6M Ag Acres Hit by Floods
AFBF: 3% Withholding Tax Needs Repeal
Replacement Heifers - A Strategy for Success
Statement by Boy Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding
Ninth annual Water Fest draws 300 students
New rules facing catfish industry
USDA changes safe pork cooking temperatures
Corn Supply Tight Despite Projected Record Crop
Stay Away from high-calorie, caffeine-containing drinks in hot weather
Air Quality and the Broiler Industry
Turkey gnats pose nuisance to people, but threat to chickens
Coping with Drought
DROUGHT AID AVAILABLE FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS
Cutting Corners: Summer Smoothies
Just Rambling
Horse Expert Lists Benefits of Horse Ownership
Micellaneous Horse Trivia
La. cattle producers vote to continue checkoff
TAHC to Discontinue Brucellosis Testing at Markets
Drought bigger concern than flood for agriculture 2011
Saddle Pad Tips
2011 Food and Farm Facts Now Available
Insect, disease control critical to successful pecan production
Lantanas offer summer flowers, attract butterflies
Azalea problems answered
Verses by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Gulf seafood remains safe, expert says
Great Orators
Keep hydrated, keep safe during hot weather
Weater Challenges Reflected in Latest USDA Crop Report
Proper watering is important during dry weather
Armadillos don't have to ruin your landscape
Tracking Milk and Egg Trends
Energy Cost Run-up Drives Retail Food Prices in Second Quarter
Common Diseases Affecting Small Poultry Flocks
Drought Likely to Impact Cattle Markets for Years
Horse Pasture, Seeds Help Your Pasture Management
Why some people are mosquito magnets
Cutting Corners: Squash Fritters
Just Rambling
Just Rambling
Trichomoniasis in Cattle
Tractor Safety
10 Tips for Preventing Clinical Exacerbation of heaves in Horses
AFBF Outlines Steps to Ease Regulatory Nightmare
Heat Stress in Livestock
Avoiding Heat Stress in Youth Livestock Projects
Biodiesel workshop shows how it's done
Hay bale load restrictions waived to help Texas ranchers
Why We Say the Things We Say
Year-to-Date U.S. Cattle Slaughter Rate
Approval of Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act Urged
America's Heartland Launches Seventh Season on Public TV
• Feeding the Herd through a Drought
Higher Energy Prices Hitting Farmers' Bottom Line
Tight Supply Situation Still Driving Corn Market
Horse Facts:
Fig trees can enhance landscapes
Horse Trivia:
Another Look at Production Records
National Poultry Inprovement Plan (NPIP)
Don't let poison ivy get you
Trivia:
Love him or loathe him, he nailed this one right on the head.......
Cutting Corners: Santa Fe Rice Salad
Just Rambling
Students participate in summer institute
Cook meats carefully to avoid illnesses
"Signs of Planting"
Take care of your crape myrtle trees
Drought may affect deer
3 LSU AgCenter administrators to receive honorary FFA degree
Trees need special care during drought
August USDA Report Confirms Tight Corn Crop
AFBF Pleased by DOT Guidance on Ag Transportation
Blackleg May be a Concern in Drought Conditions
Cull Cow Strategy for the Fall
The Things I Know
Sweet potato growers learn latest at LSU AgCenter field day
Arkansas Agriculture Newsletters Livestock Market News - Situation and Outlook
Valuation Measures for Forage
OUTLOOK IS FOR FEEDSTUFFS TO REMAIN VERY EXPENSIVE
Livestock Market News - Week Ending August 26, 2011
Did You Know?
The First Year - LSU AgCenter Hill Farm Research Station Broiler Demonstration H
Strain: LDAF is more efficient
Drift roses offer new landscape options
Cutting Corners: Banana Pudding Cupcakes

(120 articles found)

Archives by Months

Feeding the Herd through a Drought

Feeding the Herd through a Drought
Nutrition becomes the number one concern when cattle producers deal with drought conditions. Typically the first thing we try to do is buy more hay which isn’t always the easiest or economical thing to do. If you are purchasing hay try to buy it on a value basis rather than volume. In other words purchase hay on weight and nutrient composition rather than by the quantity of bales. While this is easier said than done you can save yourself supplement cost in the long if you can buy higher quality hay.
We also need to feed hay as efficiently as possible. This can be done by reducing wastage feeding accurately. Something as simple as using a hay ring can reduce hay wastage drastically. One of the best ways to improve your accuracy for the amount of hay to feed while also reducing waste is to process it thru a mixer grinder and create a total mixed ration with other feedstuffs. This option needs to be evaluated carefully to make sure it is an economically feasible option in your operation. Reducing hay wastage by feeding it more effectively is a must in stretching hay supplies.
Culling Another way to help feed the herd through a drought is by reducing the number of mouths you are feeding. Culling is the easiest, but not always the most favorable way of extending your feed resources. A logical culling order is listed below and adapted from the “Louisiana Beef Cattle Producer Guide to Coping with Drought Conditions”. A logical culling order that may be used is as follows: •Open old cows •Open replacement heifers (still young enough to feed out and meet fed market targets) •Old cows with unsound mouth, eyes, feet and legs •Open cows of any age •Thin cows over 7 years old (body condition score < 4) •Very late bred 2 year olds •Healthy bred cows that are over 7 years old •Healthy bred young cows 2 or 3 years old •Healthy bred cows 4 to 7 year old cows. Reducing the numbers of mouths to feed is a tough decision but can help reduce some potential cost and it is not a bad option with the current market we are experiencing.
Stretching Forage Supplies through Supplementation
Most producers do not want to utilize their hay stores this early in the year. Regardless if it is something we wish to do or not, we must do it efficiently and accurately to stretch our supplies. To efficiently feed the herd we first need to know their requirements. The nutrient requirements for a 1200 lb. pound cow (body condition score 5) are listed in the Table 1. If you do not know the average weight of your cowherd you can use your cull cow receipts to get a rough idea.
Table 1. Energy (TDN) and Protein (CP) requirements for 1200 lb cow.


Table 2. Example diets to replace hay with supplements to maintain a Body Condition Score of 5, 4 months post calving.*

* These expressed as fed values ** Will only maintain current BCS for a 30-45 day period. A higher quality hay may be needed.
These diets were created assuming that the only forage you are providing is the hay. You can substitute the forage that you are trying to stretch for the hay I used in this example but you will need to establish the nutrient value of the forage. These scenarios only provide a moderate reduction of hay usage. More extreme measures will involve adding a substantial amount of corn and other energy feedstuffs into the diet which may not be any more economical than purchasing the hay you need. In any case, all supplemental feeds should be priced according to the nutrient(s) that you are interested in.
Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Vitamin and mineral supplementation is too often overlooked during droughty weather, as it is thought of as an unnecessary cost, but I argue that there are many vital biological functions that are linked to vitamin and mineral nutrition. Compounded with the fact that forages that are drought stressed can be highly variable in there nutrient content, and very low in vitamins A and E. It is very important that you supply a balanced mineral supplement to the entire herd.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 225-578-2416 or kharborth@agcenter.lsu.edu. Hopefully the rains that are currently blessing most of the state will be the start of a wetter trend. Karl Harborth, Extension Beef Specialist, LSU AgCenter
References: “Louisiana Beef Cattle Producer Guide to Coping with Drought Conditions”. Accessed 6/20/2011 at http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/7E18EC16-D993-418C-AC73-9F87E8EF6784/28706/ LABeefCattleProducerGuidetoCopingwithDroughtCondit.pdf
National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. 2000

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