monitor your cattles energy balance

[chalice]

Strictly palatability.

[chalice]

All joking aside, I have euthanized 40- 50 down cows in the last 4-6 weeks in my practise area. This would tell me that there are probably at least 2-3X that many out there. These are all bigger producers trying to get by on poorer quality hay and just feeding more of it. Coupled with a tougher than usual winter, producers working off farm and a few other factors there are some real wrecks going on out there. When one producer I was working with called the feed mill for pellets he was told that that was their 12th call that day related to downer cows.
That is why we did the video. Even though it is very basic, sometimes it doesn't hurt to have a refresher course.
I fully agree with HT that post partum/pre-breeding nutrition is crucial to get cows to breedback. In this cold country it is cheaper to get a cow into a 3 to 3 1/2 and keep her there than ride the roller coaster.

[Happytrails]

Good on you chalice for offering a word to the wise. HT

[rkaiser]

While we are on the serious side. Could we perhaps be coaching these folks that are challenged by feed costs and off farm jobs to have a look at genetics?

Some cattle are simply more apt to use poorer quality feeds than others. There has been a movement over the last 30 or 40 years to create a steer that will eat lots of barley; and guess where his sisters have ended up. Not even so much a breed thing anymore. We find these barley eaters in every breed and their sisters in a lot of trouble. Especially when the farmer is challenged by finance to not supply the nutritional requirements necessary to meet the needs of these genetically modified barley eatin cattle.

Is that you on the right Chalice?

[kato]

We're in the process of buying some light calves to background... again... it's a habit, what can I say?

Anyway, looking at the condition of some of these little guys, I would be afraid to go see their mamas.

Some of these calves were wintered so cheap that they ran when Hubby cracked their first straw bale. I don't think they knew what bedding was. They ran! They soon figured it out though, and to say they had joy on their faces when they crashed down on their new cozy bed would be an understatement. Yes, calves can actually have happy expressions on their faces, especially when it's the first time they've been comfortable.

What kind of a winter they have had is anyone's guess, but I'm betting it wasn't a good one. If you have a calf that puts on pounds so fast you can see it over a two week period, it's compensating, no doubt about that.

Our policy is to never let our cows get so thin that we would be ashamed if someone saw them. Sure the hard workers will lose some weight, but there's no excuse for being able to hang your hat on their hips. That's not acceptable.

If you can't afford to feed them, you shouldn't have them. That's the bottom line. If we couldn't afford to keep the cows in good condition, we'd sell them.

[chalice]

That's me on the right. I think that genetics are part of it but it is not possible to select a cow that can do on nothing. My wife and I run around 100 hereford/angus/gallowayX cows. They fit the Bonsma/Fry type and once in a while we have to supplement the energy. That beigng said we try to produce beef with as little diesel and as high a percentage of forage as possible.
There are a few herds I have been called to where that longhorn in the video would be the fattest cow. Apart from the welfare issue, this is going cost them dearly when it comes to all of the problems that are associated with malnourished cattle. Dystocias, disease, low weaning weights and more opens for a start.

[chalice]

Kato your last line is a message that some producers really need hear.
Randy I saw in another thread that you have seen the wild aleution cow. I spent 2 summers gathering cattle on Unalaska and Umnak. They are the most functional cow I have dealt with worldwide. It is a unique environment and it is amazing what cattle can do for themselves when we don't interfere with them too much.

[gaucho]

Good post Henry, however I have to agree
with Randy.... too much selection for high-octane genetics is part of the
problem and then there are guys that run
young cows that are still growing with
their mature cows.... as far as forage
quality; anytime you get the production
you guys had last year , you will loose
in quality, never mind how late it was
cut and baled (feed test).... what we
missed in quantity last year was made up
for in quality and our cows are hog fat, except for the correinte/ longhorn cross
that were too good a deal to pass up.By
the way the only thing missing is a
theme song, some toques and have a
Molson Canadian in hand...Education and
entertainment.... good on you for doing
the post

[rkaiser]

I really thought you hired those two goofballs for the shoot chalice, but nice to meet you. I feel a little bad about teasing you and your belly but I am sure you can take it. We all have our weird little things going on like the pills I take for mental health LOL and gaucho's friggin hairdoo. You cut that stuff yet gaucho?

It's kinda like our bull sale this year -- when we start making a few bucks, we can have some fun in the industry again. --- AND hopefully get those guys who are challenging their cows too much to use some of that cash to feed em or change genetics, or both.

Where's old Pallet? I am sure you could come up with some smart assed Toronto Lawyer antics that could add to this thread.

[BTOfarmallll]

Chalice excellent video, enjoyed meeting yous. Also very glad to see yer rockin that look, hope more Cow Guys kin do the same. Don't mind Randy K, he's a Sellout. May I ask how many wild cattle are run on the Unalaska & Umnak Islands, what breeds are they, what are they like, pictures??? Might as well tell us the Whole Story on it. Long Live The Cowboy way.......