Rumensin to Beef cows

[brian]

Does it pay to feed beef cows rumensin on a feed efficiency basis only? Are there pro's and con's depending on diet?(high straw/roughage maintenance rations vs high quality limit fed silage ration) I realize there are coccidios benefits but if you don't have a cocci problem is it still economical. As well do you have to feed every bovine on the farm rumensin to control cocci?

[brian]

This isn't a scientific reply, just a guess. In the winter of 1995 I was short of hay so I was feeding a lot of straw and about 4 lbs. of barley and some 32% along with rumensin in the mix, to my cows. It seemed to me they did very well, probably better than I could have expected with just the grain mix. If rumensin allows cows to absorb more nutrients (I think they claim 15%) it should be cost effective. The real bonus was when the calves came. I'd always had a bit of a coccidiosis problem in calves about one month old, and this completely eleminated it. So for me it was money well spent.

[brian]

I have been looking through some of the research papers dealing rumensin. I have done some feed rations in the last few days based on silage grain rations, and alfalfa/grass hay grain rations. The numbers that I have wotk through have shown feed costs to be close to $1.00 / hd/day or more, it we use that assumption and follow the research and the product claim of 15% cost savings then the ~.08 cents a day easily pays for the rumensin. The real benefit is when you consider the cocci control. the key is then to present less feed to the animals, not continue to feed the same quantity as we fed pre rumensin. As the quality, of forage goes the the better savings and economics are for better quality feeds. The poor quality feeds can only give up(have available) so much of their nutrient values. So the better economics are for high quality feeds although the poor quality feeds will get some benefit, just no as much.