| Feed
Diamond V Yeast Culture: Just 1-2 ounces per head per day of
Diamond V XP Yeast Culture helps to nurture the rumen microflora. These
rumen microbes are responsible for the fermentation and breakdown of
feedstuffs in the rumen. Research has shown that both fiber and starch
digestibility is increased by supplementing Diamond V Yeast Culture.
Begin by feeding 2 ounces per day of Diamond V XP Yeast Culture for the
first 3 to 4 weeks. After that, supplementation may be decreased to 1
ounce per day to continue to maintain improved digestibility for only a
couple pennies per day.
Feed an ionophore:
Ionophores, such as monensin or lasalocid, can increase average daily
gain and or feed efficiency significantly. Like Diamond V Yeast Culture,
they can be fed in supplements or in mineral. However, do not allow
horses to have access to any feed or mineral containing ionophores.
Use implants:
Growth-promoting implants are a highly effective tool in increasing calf
performance. This is especially true with respect to what they cost and
what they can provide. For example, a $0.75 implant can increase gain
per head by 15 to 20 lbs.
Minimize shrink: Allow
cattle to fill up on pasture first thing in the morning, and load them
after they have grazed. Train your cattle to be easy to catch by feeding
them for a couple of weeks before marketing. If your cattle are used to
eating from a bunk, ensure that the cattle are fed at the sale barn,
even if you have to feed them yourself. Check with the sale barn manager
about their ability to feed.
Reduce stress: Reducing
stress on cattle is key to maintaining health, growth, and in reducing
pre-marketing shrink. Pay close attention to both handling stress as
well as environmental and nutritional stress.
Evaluate marketing alternatives:
Learn to evaluate all possible marketing alternatives well before the
end of the grazing season. These include local sale barns, large
regional sale barns, video/internet sales or private treaty
("country") sales.
Produce early pasture: If
you are certain you will graze out small grains, strive to produce
forage as early in the fall as you can. This can extend the fall/winter
grazing season and reduce the need for supplemental feed.
Have a good health management
program: A health management program should be a written plan,
designed by you and your veterinarian, for how you are going to care for
your cattle. It should include identification, a vaccination program,
diagnosis procedures, treatment protocols and morbidity/mortality
targets.
Have an alternative feed source:
Being able to buy cattle when no one has pasture, or being able to keep
your cattle gaining through tough pasture conditions, can add tremendous
flexibility to your operation. Being able to handle by-product feeds
such as soybean hulls or wheat midds can significantly reduce the cost
of supplemental feed.
Know your production costs:
Knowing your production costs are essential in determining your
breakeven selling price and return on investment. Moreover, it can also
be helpful in determining what areas lend the greatest room for
improvement by comparing data among various groups, years or industry
averages.
Tips
from Kansas State University (PDF) |
