Restricting Time of Access to Large Round Bales of Hay Affects Hay Waste and Cow Performance

Effects of housing beef cow-calf pairs on drylot or pasture in the Midwest on production parameters and calf behavior through feedlot receiving

The objectives were to analyze the effects of housing cow-calf pairs in drylots (DL) or pasture (PAST) on cow performance and reproduction as well as calf performance and behavior through feedlot receiving. Simmental × Angus (2 yr; 108/yr; 81 ± 15.3 d postpartum) spring-calving cows were stratified by age, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and calf sex and allotted to six groups per year. Groups were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: DL or PAST. Cows in DL were limit-fed at maintenance and calves had ad libitum access to the cow diet in an adjacent pen. Pairs on PAST were rotationally grazed and calves received creep ad libitum 3 wk prior to weaning. On day 110, calves were fence-line weaned and behavior was observed on days 111 and 112. On day 116, calves were transported 272 km to a feedlot for a 42-d receiving period. Behavior was evaluated again on days 117 and 118. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS except reproductive data which was analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure. Cows on DL had greater (P ≤ 0.01) BW and BCS at weaning. There were no differences (P ≥ 0.42) detected in reproductive data. Cows on DL had greater (P = 0.02) milk production. Calves on DL had greater BW (P ≤ 0.01) on day 55 and at weaning and greater preweaning average daily gain (ADG). There were treatment × time effects (P = 0.01) for lying and eating on days 111 and 112. More DL calves were eating in the morning and lying in the evening. More (P < 0.01) PAST calves were walking on day 111. Pasture calves vocalized more (P ≤ 0.01) on day 112. On day 117, more (P ≤ 0.05) pasture calves were lying and eating, and DL vocalized more. On day 118, treatment × time and treatment effects were detected (P ≤ 0.02) for lying and walking. More PAST calves were lying and more DL calves were walking. Drylot calves had greater (P ≤ 0.02) BW at the beginning and end of the receiving phase. Pasture calves had greater (P < 0.01) ADG and tended (P = 0.10) to have greater gain efficiency during feedlot receiving phase. In conclusion, housing cow-calf pairs in drylots improved BW, BCS, and milk production of cows but did not affect reproductive performance. Drylot calves had increased BW and ADG during the preweaning phase. Calf behavior at weaning and receiving was influenced by preweaning housing. Pasture calves had improved receiving phase ADG and feed efficiency but were still lighter than drylot calves after 42-d receiving phase.

Effects of bale feeder design on hay waste, intake, and apparent diet digestibility in gestating beef cows

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeder design on hay intake, apparent diet digestibility, and hay waste in gestating beef cows. Native tallgrass prairie hay and a protein supplement was fed throughout both experiments. In Exp. 1, 56 crossbred cows were used in a Latin square arrangement. Feeder design treatments included a conventional open bottom steel ring (OBSR), an open bottom polyethylene pipe ring (POLY); a sheeted bottom steel ring (RING), and a sheeted bottom steel ring with a basket (BASK). Cows were weighed and allotted based on BW to one of four previously grazed 2.0 ha paddocks equipped with a concrete feeding pad. Fourteen cows were assigned to each paddock and three round bales were fed consecutively within each treatment period. The cows acclimated to the feeders while the first bale was being consumed. Subsequently, hay waste data were collected while the second and third bale within each period were being consumed. Waste was measured for each bale at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after each bale was introduced into the pen. Hay waste was significantly affected by hay feeder design with 19.7, 21.1, 12.4, and 5.5% of original bale weight wasted for OBSR, POLY, RING, and BASK, respectively (P < 0.01). There was a feeder design × day interaction (P < 0.01) with greater waste when the bale was first introduced into the pen in OBSR, POLY, and RING feeders and gradually declining thereafter, while waste from the BASK feeder was consistently low. There was a tendency (P = 0.06) for cows eating from OBSR feeders to consume less hay than cows eating from RING feeders. Feeder design did not influence apparent diet digestibility (P = 0.46). In Exp. 2, 64 crossbred cows (body weight = 590 ± 59 kg) were used to determine waste, forage intake, and apparent diet digestibility when hay was fed from a sheeted bottom steel ring (RING) or a RING feeder with a cone insert (CONE). More hay was wasted when cows were fed from RING feeders compared to CONE feeders (11.9% vs. 4.8%, P < 0.01). Feeder design had no effect on DMI or apparent digestibility (P > 0.45). Hay savings from adopting a more conservative feeder design can have a dramatic influence on hay utilization by beef cows and thus on cost of production.

Influence of hay feeding method, supplement moisture, or access time on intake and waste by beef cows

Experiments were performed to determine the effects of feeding method and hay processing (Experiment 1), energy supplement moisture content and feeding method (Experiment 2), and access time to hay (Experiment 3) on cow body weight (BW), dry matter intake (DMI), and hay or energy supplement intake and waste. Experiment 1 was designed as a 4 × 4 Latin Square using 48 multiparous, late-gestating, Angus cows (626 kg initial BW). Cows were stratified by age and BW into four treatment groups (n = 12 cows/group); treatment groups were then initially assigned randomly to treatments in a sequence of preset Latin Square periods. In Experiment 1, round bales were processed and delivered on the pen surface or in a bunk, or left unprocessed and delivered in a hay ring or rolled out on the pen surface. Experiment 2 was designed as a 6 × 6 Latin Square utilizing 54 multiparous, late-gestating, Angus cows (616 kg initial BW). Cows were stratified by age and BW into treatment groups (n = 9 cows/group); treatment groups were then initially assigned randomly to treatments in a sequence of preset Latin Square periods. In Experiment 2, corn screenings (CS) or wet beet pulp (BP) were fed in a structure (inverted tire or bunk) or BP only on the pen surface. Experiment 3 was designed as a replicated 3 × 3 Latin Square utilizing 24 multiparous, late-gestating, Angus cows (584 kg initial BW). Cows were stratified by age and BW into treatment groups (n = 8 cows/group); treatment groups were then initially assigned randomly to treatments in a sequence of preset Latin Square periods. In Experiment 3, cows were permitted access to round-bales in a hay ring for 6, 14, or 24 h. In Experiment 1, hay DMI was not affected (P ≥ 0.579). Hay waste was greater (P ≤ 0.007) when hay, processed or not, was fed on the pen surface. In Experiment 2, hay DMI was greatest (P ≤ 0.011) for cows fed no supplement and those fed CS in a bunk. Feeding BP in a bunk led to the greatest (P ≤ 0.003) hay waste. In Experiment 3, cows permitted 6-h access consumed and wasted less (P < 0.001) hay compared with those permitted longer access; BW was unaffected (P ≥ 0.870). In these experiments, cows fed hay on the pen surface, processed or not, achieved similar DMI as those fed in a ring or bunk, but wasted more hay. Delivering BP in a bunk or on the pen surface increased hay and supplement waste, respectively. Controlling access to hay reduced DMI and waste while maintaining cow BW.

Effects of alternate day feeding of dried distiller's grains plus solubles in forage-fed steers on intake, ruminal fermentation and passage rates, and serum nonesterified fatty acid

Four ruminally and duodenally cannulated Holstein steers (BW = 449 ± 7.3 kg) were used to examine the effects of feeding either dried distiller's grains plus solubles (DG) or grass hay on alternate days (every other day) on intake, ruminal fermentation and passage rates, and serum NEFA in forage-fed steers. Steers were assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments in a 4 × 4 Latin square: 1) only hay (CON), 2) hay and 0.4% of BW as DG DM daily (DG7), 3) hay daily and 0.8% BW DG every other day (DG2), and 4) alternate day feeding of hay and 0.8% of BW as DG (DGA). Treatment periods consisted of 13 d of adaptation and 8 d of collecting digesta and blood. Over the entire collection period, DMI was decreased ( = 0.004) for DGA compared with other treatments (13.0 ± 0.8, 12.7 ± 0.8, 13.3 ± 0.8, and 10.9 ± 0.8 kg/d for CON, DG7, DG2, and DGA, respectively). Immediately after feeding on days supplement was fed to DG2 and DGA (supplemented days [SUP]), ruminal pH of DGA was less than other treatments but by the end of the day was greater than other treatments (treatment × time, < 0.001). At feeding time on nonsupplemented days (NSUP), ruminal pH of DGA steers was greater than other treatments but was similar (treatment × time, < 0.001) to DG2 and CON by 5 h after feeding. Total concentrations of VFA were similar ( = 0.09) among treatments on SUP; however, on NSUP, total VFA concentrations were least in DGA from feeding until 4 h after feeding (treatment × time, = 0.02). No differences ( ≥ 0.06) were observed among treatments for apparent ruminal, total intestinal, and total tract DM, OM, or CP digestibility. There were no differences ( = 0.36) in serum NEFA among treatments on SUP; however, on NSUP, steers fed DGA (209.5 ± 12.7 m) had greater ( < 0.01) NEFA compared with other treatments (84.4 ± 12.7, 88.0 ± 12.7, and 77.7 ± 12.7 m for CON, DG7, and DG2, respectively). The DGA feeding strategy influenced DMI and ruminal kinetics and circulating NEFA without impacting total tract digestibility.