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Winter isn’t just for calving. Sheep and goat producers are gearing up for lambing/kidding season, too.

The last month of gestation is a key time in gestational development. Fetuses are rapidly growing and the body is mobilizing nutrients for milk production. Space in the rumen becomes a limiting factor. The rapidly growing lambs or kids push the uterus into the space normally occupied by the rumen, leaving less and less space for feed. Consequently, the dam may not have enough room in the rumen to get all her energy needs fulfilled (especially on an all-forage diet).

This negative energy balance can cause ketosis, also known as pregnancy toxemia. Pregnancy toxemia usually occurs in the last few weeks of gestation in females that are thin or fat and carrying a large single or multiples. Since the dam physically can’t eat enough to meet her energy needs, the body starts burning fat. This may seem like a great idea, but the body isn’t as efficient at burning fat for energy as it is with carbohydrates. This can result in a build of ketones in the liver and result in pregnancy toxemia.

The symptoms of pregnancy toxemia include going completely off feed, lying down and refusing to get up when approached, depression and teeth grinding. You may also notice that the dam will have a ketone (sickly sweet) smell to their breath. The negative energy balance can also be accompanied by tremors, blindness or incoordination. Treatment options for a ewe or doe diagnosed with pregnancy toxemia revolve around getting energy into the dam. This generally means sugar (glucose) delivered via drench or IV along with other electrolytes.

Providing your ewes or does with an energy source in late gestation can help prevent, or even treat, pregnancy ketosis. Molasses-based supplements, such as CRYSTALYX®, provide a readily digestible source of energy for the rumen microbes. This in turn can help increase fiber digestibility in the rumen and thus more energy available to the dam. At a time where the dam’s intake (rumen space) is restricted by the fetal growth, maximizing every bite is key.

CRYSTALYX^® offers a number of protein and mineral/vitamin supplements formulated especially for sheep and goat. Click on the 'By Species' tab above and select sheep or goat to learn more about these products.

Recently I traveled to Queensland, Australia, to visit a friend of mine. She works as a consulting nutritionist to a number of feed yards in Australia and other countries in the South Pacific. I was fortunate enough to be able to ride with her to a few yards and was able to see how things are done on the other side of the world.

The fed cattle market is very different in Australia. Cattle for the domestic market are fed to a certain days on feed (65-70 days) as set by 2 domestic grocery stores. The reason being is shelf space. Each cut has a specific dimension that it must fit into and the short fed, lighter cattle have a smaller carcass that won’t exceed the dimensions of the designated space. What the consumer sees in the case, are packages of steaks which are very uniform in size that would grade select at best in the US. The cattle that won’t make it to the domestic market are sold heavier to the US and other countries.

Waygu cattle also fill a few yards around Australia. They are either pure bred or crossed with dairy beef and tend to be more heat tolerant than British bred cattle. These cattle are in the yard for the long haul. We visited a yard in northern Victoria with several pens of cattle that were over 600 days on feed, weighing in the neighborhood of 1,980 lbs. and still had days to go. The Waygu cattle are sold for the Kobe beef market. The front half of the carcass holds the most value and looking at the cattle, you can see that they are bred with that in mind. There’s not much in the rear half like you would see with British or Continental bred cattle.

The feedstuffs utilized in the yards are similar to what is used in parts of the US. Barley and wheat are the main grain sources, cereal grain hay and some silage for the roughages and the supplement is carried by liquid molasses. If they are using a distillers’ product it’s sorghum rather than corn.

When you get down to it, cattle feeding doesn’t differ that much regardless of where you are. Everyone is feeding to suit their market, using what resources they have near. All that differs is the slang used by the hired hands and the units of measure on the scale.

Winter is coming. It’s not just a phrase on a popular premium cable TV show, it’s a fact. The leaves on the ground, the frost in the morning and the calendar tell us it’s inching closer. Whether your winter means a snow pack or grazing rye grass, the common denominator for all of us is what to do about supplementing.

More often than not, we use the cost per ton as the deciding factor when choosing a supplement program. However, we need to remember to add in other on-farm costs the cost per ton of supplement. These include labor to handle the supplement and mileage to and from the pasture. Derek Bailey, with Montana State University, looked at 2 supplement strategies, cake and low moisture blocks, to determine cost effectiveness. 160 cows were divided into 2 treatments, 20% cake fed 3 times/week and CRYSTALYX^® BGF-30 offered free choice, on pasture October thru December.

The results of study showed that cattle supplemented with BGF-30 performed the same as cattle supplemented with cake while eating less. The BGF-30 cattle consumed an average of 0.70 lb (with 0.46 lb of free choice salt) whereas the cake cattle consumed an average of 1.69 lb (with 0.13 lb free choice salt). The exact driver behind the performance results was not determined in this study, but it does leave a person with a lot to think about. Another interesting observation in this study is pasture utilization. The BGF-30 cattle were tracked utilizing pastures at higher elevations than cattle fed cake.

From this research we can pull out 3 criteria for determining the economics of a supplement.

Supplement Cost – The total cost includes cost per ton of supplement, cost per ton for delivery to farm/ranch and storage cost per ton in addition to how many pounds/head/day during the supplementation period.

Labor Cost – How many hours does it take to put out the supplement for each feeding, and how many times per week do you do this?  What is your time or the hired hand’s time worth when other tasks could be completed?

Travel and Equipment Cost – How much does it cost you to drive your truck/tractor to the pasture round trip?

What it adds up to is cost of feed + cost of labor + cost of travel = total cost of supplement program. To see the numbers come together for yourself, click on the Crystal Clear Economyx^® page. There you can use our cost calculator to do a quick comparison on the cost of a low moisture block to another type of supplement. Or you can download the Crystal Clear Economyx^® spreadsheet and really crunch some numbers.

For more information on the research mentioned above, click on the ‘HOW IT WORKS’ tab above, then Supplementation Research and select Effects of Self-Fed vs Hand Fed Protein Supplements… under the Northern Agricultural Research Center Montana State University drop down.

Molds and mycotoxins have a major impact on feedstuff and livestock production. They cause economic loss from lost dry matter and nutrient value in moldy feeds to lost production efficiency and overall animal health in animals consuming feeds contaminated with mycotoxins.

Moldy feeds create a number of issues in for livestock. First and foremost moldy feeds don’t taste good. Moldy feeds tend to be dusty and can cause pulmonary discomfort for livestock. They can also cause digestive upsets, even disrupt the fiber mat in the rumen. Lastly molds can and do produce myctotoxins.

Mycotoxins are a by-product of mold growth, thought to be produced as a defense when the mold is stressed or to reduce competition from other mold species. It’s important to know that the presence of mold on a feedstuff is not an indicator of the presence of a mycotoxin and vice versa. In other words, you can’t tell by looking at the feedstuff, testing is the only way to know.

The adverse effect of a mycotoxin on livestock depends on the type of mycotoxin consumed and the stage of production of the animal. In general the negative effects of a mycotoxin include; modified nutrient quality, absorption and metabolism, altered endocrine functions and depressed immune response. Specific mycotoxins and examples of the effects on livestock are listed below.

Preventing issues from mycotoxin ingestion can be simplified to a few steps:

1.  Purchase feedstuffs that are free of mycotoxins. Test feedstuffs prior to purchase or receiving. Realize that no feed will test zero, but work with your nutritionist, veterinarian or extension agent to set a threshold level.

2.  Put up hay and silage in a timely manner. Both rely on cooperation from Mother Nature, which doesn’t always happen. Store hay so it’s protected from rain. When packing silage, be sure you have the proper weight on the pack tractor and the cutter isn’t getting ahead of what you can pack. Consider utilizing a hay or silage additive to help prevent mold growth.

3.  If you have contaminated feedstuffs, don’t feed to those most susceptible. This would include non-ruminants, pregnant animals, and young ruminants. Dilute with feedstuffs that are safe.

References:   Carlson, M and S. Ensley. 2003. Understanding Fungal (Mold) Toxins (Mycotoxins). NebGuide G1513 Dairyland Laboratories. Feed and Forages: Molds and Mycotoxins. www.dairylandlabs.com; BulletProof. www.bulletproofyourforage.com

You don’t have to be a weather expert to know that this spring/summer has been plain nuts. From tragic storms and severe flooding to drought, no one is really having an easy time of it. Here in the upper Midwest, we’ve had the range of odd weather for what should be summer, but sometimes feels like early spring. The upside of this crazy weather is that cows have grass up to their bellies or even over their backs. However, tall grass doesn’t have what your cows need.

Cool season grasses, which dominate pastures in the upper Midwest, grew rapidly last month with all the rain and cooler temperatures. This led to pastures and hay getting away from some. Some might not see an issue with grass that is up to the cow’s belly or even over the back. It means there’s plenty to eat, right?

The answer may surprise you. Watch your cattle in that tall grass; where are their heads? Are they eating the tops and seed heads on mature grass? Probably not, it’s more likely that they have their heads down, doing their best to pick out any new growth. As the plant grows taller, it has to re-enforce the stalk to keep it up right. You could compare it to building a sky scraper. You have to have a stronger frame the taller you go. The same holds true for a plant. Structural fibers in the plant ‘harden’ as it grows and matures. These structural fibers are harder for the rumen bugs to digest. Additionally, the increase in the amount of structural fiber in the plant means fewer nutrients on a pound for pound basis compared to younger grass. This means that there are fewer nutrients available to the cow when eating mature, tall grass.

The solutions to tall grass issue are plenty. Haying is a viable option to remove excess growth before it becomes over-mature. Harvested hay can be stored for the winter or sold. Some producers will bush hog pastures to keep the plants in a growth stage. Keeping the grass between 4 and 6 to 8 inches will hold it in the growth stage. Rotational grazing, while management and input intensive, is an excellent tool to utilize all of your grass. Producers have the option of haying paddocks when the grass is growing fast. Supplementing cattle with a protein and mineral supplement is another viable option if mowing or haying isn’t. Research has shown up to a 10% increase in forage utilization when supplementing protein. Providing a supplement which includes minerals, macro and micro, will ensure that your animals aren’t missing anything nutritionally.

CRYSTALYX^® offers a number of protein supplements with complete mineral and vitamin profiles to fit any grazing situation. Proven consistent intakes ensure that your cows will get the nutrients they need every time. Click on the ‘How It Works’ tab above and select Grazing Management to learn more about how CRYSTALYX^® can work for you on your pastures.

Everyone I know hates weeds. I’ve spend countless hours with my grandmother pulling dandelions and crab grass, her most hated enemies.  Pastures are no different. Cattle producers want to look over their pasture and see a sea of lush, green grasses and legumes. So what happens when the scene is darkened with brush and broadleaf weeds? Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to utilize the weeds to maximize the available forage?

Now that I have your attention, I’ll get to the point. I’m talking about multi-species grazing and not just cattle and horses. Cattle and horses both prefer grass and tend to not eat other forages such as broad leaf weeds or shrubs; however, sheep and goats will. Has anyone tried mixed grazing? What are/were your successes and challenges?

There are two ways to graze sheep and goats with cattle, together or in succession. A study conducted by Virginia Tech found that in pastures where cattle and sheep were grazed together, there was a better balance between forage growth and quality. The same study concluded that calves’ performance was not impacted negatively by co-grazing. However, lamb weaning weights, daily gains and total gains improved, and target weights were reached earlier in the season. Similar results were found in a study of grazing cattle and goats conducted by Southern University. Body weights of goats (does and kids) grazed with cattle were heavier compared to those grazed alone. Forage quality (plant height and crude protein) was higher for pastures with mixed grazing compared to those with single species grazing.

Grazing in succession means one group follows another. This will be more labor intensive, but can more effectively target your weed problems. If you start grazing problem areas early in the growing season, when the plant is still young, sheep and goats will readily eat the leaves of the weeds first. Stocking rate will be important as if you overstock, they will eat the grass, too. Another advantage to grazing in succession is that a number of gastro-intestinal parasites are species specific. This means that eggs that sheep or goats shed will die in the system of cattle and vice versa. It’s not a cure-all to an existing problem, but it can help with parasite loads. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian to properly determine parasite loads and treatment options.

All in all, grazing more than one species can be advantageous. Lamb prices are higher than most producers have seen in a long time. Goats have a strong emerging market, particularly in the Southeast. Research shows that pastures can be improved by grazing sheep or goats with cattle, increasing forage mass and pounds produced per acre.  What have you got to lose?

Abaye, A.O., V.G. Allen and J.P. Fonenot. 1994. Influence of grazing cattle and sheep together and separately on animal performance and forage quality. J. Anim. Sci. 72:1013-1022

Gebrelul, S, T. Walsh, Y. Ghebreiyessus, V. Bachireddy, R. Payne. 2007. The performance of Spanish kids born under mixed-species grazing system. J. Amin. Sci. 85 Suppl. 1:434

Gebrelul, S, T. Walsh, Y. Ghebreiyessus, V. Bachireddy, R. Payne. 2007. The performance of Spanish does under mixed-species grazing system. J. Amin. Sci. 85 Suppl. 1:434-435

Ghebreiyessus,Y., V. Bachireddy, S. Gebrelul,  R. Payne, M. Berhane. 2007. The effect of mixed species grazing management on forage yield and quality. J. Amin. Sci. 85 Suppl. 1:294

It’s a little hard for those of us in the upper Midwest to think about fly control…there are still piles of snow on the ground! Nevertheless, fly season is just around the corner for us and has already started for producers further south.

Flies can be a pain, literally and figuratively. But did you know they can cost you money too?  Horn files in particular mean blood loss to your cattle, which results in lower performance from your cows (i.e. milk production) and lower weaning weights by 12 to 14 pounds (dollars in your pocket). On average, flies cost the cattle industry $800 million annually.

For a fly control program to really be effective, timing is everything. The best way to get the flies is to use a feed-through fly control supplement before they are going to be a problem; usually 30 days before the last frost in the spring. From the map below, you can see that those down in the Gulf and Southeastern states are already well into fly season. Those of us further north still have a month or so to prepare.

Feed-through fly control additives, like Rabon^® or Altosid^®, work in the manure of treated cattle to break the lifecycle between larvae and adult stages. Since horn flies only lay their eggs in fresh manure, it’s a great way to help control fly populations. It’s important to keep in mind that even though you’re feeding a fly control supplement that existing adult flies will not be controlled by the supplement and that sometimes a knock-down treatment is required at the start of your feed-through supplement program.

CRYSTALYX^® offers Rabon^® and Altosid^® in both protein and mineral supplements. The added benefit of CRYSTALYX^®’s proven consistent, whole-herd intake means that your cattle will get the right dose every time. Not to mention complete mineral and vitamin supplementation with ROLYX^® MAX or IGR MAX™ and added protein with ROLYX^® PRO and IGR PRO™. For more information on fly control products and programs from CRYSTALYX^®, select the “Proven Results” bar at the top of the page and select “Fly Control”.

Rabon^® is a registered trademark of KMG Chemicals, Inc, Houston, TX.
Altosid^® is a registered trademark of Wellmark International, Shamburg, IL.