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BEEF Cattle questions may be directed to the OSU Extension BEEF Team through Stephen Boyles or Stan Smith, Editor
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Previous issues of the BEEF Cattle letter
Issue # 655
Forage Focus: Grazing Harvested Corn Residue, a Feed Alternative - Stan Smith, PA, OSU Extension, Fairfield County
With Ohio farmers expecting to harvest over 3 million acres of corn this fall, the potential for the brood cow herd feed supply being extended well into fall by utilizing crop residues is huge. Corn crop residue is practical for feeding dry, gestating beef cows in mid gestation providing they have average or better body condition. Managed correctly, one acre of corn residue can yield up to 60 animal unit grazing days (60 days of grazing for a 1000 pound animal).
Grazing "efficiency" will determine exactly how much feed is realized from corn residue. Moveable electric fencing can increase utilization up to 50% by allowing cattlemen to control the amount of area grazed thus, preventing the cattle from "selective" grazing or "trampling" many of the leaves or husks. "Strip" grazing the cows will also reduce the potential for acidosis in situations were there may have been excessive field losses of grain. Simply "dumping" the cows onto the entire corn field will be least efficient but will allow more residue to remain on the field over the winter for cover. Cattle will select and eat the grain first, then the husk and leaves, and finally the cobs and stalks.
Fields containing corn residues should be grazed soon after harvest for optimum quality, and fields with poor drainage or compaction problems should not be grazed for extended periods of time. Producers with a Conservation Plan should check with NRCS to be certain that the grazing of corn stalks does not violate the Plan.
If corn stalk fields are not presently fenced, temporary electric fencing is an economical alternative. Harvested corn fields can be encircled with a single strand of poly or high tensile wire supported with fiberglass posts for less than $10 per acre. Even if a fence charger must be purchased to allow the grazing of corn residue, up to 60 days per acre of feed may be provided a brood cow at a cost of under 20 cents/head per day. And, of course, the materials purchased to provide this temporary boundary may be reused from year to year, thus, making the "annual" cost of ownership even less.
Next week we'll take a closer look at efficiently utilizing crop residue to feed the cow herd. In the mean time, see the OSU Extension Fact Sheet "Grazing Corn Residue" found at: http://ohioline.osu.edu/anr-fact/0010.html for more detail.
October 16 Animal Welfare Symposium Takes Shape
As animal agriculture comes under scrutiny and animal welfare issues are hotly debated, the time to become educated to proactively address animal welfare issues is now.
"Animal welfare is a prominent issue in Ohio and the U.S. and even the world. It's a topic of interest to producers, consumers, veterinarians, health-care professionals, legislators and anyone who has a stake in sustainable animal agriculture," said Naomi Botheras, animal welfare program specialist for Ohio State University Extension in the Department of Animal Sciences. "Because it is such an important topic that affects a lot of people, it's important to become educated about the issue, participate in the conversation and get involved in the decision-making process."
Informed decisions about animal welfare that will positively address the needs of animals, producers and consumers are based on understanding a wide range of perspectives. To better understand and proactively address farm animal welfare issues, the Department of Animal Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine are holding an Animal Welfare Symposium, "Building Partnerships to Address Animal Agriculture," on Friday, Oct. 16 at the university's Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210. Well-known animal welfare experts and social scientists from around the world will discuss the scientific, ethical, legal and social contexts embedded in the animal welfare debate.
"The symposium is an opportunity for people to hear a wide range of animal welfare perspectives, hear what other people are doing and discuss what needs to be done. It's also a chance to learn from other countries about how they have handled animal welfare issues, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel or more importantly so we don't make the same mistakes they've made," said Botheras who is co-organizing the event.
The event is designed for food animal producers, consumers, veterinarians, and anyone with an interest in food animal production and products or sustainable animal agriculture. The symposium is an opportunity for those interested to:
* Participate in a balanced, thought-provoking discussion about animal welfare.
* Obtain a better understanding of animal welfare issues facing animal agriculture.
* Gain the information and the insights to make informed decisions.
* Learn how legislation, self-regulation, or auditing may impact animal production and handling methods.
* Hear what the science says about the welfare of animals in different housing systems.
Featured speakers and topics include:
Wes Jamison, associate professor of Communication at Palm Beach Atlantic University, will review the social issues underlying animal welfare concerns.
Janice Swanson, professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare and director of Animal Welfare at Michigan State University, will examine the differing opinions for self-regulation, legislation or auditing of livestock and poultry production practices.
Ruth Newberry, associate professor, Center for the Study of Animal Well-being at Washington State University, will explain what the science currently tells us about the welfare of laying hens in different housing systems and what research still needs to be done.
Harold Gonyou, research scientist, Prairie Swine Centre, Canada, will explain what the science currently tells us about the welfare of gestating sows in different housing systems and what research still needs to be done.
Paul Hemsworth, director of the Australian Animal Welfare Science Centre, will discuss lessons that can be learned from the Australian approach to addressing farm animal welfare.
More event details and registration information is available online at http://vet.osu.edu/AnimalWelfareSymposium.
For more information, contact Melissa Weber, director of communications and marketing for the College of Veterinary Medicine, at 614-292-3752 or weber.254@osu.edu.
Cattle Artificial Insemination School is October 19-21 in Belle Valley
Artificial insemination and estrous synchronization are key to increasing the efficiency and success of beef cattle operations. Producers can learn about these two techniques at this year's Cattle Artificial Insemination (A.I.) School, October 19-21 in Noble County, Ohio.
"By using the techniques learned at A.I. School, a cattle producer will be able to introduce improved production traits and increased performance," said Clif Little. OSU Extension agricultural and natural resources educator. "Farmers even tell us, because of the training they received, they are able to utilize A.I. on their own farms and introduce improved genetics."
The three-day educational event will be held at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center's (OARDC) Eastern Agricultural Research Station, located at 16870 Township Road 126 near Belle Valley, Ohio.
Registration with payment is required by October 14. Cost is $75 per person and includes program materials and lunch. Space is limited to the first 20 registrants.
The program will begin on October 19, with a class session from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mike Day, of Ohio State's Department of Animal Sciences, will cover reproductive tract anatomy and physiology, as well as estrous synchronization.
Basic A.I. instruction will be covered on October 20 from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Presenters include Little and Mark Landefeld, also an OSU Extension agricultural and natural resources educator, and Carol Wheeler, OSU Extension emeritus.
Cattle A.I. will be discussed on the final day of the school, October 21 from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m., by Little, Wheeler and John Groah, DVM, McConnelsville, Ohio.
Registrants will be notified when they are accepted into the class. Registration money is non-refundable. Space will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
To get to the Eastern Agricultural Research Station, take exit 28 off Interstate 77, turn south on State Route 821, turn left (east) on State Route 215, go approximately one mile and turn right onto Band Ridge Road (Township Road 126). The research farm is on the right. Signs will be posted.
For more information or to register, contact Little at 740-432-9300, little.16@osu.edu or Kaye Clay at 740-489-5300, clay.89@cfaes.osu.edu.
OSU Extension and OARDC sponsor the A.I. School.
In the Cattle Markets, September 29, 2009 - Darrell R. Mark, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Dr. Feuz discussed heavy steer carcass weights in last week's edition of In the Cattle Markets, which are especially prevalent in Northern Plains feedlots right now. One of the consequences of large (oversized) carcass weights are price discounts, and it's one of the contributing factors to prices in the Northern Plains trading at a larger-than-usual discount to the Southern Plains in recent weeks.
On average, Nebraska direct slaughter steer prices have been $0.53/cwt lower than Texas/Oklahoma direct slaughter steer prices from 2002 to 2008, but there is a seasonal pattern to the NE-TX discount that varies, on average from Nebraska prices being $1.50/cwt lower to $0.58/cwt higher than Texas prices. As shown in the black line on Figure 1, Nebraska prices typically trade at a premium to Texas/Oklahoma prices during March and April and again in August. Seasonally, Nebraska prices are discounted to the south in the fall and winter months. And, as typically happens during August and September, Texas/Oklahoma prices have gained on Nebraska significantly in recent weeks. In fact, the spread has dropped from $0.52/cwt (Nebraska minus Texas) during the second week of August to -$1.86/cwt last week. This is about a $1/cwt weaker spread than normal and below the minimum observed from 2004 to 2008 (see the pink line on Figure 1).
There are several factors contributing to the steeper than normal decline in the NE-TX spread this past month. First, cattle numbers appear to be running below year-ago levels in the Southern Plains, causing packers to have to bid more aggressively to keep plants running at optimal levels. Some of the reduction in cattle marketings is a function of closed feedyards in New Mexico, as suggested in the last USDA Cattle on Feed report. Secondly, weather for feeding cattle in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota have been near ideal this summer, without significant stretches of hot, humid weather to limit gains. Thus, cattle performance has been above average and cattle have reached heavier weights more quickly than cattle feeders planned. This was likely exacerbated by feeders trying to delay marketing some cattle due to lower-than-expected market prices. A third reason for the wider spread is due to cheaper cost of gain in the Northern Plains versus the Southern Plains. Over the past couple of years as corn and feedstuff prices quickly escalated, feeding cost of gain often averaged about $10/cwt less in the north, prompting feeders to place proportionately more cattle in the north than the south. Doing so is likely resulting in more cattle to be marketed in the Northern Plains now.
Will this trend continue? At least through corn harvest, with an historically large crop in the Western Corn Belt to weigh on prices and basis levels, cattle feeders will have an incentive to add weight to cattle in the north at less expensive prices. And, with weather conditions appearing excellent this fall, it's likely we'll see these prices nearer their historical lows for the next several months.
Weekly Roberts Agricultural Commodity Market Report - Mike Roberts, Commodity Marketing Agent, Virginia Tech
LIVE CATTLE futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) were up on Monday. The OCT'09LC contract closed up $0.050/cwt at $86.100/cwt; $0.850/cwt higher than this time last week. DEC'09LC futures closed at $85.770/cwt; up $0.425/cwt and $1.220/cwt higher than last report. There are reports of heavy cattle coming off feedlots resulting in some discounts. Futures volume was light because of the Yom Kippur holiday. Futures never had a chance following weakness in cash beef markets. Beef retail prices were up as USDA early Monday put the choice beef cutout at $138.80/cwt; up $0.25/cwt but $2.770/cwt lower than last report. Cash cattle did trade steady with USDA putting the 5-area average at $83.54/cwt; $0.21/cwt lower than last week at this time. According to HedgersEdge.com, average packer margins were lowered $15.30 to a negative $4.30/head based on the average buy of $83.63/cwt vs. the average breakeven of $83.30/cwt. Continue to sell cattle when ready as it doesn't pay to take them to heavier weights.
FEEDER CATTLE at the CME were off on Monday. The OCT'09FC contract closed at $96.450/cwt; down $0.150/cwt and $0.275/cwt lower than a week ago. NOV'09FC futures closed at $96.550/cwt; off $0.175/cwt and $0.15/cwt lower than last Monday. Trading volume was very thin amid scattered selling and a general lack of buying interest. Cash feeders in Oklahoma City were $1-$3/cwt lower last week. The CME feeder cattle index for 9/24 was placed at $96.87/cwt, down $0.12/cwt and $1.29/cwt lower than a week ago.
Visit the OSU Beef Team calendar of meetings and upcoming events
BEEF Cattle is a weekly publication of Ohio State University Extension in Fairfield County and the OSU Beef Team. Contributors include members of the Beef Team and other beef cattle specialists and economists from across the U.S.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status. Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Admin. and Director, OSU Extension. TDD No. 800-589-8292 (Ohio only) or 614-292-1868
Fairfield County Agriculture and Natural Resources
