Record Low Hay Stocks This Winter

Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

 

Two years of drought have severely depleted U.S. hay stocks.  The recently released December 1 hay stocks from USDA showed total stocks of 71.9 million tons, 16.4 percent below the previous ten-year average and the lowest December 1 stocks on record in the data back to 1973 (Table 1).

 

Each of the top ten states for hay stocks was down compared to the ten-year average and collectively were down 20.8 percent from the 2012-2021 average December 1 stocks level (Table 1).  The largest hay stocks on December 1 were in Texas, 25.8 percent below the ten-year average for the state.  Other top ten states were down from the ten-year average ranging from Tennessee, down 10.9 percent, to Oklahoma, down 32.7 percent (Table 1).  

 

*% Change 2022 to 2012-2021 Average

 

Table 1. December 1 Hay Stocks, All Hay, Alfalfa Hay, and Other Hay Production, Top Ten States and U.S., 2022 and 2012-2021 Average.

 

Table 1 also presents 2022 production of All Hay, Alfalfa Hay, and Other Hay for the U.S. and the top-ten states of each hay category.  All hay production in 2022 was down 12.4 percent from the previous ten-year average, with alfalfa hay down 13.2 percent and other hay down 11.9 percent.  Hay production in 2022 was the lowest on record in data that began in 1974.   Total hay production in the top ten states combined represents 43 percent of U.S. total hay production and was down 18.7 percent compared to the ten-year average for those states.  The top ten hay production states include eight of the top ten beef cow states along with the number one dairy cow state, California and the number three dairy cow state, Idaho.  

 

The top ten state lists for alfalfa and other hay production indicates that alfalfa hay tends to be more important in the northern half of the country, along with California and Arizona, while other hay production is more important in the central and southern plains, mid-south and eastern seaboard.  Kansas and Nebraska are the only two states that feature in the top ten lists for both alfalfa and other hay production. 

 

Decreased December 1 hay stocks means that the cattle industry could face additional liquidation this winter and is particularly vulnerable to severe winter weather in the next couple of months.  The December storm already will have taken a chunk out of the reported December 1 hay stocks.  New forage production is several months away in the south and even farther away in northern regions.

 

A recent Rancher’s Thursday Lunchtime Webinar series focused on Wintering Cows with Limited Forage.

 

 

Preparing for Winter Calving

Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist

 

Calving during the winter months can present some unique challenges.  Cold and/or wet weather, higher birth weights, fewer hours of daylight and in most herds this is the time of year when we, as producers, are the primary source of nutrition provided in the form of harvested forage and supplemental feeds.  What can we do to make calving in the late winter months as problem-free as possible?  Get Prepared!

 

Calving Kit and Facilities

Prior to Calving Season it is important to take inventory of our facilities.  Our working pens, chutes and alley ways need to be in good working order.  If we have a calving barn or indoor facility remember to check cameras, batteries and light bulbs.  We want all facilities ready Before we find ourselves assisting that first heifer in the calving process.

 

To be fully prepared, have the following list of supplies in a cooler, bucket or tool box:

• Colostrum and feeding bottle
• Flashlight and batteries
• OB Sleeves
• Non-detergent lubricant
• Antiseptic
• OB chains and calf puller
• Paper towels
• Rope halter
• Large cloth towel

 

Also, understand the three stages of bovine parturition (also covered in the Cow-Calf Corner newsletter this week).  It’s important to know what to expect when a cow or heifer goes into labor in order to know when and how to provide assistance.   

 

Account for Cold Weather

Cold, wet weather drives up cow nutritional requirements and cows should be fed accordingly.  The Mesonet Cattle Comfort Advisor is an excellent tool for monitoring weather conditions and the impact they have on cattle.  According to the Mesonet Cattle Comfort Advisor, cow energy requirements increase 1% for each degree the cattle comfort index is below 32 degrees F.  This energy need will double to 2% if the animal is wet to the skin.  In regard to new born calves, consider that in the birth process they are leaving the cozy environment of their mother’s womb at a temperature of 101-102 degrees F and hitting the ground at temperatures as much as 100 degrees colder.  Add in rain, snow, muddy ground or high winds and the situation can be catastrophic for newborns.  While nature equips calves with a limited amount of brown adipose tissue which is burned internally to create heat for survival.  Extreme cold can overwhelm the ability to create enough internal heat and hypothermia can occur.  Calves suffering from hypothermia are more susceptible to naval infections, pneumonia and scours.  Best management practices for cold weather calving include:

 

• Provide adequate wind breaks, shelter and bedding so cows can separate and calve in a warmer, dryer, protected environment.
• Plan ahead to provide the additional protein and energy needs of cows during the final trimester of pregnancy and the beginning of lactation.
• Sort first calf heifer from cows and manage accordingly.  Heifers are inexperienced and more likely to need a higher level of attention during calving and the initial stages of claiming and raising a calf.

 

Check out the Mesonet Cattle Comfort Advisor to get an idea of increased feed needs as we move into February.

 

Mark Johnson, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, talks about preparing cows for winter and spring calving season in Cow-Calf Corner on SunUpTV.

 

 

The Calving Process – Understanding the Three Stages of Parturition

Mark Z. Johnson, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Breeding Specialist

 

Parturition, or the birthing process, has three stages. Understanding the stages is critical in order to know when/if we need to provide assistance during calving season to increase the likelihood a live calf is born alive and off to a good start.

 

Stage 1: Dilation of the Cervix.  The may take hours or days to complete and can easily go unnoticed.  Uterine muscular activity is quiet during this stage as the cervix softens and the pelvic ligaments relax. During this stage, you may notice switching of the tail and a thick clear mucus string hanging from the vagina.  Cow’s appetite may decrease and they may separate themselves off from the herd.  Increased uterine contractions at the end of this stage push uterine contents against the cervix causing further dilation.  

 

Stage 2:  Delivery of the Calf.  This stage officially begins with the appearance of the water bag at the vulva.  This is the time to start your clock.  Recent research has found that healthy heifers with normal calf presentation will calve unassisted within one hour of the onset of stage two.  Healthy cows with normal calf presentation will calve within 22 minutes of the start of stage two.  This suggests that normal stage two of parturition should be defined as approximately 60 minutes for heifers and 30 minutes for adult cows. In heifers, not only is the pelvic opening smaller, but the soft tissue has never been expanded prior to that first birth. Older cows have had deliveries before and birth often proceeds quite rapidly unless there is some abnormality such as a very large calf, backwards calf or twin birth.

 

When Should We Assist? Offering assistance is a matter of judgement and good judgement is the result of experience.  If you have a cow or heifer laboring and don’t know when stage two began you will need to do a vaginal exam.  If possible, have the cow up on her feet, restrained in a well-lit area that is safe for both you and the cow. It is much easier when both you and the cow are standing.  Start by cleaning the cow’s vulva, rectum and surrounding area, as well as your hands and arms with soap and water.  Cleanliness is important.  Wear protective sleeves.  Gentleness and lubrication are important.  Feel for the cervix, if not dilated it will feel as if your hand passes through or along a firm, tubular or circular structure.  Once fully dilated, you should no longer feel the cervical ridge.  Can you feel the calf?  A normal anterior presentation will permit you to feel the calf’s feet and nose with the spine of the calf resting just under the cow’s spine.  If the presentation is normal and the water bag is still intact around the calf, you can allow up to an hour to permit the cow to calf unassisted.  If the water bag has broken and the cervix is fully dilated, the calf needs to be delivered sooner.  If you detect an abnormal presentation, encounter something that doesn’t feel right or a situation you can’t manage, you will need to contact a veterinarian for assistance.    

 

Stage 3: Delivery of the Placenta.  The placenta should be shed within 8 – 12 hours after delivery of the calf.  If retained, do not forcibly remove it.  Administering antibiotics may be necessary if the cow acts sick.  The placenta will slough out in 4 – 7 days.

 

Reference: The 3 Stages of Bovine Parturition. fyi.extension.wisc.edu 

 

Mark Johnson, OSU Extension beef cattle breeding specialist, gives an overview of the three stages of calving on SunUp TV.

 

 

Value Creation on the Ranch

Kellie Curry Raper, Livestock Marketing Specialist, OSU Department of Agricultural Economics

 

If you are like me, your New Year’s Resolution process doesn’t necessarily have a hard deadline of 12:01 am on January 1st. I confess that my New Year’s Resolutions tend to be more New Year’s “ish”… When it comes to 2023 resolutions for your cow-calf operation, you’ve probably been asking yourself questions as 2022 unfolded that impact your 2023 decision-making. How will my cows winter through what has set up to be a limited forage scenario for many? Is that feed truck going to make it through one more production year? How will those first-calf heifers work out? What will my calving percentage be? How can I increase the value of my future calf crop? How will I manage those calves once they hit the ground? Will I do it differently this year?You ARE asking that question too – right? 

 

Creating economic value is a continuous process. One place to start is to objectively assess the success and failure of your past calf management practices with respect to value creation and plan your calf management strategy for the coming year accordingly. Another is to step back completely and ask, in the words of famous management guru Peter Drucker, “If we weren’t already doing it this way, how would we start?”  This one includes a hard look at tradition for the economic value that it adds rather than simply for tradition’s sake. 

 

What’s your optimal value strategy? It is the strategy that best fits your resource base, including labor and management capabilities, facilities, time, knowledge and/or the capacity to add new knowledge, and the ability to handle any upfront costs that facilitate changing your strategy. In short, assess your capabilities, the costs and returns from your current calf management strategy and the predicted costs and returns from a strategy change. An important thing to understand is that your best strategy may look a little different than your neighbor’s because of differences in that resource base. 

 

Don’t forget that part of your strategy should include finding the right market for your calves. You’ve heard me say it before – Market Your Management!  The right market will often be the difference between a profitable strategy and an unprofitable one. Basic calf health management practices on the ranch impact the efficiency and quality of cattle moving through the supply chain and, ultimately, the quality of beef on the consumer’s table. Buyers have incentive to pay premiums for cattle that are more likely to thrive as they move to the next phase of production. Find the market where buyers value - with their wallet - the calf health management strategy that you’ve implemented. The right market may be your local auction market, a regional auction market, a special sale through a certified program or selling direct to someone further down the supply chain. The best market outlet for your cattle depends on multiple things, but much of it is determined by the attributes that you’ve built into your calves through your management. Who is your target buyer for those attributes and how do you access those buyers?

 

OSU Fact Sheet AFS-3305 lays out the requirements for Oklahoma Quality Beef Network’s (OQBN) VAC-45 preconditioning program. Because the list of program requirements represents attributes that, even implemented individually, can add value when it’s time to market your cattle (at the appropriate venue – see above!), this list is a good place to start when considering calf health management strategies, even if you don’t participate in a marketing program. OQBN’s program requirements include: 

 

• Vaccinated with two rounds of a 5-way respiratory vaccine for BVD Type 1 & 2, IBR, PI3, and BRSV
• Vaccinated with two rounds of at least a 7-way clostridial vaccine (a.k.a. Blackleg)
• Vaccinated with one dose of M. haemolytica (a.k.a. shipping fever) vaccine
• Weaned a minimum of 45 days
• Males castrated and healed
• Dehorned and healed
• Bunk trained
• Producer Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification
• Raised at the ranch of origin
• OQBN program ear tag identified
• Third party verification by Oklahoma State University Extension personnel

What’s in this list that you are already doing? What are you not doing that you have the capacity to implement with the next calf crop? I encourage you to make a New Year’s “ish” resolution to examine your calf health management and marketing strategy!