No Herd Rebuilding in Sight

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

 

The July Cattle report showed that the U.S. beef cow herd continued to decline through the first half of the year. The July 1 beef cow inventory was 29.4 million head, down 2.6 percent year over year. This is the fifth year of smaller beef cow inventories since the 2018 cyclical peak, with the beef cow herd down 3.0 million head, a five-year decrease of 9.3 percent. The smaller beef cow herd is part of a general decrease in all cattle numbers in the U.S.

 

The total inventory of all cattle and calves in this report was 95.9 million head, down 2.7 percent year over year. The total inventory of heifers was down 3.8 percent from last year with decreases of 2.4 and 2.7 percent for beef and dairy replacement heifers, along with a 5.2 percent decline in the inventory of other heifers. The inventory of steers over 500 pounds was down 3.5 percent year over year and the inventory of calves under 500 pounds was down 2.6 percent from one year ago. The bull inventory was down 5.0 percent year over year. Total cattle in feedlots on July 1 was 13.1 million head, down 2.2 percent year over year. The calculated supply of feeder cattle (other heifers + steers + calves – cattle on feed) based on this report is 34.4 million head, 3.6 percent smaller than last year. The report pegged the 2023 calf crop at 33.8 million head, down 1.9 percent year over year. The dairy cow inventory, at 9.4 million head, was unchanged from last year and was the only inventory category in the report not showing a year-over-year decrease.

 

Not only did the report show continued cattle liquidation thus far in 2023, but there are also no clear indications that numbers will stabilize and grow anytime soon. The current inventory of beef replacement heifers is 4.05 million head, lower than the previous cyclical low of 4.2 million head in 2011 and 2012 and is the lowest in 50 years of available July 1 inventory data. There is certainly no indication of heifer retention in this replacement heifer inventory. Moreover, the inventory of heifers in feedlots from the July Cattle on Feed report was unchanged from last year, which indicates that relatively large numbers of heifers continue to be fed for slaughter rather than retained for breeding. Heifers currently represent 39.9 percent of total feedlot inventories, the highest proportion of heifers in feedlots since 2001.

 

The sharp increase in feeder cattle prices this year represents a growing market incentive for the beef cattle industry to transition from liquidation to herd expansion, but it does not appear that the industry is responding yet. Feeder cattle prices will continue to increase to jump-start heifer retention, which will lead to even higher prices as feeder supplies are further squeezed with fewer heifers in the feeder cattle supply.

 

Importance of Water

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

 

Water is the most important nutrient. An adequate supply of clean, fresh water is a critical component of maintaining healthy, productive cattle. At this time of year in Oklahoma, managing your cattle’s water supply is more important than ever. Water accounts for at least 50 percent of your cattle’s live weight. Water is required to transport nutrients through the blood, maintain cellular structure, regulate temperature, and much more. In order for livestock to maximize feed intake and production, they need daily access to palatable water of acceptable quality and quantity. Water is also critical for cattle dealing with stress. Insufficient water intake lowers cattle performance more dangerously than any other nutrient deficiency. Dehydration in cattle severely weakens the ability of the respiratory organs to resist and expel disease-causing organisms. As well, hearing and sight of cattle can be adversely affected by dehydration.

 

Knowledge of water requirements of cattle is necessary when designing water supply systems where the water supply may be limited or the delivery system restricts access in times of heavy use. Although quite a bit of data is available on the water intake of growing and finishing cattle, little information is available in published literature for mature beef cows. OSU Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet ANSI-3299 is an excellent resource for information about water needs of beef cows.

 

Factors that influence the daily water intake requirements of cows include the following:

 

• During warm months, the daily ambient temperature and humidity have dramatic effect on heat stress and water intake. The Cattle Comfort Index, available through the Oklahoma Mesonet can be used to monitor heat stress or cold stress in beef cattle. The Cattle Comfort Index is calculated using ambient temperature, humidity, wind speed, precipitation and sunlight. At temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit increase water consumption linearly.
• Milk produced by beef cows is about 88% water. Accordingly, lactation has a direct impact on the water requirements and water intake will increase for each pound of milk produced.
• Dry matter content of feeds consumed. Water requirements can be met, to some extent, by the moisture content of feeds consumed. For example, cattle grazing young vegetative forage at 20–35% dry matter will meet a higher proportion of water needs than cattle grazing seeded or mature forage which is 75 – 90% dry matter.
• Water intake is highly related to rumen volume and feed dry matter intake. Higher daily feed consumption is associated with greater rumen volume. Accordingly, greater mature weight is associated with higher rumen volume and dry matter feed intake. Therefore, for the purpose of the following water requirement estimates, the influence of cow size and rumen volume on water intake is addressed through the influence of feed dry matter intake. The estimates below assume that dry cows consume 2.2% of their body weight and lactating cows consume 2.7% of their body weight in dry matter when consuming an average to moderate quality forage.

 

 

These estimates are intended to represent total daily water consumption. Free water intake could be lower when cows are consuming feeds of high moisture content.

 

Key Points

• For each 10 degree increase in temperature above 40 degrees, cattle need about one gallon more water per day.
• For each additional gallon of milk produced, cows will need an additional gallon of water per day.
• High moisture feeds contribute to water intake. The dryer the feed consumed, the more drinking water required.

Reference: OSU Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet ANSI-3299 Estimating Water Requirements for Mature Beef Cows.

 

Vitamin A Concerns in the Southern Great Plains

David Lalman, Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Specialist

 

Vitamin A is considered by many nutritionists and veterinarians to be the most important supplemental vitamin required in beef cattle production. Over the last 12 months, numerous veterinarians throughout Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Colorado have expressed concern about stillborn births and a potential link to inadequate Vitamin A. 

 

Plant materials contain the provitamin carotene that is converted to active vitamin A by the animal. Green, leafy forage, green hay, dehydrated alfalfa meal, and yellow corn are examples of rich sources of carotene. Lush, immature forage is especially high in carotene concentration. However, carotene is destroyed rapidly as the plant matures with exposure to sunlight, air, and high temperatures. Vitamin A activity also declines over time in stored harvested forage. Cattle do have the capability to store vitamin A in the liver, although this supply can only last two to four months when a dietary deficiency exists. Therefore, this year in particular, cow/calf operations in the Southern Great Plains region should be diligent in making sure cows receive adequate supplemental vitamin A this winter and spring. Where other nutrient requirements are expressed as a percent of the diet or as parts per million (ppm), vitamin requirements are generally expressed in international units (IU).  Table 1 shows Vitamin A requirements for different classes of beef cattle.

 

 

Most commercial feed and mineral products have historically included 100% or more of the Vitamin A requirement.  Recently harvested, high quality hay may contain 50 to well beyond 100% of the Vitamin A needed.  However, some studies show a decline in carotene by 50% or more after seven months of storage. Cattle grazing late-summer, fall and winter pasture or consuming low-quality hay, especially older hay, should receive 100% of their requirement through supplementation. Obviously, cattle grazing wheat pasture and spring/early summer abundant immature, growing forage should not require Vitamin A supplementation.

 

One good rule of thumb is to “keep it fresh”. As mentioned previously, this applies to stored forage. Two-year-old hay will have little vitamin A potential. However, this rule also applies to free-choice mineral and concentrate feed products. Vitamin A activity can decay over time in these products, and decay will be exacerbated by exposure to heat, light, moisture, and inorganic minerals.

 

Besides standard mineral packages and commercial concentrate feed products, vitamin A can be supplied by injectable products and liquid drench forms.  These techniques are a good way to get the cow herd caught up on vitamin A stores rapidly.

 

Baby calves have very little vitamin A stored in the liver at birth. Therefore, consumption of colostrum soon after birth is critical to boost availability of vitamin A during the neonatal period. For this reason, producers should make sure cows receive adequate vitamin A well in advance of the calving season. 

 

Vitamin A status in your cow herd is not difficult to determine. While liver tissue samples are the most sensitive, blood vitamin A activity has been determined to be an effective indicator in cattle. Many feed and veterinary diagnostic laboratories offer this service.  The laboratory we have been working with charges $25 per blood serum sample. Be sure to visit with your veterinarian and nutrition consultant to determine an effective supplementation or “herd status” survey strategy.

 

What Implants Can I Use for Cattle in My Operation? Preweaned Calves

Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University, Extension State Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist

 

Last week we discussed the new rules put forth by the U. S. Food and Drug Administration regarding reimplanting of growth promoting implants. In brief, reimplanting within a production phase is now (as of July 1, 2023) off-label unless the label specifically states it is approved for reimplanting.

 

The FDA provided a list of currently approved and marketed implants available. 

 

 

 

 

In Summary:

1. There are no implants available with reimplant claims on the label for used during the preweaning phase of production.
2. Prewean implants are only labeled for either 45 or 60 days of age and older.
3. Compudose and Encore are only labeled for use in steers during the preweaning phase.
4.  Ralgro is the only implant approved for the “Drylot” phase of production.

 

Ralgro is approved for the preweaning “Beef Calves”; “Growing Beef Cattle on Pasture” and “Growing Beef Cattle Fed in Confinement for Slaughter” stages as well, but has no reimplant label claims.

 

1. Synovex-S and Synovex-H are not approved as pasture implants.
2. Until the finishing phase of production both Compudose and Encore are only approved in steers.
3. All Component brand implants containing Tylan (Elanco Animal Health products) will now have to be approved and scripted by a veterinarian due to the VMD ruling.
4. The only implants labeled for reimplanting during finishing are Synovex brand implants.