Drought Threatens Again

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

 

Drought conditions have increased rapidly in Oklahoma in recent weeks. The figure shows drought conditions in Oklahoma as of September 10.  The latest Drought Monitor shows that 78.58 percent of Oklahoma is abnormally dry or in some stage of drought.  The Drought Severity Coverage Index (DSCI) is currently at 173 out of a possible value of 400.  Drought is increasing across the state but is mostly moderate or less in severity at this time.  This contrasts with early June when nearly 73 percent of the state was entirely free of dry or drought conditions.  The DSCI in June reached a low of 43.  The current conditions seem to be bearing out earlier forecasts of redeveloping La Niña conditions, which increases the probabilities of warmer, drier weather in the southern half of the country.

 

U.S. Drought Monitor Oklahoma

September 10, 2024 (Released Thursday, September 24, 2024 valid 8 a.m. EDT)

National Drought Monitor

 

Because of the dry conditions, very little wheat has been planted at this time or it has been “dusted in” to await hoped-for rain.  Prospects for winter wheat grazing are decreasing with each passing week.  Wheat planted after mid-September will have less time to grow sufficient forage for winter grazing – assuming moisture is forthcoming.  The start of winter grazing will be pushed back, and stocking rates will likely be reduced due to less available forage through the winter.

 

Oklahoma range and pasture conditions have deteriorated rapidly in the last month, with the percent of pastures rated poor to very poor increasing from 19 to 34 percent in the last four weeks.  Going into the winter in drought is ominous and raises concerns about 2025 forage prospects.  Fortunately, hay supplies are much improved this year, which will help with winter feed needs.  The combination of this year’s hay production and very large carryover stocks (May 1) from last year, leaves Oklahoma with record large total hay supplies this year - over 20 percent larger than the ten-year average.

 

The lack of wheat stocker demand and the beginning of the fall run of calves is putting pressure on cattle auction prices.  Many unweaned calves are beginning to show up at auctions. Unweaned calves take a bigger discount, especially in the fall as variable weather increases animal health challenges and risks.  There is time to add value to calves to be marketed this fall.  Weaning (minimum 45 days), vaccinations, castration and dehorning will add value to calves marketed 45-90 days from now.  Even better is documenting these practices in a certified preconditioning program that provides additional assurance to buyers. Many years of data confirms that preconditioned calves will bring premiums over unweaned calves. The 45-day cut-off for most fall  Oklahoma Quality Beef Network (OQBN) sales is rapidly approaching in late September.  Producers can find the sale schedule, program and sign-up information at Oklahoma Quality Beef Network.

 

 

Fenceline Weaning

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

 

Regardless of when and how many calves you will wean, methods of reducing stress on fresh weaned calves is of great interest to cattlemen and of benefit to cow-calf operations.  Traditional methods of weaning calves typically involve total separation of calves from cows by moving calves to a new pasture or dry lot pen.  This week we address the concept of “fenceline weaning” a management process that allows fenceline contact between calf and dam for at least four to ten days following weaning.  Fences need to be sturdy enough to permit nose to nose contact while preventing nursing.  The objective of fenceline weaning is to allow social interaction between calf and dam while weaning the calves off of mother’s milk.

 

Studies have shown several benefits of fenceline weaning:

• Calves bawl and walk less for the first several days post weaning.
• Calves spend more time resting and eating during the first several days post weaning.
• Calves gain more weight in the first couple of weeks post-weaning.
• Calves that eat and drink more during the first days after weaning stay healthier.

 

Best Practices for Successful Fenceline Weaning

• Move the cows and leave calves in the same pasture or lot.  When this is done, calves already know location of water, feed and grazing areas.  If this is not possible, locate water troughs and feeders along the fenceline where calves and cows will initially congregate increasing the likelihood calves will find water and feed early on in the process, thereby minimizing walking perimeter fences.
• Avoid adding unnecessary stress like castrating, dehorning, branding or vaccinations at the time of weaning by completing these processes several weeks prior to weaning, or after weaning is complete.
• Fencing needs to be adequate.  A typical five-strand barbed wire fence will usually be satisfactory.  If calves are still able to nurse through the fence, adding a single strand of electric fence offset from the main fence, possibly on both sides should be adequate.

 

Estimating Feed Intake in Beef Cows

David Lalman, Oklahoma State University Professor and Harrington Chair,

Extension Beef Cattle Nutrition Specialist

 

An accurate estimate of feed intake is a critical element in determining a cow’s nutrient requirements at different stages of production. It is also necessary to establish appropriate stocking rate and carrying capacity of a given land base. For those reasons the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine developed and published an equation in 1996 to predict feed intake in beef cows (Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle, Seventh Revised Edition). This equation was recommended for use once again in the eighth revised edition published in 2016. That equation predicts increasing feed intake as cow size increases and as diet digestibility (energy density) increases. This equation is used to calculate and express nutrient requirements on a percent of daily diet dry matter intake basis in many publications and beef cattle nutrition software programs.

 

One of our recent master’s degree graduates, Megan Gross, reviewed the literature from which this important equation was developed. From her findings, Megan identified several important points. First, the equation was developed using beef cow intake data published between 1979 and 1993. Certainly, the U.S. cattle population has changed considerably since then. Second, the equation relies on numerous experiments where indigestible markers (such as chromic oxide or alkanes) were used to predict feed intake. This technique is a reasonably reliable method to rank animals or treatment on a relative basis, but it tends to underestimate feed intake. Another issue with the marker-based data is that feed intake is estimated for only a short period of time; usually around five to seven days. Currently, the Beef Improvement Federation is recommending a minimum period of 42 days to ensure 35 days of high-quality feed intake data. Next, the original data set included studies where animals were housed in metabolism stalls or tie stalls. Our experience suggests that feed intake declines when animals are confined in these types of facilities. Finally, a few of the studies used in the original data set contained diets where protein requirements were determined to be insufficient. Diets low in protein reduce digestibility, passage rate, and feed intake.    

 

Next, Megan reviewed the literature to find more recent beef cow feed intake publications. To be included in her data set, the following restrictions were required to be met:

1. Data either published or studies conducted between 2003 and 2022.
2. Cows had ad-libitum (free choice) access to feed.
3. No marker generated data.
4. No metabolism or tie stall data.
5. Only studies with adequate dietary protein were included.

 

Newer feed intake technology available over the last 20 plus years has increased the availability of beef cow feed intake data. Using the restrictions mentioned above, Megan was able to identify 85 different observations (or treatment means) from which she could test the original equation.

 

In general, the old equation predicted feed intake reasonably well when diet digestibility was low (55% TDN and lower). However, when diet digestibility was moderate to high (like grazing season conditions), feed intake was underestimated. Underprediction of feed intake was especially pronounced in lactating cows (Gross et al., 2024). Figure 1 provides a graphical representation of feed intake estimates over a range of diet digestibility (TDN) from the 1996 compared to the 2024 equation.

 

Figure 1. Predicted feed intake in 1,200 lb lactating beef cows over a range in diet digestibility.

 

In general, this work suggests that beef cows consume considerably more moderate and high- quality feed or forage than expected…at least according to the widely used NASEM (1996 and 2016). In the next article, we will review validation results using a different set of guidelines established many years ago to predict feed intake in beef cows.

 

5 State Beef Conference

Boise City, OK (Cimarron County Fair Building) 

Monday, September 30, 2024: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

 

Coldwater, KS (Coldwater Veteran's/City Building, 239 East Main) 

Tuesday, October 1, 2024: 2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

For both locations registration at 1 :30 PM

 

Program

• Market Update
  Glynn Tensor, Kansas State University
• Dairy x Beef: Understanding Feedlot Performance and Carcass Characteristics
  Casey Maxwell, Cactus Feeders
• Optimizing Forage Efficiency: Enhancing Reproductive Performance & Development in Cattle
  Emma Briggs, Kansas State University
• Building Your Beef Herd: How Trace Minerals can improve profitability
  Ddee Haynes, Technical Sale Representative, Axiota® Animal Health
• Research Updates
  • Justin Waggoner, Kansas State University
  • Paul Beck, Oklahoma State University
  • Glenn Duff, Clayton Livestock Research Center, New Mexico State University (only at Basie City)
  • Corey Moffet, USDA/ARS Southern Plains Range Research Station; Woodward, OK (only at Coldwater)

 

Beef Dinner and Proceedings Will Be Provided

 

Registration fee: $20/individual.

Registration Deadline: Monday, September 23

 

For more information about registration, call Kierra Ortega (Cimarron County OK

AG Educator) at (580) 544-3399, Levi Miller (Comanche County, KS) at (620) 582-

2411 or Britt Hicks (OSU Area Livestock Specialist) at (580) 338-7300.

 

2024-2025 OQBN Market Partners & Sale Schedule