Weaning and Grassland of suckler Beef production System Flashcards
Management at Weaning“Focus on the calf and Cow ”Alan Kelly
in suckler beef production what is the objective
to maximise animal performance throughout the grazing season
how can the suckler beef production objective be achieved (6)
- Unrestricted access to leafy grass at all times
- Tight grazing in spring/summer to avoid development of a stemmysward
- Flexibility in grazing and conservation areas to avoid under or over stocking
- Apply more N. when grass supplies inadequate
5.Reduce stocking rate as grass growth declines (introduce previous silage areas, house animals)
- Avoid poaching
what is essential for when managing grassland
plentiful supply of good quality grass essential
why should you graze tight in spring
ensure good pasture quality
when should stocking rate on grassland be reduced
as grass growth declines in Autumn
what are the factors that influence grass growth
- rainfall
- temperature
- fertilizer application rate
- productivity of particular swards
how much P and K should be applied
apply appropriate amount taking into account of P and K in slurry
up to how much Nitrogen fertiliser is applied
apply up to 220kg/ha Nitrogen fertiliser
- early spring 50kg
- in April, after 1st grazing 60kg
- in May after 2nd grazing 60kg
- in August 50kg
what is the central to the performance of the systems
maximizing the proportion of grazed grass in the diet
live weight gain from grass
slide 4
Annual Feed Budgets
Calf-to-Weaning
- Grazed grass:
- Grass silage:
- Concentrates:
Calf-to-Weaning
- Grazed grass: 73%
- Grass silage: 26%
- Concentrates: 1%
Annual Feed Budgets
Calf-to-Beef
- Grazed grass:
- Grass silage:
- Concentrates:
Calf-to-Beef
- Grazed grass: 61%
- Grass silage: 31%
- Concentrates:8%
Typical grass growth curve for ireland
slide 6
what is the pregrazing height of grass
8-9cm
what is the residual height
3-4cm
what is the right pre grazing yield
1300-1500 kg DM/ha
what is the right pre grazing height
8cm
what is the right rotation length in days
18/21 days
what is the right leaf content
> 70
pre grazing yields (kg DM/ha) with equivalent pre- grazing height cm
(kg DM/ha)–> CM
700-900 —-> 5-6
1000-1200–>6-6.5
1300-1500 –> 7-9
1600-1800 –> 10-11
>2000 ——-> 12+
advantages of grazing a cover of 1400kg DM/ha (7)
- have 7-9cm of grass 1400(kg DM/ha) on paddocks for grazing next
- have the recommended 10-14 days grass on the farm
- high grass quality - high leaf content
- wedge shaped supply - the most grass will be in the paddock to be grazed next and the least in the paddock grazed last
- have flexibility to close for silage
- little topping required
- higher weight gain
disadvantages of grazing a cover of 1400kg DM/ha (7)
- too much grass on the farm
- have 21-28 days grass on farm (double the requirement)
- poor grass quality and low utilisation
- post-grazing height too high
- will have to close >50% of farm to correct grass surplus
- two to three rounds of topping required
- weight gain poor
what should residual not exceed
no more than 100kg DM/ha
what is a consistent residual height
3-4cm
what height do bulls consistently graze down too
4-5cm
- subsequent effect on grass quality
what is grass growth required to match
stocking rate
Grass Growth (kg DM/ha/day) and stocking rate (kg/ha) table
Growth ——————-> Stocking rate
(kg DM/ha/day) ———> (kg/ha)
20 —————————> 800
30—————————-> 1150
40 —————————> 1500
50 —————————>1900
60 —————————> 2250
70 —————————> 2600
80 —————————> 3000
Stocking rate guidelines fir a cow and calf (spring calving)
ha/cow and calf
april to june 0.2
June to August 0.28
August to November 0.5
what is the earliest turnout dates
feb-March
what is the heaviest covers on 1st March
1400-1700 kg DM/ha
what is one method of obtaining higher live weight gains at pasture
extending the grazing season by letting animals out to pasture earlier
what is the feed value of early grass compared to silage
feed value of early grass 50% than silage
effects of grazing on performance
early grazing (10kg grass)
Indoors (9.2kg silage and 1.6kg conc)
early grazing (10kg grass)
- milk yield: +2.6kg
- calf gain during period: 1.07
- to weaning: 1.13
Indoors (9.2kg silage and 1.6kg conc)
- milk yield:
- calf gain during period: 0.83
- to weaning: 1.06
how much to you save for every extra day at grass
€1.54/day
reason for forage conservation (4)
- provides winter feed
- facilitates supply and quality of grazed grass
- permits biological control and internal parasites
- facilitates recycling of nutrients
changed in grass composition with advanced maturity
cell contents
60%———>40%
cell walls
35%——–> 60%
what is the difference of DM g/kg in grass vs silage
Grass - 152
silage - 162
what is the difference of Ash g/kg/DM in grass vs silage
Grass - 96
silage - 97
what is the difference of Fibre gNDF/kgDM in grass vs silage
grass: 498
Silage: 444
what is the difference of Sugar g/kg DM in grass vs silage
Grass: 130
Silage: 11
what is the difference of Ferment acids g/kg DM in grass vs silage
Grass: 0
Silage: 166
what is the difference of crude protein g/kg DM in grass vs silage
Grass: 169
Silage: 175
fertiliser requirement for grass silage
chart
slide 31
what is the effect of harvest date on DM yield (t/ha) and DMD (g/kg)
As harvest date gets later the yield increases but DMD reduces
e.g 1st May
- yield 3.0t/ha
-DMD 790 g/kg
26st June
- Yield - 9.4 t/ha
- DMD - 620 g/kg
what does optimal digestibility for silage vary with
- level and type of animal production
- % silage in diet
- cost and supply of silage, and other ingredients
- value of animal output
for each of the animal types what DMD% do they need in their diet
spring calving suckler cow
Weanling
Store
Finisher
spring calving suckler cow 65-67%
Weanling 68-70% + 1kg conc/day
Store 68-70%
Finisher 75% + meal
Grass conservation for progeny
- high quality DMD =720g/kg
- harvest May 20-27
- well preseverd
Grass conservation for Cows
moderate quality DMD=650g/kg
Late 1st cut or 2nd cut in late july
Grass conservation in a one cut system
- 50% of area closed and harvested in June
- supplies a moderate quality feed for winter
- land 0.5 ha/unit (cow and calf) July-Nov
- winter feed requirement/cow = 6t silage
when is a 2 cut system suitable (2)
- high farm stocking rate
- high quality winter feed requirement
2 cut grass conservation system
april - June
- 0.2ha cow and calf
-0.3 ha silage
June- August
- 0.28 ha cow/calf
-0.22 ha silage
Aug-Nov
- 0.5ha cow/calf
what % of the total area is cut for silage in late May and what % is cut in late July
(2 cut system)
late may - 60%
late July -44%
what is the target carcass weight for
Steer
Heifer
steer - 396
Heifer - 310
Suckler to Beef: Progeny target weights (kg)
Steer
born = 46 kg
First Winter/Housing (Nov) = 316
Grass (March) = 404
Second housing = 580
slaughter = 700
Suckler to Beef: Progeny target weights (kg)
Heifer
Born = 44kg
first housing = 288
Grass (march) = 373
Second housing/slaughter (off pasture)= 560
suckler calf to beef target weights
chart KNOW
slide 40
what are the 3 types of weaning stress
psychological
nutritional
physical
steps of Psychological weaning stress (3)
- complete separation from the dam
- adaptation to new environment
- social reorganisation
step for nutritional weaning stress
- adaptation from liquid diet to novel solid diet
step for physical weaning stress
Environment e.g housing and transportation
what does weaning management aim to do
reduce the number of stresses and/or alleviate the magnitude of the stresses
stressors at weaning (8)
- Transport or travel from field.
- Change of environment –field to pen.
- Mixing with calves from other groups.
- Loss of contact with dam.
- Change of diet –used to 6 litres of milk per day.
- Unfamiliar feeds –unused to forage.
- Respiratory problems from poor ventilation.
8.Exposure to transfer of disease from older animals.
what are the 2 critical factors of weaning
1 age of weaning
2. cows condition
what age should a calf be at weaning
at least 7 months old
how should weaning be carried out
Outdoors : Gradual removal of cows (up to 20% on any one occasion) indoors
what BCS should a cow be at weaning
3
- weaning delayed - condition score can drop rapidly
- add to winter feed requirements
what should be a calfs growth rate be
1.1-1.2 kg/day
how to avoid drop in calf growth rate at weaning
- creep grazing
- meal feeding
- don’t castrate/ dehorn 3-4 weeks before/after weaning
when should late spring born calved be weaned
not until after housing
How do you reduce milk supply in cows
restrict feed to cows to reduce milk supply
what is the target weight of calves at 7 months of age
bulls: 320kg
heifers: 290 kg
under the DAFF Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme what measure is the weaning procedure
Measure 5 - Weaning procedure
what are the regulations under Measure 5- weaning procedure
- Meal feeding 4 weeks before, and 2 weeks after weaning
- 1kg per calf per day
- Graduated weaning ie. no abrupt weaning
- Herds over ten cows –wean in a minimum of 2 groups
- Calf cannot be sold until two weeks after weaning
checklist of jobs prior to weaning
- calves have been on meal at least 4 weeks
- the pre weaning from has been completed and returned
- a worm treatment has been given in the past 14-21 days
- calves have been vaccinated against clostridial disease (especially blackleg)
- if carrying out a vaccination programme, the final booster shoot has been administrated at least 2 weeks earlier
- an adequate supply of good quality grass has been built up to carry calves over the weaning process
steps in Pneumonia protection
week 1
- primary pneumonia vaccine
- IBR vaccine
week 4:
- booster pneumonia vaccine
week6:
- maximum immunity achieved
how can weaning be used to identify next years culls
- scan the herd to identify any empty cows
- identify cows of the bottom 15% of calves in the herd
–> low milk yield
–> poor quality calves
methods are weaning (2)
- gradual separation
- creep weaning
what is the key to reducing stress levels at weaning
trying to weaken the bond between the cow and calf prior to weaning
how can reducing stress be achieved
this can be achieved by allowing the calves to graze ahead of the cows for 3 or 4 weeks before weaning
what does allowing the calves graze ahead of the cows improve?
improve the performance of the calves, as they will be offered top-quality grass up to the point of weaning
forward creep grazing
creep grazing allows you to target meal feeding instead of feeding ad/lib meals through a creep feeder
what is the key point of meal feeding weanlings
establish the target market for your calves post weaning and feed meal accordingly
what does the response in meal depend on
the feed supply
- quality and quantity of grass, the cows milk yield
- on the growth potential of the weanling, mainly age, breed and sex
what response would you expect from the first kg meal fed
4:1-0.25 kg lwt/kg
what is the immediate response to high meal feeding and will it be retained
over 2.0kg /day
- it will not be retained
how much do concentrations increase the rate of gain for suckled calves at pasture in autumn
increased rate of gain by 120 g/day resulting in a response of only 5.7 kg conc/kg gain
what are the main reasons for concentrates
- accustomed to conc at weaning
- poor grass supplies
describe weaning at pasture
Introduce concentrates 1 month prior to weaning and gradually increase the allowance with the intention of having the calf consuming 1 kg/day at weaning time
describes weaning indoors
allow the calves access to cows in an adjacent pen and offer the calves forage ad lib while simultaneously increasing the concentrate allowance gradually over a 2 week period to 1kg per day. after this period, access of calves to cows can be discontinued
what is the key hormone in the stress response pathway
plasma noradrenaline
weaning procedure experiment carried out by J.animal sci 2003
Methodology:
*Comparison between weaning methods
*Control v fence line contact v total separation
Results
- Calves given fence line contact showed less behavioural indices of distress
-Less weight loss during weaning
-Higher post-weaning live weight gain
what has weaning research indicated
that using conventional blood indicators of stress, that abrupt weaning vs not weaning is stressful to the suckler calf with alternations in immune functions and hormonal mediators of stress still evident 7 days post weaning
(Hickey, Drennan and Earley 2003)
what are severely stressed animals more susceptible to
infectious diseases such as BRD (bovine respiratory disease)
weaning is a ____________ stress
multifaceted stress that results in a transitory weakening of the immune system
Effect of weaning on the physiological homeostasis of suckled calves
9 mth old autumn born bull and heifer calves
Treatments
1.Ad-lib access (Control)
2.‘Sham weaned’ –calves with cows but prevented from suckling i.e. nutritional stress
3.Abruptly weaned –Cow removed
*All calves had access to creep concentrates
*White blood cell concentrations & IFN measured
what did abrupt weaning affect
aspects of the cell mediated immune response
how long is abrupt weaning with alterations in immune function evident for
at least 7 days
what is another name for grass tetany
hypomagnesaemia
what is grass tetany
low blood Mg concentration
what do blood concentrations fall from
25mg/l to 5 mg/l
what does grass tetany usually occur
spring and Autumn
what causes grass tetany
- Lush young spring grass (high N input)
–>low Mg availability-young grass < mature grass/conserved grass/clover
*High K fertiliser application further reduces availability of Mg in plant
*Liming (Ca2+) reduces Mg availability
*High protein feeds which increase rumen NH3reduce Mg absorption
