Influence of early weaning beef cows on the performance of male progeny and the need for winter protein supplementation

Donald Llewellyn,Karl Harborth,John Unruh,Ryan Breiner,Michael Dikeman,Twig Marston,Emily Schlickau

doi:10.4236/as.2013.412095

Donald Llewellyn, Karl Harborth + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4236/as.2013.412095

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Abstract

One hundred and three Hereford × Angus crossbred, spring-calving cows were used to determine the influence of early weaning performance of their male progeny and the need for cowherd winter supplementation. Treatments were early weaned (EW; 115-d of age) and normal weaned calves (NW; 220-d of age). Both intact and castrated male progeny were randomly allotted to early and normal weaning calf management treatments. Following summer grazing and weaning protocols, cows within each weaning group were randomly assigned to receive winter supplementation treatments of LOW (1.26 kg/hd/d) or HIGH (1.81 kg/hd/d) amounts of a protein supplement containing 450 g/kg CP (DM basis). Cows whose calves were weaned early gained more BW and BCS (P P P P = 0.04) BCS but similar (P = 0.74) BW when compared with cows with normally weaned calves that received 100% of their supplement (NWHIGH). Early weaning has the potential to reduce the amount of supplement required during the winter grazing period.

Highlights

Weaning decreases nutrient requirements of beef cows, allowing for an increase in cow body condition score and carrying capacity of pastures [1,2,3,4,5]
Weaning may be an option during drought conditions and the associated reductions in forage supply, which can force cow-calf producers to consider management strategies to maintain stocking rates and cow and calf performance [6]
Calves were blocked by birth date and sire, and randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: 1) early weaned steers, 2) early weaned bulls, 3) normally weaned steers, and 4) normally weaned bulls

Summary

Introduction

Weaning decreases nutrient requirements of beef cows, allowing for an increase in cow body condition score and carrying capacity of pastures [1,2,3,4,5]. This approach is valuable to spring-calving herds in areas with decreasing forage quality during mid-summer. Weaning of beef calves at 90 to 120-d of age provides an opportunity to increase nutrient intake by feeding concentrates at a time when their growth potential is high.

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