Abstract
Mature, crossbred beef cows (n = 87 in 1990-91, n = 84 in 1991-1992) were used to determine the effects of protein supplementation to cows fed ammoniated wheat straw during late gestation. Treatments included: 1) Control (C) - no supplement, 2) Low Protein (LP) - 4.5 lb of a 10% crude protein (CP) supplement, 3) Medium Protein (MP) - 4.5 lb of a 20% CP supplement, and 4) High Protein (HP) - 4.5 lb of a 30% CP supplement. Supplementation increased weight gain over controls (P<.01). HP cows gained more (P=.05) weight than LP-supplemented cows and tended (P=.11) to gain more weight than MP-supplemented cows. Supplementation also increased body condition score (BCS, 1-9 scale) over control cows (P<.01), but no difference was noted among supplemented groups. From the end of the feeding period until weaning, cows previously supplemented lost more weight (P<.01) than controls and exhibited little change in BCS, whereas controls increased BCS by .5 during the same period. Calving dates, calf birth weights, calf weaning weights, calf average daily gain, percent of cows cycling prior to breeding, and percent of cows pregnant did not differ between treatments. Consequently, although additional protein increased weight gain prior to parturition, this response did not impact economically important traits.
Highlights
Wheat straw is abundant in Kansas and has significant usefulness in the rations of dry, gestating cows
Supplementation increased body condition score (BCS, 1-9 scale) over control cows (P
Calf birth weights, calf weaning weights, calf average daily gain, percent of cows cycling prior to breeding, and percent of cows pregnant did not differ between treatments
Summary
Wheat straw is abundant in Kansas and has significant usefulness in the rations of dry, gestating cows. Ammoniation of wheat straw usually doubles the nitrogen content and greatly increases fiber digestibility by breaking bonds between hemicellulose and lignin. Prior research at Kansas State University has shown that even though ammoniated wheat straw has adequate CP for a cow in late gestation (10.5% CP versus requirement of 7.8% CP), additional natural protein may be needed because energy is inadequate for the rumen microorganisms to utilize the high level of nonprotein nitrogen. Our purpose was to examine the effects of increasing levels of protein supplementation on the performance of beef cows fed ammoniated wheat straw during late gestation and on their subsequent performance
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