In unexpected warm, wet winter conditions cattle face challenges accessing feed, water, or a place to lie down. Muddy conditions affect requirements for maintenance, according to this UNL study. Even if feed intake is not affected by muddy conditions (cattle can reach the bunk and water trough and consume a full ration daily), mud depths of less than 9 inches increase maintenance requirements up to 80%. This means that cattle consuming a finishing diet containing 1 Mcal NEm/lb will require nearly double the amount of feed to meet their maintenance requirements or 19 lb for a 1,400-lb steer. In many cases, intake is affected by muddy conditions and 19 lb may not be achievable, leading cattle to lose weight.
That's why it's important to reduce the effects of mud and standing water in pens as soon as possible. Inherently, pen conditions are dictated by siting, orientation, fence type, and percentage of solid surfacing around bunks, water tanks, access points and loafing areas. Therefore, strategies to reduce the effect of mud and standing water on cattle performance are listed below for worst to best pen conditions:
Suggestions for worst pen sites (flat, heavily stocked or with standing water and/or with less than 1/3 of the pen are as solid surfacing):
Remove lightweight cattle to pastures or corn stalk fields stocking at a rate of 1 acre per head on hilly ground or 2 or more acres per head on flat ground. On pens made available by this strategy, scrape solid surfacing to the bare material (concrete or bituminous) and bed heavily before permitting access to heavier or newly received cattle housed yet in adjacent pens (continue to feed only the home pen).
If this is not possible, simply lay whole round bales of bedding or even hay on areas with less mud. Cattle will work the material off, using it for bedding and feed. Continue this strategy until weather conditions improve. Suggestions for average pen sites (with some slopes for loafing areas, stocked lighter and/or more than 1/3 of the pen are as solid surfacing)
All aprons and surfaced areas, scrape down to the surface. This is a minimum to let cattle find a spot to lie down. Aprons need to be scraped two to four times weekly. On wide aprons (over 20'), lay bedding down heavily after scraping in areas beyond the first 20’ behind the bunk.
If forming a bed pack, only bed when pack begins to seep. Dry or sticky packs are still functional as bedding. Scrape any scattered (not heavily wet) bedding onto bed pile. Bed on top of it.
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Categories: Nebraska, Livestock, Beef Cattle