Protected From the Elements

Protected From the Elements

By Maura Keller

Wind, rain, sleet and snow can create hardships for cattle. Exposure to certain weather conditions, especially when the animals are grazing far afield, can result in illnesses and injuries that can affect a producer’s bottom line.

According to Collin Gronseth, owner of C&W Welding in Dimock, SD, a producer of windbreaks, livestock shelters, corral panels, and cattle shades, over the years, shelters and windbreaks have gone from primarily wood designs to metal designs.

“Thirty years ago, the shelters where primarily built with the narrow end open with wood and then when metal started being used, they went to openings on the side,” Gronseth says. “Older day shelters had problems with damp, dark shelters in the back and that is why they started to open up on the side.”

Jeremy Holcomb, vice president of business development at Accu-Steel, adds that shelters have transformed significantly, moving from traditional metal structures to advanced fabric-covered buildings that prioritize cattle comfort and well-being. Modern designs now focus on optimizing airflow, with innovations like dual eaves and ridge ventilation that ensure a stable, comfortable environment for livestock year-round.

For Accu-Steel specifically, their use of hot-dipped galvanized steel not only extends the lifespan of these shelters but also offers robust protection against corrosion, maintaining structural integrity over time.

“This evolution reflects a shift towards prioritizing the health of the herd alongside durability and practicality,” Holcomb says. Accu-Steel provides fabric-covered shelters specifically designed for livestock, offering superior ventilation and airflow that helps maintain a healthy environment for cattle. The company’s approach is centered on durability and ease of maintenance. With hot- dipped galvanized steel and their proprietary EnduroLoc fabric technology, they ensure long-lasting protection and minimizing disruptions to a producer’s operations.

“We don’t just build shelters – we build solutions tailored to your unique needs, ensuring that every aspect aligns with your operational goals and the well-being of your herd,” Holcomb says.

With construction products available today, C&W Welding also is bringing new life to the end load windbreak and shelter systems. Today’s products have more features like skylights, lift bars, walk in doors, gates to close the shed off and tow hooks. As Gronseth explains, today’s windbreak and shelters are designed to be moved more than past designs.

“Windbreaks used to all be permanent, but portables are gaining huge in popularity today,” Gronseth says. “Temporary windbreaks were quite frequently built using round bales, but with the costs of doing this, more producers are electing to buy portable windbreaks instead.”

The importance of investing in windbreaks and shelters for cattle is evident. Gronseth points to several research articles showing the benefits of windbreaks and calf shelters including improved rates of gain, improved calving percentages, improved herd health, and less feed expenses. 

“Investing in cattle shelters means providing a controlled environment that is essential for the health and productivity of livestock throughout every life stage – including breeding, calving, and weaning. Enhanced ventilation in fabric-covered shelters improves air quality, which is key to preventing respiratory issues and other health challenges that can arise from poor airflow,” Holcomb says. “Shelters also offer critical protection from extreme weather, reducing stress and ensuring the well-being of cattle.”

By creating a stable environment, these structures also lead to better breeding outcomes, smoother calving processes, and more efficient weaning, directly contributing to a more productive and resilient herd.

Using his same ingenuity as his Rawhide Portable Corral design, John McDonald, founder of Rawhide Portable Corrals, has developed a portable, foldable, windbreak on wheels that one person can set up.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’d have somebody walk by my booth and say, why don’t you put plywood on these panels so we can use it as a windbreak as well,” McDonald says. “But obviously if I put plywood on it’s going to make it heavier, it’s going to make it harder to fold.”

In designing Rawhide’s new portable windbreak system, McDonald developed a solution that would protect animals from extreme weather conditions, while providing a system that would result in less cold stress and less heat stress on livestock.

In addition, efficiency was a “must have” with this system. With Rawhide’s portable windbreak, ranchers and farmers will no longer need to use tractors and trailers to haul the typical freestanding windbreaks currently on the market. With Rawhide’s windbreak, they can haul it down the road at highway speeds, as they can with Rawhide’s portable corrals. The hydraulics will raise and lower the windbreak, as well as the roof on the loafing shed. The pinning system will then allow the windbreak to easily unfold and fold into the needed configuration.

What To Look For When selecting shelters and windbreak products, ranchers need to evaluate the difference between a porous windbreak (a windbreak with a gap) versus a solid wall windbreak.

According to Gronseth, a solid wall windbreak will be desired if the space is very confined and experiences a low yearly snowfall. With these structures, you will find the animal is very close to the structure, but they will have issues with drifts forming on the blocked side and only leaving a small area of wind protection.

“A porous windbreak will offer a greater area of protection for the animals and can handle larger snowfall events,” Gronseth says. “As you get into higher yearly snowfall totals, you need to look at windbreaks with bigger porosity percentages. The downfall to higher porosity is that yourreduction of wind is not as great as those of less porous panels.”

In addition, the formation of the setup needs to be considered. As Gronseth explains, a setup that is mainly a straight line will cause more of a dumping effect on the snowfall and will be limited on the winds it can effectively manage.

“A setup with a curve or V to it will deflect snow towards the sides and have a greater range for wind protection,” Gronseth says. “Shelter designs need to have an emphasis on improving ventilation, warmth and sunlight, while reducing drafts. A shelter needs to keep the animals warm, but it needs to ventilate enough so the humidity levels remain constant with the outside air.”

For Holcomb and the team at Accu-Steel, choosing the right shelter means looking for durability and reliability. He advises producers prioritize shelters constructed with hot-dipped galvanized steel for superior protection against corrosion, ensuring a safe, long-lasting environment for the cattle.

“Look for designs that include dual eaves and ridge ventilation to maximize airflow, keeping your livestock comfortable and minimizing moisture-related health issues,” Holcomb says.

“The quality of the fabric covering also matters – modular designs, like our Keder cover system, offer easy maintenance and cost-effective repairs, making sure that your investment continues to perform for years to come.”

What to Look For

When selecting a shelter solution for your cattle operation, it’s also crucial to partner with a company that offers a consultative approach. Holcomb stresses that this means working with experts who take the time to understand your unique needs – whether it’s the size of your herd, the specific climate challenges you face, or the operational goals you’re aiming to achieve.

“A tailored solution ensures that the shelter design is optimized for your situation, providing the best possible protection and comfort for your livestock,” Holcomb says. “This personalized approach not only maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of the shelter but also helps you get the most out of your investment, ensuring long-term success for your operation.”

Whole Cottonseed Can be Beneficial in Beef Cattle Rations

Whole Cottonseed Can be Beneficial in Beef Cattle Rations

By Heather Smith Thomas

Whole cottonseed and alfalfa are two of the very best feeds for growing calves,” according to Ron Gill, PhD (Texas A&M).   “We also mix a lot of cottonseed hulls into cattle rations.  There is very little nutritional value in those hulls but adding these to the ration increases feed intake because cattle like them.  It’s a really good roughage source if you need to add fiber to a ration,” he says.

“There are many competing uses for those products, however.  The dairies use a lot of cottonseed in feed rations, and other industries use the hulls and lint.  The fracking business uses some of those products to plug wells, for instance. 

Cottonseed has been fed to cattle for a long time, but in recent years there has been renewed interest in this highly nutritious byproduct of the cotton industry.  Cotton Incorporated now has a Beef Advisory Council to help beef producers understand the benefits of feeding whole cottonseed.

Alisa Ogden, a member of the Beef Advisory Council for Cotton Incorporated, farms and ranches in southeastern New Mexico.  “In addition to having a cow-calf operation, we also raise cotton and alfalfa.  Some of us on the Cotton Board realized that not many beef cattle producers were using whole cottonseed, so the Cottonseed Beef Advisory Council was formed.  Whole cottonseed had been fed to dairy cattle for years because it increases production of butterfat and has other benefits, but beef cattle had never been targeted in educational efforts about this feed.  As a rancher and a cotton farmer, our family has utilized whole cottonseed for decades to feed calves after weaning, and feeding yearlings.  Benefits of cottonseed include the oil (fat) and protein,” she says.

One of the goals of the Beef Advisory Council is to educate nutritionists who work with feedlots, and also to dispel some of the misconceptions about use of whole cottonseed with beef cattle.

Blake Wilson, another Beef Advisory Council member and Associate Professor at Oklahoma State University at Stillwater specializes in ruminant nutrition and beef cattle nutrition. “I’ve conducted several research projects with whole cottonseed in feedlot cattle as well as in the cow-calf sector,” he says.

There are many potential benefits in using this feed as a supplement or in a ration for beef cattle.  “This is the seed, left over after the cotton has been harvested for fiber.  The seed left behind contains some residual lint or fiber, which helps give whole cottonseed some of its unique composition as a feedstuff for cattle diets,” he says.

“Old school terminology described whole cottonseed as a ‘triple-20 feed’, meaning it was approximately 20% fat, 20% protein, and 20% fiber, and all of these are important for a beef cow or feedlot animal.  Cottonseed is unique compared to other feed ingredients in that it is very high in those three characteristics; no other feed has that same nutritional profile.”

There was a lot of early research on cottonseed, but there wasn’t much new research in the past 20-plus years.  “Interest in this feed picked up again about the same time the Beef Advisory Council was formed.  There is renewed interest, as the dynamics within the feed industry have changed—not only with the COVID pandemic but also with fluctuations in the supply of other feedstuffs,” he says.

When feeding a total mixed ration in a feedlot, whole cottonseed can be included at about 15%-20% of the mix. “It can replace protein, fat and fiber from other ingredients in a feedlot ration, with either no detriment to performance or in some cases improved performance compared to the ingredients it replaces.”  In some situations, the standard ingredients of a ration become too expensive or harder to come by, and whole cottonseed might be a viable alternative.

“It may not make sense in every ration or for every feedlot operation, but it gives us another option, another ingredient we can bring into a ration and get those valuable nutrients.  It’s also an effective supplement for beef cattle on pasture.  At OSU we’ve been comparing whole cottonseed to what would be a traditional winter supplement for cattle, such as a 20% breeder cube.  People in this area often use a supplement on weathered mature pasture or medium or low-quality hay.  With various supplements, we compared differences in animal performance and rebreeding,” Blake says.  

“We are also looking at methane emissions.  We’ve seen data in stocker cattle that showed supplementing whole cottonseed can reduce methane production, perhaps due to the high fat content.  There could be several benefits to feeding this product, so we are trying to collect more data on that aspect, as well.”

Whether or not a beef producer uses whole cottonseed may depend on location and transport costs.  “The farthest north that cotton is grown is in Kansas and Missouri in the Midwest, Virginia in the East, and California (mainly in the San Joaquin Valley) in the West,” says Alisa.  “Many feedlots are in areas where cotton is being grown, so that’s another reason it makes sense for whole cottonseed to be fed to beef cattle,” she explains.

 

Dispelling Old Myths

Some beef producers still worry about potential risks of cottonseed on bull fertility, but this is not a big issue.  Blake says there is new research coming out of universities in the southeast, like Georgia and the Carolinas.  “They are investigating reported issues with gossypol and bulls.  There was a study in the past few years in Georgia in which they supplemented bulls with various levels of whole cottonseed for a 60-day period and didn’t see any negative impacts to semen quality or on breeding soundness exams,” he says.

“In that study they fed young bulls three different diets.  One group got 7 pounds of dried distillers grains, another group got a blend of distillers grains and whole cottonseed, and the third group got 7 pounds of whole cottonseed.  They compared those groups, tracking them for 60 days–the equivalent of a normal breeding season.  They didn’t find any difference in the percentage of normal sperm among any of those groups, out to 60 days.  They didn’t go any longer than that, but even at a fairly high level—7 pounds—they didn’t see a negative impact on sperm quantity or quality,” Blake says.

If a person still wants to play it safe and is using a defined breeding season (45 days, 60 days, or even 90 days) the bulls are not with the cows year-round and you can plan the diet so that the herd is not being fed cottonseed at a time it might possibly impact the bulls.  “The sperm present in those bulls at the time they are turned out with the cows were being produced 60 days prior to that.  Even if the bulls are eating along with the cows during the breeding season, the sperm would not be affected during a short breeding season, and only at the very end of a longer one,” he explains.

“In our studies, we’ve shown that at normal supplementation levels, there is either no detrimental effect, or only a minimal effect.  A person might have problems, however, if overfeeding whole cottonseed.  In the feedlot, for instance, we’ve seen animals start to eat less or back off feed due to the high fat content when fed at very high levels.  There’s no point in feeding levels high enough that would cause problems, but there’s been some interesting research in recent years that helped dispel that old belief that you can’t use this feed in a cow-calf operation because the bulls would have fertility issues.  That idea was based on very old research, and we are now realizing this is not an issue.”  Even if there might be minimal effects, those could be eliminated by not allowing bulls access to this feed year-round.

The amount you’d want to feed is about 0.5% of the animal’s body weight, which can vary from 5 to 8 pounds of feed per head per day. “You don’t need to feed any more than that,” Alisa says.  In terms of the cost of feed and efficiency, if you feed too much it can be counterproductive—and a waste of money.

Feeding Cows, Calves And Yearlings

“We background our calves and have always fed cottonseed,” Alisa says.  “When we have cottonseed in our ration, it is the first thing the cattle eat.  They like it and sort it out to eat first.  They nuzzle through the rest of the feed in the bunk to find it; you can hear them crunching on cottonseed before they go back and eat the roughage.  They want the best first!” she says.

“We also found that whenever we had sick animals, if we fed cottonseed meal or whole cottonseed, it seemed to help them recover faster.”  It was probably more palatable than other feeds and could entice them to eat when they were off feed.  Her father also felt that it would pull toxins out of the gut.  This might be due to the ability of the fiber to keep everything moving through and the gut working properly.

Her family usually only fed cottonseed to calves being backgrounded so it could be fed in bunks.  With cows out on range pastures, some would be wasted fed out on the ground.  “We’d want to feed it in bunks, and that method is impractical out there on big range pastures,” Alisa says.

 “Back when we had a cottonseed oil mill in our little town, they produced old-style cottonseed cake—which cows can readily eat off the ground.  The cows flourished on that product, because the mill ground up whole cottonseed and put it with the oil to make the cake pellets.  When we had to change to a different pellet that was grain based rather than cottonseed base, cows would not eat it.  If a person feeds cake (something that can be spread on the ground for cattle) if you can get the old style with cottonseed in it, cows do much better on that.  It’s easier for a processor to make the other kind of pellets, however,” she says.

Blake says whole cottonseed makes an ideal receiving diet for young or stressed calves, partly because it does contain a little roughage.  “Whole cottonseed is a good source of nutrients and a good source of energy, but where that energy is coming from is different compared to a cereal grain.  The animal is not getting energy from starch (which can be detrimental at high levels) but from fat and fiber.  You can provide the nutrients and energy the animal needs, but the mechanism for delivering it is a little different.  This influences what’s happening in the rumen.  Acidosis can be a problem when adapting cattle to high-grain feedlot diets; if you can get more energy into cattle while feeding less starch, you have a lot of benefits,” he says.  

Grazing, Resting and Reseeding Your Pastures

Grazing, Resting and Reseeding Your Pastures

By Jaclyn Krymowski

Pasture management is one part of ranching that’s easily pushed to the side amid the hustle and bustle of the seasons and daily operations.

However, taking the time to analyze your pastures and give them a break to “refresh” can help with longevity and the nutritional value it provides your animals. You need not be an intensive grazer with a strict rotation schedule to benefit from the basics of routine management and forethought.

Remember that your pasture is more than just grasses and legumes – it’s made up of many living organisms that require care. A healthy pasture will lend itself to creating a healthy herd.

In cattle production systems, one of the highest cost items is feed, and many producers use grazing as an attempt to reduce some costs. If a pasture-based system is managed properly, it will return the favor by increasing your overall productivity

The Grazing Game Plan

A grazing plan allows for the full use of the resources available. Additionally, it should include all components of grazing and the pasture system to best make management decisions, as noted by University of Minnesota extension educators Joe Armstrong and Brad Heins in their bulletin Grazing and Pasture Management for Cattle.

A grazing plan should also be tracked and monitored so improvements can be made along the way. It identifies what worked or what did not work for your pasture setup. Successes are also noteworthy as they can help make those improvements for the next grazing season.

A grazing system consists of a good and quality pasture condition. Quality of pasture can vary from one end to another, write Armstrong and Heins, and as improvements are made the overall condition should improve across the board.

While a good start is crucial, adapting through reseeding can optimize pasture productivity.

“Forage grass and legume species each have their own unique growth, persistence, and quality characteristics. Because they respond differently to soil conditions, weather patterns, fertility and grazing management, the plants that are currently growing in your pastures may be different from one area to another,” according to Armstrong and Heins.

The health of both the herd and the land are interconnected. In drought situations, everything suffers. Rotation can be a powerful tool to make this time less stressful on the pastures, even if it means moving pastures more frequently. As a rule of thumb, grass should only be grazed down to three or four inches at the most.

Depending on your setup, you can designate a “sacrifice area” on limited acreage where you keep your animals for extended periods of time and supplement hay and other feedstuffs to keep them from overgrazing on the rest of your pastures.

Pasture Management

Part of pasture management is not only understanding the different practices, but also understanding what is being grown and the conditions of the land they are growing in.

Soil testing is a crucial tool for effective pasture management. It provides essential information about soil health, nutrient levels, and potential problems. Regular testing can help you identify changes in soil conditions and take proactive steps to improve pasture productivity.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends that pastures be sampled at least every four years. For accurate nutrient readings, the best time to sample is in late summer and fall. All samples should be taken from the same location during the same time of year as part of a long term strategy.

This will not only provide a snapshot of your soil quality in the here and now, but it will also provide insight into what nutrients you may need to apply in the coming year.

Besides grazing, there may be times when some pastures benefit from mechanical mowing.

Pastures that are overgrown (or perhaps have patches of unpalatable plants that your cows aren’t eating) do best when they are mowed to promote better forage vegetation and to cut down on weed populations.

When doing this, be sure you know the optimal length for the type of grass you have so you don’t mow too short and slow growth rather than promote it. You want to encourage the growth of new forages in timely manner while removing the less nutritious, more mature stalks.

Grazing Practices

There are a variety of grazing systems and each will yield different results. These range from a continuous grazing system to intensive rotational grazing. Continuous grazing pasture systems experience both overgrazing and undergrazing. A rotational system allows for an extended grazing season while also promoting better pasture utilization through a rest and regrow period, as explained by Armstrong and Heins. Additionally, it allows the farmer to move the livestock based upon the forage growth.

Pasture productivity increases when energy reserves are properly, routinely restored, which is what rotational grazing systems offer.

Another management practice is adaptive grazing, which allows for adaptation and flexibility based on conditions and isn’t a “formulaic approach,” according to an Understand Ag blog, “How to Implement Adaptive Dairy Grazing.”

It has been found to be one of the better grazing systems for “making continuous progress, increasing SOM, biomass production and biodiversity, and optimizing net profitability”

Adaptive grazing may seem intimidating because of the flexibility and commitment it has to have, but it can certainly be worthwhile.

Picking a system that fits your land and herd size is important. Additional factors include what type of seasons you may have (wet or dry), which could impact your grazing season (or length the animals are on pasture).

Don’t Forget to Reseed

Reseeding is a vital practice that can significantly enhance the productivity and longevity of your pastures. Over time, factors such as grazing pressure, weather conditions, and soil health can diminish the quality and density of forage species. Introducing new seed on a routine basis helps fills bare spots, improves forage quality, and increases the resilience of your pasture against pests and diseases.

When selecting seeds, consider the specific conditions of your land, such as soil type, climate, and current vegetation. Opt for forage species that are well-adapted to these conditions to ensure they establish well and provide the desired benefits. For instance, incorporating drought-tolerant species can help maintain pasture productivity during dry spells, while cold-resistant species may be essential in regions with harsh winters.

Reseeding is most effective when it is part of a broader pasture management strategy. The best time to reseed typically aligns with periods when soil moisture and temperature conditions are optimal for seed germination and growth, such as early spring or late summer. By integrating reseeding into your overall pasture management plan, you can maintain a diverse and healthy plant population that supports your herd's nutritional needs and contributes to sustainable pasture use over time.

Creating a well-thought-out grazing plan is essential for maximizing the productive life of both the pasture and the herd. Regularly recording and tracking grazing data allows for ongoing improvements and better decision-making each season. 

Additionally, it’s important to have contingency plans for times when grazing is not feasible, such as during periods of extreme weather. Effective pasture management not only supports the well-being of the animals but can also be a cost-effective strategy to reduce feed expenses. Ultimately, finding a system that aligns with the unique needs of the operation will help ensure both the pasture and herd thrive year after year.

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