October 2017
 October 2017
Thank you to everyone who is reading our newsletter! We will continue to broaden the scope and subject matter of the newsletter as needed or requested. If you know anyone that would like to sign up for our newsletter, they can sign up on the USU Extension – Beef Cattle Facebook page, or contact Dr. Mathew Garcia and he will put them on the email list. Furthermore, feel free to contact any of the authors for more information or to suggest a column for a future newsletter!
UTAH BEEF FIELD DAY 2018
The Utah Beef Field Day will be held February 13, 2018 at the BYU Harman Conference Center (Corner of University Parkway and 900 east-Provo) The major focus of the field day will be technology and its implementation in today’s beef production systems. Registration is $25/person, $30/couple, and $10/student. Registration can be completed on site or you can register online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ We hope to see as many of you there as possible! |
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Beef Species
Body Condition Scoring throughout the Beef Production Process?
Dr. Matthew Garcia
matthew.garcia@usu.edu The concept of body condition scoring has been around for many years in beef production systems. However, many producers may not realize the multitude of information that can be obtained by body condition scoring their cattle at multiple stages of the production process. Typically, body condition scoring was a reference of how fleshy cattle were, or how much fat deposits they had on certain parts of their body. For example, how much fat cover they had over their ribs, hooks, pins, brisket, and over the top of their back. While this was a good measurement of her nutrient status it also has many more applications to help producers manage evaluate and adjust for their cattle’s needs during the production process. The first measure that body condition scoring evaluates is the effectiveness of your range/nutrition program. If body condition scores are low or have extreme fluctuations your nutrient program is not meeting your cow’s nutrient needs. However, if body condition scores are high (7-8) you may be exceeding your cows needs and not using nutrient sources effectively. Furthermore, if you end up in a situation where you can no longer provide that high level of resources to your cattle, you may see a good number of them become less productive due to a decline in nutrient status. Another vital measurement that body condition scoring provides is a measure of your cows compatibility with your resources or nutrient program. In a situation where a producer is constantly having to increase body condition score at various time points of the production system, the argument would be that the nutrition program is wrong or that the cows are just not compatible with that particular system. For example cows may be too large to exist on that range program without a much larger supplementation program.Furthermore, body conditions scoring should happen at multiple points of the production process to ensure optimal productivity (i.e. pre-breeding, post calving, pre and post weaning). Evaluation of body condition score at the above mentioned stages allows a producer to evaluate and possibly adjust their program to manipulate body condition score at a moderate pace. This evaluation allows producers to ensure that the cow is in good enough condition to raise a calf, maintain herself, breed again and continue to be productive in the producer’s system. If body condition score is too low pre-breeding more than likely that cow is not going to re-breed as breeding is a physiological luxury that will not be obtained if she cannot maintain her own needs. As we all know body condition can be lost much quicker than it is gained and it is much more expensive to increase it rapidly than to maintain or moderately increase. As such the simple process of evaluating body condition score throughout the production process not only allows a producer to evaluate the compatibility of his cows with his system but it also allows for the correction of any issues that my effect productivity at a downstream stage of the beef production process.
For more information or in depth conversation please contact
Dr. Matthew Garcia
Email: matthew.garcia@usu.edu
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Equine Species
Equine Nutrition in the Winter Months
Dr. Karl Hoopes
As winter time and colder weather approaches we often wonder how much feed does my horse need? Horses adapt pretty well to colder weather by growing a thicker hair coat for insulation and by consuming more feed to provide additional energy. Most warm blooded animals, horses included, have a critical temperature. This is when the outside temperature reaches the point when the animal needs to produce extra heat to keep their body temperature in the normal ranges. For most horses in good body condition, that have been allowed to acclimate normally, the critical temperature is around 30°F. Horses that have thin hair coats, are young and growing, or pregnant have a critical temperature of 40°F.
An adult horse, weighing 1100 lbs., in moderate temperatures, has a daily Digestible Energy (DE) requirement of 16.65 Mcal.1 This requirement can be met with around 22 lbs. of a good quality grass hay or 19-20 lbs. of alfalfa hay. In comparison, a growing 10-month old horse has a daily DE requirement of 18.14 Mcal.1 During cold weather, adult horses require about 15-20% more feed for each 10°F the outside temperature falls below critical temperature in order to maintain their normal body temperature.2 For young and growing horses that requirement can be up to 33% more feed.3 That means, that at 20°F, an adult horse weighing 1100 lbs. now requires 26.5 lbs. of grass hay or 24 lbs. of alfalfa hay. At 10°F the same horse would require 31 lbs. of grass hay or 28 lbs. of alfalfa hay. Growing or pregnant horses may not be able to consume sufficient amounts of forage to provide the necessary daily DE requirements, and need more calorie dense feeds.
Some horse owners may choose to add a concentrate or grain to a horse’s diet to meet the increased caloric needs. A pound of oats or a pound of rice bran provides 1.33 Mcal of DE, a pound of corn will provide 1.54 Mcal, and a pound of barley will provide 1.5 Mcal. Care should be taken to not feed more than 6 pounds of concentrate per day.
Water remains to be very important for horse’s diets even in cold weather. Horses will normally drink between 5-8 gallons of water per day. As we increase the amount of hay we feed horses for cold weather we also increase the amount of water they need to 9-10 gallons per day. When water is cold horses tend to drink less. Water heaters are a good way to keep water from being frozen. If a water heater is not available, make sure to check water sources twice daily and remove ice to ensure adequate availability.
Horses have lived in cold climates for many many years. Most of the time they do just fine if we give them the additional calories they require. Care should be taken to not overfeed our horses but in the winter time, a little extra fat can go a long way.
Reference:
1NRC. 2007. Nutrient Requirements of Horses (6th Ed). National Academy Press. http://nrc88.nas.edu/nrh/
2Cymbaluk, NF, Christison, GI. Environmental effects on thermoregulation and nutrition of horses. Vet. Clinics of North America: Equine Practice. 1990; 6(2): 355.
3Cymbaluk NF, Christison, GI. Effects of diet and climate on growing horses. J Animal Sci. 1989; 67(1): 48-59.
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Small Ruminant
Ranch and Farm Biosecurity Checklist for Sheep and Goat Producers
Dr. Lyle McNeal
Diseases transmitted from goats and sheep to humans pose public health risks. Over half of all disease-causing germs found in people originate from animals,including livestock.Zoonoses (animal to human disease transmission)are of increased importance with regard to traditional livestock farming operations with experienced managers and in the increasing number of small-scale hobby farms and lifestyle sheep and goat operations run by individuals lacking past livestock management experience.The livestock show circuits involving sheep and goat producers and 4-H and FFA exhibitors are also sources of public health concern as well as herd health management.Several management steps can minimize the risks of sheep and meat goat zoonoses.Foreign animal diseases are those that are not currently in the U.S.
BIOSECURITY MEASURES:
PREVENT:
WATCH
$ Conduct daily flock check for early detection of illness.
$ Watch the breeding flock or band for signs of abortions.
$ Report any signs of zoonotic disease to appropriate state and(or) federal animal heath or
public health department. CONTROL
CLEAN
VISITORS:
There are two risks to manage regarding visitors:
Both risks should be equally considered when developing a biosecurity plan or program for a sheep or goat operation. Zoonotic diseases are not restricted to farm families and the rural community, so care should be taken when hosting non-farm guests and interacting with visitors at shows and fairs.
BEING A VISITOR:
As a producer, be careful not to spread your animals’ germs to other farms/ranches you visit too. Do not become the source of a zoonotic disease. Farms/Ranches you visit may not have adequate biosecurity practices, so consider the measures listed to self-restrict your activity on other farms/ranches to lessen the chance of bringing germs back to your farm/ranch.
SUMMARY:
In conclusion, a sound and valid biosecurity management plan and practices should be part of the preventative health management plan of all sheep and goat operations, whether they are a farm or ranch. Biosecurity means to prevent the introduction of new organisms to a sheep or goat operation as well as controlling the organisms already on the farm or ranch operation. The possibility of disease transmission from just one newly introduced animal to another animals in the flock or buck battery can impact the health of all animals in that operation. But, as explained above, we have certain management practices that can limit the transmission of disease and/or parasites from one location to another site, or from one animal to another within a flock. These management practices remember include the following: proper handling of new animals; using known sources for new breeding stock, especially rams or billies; good clean sound protocols during shearing; and controlling both human and vehicle entering onto the sheep or goat operation. If you ever have any concerns, first contact your regular accessible veterinarian, or other state and federal resources in your community.
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Poultry Species
Responsible Raising of Small Backyard Flocks of Chickens in Population-Dense Communities
Dr. David Frame
During these times of economic uncertainty and interest in producing home-grown foods many people are considering raising a few chickens in the backyard. This has raised numerous questions ranging from how to feed chickens to addressing local animal-keeping ordinances. Particularly in population-dense areas it is important to be a responsible neighbor in keeping chickens.
Community Impacts
Any potential undesirable repercussions can be minimized through recognition and well thought-out planning to ensure that all remain good neighbors.
Noise. Hens are quieter than roosters. There are no practical or humane methods to “de-crow” a male fowl. It takes experience and knowledge to properly identify the gender of young chicks. Your local farm implement store may not be able to provide this service reliably when chicks are purchased. Be prepared to cull roosters as the chicks mature. Hens do not need a rooster present in order to lay eggs.
Mixing of species. It is extremely risky to raise multiple species of poultry and waterfowl on the same premises – particularly if there is chance of exposure to wild birds. This is how many deadly poultry diseases get started, such as exotic Newcastle disease or avian influenza (“bird flu”).
Zoning. Some municipalities do not allow the raising of poultry or have strict ordinances that restrict this activity. Check with your city or county office to determine if there are specific regulations or restrictions that might preclude keeping poultry on your property. Along with city or county ordinances, some communities or subdivisions have rules or “covenants” that restrict the raising of poultry. Be sure to check if your domicile is in one of these.
Animal control. Chickens are no respecters of property lines. They are prone to wander at will into neighbors’ yards and gardens. Remember chickens can also fly. To minimize the impact on neighbors, enclosures that properly restrain poultry and confine them to your property are mandatory.
Animal waste. In many instances, used chicken litter can be incorporated into the garden soil or composted; however, improper composting or storage may create excessive odor and fly problems. Proper composting requires careful management of moisture, aeration, and temperature. Allowing chickens to superficially scratch through a pile of manure is not sufficient for optimal composting to occur for a number of reasons. There are many Extension publications from various universities addressing the issue of general composting techniques. These should be thoroughly perused before beginning your composting program.
Disposal of deceased and spent fowl. It is important to realize that chickens have a relatively short life span. The productive life of a hen is about three to five years, although many continue to reliably lay eggs beyond this age. Baby chicks soon grow up to be adult chickens and adult chickens end up as old chickens. Know and abide by your local ordinances concerning how dead birds are to be disposed of.
Human health. Although in most circumstances chickens pose a relatively low risk of giving disease to humans, there are a few that can be transmitted back and forth. Proper care and handling of eggs and processing of poultry carcasses are critical to avoid problems. Appropriate disposal of dead birds and used litter are also important.
Science-based Education Is Critical
Be cautious of advice from self-proclaimed “experts” or people with informal training who attempt to fill a perceived educational niche. Many would-be poultry raisers are novices or first time owners. Learning how to do things correctly from qualified science-based sources is paramount in order to be successful. Utah State University Extension is establishing a Responsible Chicken Ownership course to help educate chicken owners in proper care and responsibilities in owning chickens. Check with your local county Extension office about times and locations of this course.
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Applied Agricultural Economics
Benchmarking your Liquidity
Dr. Ryan Larsen Benchmarking Your Liquidity
Monitoring the liquidity of your operation is a key strategy to staying in business. Liquidity is defined as the ability of an operation to meet short term financial needs. In this case, short term is generally defined as one year or less. Key liquidity measures include the current ratio, working capital, and working capital to gross revenue. Each of the measures can be calculated using the following formulas:
Adequate liquidity allows an operation to withstand market downturns, disruptions in production, or unforeseen capital costs. But how much liquidity do you need? The answer to this question depends on many different factors. The size of your operation, risk of operations, and market conditions all contribute to how much liquidity is needed. One method that could be used to answer the question of how much liquidity is needed is benchmarking. Benchmarking is a term that is often thrown around but often hard to do in production agriculture. Benchmarking is a method to formally compare your individual performance to a specified standard for either a peer group or comparable operation. In other words, how does the performance of your operation compare to other farms or ranches of similar size and composition. This comparison provides an opportunity to evaluate the health and strength of an operation. Finding this data is often difficult. One good source of this data is the FINBIN database hosted by the University of Minnesota. The database consists of farm level data from 11 different states (visit https://finbin.umn.edu for more information). Lucky for us, Utah is one of those states. Utilizing that data, Utah benchmarks can be generated. The Utah Benchmark report provides percentiles for the liquidity measures. Percentiles provide a convenient method of identifying weak and strong operations. For example, the 10% percentile would be the weakest while those in the 90% would be the strongest. The table below provides liquidity benchmarks both at the state and national level.
Comparing your farms liquidity measures to these benchmarks provides a gauge on the strength of your liquidity position. Use them to analyze ways that you may be able to improve the financial strength of your business. Extension educators and lenders are great resources that could provide assistance is not only analyzing the liquidity measures but also methods to improve liquidity strength. Maintaining a strong liquidity position is key in today’s volatile price environment and will be a key to staying in business in the future. Please contact me with any questions concerning this topic.
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