DECEMBER 2016 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Know what you’re feeding


Beef cattle specialist says taking time to test feed will improve herd health and profits by CHRIS YATES


QUICK – In an information- packed two-hour presentation to 60 Bulkley Valley cattlemen recently, Alberta-based beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio both supported and debunked some of the common wisdom among livestock producers. The audience was interested and engaged as they were told, among many other things, that loose minerals are best for cattle in winter; next best is the brown or green blocks and the blue blocks are great to use as a door stop. The specialist started by reminding ranchers that cattle can eat, breathe and drink on their own but “we’re


responsible for the balance of the rations.”


He added that cattle do have a craving for salt and will continue to eat it until they’ve had enough. Then, he went on to outline the who, what, when, where and why of feeding to support a healthy and profitable herd.


All feed should be tested, he insisted, for protein, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium and sodium.


“You want about 20 core samples from a batch of hay to have a good representative sample.”


NIR (Near Infra Red) and wet chemistry are used to test for minerals in forage and according to Yaremcio, “wet chemistry is the standard. There’s no difference in results in protein (between the two methods) but there’s a big difference in calcium,


magnesium and phosphorous, which makes a big difference in what minerals you use to supplement the cows.” For the most accurate information, livestock producers should ask their lab for analysis by wet chemistry if possible. He also addressed the


desirability of testing for Acid Detergent Fibre (ADF) to calculate energy content and said that a mixed hay sample from the Edmonton area in 1996 showed a loss of 1% to 1.5% protein per week and 2% to 4% Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) after heading. Producers testing a pure alfalfa crop can rely on the Relative Feed Value (RFV) results on their forage but anyone testing mixed alfalfa or mixed grasses should look to feed test results for a reliable evaluation.


The formula for calculating energy values varies from lab to lab and can result in a five point difference for the same forage, Yaremcio says. He suggests ranchers rely on their own observations and weigh growing animals to keep track of how they’re doing. As a beef specialist, Yaremcio stressed the importance of a cow’s body condition score (BCS) throughout the year.


“Get the cows into shape in the fall before it gets cold,” he said. “Up to one bale per cow less feed is needed for winter with a good fall BCS. If they’re in good shape, you can bring the weight down before calving.”


A cow in late pregnancy, however, needs feed with 60% TDN, he said, adding if the TDN is lower than that in the forage, ranchers should supplement the ration to get it to 60%. He added additional rations can be necessary during harsh weather conditions.


He emphasized the


importance of managing the herd to develop strong heifers, keep body scores up and provide the minerals necessary to ensure good calving and colostrum production for calves. He suggested a herd management computer program such as CowBytes,


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Alberta beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio examines an unusual third crop of alfalfa on a farm in the Bulkley Valley in early October. Yaremcio detailed beef and forage management in a presentation during the Bulkley Valley Cattlemen Association’s annual field day. CHRIS YATES PHOTO


available from the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for $50, to determine how to effectively supplement an individual herd based on its feed analysis.


The audience was told when and how to harvest, which minerals and vitamins to feed and to whom, salt and mineral supplementation (100 cows should consume one bag of salt/mineral mix a week; cows crave salt not minerals), best storage methods for hay


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and silage, dry hay feeding costs compared to stockpiled forage grazing, and much more.


He also offered to help those with individual questions by email


[Barry.Yaremcio@gov.ab.ca]. “I don’t acknowledge borders,” he said. “I’ve talked to people from all over the world, including Egypt.” Yaremcio commended the Bulkley Valley Cattlemen Association for hosting the


annual field day and said it was gratifying to see so many people in attendance, including some young faces among the crowd. Angus breeders Monty and Tanya Belsham of Poplar Meadows Ranch in Quick provided the venue for the event in their spacious sale barn, and financial support came from Growing Forward 2, Bulkley Valley Cattlemen, Bulkley Valley Dairymen and the BC Horn Levy.


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