Feed Today's Angus Cow Like Today's Cow

My granddad fed his cows the way his dad did, and it worked for the cows he had. Those cows were smaller, milked lighter and asked less of the pasture. Bulls bought over the last couple of decades have pushed growth, milk and carcass up. If you run today's genetics on yesterday's feeding plan, something gives, and it usually shows up as thin cows and late calves.

The cow changed, so the math changed

A cow that gives more milk and raises a heavier calf burns more energy, plain and simple. Lactation is the hardest job a cow does all year. Her requirements jump after calving, and if she is behind on condition when that happens, she pays it back by breeding late or not at all. A thin cow at breeding time is the most expensive animal on the place.

That does not mean pour on the feed. Feed is a big share of your costs. The American Angus Association's Angus Journal has put it at often 50 to 70 percent of operating costs (Angus Journal). So the job is to spend where it pays and stop spending where it does not.

Walk your herd with a score sheet

Before you change anything, look at what you have. Body condition scoring is free and takes a few minutes per pen. Do it at four points: before calving, at calving, at breeding and at weaning. Write the numbers down. If most of your cows are lean at breeding, your plan is short somewhere between calving and turnout. If they are fat at weaning, you may be overpaying through the winter.

Then check the calf crop. Look at how spread out your calving dates are and how much your calves weigh at weaning, adjusted for age. A long, ragged calving season is almost always telling you something about condition or fertility.

Test the hay, quit guessing

Green grass and a good-looking bale can fool you. A forage test costs little compared with a load of supplement you did not need or the calf crop you lost because the hay was short on protein. Pull a core sample from each lot, send it to a lab, and feed to the numbers. If you want a refresher on figuring winter needs, read our hay math guide. The University of Nebraska beef program at beef.unl.edu has plain-spoken material on balancing rations from tested forage.

Where to spend and where to hold back

Spend around calving

The last stretch of pregnancy and the first weeks of lactation are when a cow needs the most. Hold condition going into that window and she cycles back sooner. This is where extra energy or protein earns its keep.

Be careful with heifers

Replacement heifers need to grow, but a fat heifer is not a good heifer. Overfeeding can hurt her udder and her longevity. Aim for the target weight at breeding without cramming her.

Hold back mid-gestation

A cow in good shape on decent forage in the middle of her pregnancy often needs little beyond a mineral program. Cutting waste here pays for the feed you add later.

Minerals are not a place to skimp or show off

Soil and forage differ from county to county. Ask your vet and your county agent what is short in your area. Then buy a mineral that fixes that, not the mix with the nicest tag. A known gap, such as copper or selenium in some regions, can cost you in conception and calf health. A guess costs you money either way.

Match the bull to your grass

Here is the part many guys miss. Your feed program and your bull battery have to agree. If your grass is thin and hay is expensive, a big-milking, big-framed cow will eat you out of business. Moderate, efficient females might fit better. If you have good ground and put weight on your calves, you can lean harder on growth and marbling. Our bull buying checklist walks through matching a sire to your operation.

Let buyers be your scorecard

Calves that finish well, grade well and come from cows that breed back are what buyers pay for. The Certified Angus Beef brand sets carcass-based specs, which you can read at certifiedangusbeef.com. Genetics get you into the conversation, and feed gets the calf to the finish line. Neither one alone does it.

A short list for this week

• Score condition on every cow, and write it down.
• Pull a hay sample and get it tested.
• Find the stage where your cows run leanest and fix that first.
• Price protein and energy by the pound of nutrient, not by the bag.
• Check your calving spread and weaning weights against last year.

You do not need a nutritionist on staff, but you should talk to one. Extension offices will often help for little or nothing, and many will go through a ration with you. For general reading, farm.fm's page on optimizing feed formulation for Angus beef cattle is a decent overview, and the agriculture directory helps you find suppliers and services in your area. Feed prices and recommendations change, so always check current numbers before you buy. This site is independent and not affiliated with the American Angus Association or Certified Angus Beef.