Feed costs remain the single largest expense for any cow producer. Generally this expense can equal up to half of the total yearly cost of raising cattle. And that is on a good year. If you are in a drought condition this total can go up to as high as 70%. With this in mind it is no wonder that feed costs is usually the main factor to determine if an operation will be profitable or not.
In order to keep their heads above water producers are always looking for ways to reduce how much they will spend in feed every year. Though this is an admirable goal one should be careful going for it. Reducing feed costs will do you no good if production ends up suffering. The way to attack this problem is to find ways to balance high cow performance and less feed costs. Here are 5 things that you can look at to do that:
Enhance your pasture’s productivity
The beginning to any successful cattle operation starts with forage production. If your pastures can produce plenty of highly nutritious forages that will go a long way in reducing your overall feed costs. So an important step in this process is to take an inventory of the condition of your pastures.
You should take a count of any weeds that are growing there. If their is a high amount then your wallet will suffer as a result. If weeds are not kept in check they will take over your pasture and this will reduce the grazing capability for your cows. I discuss about how to determine your actual grazable acres here.
Improving the overall production of your pastures may require a bit of an investment in both money and time, If done correctly however it is an investment that will pay for itself.
Have your forages tested
Knowing what kind of nutrients that your forages are providing is one of the best investments that you can make. This information can help you in making better decisions on if and when supplement feeding is needed.
There are many factors, such as time of year and weather, that have an impact on what your forages will provide. In order to be more strategic in feeding supplements you will need to know what is missing in your cow’s diet. That is why it is important to have your forages tested so you will be aware of any gaps that need to be supplemented.
Trying to feed without a forage analysis is just guesswork and may not take care of what is needed. This will also increase the likelihood of overfeeding, and that will just mean a waste of money.
Minimize waste
For most operations hay can represent the largest single feed cost. How you store and feed hay can have a dramatic impact on waste and storage loss. According to a study by Oklahoma State loss during storage can get up to 50% of the total bale.
The main thing to do with minimizing storage loss is to make sure that the bales are not touching the ground. Another thing to do is have them covered in some way such as a barn or with a tarp. I talk more about how to minimize storage loss here.
Now when it comes time to feed hay you do not want to just roll it out on the ground. You will want to put it in either a hay ring or a type of feed bunk. Leaving it on the ground will allow the cows to go to the bathroom on it and then they won’t eat it. Any amount that they do not eat is just wasted money.
Select efficient cattle through genetics
There have been many strides taken to identify genes that lead to more feed efficiency in cattle. This information can be used to make better management decisions.
Another way that you can do this is just observing your herd. You can identify which cows are more efficient and which ones are not. With that information you can cull out the ones that are not performing the way that you would want to improve the overall production of your herd.
Reduce feed costs with improved record keeping
You can’t improve that you don’t measure. Without keeping good records you cannot determine if you are improving and becoming more efficient, You really will not know if you are reducing feed waste, improving pasture performance, or even reducing feed costs if you are not keeping records.
Record keeping is very important for producers. It let’s them know where they have started, how much they have improved, and which strategies are working for them.
Review
If you are looking to reduce feed costs there are 5 things to consider
- Enhance your pasture’s productivity
- Have your forages tested
- Reduce feed waste
- Select more efficient cows through genetics
- Reduce feed costs through better record keeping
