Throwback Thursday - Kansas

In honor of Kansas Day yesterday, here is one reason I miss that state.

Who wants to take a guess as to the crude protein percentage of this improved pasture? If I remember correctly, this is a buffalograss pasture and this photo was taken in April.

Happy Ruminating,

The Bos Lady

Wordless Wednesday: Just Kidding

My sister's dairy goats are kidding back home this month. There are 16 kids so far.

 

Every kid should have opportunities like this. We are all thankful that our parents put up with our antics and let us raise livestock.

Audrey Rose makes sure that all of these babies get plenty of colostrum and she dips their umbilical cords and soft hooves in iodine. Baby mammals are basically defenseless without colostrum. If something happens to the dam, you can buy powdered milk and colostrum. If it's available, I would go down to the local dairy and buy some from them. They usually have some frozen on hand for emergencies. Just make sure that it is free of Johnes Disease if you plan on giving it to a calf.

Adorable, right?

This cracked me up.

Happy Wednesday,

The Bos Lady

Estimate Forage Quality

As producers, it is key that we know just how good our forage is because so many decisions are based on it, as well as the quantity. Here, we will cover quality. Quantity estimation will be in the next post.

Leafy green new growth can be assumed to be >20% crude protein. When the stocking rate matches the carrying capacity of the pasture, we assume the cow has enough forage to be sustained. This, combined with green, leafy growth means you don't have to supplement. The grass is meeting the cows' energy and protein requirements.

Now, when the forage supply is comprised of less than 50% of this green, leafy growth and the stems dominate the pasture, you're looking at a crude protein percentage of 7-15%. You need to be thinking about supplementation at this time. The cows' protein requirements are still sufficiently met, but she is energy deficient. 

The forage is brown now. Without supplement, this diet is deficient for protein and energy. The crude protein is <7% and the forage is considered low quality. The low protein percentage limits the cows' intake and digestibility of the forage. Protein supplementation can optimize the low quality forage. Not all is lost. Of course, she still going to eat it. She needs the fiber and the scratch factor.

Protein supplementation will be covered more in depth in a future post. You can find a brief look at protein supplementation in this previous post about range cubes. 

I would be happy to answer any specific questions you may have. Ask them in the comment section below!

Happy Ruminating,

The Bos Lady

Music Monday - The Washers

Only in Texas are the bands better in person than they are on the radio. Recently, a friend and I won tickets to see The Washers. I just love this band. Although they are traveling mostly throughout Texas right now, you can check them out on iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube.

They were so sweet!

Some guy proposed to the song "The Real Thing". Adorable.

Their lastest album "Tired Eyes" was released in 2012, which seems like forever ago now. I was first introduced to them while listening to Badlands Radio. The best station in the world. Get their app on iTunes.

Of you like The Damn Quails and the Thieving Birds, you're going to love these guys. This group of talented musicians puts on a great show if you ever have the chance to see them live.

Anyways, the first song I heard was Two Left Feet, followed by "Like a Gypsy Should" and "Bag of Bones". But, I'd have to say that my favorite is their first record, "Devil's Name". Its darker and explicit. Just the way I like it.

The title track, "Devil's Name", is such a well written song. The subject is slightly morbid, but I can't stop playing this song. 

In the end, "Pretty Girls" is by far my favorite song of theirs. 

"Don't fall asleep when you're in Brazos County, there's pretty girls and there's whiskey, too. You'll fall in love without even trying because pretty girls love whiskey, too."

I mean, how great is that? 

She's a professional +1.

In honor of The Washers, the song of the week is "Pretty Girls".

Happy Listening,

The Bos Lady

Always Been a "Cow" Girl

Circa 1994. I'm cute, right?

Those were the good ol' days of being an only child and being smaller than a calf. 

Parenting done right.

Happy Friday, everyone.

The Bos Lady

Feeding Range Cubes

Most feed companies offer range cubes in at least 3 different protein percentages: 16%, 20%, and 32%.

For protein/increase intake/increase digestibility: 32%

Low quality forage can still make money. When your cows are grazing a low quality forage, <7% crude protein, it is best to feed the 32%.  Protein will increase their forage intake. You will decrease the hay you feed by using your available forage. Also, when you're buying a higher protein percentage, your paying less for protein than if you were to buy the 20% cubes. Just FYI. 

When you're feeding high quality forage (wheat pasture, early tall grass, jigs/bermudagrass), >15% crude protein, you already know that feeding cubes is basically throwing money away.

If you have the land, you're better off changing your stocking rate by fewer cows per acre than by feeding cubes if your forage crude protein range is between 10-15%.

For energy/training/pregnancy: 16% or 20%

The higher the protein content, the harder the cube. The tendency when developing young heifers is to feed the 20% "breeder" cubes. These are softer and have more energy; great for growth.

Using cubes or cake is a great way to get your heifers and calves to come to the working pens. I highly recommend feeding in the working pens with the gates open from time to time. It can make gathering so much easier on yourself and the cows. 

Range cubes are a great way to up your cow or heifers energy consumption as well. Bump up her net energy in her 3rd trimester to get the most bang for your buck. Several studies show that you're actually saving moo-lah by feeding in the last third of pregnancy and you're getting more benefits than you think. That fetus is doing most of its growing in the last 3-4 months. Fetal programming deserves it's own post in the next few weeks.

It goes without saying that the hardest cow on your property to bred back is the young heifer that just had her first calf. Using cubes to provide energy can ensure that her BCS is up to par to conceive again.

Range cubes are not always the most advantageous supplement for your operation. It always depends on your goals, needs, and resources.

Have questions about when to start supplementing? Ask me below!

Happy Ruminating,

The Bos Lady

What to Expect

I'm not a writer. It's hard to dedicate yourself to writing. My hat is off to my friends that blog successfully. I started blogging for fun when I was a freshman in college. Everyone else was blogging and hey! I have something to say, too! But, that turned out to be crap. I had no direction. Then I tried again to focus my posts to those not familiar with agriculture. But, thats not really where I want to be in the industry.

I want to be the liaison between cowboy science and academia. Hopefully, my topics accomplish that.

Most of my posts will be about cattle because that's what I like to talk about. But, there will be posts about other ruminants like deer, sheep, goats, and horses.

I'll also have a a series of "Weed Wednesday" posts. I'm really looking forward to those.

I can't leave out the fun posts though. For when I feel plum lazy, there will be "Wordless Wednesdays" and "Throwback Thursdays". And I can't forget my favorite... "Music Mondays" where I'll be spotlighting new and upcoming bands or hosting guest bloggers to discuss what and who they listen to.

What can I say? Beef, music, and Kansas State are my favorite things. 

It'll be fun. Join us.

I'm always happy to entertain comments and specific questions that pertain to your operation. I look forward to finally contributing to the industry.

Happy Ruminating,

The Bos Lady

Third Time is the Charm

Cows are "ruminant" animals, like goats, sheep, and many more. These animals have the unique ability to convert otherwise unusable land resources into a nutritious protein and vitamin rich product for human consumption. Like turning water to wine.

In my last attempt to become a blogger (I'm really not the writing type..), I will be developing blog posts that are producer friendly that allow individual ranchers to apply new information and science to optimize operations for cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and wildlife.

My credentials? I worked summers on a 300+ cow-calf operation in Kansas. I've raised a few cows of my own over the years. I graduated from Kansas State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Science and Industry with a special emphasis in beef cattle and grazing.

Currently, I'm working on a Master's Degree at Texas A&M University in Kingsville, TX. Here, I am conducting a forage and diet selectivity study on the King Ranch.

Being the liaison between cowboy science and academia is exactly where I want to be.

Happy Ruminating,

The Bos Lady