Key considerations for winter managing weaned calves

By Karla Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management

Many spring-born calves weaned in the fall are backgrounded through the winter prior to grazing summer grass or feedlot entry. There are many management options to consider for weaned calves depending on feed resources, labor, and subsequent management strategies.

Cornstalk residue and winter range

Cornstalk residue can be a very economical forage resource in the northern Great Plains region. However, both cornstalk residue and dormant winter range can be very low in energy and protein making it necessary to provide some supplement to achieve targeted gains. A research experiment conducted in eastern Nebraska reported a loss of body weight in 500-pound calves receiving only mineral supplementation while grazing cornstalks. Calves supplemented 3.5 pounds of a mixture of corn, molasses and urea only gained 0.5 pound per day while calves supplemented 3 pounds of dried distillers grains gained 1.3 pounds per day. This suggests the calves needed supplemental rumen undegradable protein as well as energy while grazing cornstalk residue. Similarly, 450-pound calves in the Texas Panhandle grazing dormant native range gained 0.5 pound per day without energy or protein supplementation but gained 1.4 pounds per day when supplemented 2.5 pounds of dried distillers grains. In the Sandhills of Nebraska, 600-pound steers have been reported to gain 1 pound per day when supplemented 2 pounds of dried distillers grains while grazing winter range.

Related: Three things to consider before buying corn silage this winter

Annual forages and cover crops

In integrated cropping and livestock regions, planting winter annuals such as oats, triticale, or rye after corn silage harvest can provide high quality winter grazing for weaned calves. Research in Nebraska has shown 550-pound calves to gain between 1.5 and 2 pounds per day when grazing oats or a mix of oats and radishes from November to January.

On the southern plains, wheat pasture grazing is a common practice during the winter. Research from Texas A&M evaluated supplementing grazing steers (400 pounds) with 3 pounds of dry rolled corn or dried distillers grains. The calves supplemented with dry rolled corn gained similarly to the non-supplemented calves (2.86 pounds per day) while the calves supplemented dried distillers grains gained 3.08 pounds per day. It is important to note that after the feedlot phase, performance and carcass characteristics were not different across grazing treatments.

Total mixed ration in a drylot

For producers with integrated livestock and farming operations and limited pasture acres, growing calves on a total mixed ration may be a viable option. Silages (corn and annual forage) and distillers grains are typically cheaper energy sources than hay. Another advantage of feeding a total mixed ration is that the nutrient density and intake can be controlled better than in a grazing situation and can result in not only the targeted gain, but also more uniformity in body weight of the calves at market. Additionally, research has shown calves placed on a finishing ration shortly after weaning to be more profitable than those first placed on a growing ration. This is something to consider if the producer plans to retain ownership through finishing.

Related: Take the wrapping off before offering hay to cattle

Compensatory gain and marketing strategies

Supplementation strategies should always be evaluated based on the price of supplement including transportation and labor against the value of the gain derived from the supplementation on a yearly basis.

Research has shown cattle backgrounded to gain 1.5 pounds per day maintain a weight advantage through the finishing phase over cattle backgrounded to gain less than 1 pound per day. Even though cattle restricted during backgrounding experience compensatory gain once they are placed on a higher plane of nutrition, they typically only compensate about 37-38%, meaning they continue to have lighter body weight than cattle backgrounded to gain 1.5 pounds per day.

Related: Beef and dairy breed composition effect on finished cattle heart scores

Summary

Some producers retain calves through winter while others may continue to graze summer grass with them, selling in the fall. Other producers may retain ownership through the finishing phase. Therefore, targeted gain and backgrounding resources should be evaluated against marketing strategies and the calf value. However, targeting adequate gain (1 to 1.5 pounds per day) to develop structural and muscle growth during the winter is advantageous regardless of marketing strategy.