Oklahoma Cow/Calf Corner

[red]

Effects of Deworming and Late Summer Protein Supplements were Additive

By Glenn Selk, OSU Extension Cattle Reproduction Specialist

 

Oklahoma State University beef nutritionists studied the effects of deworming and protein supplementation during late-summer on performance of fall-born heifers grazing native warm-season pastures. Forty Angus and Angus x Hereford heifers (average age = 270 days) were assigned to receive one of four treatment combinations: 1) no supplement, no dewormer; 2) supplement, no dewormer; 3) no supplement, dewormed; and 4) supplement, and dewormed. The dewormer treatment (Ivermectin, 1% solution containing 10% clorsulon) was applied on July 25 and again on August 26. Protein supplemented heifers received the equivalent of 1 pound per head per day of cottonseed meal (41% crude protein, as fed basis) for 84 days beginning on July 29. Fecal egg counts were obtained from 5 heifers within each treatment combination at 28-day intervals. Fecal egg shedding was lower in dewormed heifers throughout the treatment period. Both protein supplementation and deworming treatment resulted in improved weight gains during the treatment period.



The effects of protein supplementation and deworming are additive. However, some, although not all, of the additional weight gain due to supplementation was lost during the winter when heifers received a maintenance diet. Added weight gain that was attributed to deworming heifers the previous summer was not lost during the winter. Source: Lalman and co-workers. 2004 OSU Animal Science Research Report

Flood Recovery Information Sources
By Glenn Selk, OSU Extension Cattle Reproduction Specialist



Many watersheds in the Southern Plains have been flooded by recent heavy rains.  What a difference a year makes!!  Below are two websites that may be helpful to flood victims.  Most of this information has been derived from the experiences due to Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Texas.  If you have neighbors that cannot receive email or internet service due to flooding, perhaps you can help them find some answers about flood recovery and take the information to them. 



Mississippi State University website http://msucares.com/disaster/index.html

Texas A&M University website http://texashelp.tamu.edu/index.php

 

[knabe]

also found this

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/research/2004rr/18/18.htm

with similar commentary

"However, more of the additional weight gain due to late-summer protein supplementation was lost during winter in supplemented compared to non-supplemented heifers. In contrast, additional weight gain due to summer deworming was maintained."

to me, the comments and conclusions need to be expanded upon by the researchers.  it sounds like supplementing above a certain point is not economical and it would be nice to see a response curve to different levels of supplementation and since they are going to lose the weight in winter anyway, what is the point?  it seemed like they were training the metabolism to respond to supplement, then they verified when they took it away, it was more dramatic the more they were fed.  i guess i'm  confused.  heifers need to gain weight to be able to breed, it seems counterintuitive to wreck with their metabolism right when you are trying to get them to grow so you can breed them.  seems like a slower approach might be better, or just put more selection pressure on them to utilize the native pasture (in the study linked here).  sounds like a good add for deworming and perhaps getting heifers to burn excess calories during winter might make the feed mill some $.