Page 27 - MWC 2-23-2023s

outcomes for not testing for- ond, you may be overfeeding, The Midwest Cattleman · February 23, 2023 · P27
ages, and two are bad. which costs you extra money.
“The first possible outcome The final possible outcome
is that you are underfeed- is that you might, by chance,
ing or under-supplementing, have it right. Take out the
which will cost performance chance and put in the ‘know’
and profit,” says Rogers. “Sec- with feed and forage testing.”

CALF SCOURS ing pastures to prevent direct
continued from page 25 contact between older calves
and younger calves. Accord-
calves are considered low- ingly, it prevents later born
risk for neonatal diarrhea. calves from being exposed
This system may take to an accumulation of patho-
some ranch specific planning gens in the environment and
in advance, but when imple- results in less sickness, use
mented the system continu- of medications and death due
ally re-creates the optimum to calf scours.
conditions that exist at the
beginning of calving season.
The system uses clean calv-

IS FROST SEEDING to reduce costs, as this por-
continued from page 24 tion of fertilizer is taken care
an advantage to frost-seeding of. The seeding recommen-
legumes because they “fix” dations are anywhere from
nitrogen which is typically 2-10 pounds per acre. If you
more than their own needs. are frost seeding every year,
The existing grass plants then you want to be more
that are already established around that 2-3 pounds per
in the pasture can use that acre range. If you are doing
excess nitrogen and improve it more as a one-time thing,
its quality as a forage. Once then you may want to go up
a pasture is about 25-30% to the 8-10 pounds per acre
legumes there is no need to range.
apply supplemental nitrogen.
You have found another way