Page 24 - MWC 3-10-2022s

The Midwest Cattleman · March 10, 2022 · P24
BUNK SPACE NOT A BIG CONCERN WHEN LIMIT FEEDING CATTLE

Beef cattle nutritionist finds little difference in gain efficiency

By Shelby Varner, K-State Research and Extension news
Kansas State University and then placed on a native designated amount of 2.2% of not significant when feed to
beef cattle nutritionist Dale grass, double-stock grazing dry matter on a body weight gain efficiency was consid-
Blasi said a recent study in- system for an additional 90 basis,” Blasi said. ered,” Blasi said.
dicates that the amount of days. Bunk spacing did not seem He said there was a slight
bunk space provided to cattle “Our concern was that the to make a difference, accord- tendency for some improve-
during limit feeding has lit- timid, smaller calves would ing to Blasi. ment in feed efficiency for the
tle effect on their growth. not have their opportunity “We only saw an upward calves that had more bunk
Limit feeding is the prac- to eat and, thus, the larg- increase in performance space, “but it was not signif-
tice of feeding cattle less dry er, more aggressive calves (when bunk spacing was) 20 icant after following these
matter than they would nor- would eat more than their inches per animal, and it was calves into a 90-day double
mally consume if given un- stock grazing system.”
limited access to such forages Blasi said the study’s find-
as hay or silage. It is thought ings are important because
that giving cattle more room they will help producers max-
in the bunk lines or aprons imize the use of the bunks
during limit feeding will pro- they already have available.
vide all calves an equal op- New bunk lines and concrete
portunity to consume their aprons are expensive.
intended amount. “We're trying to make the
Blasi said 18 inches is a most of what we have and
common recommendation help producers better esti-
for bunk space when limit mate the number of animals
feeding beef cattle. In a re- they can (feed) if they are
cent study, graduate student considering the use of limit
Zach Duncan evaluated bunk feeding as an option for their
spacing at 10, 15, 20 or 25 operations,” Blasi said.
inches per calf. Cattle were K-State
on limit-fed diets for 58 days K-State researchers found only a slight tendency for improvement in feed efficiency for
calves that had more space at the feed bunk.

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