Whether your farming operation is located in the western portion of the country, the northeast, or in other areas of the U.S., it’s important to have a plan if and when severely dry conditions hit your pastures. Here are two tips to help your herds survive drought.
Provide a Self-Fed Protein Supplement
Drought can lessen the quality and quantity of forage, causing it to contain less crude protein and more fibrous material. In order to increase the digestibility of low-quality forages and augment the amount of energy cows can derive from the forage, a protein supplement is necessary. A blend of rumen–degradable protein and bypass protein can enable your cattle to process a low-quality forage more efficiently.
Provide a Vitamin Supplement
Drought-stricken forages may also be deficient in vitamin A and phosphorous, so it’s important to make sure your cattle receive adequate amounts of each through supplementation. According to ruminant nutrition expert and Minnesota-based livestock producer Jill Peine, vitamin supplementation is especially important for fall-calving cows since they are in their third trimester or nearing calving during that time. Forages affected by drought will not meet their needs for protein, energy, and essential vitamins and minerals. A lack of sufficient protein and nutrients can negatively affect pregnant and early lactating cows when it comes to pre- and post-calving, milk production, and breed-back rates.
In terms of reproductive efficiency, the calcium-to-phosphorous ratio in the diet of your herd plays a key role. If there is a deficiency in either mineral, or an imbalance in the ratio between the two, it can lead to a decrease in fertility and milk production. Although cattle can tolerate ratios between 1:1 and 7:1 (calcium to phosphorous), too much calcium can hamper the absorption of other minerals. To avoid this problem experts recommend that you maintain a ratio of calcium to phosphorous between 1.5:1 and 3:1.
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