Performance production highlighted for beef producers at TSCRA convention

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Dr. Monte Rouquette records weights on Brahman Hereford F-1 crosses at one of the TAMU Overton Center's cattle working facilities. Rouquette spoke about bermudagrass at the TSCRA convention. -Staff photo by Poehl

March 31, 2005 - Beef cattle producers gathered in Fort Worth March 18-21 to discuss many issues affecting the cattle industry. The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association's (TSCRA) 128th annual convention and 30th annual trade show was held in downtown Fort Worth at the Convention Center. The participants did more than discuss important issues affecting the cattle industry - exhibitor's booths were set up at a trade show, an auction was held and nightly entertainment was available.

Dr. Monte Rouquette, with Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, spoke about the exceptional performance of bermudagrass as it quickly adds pounds to cattle. Rouquette said bermudagrass is a forage to consider pricewise for both large- and small-scale operations.

Research that Rouquette completed at the Experiment Station proves stocker cattle can gain more than 1,000 pounds per acre in 60 days while grazing Tifton 85 bermudagrass. The research was part of Rouquette's on-going work on determining how plant and animal systems interact under various management systems.

During the experiment, the pastures were harvested for hay in May, using standard fertilization.

"Instead of turning the cattle in for grazing when the bermudagrass was 4 to 6 inches tall, we let the grass reach 16 inches," Rouquette said. "We grew the hay for a harvest, but we harvested it with cattle."

Rouquette used three different stocking rates - low, medium and high-for the study. The stocking rate was defined by the number of pounds of animals per acre. The low stocking rate was about 3,500 pounds per acre (four to five animals per acre); the medium 5,100 pounds (seven to eight animals per acre); and the high 6,500 pounds (nine to 10 animals per acre).

Half the cattle in each stocking rate received a daily supplement of 1 percent of their body weight.

"As the cattle gained weight, the total amount of supplementation was adjusted accordingly, Rouquette explained. "The supplementation was composed of a 2-to-1 ratio of soybean meal and corn. And, it was enhanced with salt, minerals and Rumensin 80."

Over the next 60 days, the average daily gain of the cattle at the high stocking rate with supplementation was 1.7 pounds and those without supplementation gained 0.9 pounds.

"This equaled 1,060 pounds of beef produced per acre in 60 days for those with supplementation. Those without supplements gained only 560 pounds per acre," Rouquette said. "The bottom line for producers is that supplementation pays, especially when using a forage such as Tifton 85."

With its enhanced nutritional value, Tifton 85 is an easily digestible forage that translates into larger individual animal gains.

Ernie Morales, owner/general manager of Morales Feed Lots, Inc. in Devine, spoke about learning the basics from the best in the business. He encouraged the attendees to become more involved with business partners. Morales has been active in Texas Cattle Feeder's Association (TCFA) since 1985 and has served on the Board of Directors, as well as other committees.

"Many years ago I was told that it's important to give back to the industry that you make your living from," Morales said. "One of the ways you can do that is to serve time on committees and boards. The more you're involved with your colleagues, the more you know about the issues that affect your day-to-day business."

But Morales believes people must become more involved in TCFA activities for them to benefit.

"I think it's important for members to be more involved," Morales said. "I think if people got more involved in TCFA at the committee level and attend meetings, they'd see how important that involvement is."

Finding adequate facilities for cattle can often be a problem, according to Dr. Glenn Rogers, a veterinarian with Pfizer Animal Health Group.

"The biggest limitation to implementing good herd health and management practices are improperly designed facilities and limited knowledge in livestock handling," said Rogers. "Many ranchers are unable to implement cost-effective management techniques."

For example, keeping cattle healthy requires immunization against disease at the right time. Many producers are unable to follow these recommended practices in a timely manner because their facilities are inadequate for gathering and restraining cattle.

Rogers discussed the difference between a VAC 45 and a VAC 34 program. He recommended beginning health management at the time of weaning calves and he said calves should be gaining a pound-and-a-half per day within a 45-day program. Rogers noted the 45-day program is best for buyers, but the 34-day program is best for sellers.

Colostrum (the first fluid, rich in protein, secreted by mammary glands for several days after birth of young) intake for a baby calf is an important factor in a healthy calf. Rogers completed a study which indicated that beef calves that did not receive adequate colostrum were nine times more likely to get sick at weaning, five times more likely to die at weaning, and three times more likely to get sick in the feedlot, Rogers said. In a group of dairy calves, the heifers that did not receive adequate colostrum were likely to give lower milk and fat levels during their first milking.

Besides calves going through a preconditioning program, replacement heifers, and cows in the herd should be included in the vaccination program.

Along with other speakers, Rogers also spoke about the importance of identifying livestock.

"The main reason individual identification is needed is for biosecurity against foreign animal diseases," Rogers explained. "I think it would be the best thing to improve the health of cattle."

A national animal identification system increases the market and management potential of cattle.

Marcine Moldenhauer, strategic supply chain manager with Excel Corporation in Wichita, is a strong believer that beef producers must keep track of their animals.

"We must be able to prove where our cattle have been their entire lives," Moldenhauer said. "Tracking can help producers better manage their business and sell cattle at better market prices."

She believes proving the age of cattle will be the most important issue because bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, is associated with older animals. At around $3 per head of cattle, an animal tracking system is well worth the cost, Moldenhauer said.

Randy Blach, executive vice president of Cattle-Fax, explained why trade is so important to the U.S. beef market.

"The world market was shorted of beef in 2004 because there wasn't production in other countries to replace what we lost," Blach said. "People ate more chicken and pork because the United States was unable to export to Japan and South Korea, who were previously the number one and two beef importers."

According to figures from Cattle-Fax, the United States normally exports 2-2.5 billion pounds of beef annually. In the last 12 months, however, exports only reached 450 million pounds, Blach explained. In Canada, the harvesting capacity has increased 25-30 percent in the last 18 months and it is expected to reach 95,000 harvested head per week by July. But, the United States still remains the world's primary supplier of high-quality, grain fed beef, Blach stated.

"What the United States beef industry needs is to build the consumer demand and keep producing the safest, highest quality beef in the world," Blach said.