Ruminant Nutrition, Record Keeping & Proper Care and Handling Dan Faulkner Arizona Cooperative Extension October 18, 2014

Changes in Challenges ( ) Changes in Challenges ( ) Identified by the NBQA Identified by the NBQA

Ruminants are Different The difference lies in the upper GI tract specifically the three pre-gastric fermentation chambers; the reticulum, the rumen, and the omasum These precede the abomasum which is considered the true stomach

The Ruminant GI Tract

Nutrient Requirements

Clean Water Cheapest and most abundant of nutrients 60 – 75% of birth weight 45 – 60% of mature weight Sources Drinking Water Cattle Require 8 – 16 gallons/day (22 in hot weather) Sheep require 1 – 4 gallons/day Water in feedstuffs Metabolic water

Energy Requirements for growing/finishing cattle NE m = Mcal/BW 0.75 NE g = RE RE = BW 0.75 EBG (Steers) RE = BW 0.75 EBG (Heifers) Energy Sources Grains Corn, Sorghum, Oats, Barley, Distillers Grains Fats Yellow Grease

Protein Crude Protein N x 6.25 Requirements 12.5 – 14% depending on age and gender Protein Feedstuffs (>20% CP) Soybean Meal Distillers Grains Cottonseed Meal Urea (NPN) Can be included up to 1.5% of diet

Roughage Requirements 10 – 15% (Finishing Cattle) 25 – 30 % (Receiving Cattle) Sources Hay Alfalfa, Sorghum Sudan Silage Corn, Alfalfa Haylage Oat, Wheat By-Product Straw, Cottonseed Hulls

Mineral Macro-Minerals Maintain proper Ca:P ratio Excess can interfere with other minerals Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, and S Trace-Minerals Usually met with good trace mineral package Do not feed TM package for cattle to sheep Co, Cu, I, Fe, Mn, Se, and Zn

Vitamins & Additives Fat Soluble A,D,E, and K B vitamins are water soluble Ionophores Rumensin (30 g/ton) Bovatec Lasalocid Antibiotics Tylosin (10 g/ton)

Optaflexx Ractopamine hydrochloride Need to ensure that YOU (youth leaders) use the product according to label directions Mix and handle products properly and according to label directions Administer at proper rates Administer during the proper phase of growth Use only for the species being approved Maintain proper nutrition and animal management practices Consult professional experts regarding proper use of products

Optaflexx Increase weight gain and improved feed efficiency at 8.2 to 24.6 g/ton (90% DM basis) Approved only during the final 28 to 42 days prior to harvest Improved live weight gain by 10 to 21 lbs Increases hot carcass weight by 6 to 18 lbs Improves feed efficiency by 14 to 21%

Show Rations There are many good pre-manufactured show rations available for use Proximate analysis are provided on feed tags that are attached to the feed sack

Sample Feed Tag

Feeding Cattle & Bunk Management

Receiving Period Increased energy and protein requirement 25 – 30% roughage 14 – 16% CP 1 % of BW increase at 1.0 lb/hd/d increments to reach full feed

Transition Period Working cattle to 90% concentrate ration Working cattle up on feed should take about 14 – 21 days to reach a 90% concentrate ration from a 70% concentrate ration Approximately 5 – 7 day intervals for each 5% concentrate added

Growing Period Necessary to add frame growth to small framed calves or to delay finishing Extensive Cattle grazed or maintained on forage to ~750lbs Intensive Calves fed high concentrate ration and programmed to gain 1.75 – 2.0 lb/d

Bloat May be caused by Weather Overeating Physical Obstruction Diet Treatment/Prevention Good Bunk Management Tubing Polaxalene

Acidosis Common on highly fermentable high concentrate rations Caused by overeating May be caused by variation in time of feeding which can cause grain engorgement Treatment/Prevention Good bunk management Maintenance of extensive feed records

Take Home Message Subject animals to growing period Maintain intensive bunk management and feed records Many good show feeds are pre-manufactured and it is likely a good idea to use these feeds if ration formulation knowledge is limited If feed additives and growth promoters are used, use only according to label directions

Keeping Accurate Records

Keeping records is an important part of any livestock operation/project. Accurate records let you identify specific animals for medication, analyze your efficiency, and find changes you could make to improve your operation/project. Any records kept are better than no records at all. Keeping Records

Common Types of Records Animal Treatment Records Animal Health Product Records Feed Records Chemical Records (keep all records for 3 years after cattle are sold) (examples in appendix)

Record Keeping Keep individual treatment records with the following information: 1) Individual animal identification. 2) Date treated. 3) Product used and manufacturer’s lot/serial number. 4) Dosage used. 5) Route and location of administration. 6) Earliest date animal will have cleared the withdrawal period 7) Name of individual administering the treatment.

Animal Identification Proper identification is key to good management. If each animal is clearly identified, keeping records on treatments becomes a lot easier. Ear tag at county weight in Ear notch and/or tag – Swine Tattoo – Breeding Beef

Animal Identification

Keeping Accurate Records Three main areas of record keeping Individual Animal Records Process Verification Production Records

Individual Animal Records Lets you know which animal belongs to whom. Allows you compare performance of these animals: Selecting replacement females Selecting animals for your project Determining rate of gain

Process Verification Any time you use medications or growth promotants in your livestock project, it is important identify the individual animal and their treatments. Animal ID Date Product Dosage Method of treatment (I.M., S.Q., I.V.) Location of injection (neck) Who administered it Withdrawal times (label)

Always use SQ if the product label allows. Otherwise follow label instructions. Select the Best Route of Administration

Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injections Subcutaneous Injections Only

Procedures for SQ Injections For the tenting technique grasp the skin and lift a fold up before inserting the needle. ½ to 1 inch needle For the non-tenting technique the needle is inserted under the skin andthen lift the skin up with theneedle. ½ to ¾ inch needle

Types of Vaccines Modified live vaccines should be protected from sunlight and used within 1 hour of mixing Killed Vaccine Modified Live Vaccine

Practice Good Sanitation Use boiling water to clean syringes used for MLV. Don’t use disinfectants. Make sure the vaccine site is clean. Avoid injecting into damp or wet cattle or manure covered areas.

Feed Records It is very important to read your feed labels and keep copies of your feed labels. Keep records on how much you feed an individual animal. (production records)

Production Records Production records let you measure animal and business performance. Examples: Average daily gain Weaning weights Litter weights Pounds of milk in dairy cattle

Production Records Business records can show how profitable the operation is. Records from different years can be compared to see how your livestock project has progressed.

Good Production Practice #4 Proper Care and Handling

Best Management Practices Dehorning Castration Branding Euthanasia Biosecurity

Handling Handling animals carefully is another way to prevent injury or physical contamination of meat (bruising,etc.). Animals two main instincts are fight or flight. Slow quiet movements. Reduce the use of buzzers and prods. Interaction at feeding time.

The Flight Zone

Reducing Stress Have animal well broke to reduce excitement of the show. Keep animals on regular feeding and exercise schedule. Get animals accustomed to strange or flavored water. Try not to mix animals at shows to avoid fighting.

Stress Heat, cold or excitement can all cause stress. Changes in feed, illness or movement can also cause stress. Stress can ultimately reduce appetite, production and also effect the quality of meat they produce.

Environment Animal Environment Includes: Space Temperature Cleanliness

Space Is there enough space for the animal to eat, sleep and exercise? Use space requirement tables to determine how much space an animal needs. references upon request Environment

Temperature Different animals prefer different temperatures, this is called their comfort zone. Production variables can decline if an animal is outside it’s comfort zone for too long. Environment

Ways To Control Temperature Heat Heat Misting systems Sprinkle area (evaporative cooling) Fans (air movement) Shade (prevents radiation) Cold Cold Deeper bedding (insulation) Shelter (prevent drafts) House animals together to increase body heat exchange.

Cleanliness Clean environment reduces the amount and spread of disease organisms. Regular removal of waste doesn’t allow for the growth of microorganisms which may lead to digestive or respiratory problems. Manure build up also provides an environment for fly populations to multiply. Environment

1.Accurate records are essential for tracking medications given and performance characteristics in livestock projects. 2.Proper care and handling of livestock animals ensures the safety and well being of both you and your animal. Conclusion