More recent cattle questions and answers

Cattle

Toxicosis recovery

Can beef cows ever recover from toxicosis? I feed them fescue equalizer mineral with the aureomycin free choice. Several of my cows have all the symptoms, others have none.

In some ways cows can recover. If cows are removed from tall fescue, they can increase their rate of gain. In other ways, however, they do not recover. They retain the winter hair coat, they probably continue to have abnormal fat deposits and so on.

Feeding minerals, by the way, is helpful in addressing a mineral deficiency, but it is not a scientific solution to fescue toxicosis.

Craig Roberts
Associate Professor
Agronomy

Tall fescue toxicosis

I pastured some cattle on fescue grass. About the first of July the cows started to lose condition and then the bottom half of their tails. They then went dry forcing us to wean the calves by the middle of July. They were on a CTC mineral program which I was told would eliminate any possible fescue problems.

Can I expect serious reproductive problems as far as a conception rate and/or abortions?
Will these cows, if effected this year have problems in future years?
Will the heifer calves that we weaned experience problems, reproductive or otherwise throughout their lives if I chose keep them as replacements?
And finally are there other fescue problems, such as loss of other extremities, that I haven't seen yet?

It is possible that this was caused by ergot in the seedhead. In wet years such as this, we see ergot (Claviceps) problems. However, it may have been caused by the tall fescue endophyte as well.

There are no data to support CTC mineral eliminating tall fescue toxicosis problems. Earlier this year, I conducted a poll of forage and even livestock specialists in the "fescue belt." There are no state specialists in the fescue belt who recommend minerals of any kind as even a partial cure for tall fescue toxicosis. Tall fescue toxicosis is, as its name implies, a toxin problem; it is not a problem with mineral or vitamin deficiency.

In the worst case scenario, you would see 55 percent calving instead of more than 90 percent. You might see some abortions, but probably not. You will more than likely see a reduced rate of calving. I do not know how much.
If they did not lose their hooves, they should not have a problem next year. It would be wise to prevent future problems by making sure the cows did not eat tall fescue seedheads. If they lost weight, they will never catch up. But they should be okay otherwise.
Same answer as above. They should be fine.
There is a loss of gain, which is easier to measure than it is to see. I believe the conception rate will be the main problem for you.

Craig Roberts
Associate Professor
Agronomy

Forage for a rotational grazing

I have 50 acres of mainly fescue and would like to split it into four pastures for rotation. What would be the best forage combination for a rotational grazing program?

The answer to your question depends on your soil types, soil fertility status, type of livestock you are grazing, expected livestock production, ability to pay for inputs, and many other factors. Many forage systems are based on tall fescue, with red clover and/or annual lespedeza added to the existing grass stand. But there may be other or better choices depending on your objectives and land capability. Extension faculty in your area can provide you with some help on choosing forages for your farm.

Robert Kallenbach
Associate Professor
Agronomy

Pasture rotations

I am considering pasture rotation for my fall-calving beef herd. I have a 120-acre farm and am hoping to carry 30 to 40 cows. I am not ready for intensive rotation, but do have enough water for a 20- to 30-acre rotation at this time. What pasture mixes would best meet nutrient requirements in northwest Missouri?

For long rotations, the best forage for yield distribution (across the year), quality, and persistence would be tall fescue infected with a novel endophyte. This would provide a base to which legumes could be added later.

The new tall fescues are not toxic to beef steers. They are infected with an endophyte much like the toxic endophyte in KY31. However, the endophytes in the new tall fescues do not produce toxins. They are inserted to give the grass plant some persistence, but they should not harm cattle.

Please see your local extension agronomist or livestock specialist for more information.

Craig Roberts
Associate Professor
Agronomy

Calf size and cow complications

I have a two-year-old Holstein that calved for the first time with a calf weighing well over a 100 pounds. She had a hard time delivering and lost a lot of blood. Now 10 days later, she has a displaced abomasum. Could delivering such a large calf for the first time have anything to do with this?

Calving problems are often associated with post-parturient problems such as retained placenta, ketosis, and displaced abomasum. In cases of difficult calving due to large calf size, there is little you can do to prevent the problem. We encourage folks to develop their heifers properly so they weigh 1,350 pounds at calving for holstein with a body condition 3.2-3.5 (1-5 scale). Breeding to a calving-ease bull is also useful.

David Hardin
College of Veterinary Medicine

Updated 11/17/05