Hay at $200 per ton may make feeding a traditional high-roughage growing ration an expensive way to put weight on calves. For cattle producers set up to feed calves in a bunk, limit feeding a higher-energy diet may be worth considering this fall and winter.
The idea behind limit feeding is fairly simple. Instead of allowing calves free access to a bulky, high-roughage ration, a smaller amount of a more energy-dense diet is fed to meet nutrient needs and maintain desired gains.
Current feed prices help show why this approach may work. Hay priced at $200 per ton and testing 52 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN) comes out to about 22 cents per pound of TDN. Corn at $4.35 per bushel is closer to 10 cents per pound of TDN, while wet distillers grains priced at $75 per ton comes in around 11 cents.
When energy from grain and co-products is cheaper than energy from hay, reducing forage use and feeding a smaller amount of a higher-energy ration may lower feed costs.
Kansas State University research has looked at this approach with growing calves. In one study, calves were limit fed a high-energy diet at about 2.2 percent of body weight compared with calves full fed a higher-roughage diet at about 2.8 percent of body weight over a 90-day backgrounding period.
Limit-fed calves gained about 2.5 pounds per day compared with 2.9 pounds for calves on the full-fed ration. While gains were somewhat lower, limit-fed calves were more feed efficient. The backgrounding system also had little effect on finishing performance or carcass characteristics later on.
There can be some management advantages as well. Feeding less roughage means less feed to mix and deliver and potentially less feed waste around the bunk. Limit feeding can also improve use of bunk space and provide another opportunity to monitor calf health. With a consistent feeding schedule, healthy calves should be ready to come to the bunk at feeding time, making animals that hang back easier to identify.
Another potential advantage is reduced manure production. Kansas State research has shown manure output may be reduced by 40 to 45 percent when stocker cattle are limit fed, which can reduce the amount of material that needs to be handled and make pen maintenance easier.
That efficiency does come with additional management requirements. Newly arrived calves should have access to long-stem hay before transitioning onto the limit-fed diet. One approach is to begin the limit-fed ration at around 0.75 percent of body weight on a dry matter basis and gradually work calves up to around 2.2 percent of body weight over about two weeks.
Consistency is important. Calves should be fed at about the same time each day, and adequate bunk space is needed so all calves have an opportunity to eat. Providing at least 15 inches of bunk space per head can help reduce competition. As calves grow, the amount of feed delivered also needs to be adjusted so intake and target gains stay on track.
Limit feeding won’t fit every operation. Producers need adequate bunk space, equipment to accurately mix and deliver the ration, and the ability to maintain a consistent feeding schedule. The ration also needs to be properly balanced for protein, minerals and other nutrient requirements.
Still, when forage is expensive relative to grain and co-products, the economics can change quickly. Before committing expensive hay to a growing ration, it may be worth comparing feeds on a cost-per-pound-of-energy basis and seeing whether a limit-fed program fits the operation.
Ben Beckman is a livestock systems Extension Educator based out of the Cedar County Extension office in Hartington, serving northeast Nebraska. You can reach him by phone: (402) 254-6821 or email: ben.beckman@unl.edu.
