Washy spring forage can cause problems for bred heifers, and this year's cool, extended spring weather could aggravate the problem.  

May 24, 2016

3 Min Read
Heifer reproduction can be hurt by washy spring forage

Early spring forage, if not growing amongst old forage so it must be grazed together, is high in protein and water content and fairly low in energy. Runny manure in many herds every spring testifies to this.

Patrick Gunn, Iowa State University Extension cow-calf specialist, recently noted although water content of a feed is not a limiting factor for intake, there is a limit to the number of bites a cow can and will take in a day.

He said experienced, mature grazing animals may take as many as 60 bites per minute, eight hours per day, totaling perhaps 130 pounds of forage as eaten. Young cows and heifers, on the other hand, may graze 20-40% less than mature cows and commonly have a lesser rumen capacity.

Because dry matter content of that early-spring grass may be only 15-30%, together with the higher protein content, the ability of these younger cows and heifers to have a positive energy balance is difficult in most environments in early spring. It can be even worse when transitioning from a dry lot to fresh pasture.

If these are bred heifers or young cows, this adds another dimension to the problem and could decrease pregnancy success rates.

Research at South Dakota State University recently showed heifers moved from dry lot onto pasture immediately following timed-AI lost nearly 1.5 pounds per day during the first week on grass, whereas heifers that had been on pasture for 44 days prior to AI gained more than a pound per day during that same week.

Julie Walker, SDSU Extension beef specialist, said the researchers also noted an improvement in AI pregnancy rates of 15 percentage points (76% versus 61%) for heifers that were supplemented compared with those that were not supplemented when turned out on grass immediately following AI.


Gunn noted research at other universities supports the SDSU data, with reports that heifers that do not maintain a positive average daily gain for the first 21 days after AI have compromised pregnancy rates to that insemination.

Cows also are affected by this early-spring forage problem.

Data from the University of Minnesota has shown that cows consuming only 80% of their dietary requirements for the first seven days post-AI had reduced embryo quality and fewer live cells in those embryos at uterine flush.

A research project in Illinois showed spring-calving cows supplemented with a low-quality energy ration in early spring actually achieved higher first-service conception rates by 67% versus 45% for unsupplemented cows.

The supplement was 4 pounds per head of a mix containing 45% soybean hulls, 45% ground corn cobs and 10% molasses.

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Interestingly, body condition did not vary between the two cow groups, and neither did overall rebreeding rate over the entire breeding season. But there was an early difference in reproductive performance, even in cows.

Walker and George Perry, SDSU Extension beef reproductive management specialist, recently wrote that research outcomes such as these make it clear post-breeding management can affect reproductive performance in early spring.

They suggested a grazing adaption period for heifers prior to the breeding season or supplementation when bred heifers are moved to lush pasture.

Another option is forage management that "stockpiles" enough standing, old forage to graze through early spring, which will be increasingly mixed with young, high-quality forage as summer nears.

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