Payback News. Capturing Value with Creep Feeding. protein, vitamins, and minerals, on pasture. When done correctly,

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1 CHS NUTRITION Payback News April, 2015 In this issue of Payback News: Capturing Value with Creep Feeding Managing Mycotoxins in Grain and Forage Inside this issue: Capturing Value with Creep Feeding 2 Managing Mycotoxins in Grain and Forage 3 Managing Mycotoxins in Grain and Forage (cont.) 4 Capturing Value with Creep Feeding As the cost of living increases for cow/calf producers, many are asking what they can do to increase revenues with their calves and make their operations more sustainable in the future. Creep feeding remains a common method used by producers to capture value for their calves and consists of supplying the calf with supplemental nutrients, such as energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals, on pasture. When done correctly, creep feeding has become a profitable enterprise for many ranchers. As cattle genetics have improved over the past thirty years, we have seen higher weaning weights as well as higher slaughter weights, with calves typically finishing the same time in the spring. In short, cattle are not what they used to be. Early creep trials conducted with low quality ingredients and lower gaining cattle were largely disappointing and lead many to believe that creep feeding does not pay. However, with creep feed formulations that compliment grass, we have been able to see gains rise to lbs or more and feed

2 Payback News Capturing Value with Creep Feeding (cont.) efficiencies improve to 5-6 lbs of feed per lb of gain. With some simple math and a projection of what the final price will be for calves, we can calculate cost of gain and the return on investment realized by using a high-quality creep feed. Producers in the western states market grass, so avoiding negative associative effects (the negative effect of starch digestion on fiber-digesting bacteria in the rumen) is crucial. This can be done by purchasing a creep feed containing highly digestible sources of fiber and avoiding grain-based creep feed. Most producers who routinely creep feed have also found that the best gains and feed efficiencies are seen as grasses start to mature or go into the summer heat slump. Most high-quality grasses in the western states are classified as cool-season grasses, so when the weather gets hot and there is less rain, we see the cool-season grasses become more fibrous and less nutritious. Most producers will start putting out creep feed during this time, which in our area will mean mid-july on until weaning in September or October. Creep feeding also helps with weaning time. Calves will be adjusted to dry feed and tend to wean easier and with less health problems, especially when creep feed formulations contain adequate levels of trace minerals and vitamins for your area. Many ranches utilize water containing high levels of sulfur and iron, which can reduce the absorption of some trace minerals that are crucial for improving immune status. In summary, most herds have a higher genetic potential for weaning weight than the nutrition in mid to late summer grass and declining milk production of the cow will provide. Pasture supplementation (creep feeding) will economically fill the nutritional gap between the calf s nutrient requirements and the pasture diet. ~Lance Kennington, PhD, and Kim Hager, MS, CHS Nutrition Page 2

3 Managing Mycotoxins in Grain and Forage The results are in from the 2014 North America Harvest Analysis in which samples from across North America were collected and analyzed through the Alltech Analytical Lab utilizing LC-MSMS technology. Alltech s 37+ survey across the Midwest provides insight for producers into the widespread threat that mycotoxins can pose. This procedure analyzes for more than 37 individual mycotoxins at one time and reports them in parts/billion (ppb). Eighty-three corn and corn silage samples were collected across the Midwest as part of the 2014 Harvest Analysis. Alltech s 37+ risk assessment showed 100 percent of samples from the Midwest tested positive for one or more mycotoxins and contained an average of 5.3 mycotoxins per sample. The DON mycotoxin group was the most prevalent followed by Fumonisins and Fusaric Acid. The presence of multiple mycotoxins can lead to interactions and increased risk for animal health and performance. What to watch for: The Type B Trichothecenes (DON) can decrease feed intake, alter protein synthesis, cause gut irritation with lowered gut wall integrity, impact liver function and lower immune response. This can lead to an overall lowering of animal productivity, such as decreased growth rates or milk yield. Fusaric Acid will act synergistically with Type B Trichothecenes (DON) to magnify the negative impact on health and performance. Fusaric Acid can also lower blood pressure and cause edema and lethargy. The impact of multiple mycotoxins can increase the effects on animals even at low risk levels. Risks associated with multiple mycotoxin contamination include: Lower feed intake Decrease in gut health Reduced immunity Decreased immune response Lower milk production Altered reproductive performance Slowed growth rate Page 3

4 Managing Mycotoxins in Grain and Forage (cont.) Clay-based vs. Yeast-based Solutions There are several types of mycotoxin adsorbents/binders, including: Inorganic binders (clay-based) Organic adsorbents (yeast-based) Clay-based: Inorganic binders are often inexpensive and easy to handle. These products are traditionally mixed with compound feed at a mill or on-farm. Costs are cheap but require a high inclusion rate in animals. When used for mycotoxin binding, these typically target specific mycotoxins (e.g., aflatoxins) through electrically charged interactions. However, due to this mechanism of binding, clays are also shown to bind minerals and vitamins. These materials may cause other health complications due to the high inclusion rate required, and are non-biodegradable, which can present disposal problems. Yeast-based: Organic mycotoxin adsorbents are carbon-based polymers. They offer lower inclusion rates, high surface area and no toxic contaminants. Yeast materials have a greater capacity for adsorption of multiple mycotoxin compounds rather than specific mycotoxins, due to a variety of structural binding sites in the yeast cell wall. Structured to bind mycotoxins, these cell wall carbohydrates are not able to bind nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Yeast-based products can vary in their mycotoxin adsorbing ability. It has been found that large differences exist between yeast strains in the adsorptive capacity of mycotoxins depending on the nutrients provided to the yeast during growth (Yiannikouris et al., 2004). If you are considering adding a mycotoxin adsorbent to your feed, producers should to look for the following: Proven efficacy in vivo as well as in vitro. Low effective inclusion rate. Stability over a wide ph range (necessary for mycotoxin attachment to the adsorbent throughout the gut). High affinity to adsorb low concentrations of multiple mycotoxins. High capacity to absorb high concentrations of multiple mycotoxins. Ability to act rapidly before the mycotoxin can be absorbed into the blood stream. ~ Alltech, Nicholasville, Kentucky Page 4

5 CHS Nutrition 1211 North Ellis Road #201 Sioux Falls, SD Phone: Payback: The Brand that Pays You Back! W E RE ON THE WEB! WWW. PA YBAC KN U TRI TION. C OM