In February of 2013, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln held the Beef Feedlot Roundtables across Nebraska and locations in Iowa. Academic and industry leaders provided relevant information to address present issues being dealt with by feedlot owners, managers and employees. Feedlot economics and research topics include feeding options with more expensive inputs, animal welfare in the feedlot and current animal health issues.
NOTE: Each recorded presentation link will open in a new window.
Offsetting High Priced Grain
Galen Erickson
Animal Science, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Galen Erickson discussed "Offsetting High Priced Grain" as a way to provide feedlot owners with alternatives to expensive corn. Galen presents research data that shows synergistic effects of using increased levels of corn silage in diets containing distillers grains. He also discusses the use of chemically treated forages in feedlot diets.
Historically, feeding greater concentrations of corn silage reduced feed efficiency but was still profitable compared with high corn grain diets. When corn silage is fed with wet distillers grains the reduction in feed efficiency is reduced but not to the same extent as corn silage alone.
Chemical treatment of forages is not a new concept but with current grain prices this may be an alternative to high priced grain it replaces. Replacing up to 15 percentage units of corn grain with chemically treated forages in diets that contain wet distillers grains results in similar feed efficiencies as the control diets.
Additional feedlot performance information for elevated levels of corn silage can be found in the 2013 Nebraska Beef Report. Please see the Feeding Elevated Levels of Corn Silage in Finishing Diets Containing MDGS (PDF 171KB) report as well as an economic analysis report Economics of Feeding Elevated Levels of Corn Silage in Finishing Diets Containing MDGS (PDF 178KB).
Readers may also be interested in research provided in these reports on chemically treated residues.
- 2013 Nebraska Beef Report: Varying Proportions and Amounts of Distillers Grains and Alkaline-Treated Forage as Substitutes for Corn Grain Finishing Cattle Diets (PDF 189KB)
- 2012 Nebraska Beef Report: Chemical Treatment of Low-quality Forages to Replace Corn in Cattle Finishing Diets (PDF 136KB)
Veiw Offsetting High Priced Grain webinar (Adobe Connect recording, length: 45:35)
For more information contact Galen at gerickson4@unl.edu
Generic vs. Brand Name Parasite Control
Dr. Dale Grotelueschen
Senior Veterinarian of the Beef Cattle Operations, Zoetis Animal Health
Dr. Grotelueschen promotes stewardship of anti-parasitic compounds and provides insight on the effectiveness of different compounds in his presentation titled "Generic vs. Brand Name Parasite Control."
Resistance of internal parasites has been found when using avermectins. Without careful and responsible management of these anti-parasitic compounds effectiveness may decrease in the future.
Dr Grotelueschen also discusses the route of administration. It is important that producers use the most effective form of a compound available and at a time when parasite control is the most vital for profitable production.
Veiw Generic vs. Brand Name Parasite Control webinar (Adobe Connect recording, length: 47:34)
Dr Grotelueschen can be contacted at dale.m.grotelueschen@zoetis.com.
Animal Welfare Challenges Facing the Beef Feedlot Industry
Dr. Temple Grandin
Animal Science, Colorado State University
Dr. Temple Grandin with Colorado State University shared her philosophy on cattle handling during the 2013 Feedlot Roundtables in a presentation titled "Animal Welfare Challenges Facing the Beef Feedlot Industry." Temple also provides guidelines that can be used by producers to conduct a self-audit of their operation.
Veiw Animal Welfare Challenges Facing the Beef Feedlot Industry webinar (Adobe Connect recording, length: 1:04:12)
For more information about these topics please visit Dr. Temple Grandlin's Web Page.
Cow Confinement
Terry Klopfenstein
Animal Science, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Terry Klopfenstein discusses "Cow Confinement" management strategies for producers interested in confining cows and cow/calf pairs in the feedlot.
While the drought has increased corn prices, it has had a much more dramatic effect on forage availability and prices. It is estimated that 85% of the feed required to produce finished beef is forage. Grass supply was lower than normal this past year and may be low again this year. Because of this situation drylotting cows may be an option.
Management, animal health, rations, and other information is shared using data generated from the Caroline and Kenneth Eng Foundation Research Project.
Additional information can be found in these reports.
- 2009 Nebraska Beef Report: Limit Feeding Beef Cows with Bunkered Wet Distillers Grains Plus Solubles or Distillers Solubles (PDF 81KB)
- 2012 Nebraska Beef Report: Wheat Straw, Distillers Grains, and Beet Pulp for Late Gestation Beef Cows (PDF 141KB)
Site selection and environmental considerations are discussed during two March 2013 webinars: Site Selection Considerations for Confined Feeding of Dry Cows or Cow-Calf Pairs and Environmental and Regulatory Considerations During Temporary Confinement of Cattle (updated in April 2015).
Veiw Cow Confinement webinar (Adobe Connect recording, length: 42:23)
For more information contact Terry at tklopfenstein1@unl.edu.
March 2013
Matt Luebbe
Feedlot Nutrition and Management
Panhandle Research and Extension Center
University of Nebraska–Lincoln