Cow-Calf Commentary for Iowa Cattleman Magazine
By Randie Culbertson, extension cow-calf specialist, Garland Dahlke, Iowa Beef Center research scientist
December 2024
Holiday Meals for the Cow Herd
Every Christmas I spend time in New Mexico with my family. You might think I go to New Mexico for the weather, but I've been snowed into New Mexico more times than I would like to admit. My favorite part about going to New Mexico is the FOOD; it’s just not Christmas Eve without some tamales. New Mexican food is unique, but we can all agree that the holidays are a great time to eat delicious food. Sometimes, it is because we reserve those dishes to be served on the holidays, making them much sweeter. My longing for Christmas Eve tamales got me thinking of our holiday delights that we look forward to each December and wondering what treats our cows can eat (or not eat)? So, I thought I would enlist Dr. Garland Dahlke, Iowa Beef Center Research Scientist and nutritionist by training, to answer some questions about holiday staples and what Christmas treats might be in store for the cow herd.
Visions of sugar plums: Cookies, candy canes, and all things sweet.
Christmas is a time of lots of cookies, candy, and sweets. Can cows also enjoy these sweets?
Garland’s Take: Bakery waste, candy, plus other starch and sugar derivatives are good sources of fermentable carbohydrates, and I suspect many cattle feeders have already used some of these to some degree since they can provide a substantial amount of dietary energy at a relatively low cost when these ingredients are sourced as salvaged human food. Cattle, like people, have a sweet tooth, and adding something sweet can encourage feed intake. On a negative note, sweets derived from sugar or starches tend to ferment much quicker than dry corn, increasing the potential of acidosis. Sugar itself also tends to give a slightly different fermentation pattern and encourages a different profile of micro-organisms in the rumen to proliferate. What this means to the cattle feeder may not be of consequence in many circumstances, but there tends to be a higher prevalence of liver abscesses when sugar in particular becomes a significant portion of the ration. Candies also get clumpy, sometimes making it difficult to maintain consistency in the delivered ration. Salt and fat content also can be substantial in some products so this also needs to be factored into the formulation. When working with "out of the box" items such as these, it is recommended to work with a nutritionist that has some experience.
Celebrating the season and New Year: Wines and beer.
Wine and beer are often used to celebrate the holiday season. Can cows benefit from these spirits? And can we use the by-products from wine and beer as a feed resource?
Garland’s Take: Alcohol is caloric dense and can provide substantial energy in the ration. As with people, alcohol is absorbed readily and may not limit feed intake to the degree dietary fat does. Cattle can get alcohol toxicity (in humans, it is called getting drunk), and the first signs are dopey cattle. We hear of how Japanese Wagyu beef feeders use beer in their rations, and some European beef niche markets include wine in rations. If already feeding modified or wet distillers’ or brewers’ grain, there will already be a fair amount of alcohol included in the diet. A survey of these corn co-products conducted at Iowa State University a couple of years ago revealed a residual alcohol content ranging from 1% to 7% of the material's wet weight.
Mistletoe and Christmas trees:
And what about all those festive decorations such as Christmas trees, wreaths, and some mistletoe? Is this something cows might enjoy?
Garland’s Take: Generally, these items have too much lignin in them, making them pretty undigestible, but cattle will be cattle, and occasionally will try a taste. Mistletoe, the Western type in particular, will lead to loss of pregnancy in pregnant cows and has been noted to kill cattle that indulge. The Ponderosa pine needles will also lead to pregnancy loss for bred cows. Other pine tree needles like balsam fir are friendlier and can provide winter feed to ruminants in dire straits. The rest of the tree is indigestible; however, if you are willing to do a bit of chemistry, such as the Kraft process used in making paper, the cellulose can be extracted and is digestible.
Cow winter feeding tips.
As we work through the winter months, here are some tips for feeding your cow herd through the winter.
- Hay quality matters: Supplementing protein may be required if forage quality is low and not meeting the cow's nutritional requirements. Also, consider the fiber content of your forages; high fiber forages can decrease feed intake. Feeding higher quality hay such as alfalfa can meet the nutritional requirements a cow herd would need through the winter.
- Provide adequate water: Water availability can affect feed intake. Make sure your cows have access to sufficient, quality water.
- Winter weather: The general rule is for animals with dry, heavy hair coats is that energy requirements increase by 1% for each 1-degree drop in temperature below 18 degrees F. Several factors can affect this, such as hair coat, hide thickness, wind chill, if the cow is wet, and duration of the weather event.
- Avoid feed loss: There are several strategies for minimizing feed loss, such as using improved hay rings or racks, and reducing the number of days feed offered at one time. Facilities will dictate what you can physically do to control waste, manage labor commitments, and deliver feed resources.
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