Mother Nature has created a new environment for northwest Iowa feedlot producers. Torrential rains have turned once-dry feedlots to mud, and accompanying hail may have bruised cattle.
“The first thing to tackle is mud. Wet, muddy conditions reduce weight gain and can compromise cattle health,” said Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “While not perfect or easy, there are some emergency strategies for dealing with mud.”
Doran suggests:
~Place whole round bales of cornstalks, straw, or hay on areas with less mud, if possible. The cattle will tear up the bales and lay on the bedding.
~If dirt surfaces of the feedlot cannot be accessed, scrape the bunk apron and concrete-surfaced areas to provide a dry, solid surface for cattle to lay down. Scrape the apron regularly to keep it dry and clean.
~On wide aprons that are over 20 feet, place bedding in areas beyond the 20 feet behind the bunk. Continue to add bedding to form a bed pack and leave in place until feedlot conditions improve.
Doran continued by saying that marketing of feedlot cattle may need to be delayed if cattle were hailed upon. “The extent of bruising depends on the size of the hail and how soon the cattle are marketed after experiencing hail,” Doran said.
Data from a Texas feedyard having hail ranging from 1¾ to 3¾ inches in diameter indicates cattle sold within 15 days of being hailed upon had significant carcass bruising. However, by day 49 the bruising had returned to normal baseline levels.
For more information, contact Doran at 712-737-4230 or email doranb@iastate.edu.