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NRCS USES a Rapid Nutritional Monitoring System for
Free-Ranging Livestock
By: Ceci Dale-Cesmat and Leonard Jolley, USDA NRCS
Livestock producers in California realize that it takes quality forage to improve livestock
performance. Animal gain, breeding success, and health are closely linked to forage quality and the
appropriate use of supplements to range forage. Profitability in the livestock industry requires an
understanding of nutrition differences in available forages. To have an accurate analysis of the quality
of forages actually consumed by livestock is of great value to producers.
Ranches across California have teamed up with the Natural Resource Conservation Service
(NRCS)
in a program to test production efficiency. Seven ranches in California have worked with California
NRCS people to track forage quality and animal performance. This is part of a nationwide NRCS
effort called the Ruminant Livestock Efficiency Program. The project requires collecting and
processing fecal samples from free-ranging livestock. Texas A&M University analyzes the samples
using Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy(NIRS) to predict dietary crude protein (CP) and
digestible organic matter (DOM). This analysis is then returned to the producer for making grazing
management decisions. Once the crude protein and digestible organic matter figures are known, the
data can be input into a ration balancing program called Nutritional Balancer, or
NUTBAL.
Herd information, pasture conditions, weather, and other feed management data is furnished by the
producer. Using this information, the NUTBAL computer program can predict animal performance.
A training session was recently held at the NRCS office in Davis, where 14 NRCS range specialists
and 7 UC Cooperative Extension Range and Livestock Advisors learned how to submit fecal samples
and how to use the resulting information to help livestock producers make appropriate adjustments in
grazing, supplementation, and other livestock management. Dr. Jerry Stuth of Texas A&M University,
internationally known for his work with ruminant nutrition (and just back from Africa), was the
instructor. Dr. Stuth has said, "Our challenge is to provide the livestock industry both with the means
to monitor nutrient concentration in the animals diet and determine if the current diet is sufficient to
meet these needs, as well as any performance goals set by the producer."
The NUTBAL system and his Grazingland Animal Nutrition (GAN) lab are set to meet this challenge.
In the past, clipping grass samples has been used to estimate the quality of the forage, but the method
has been criticized for not reflecting what livestock actually eat. The NIRS machine used at A&M
illuminates a feedstuff with light of a specific and known frequency, and absorption of the light is them
measured. Absorption is related to the types of molecular bonds present in the material, most
commonly between hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, sulfur, phosphorus, or nitrogen. Since the late 1970's
and early 1980's NIRS has been used for the analysis of proteins and moisture in cereal grains.
NUTBAL is currently being used in more than 40 states, and producers have discovered NUTBAL to
be quite accurate, and quite helpful to them in achieving their goals.
Two Lassen County Cattlemen, Jack Hanson and Darrell Wood, are involved in the Nutritional
Balancer program. They both winter their herds on annual range and summer them on perennial
pastures and BLM permits in Lassen County. Darrell Wood, a commercial cow/calf producer says,
"The program has made me more aware of how pasture quality changes over time during the grazing
season. By comparing forage quality to mineral supplementation, I've noticed that when forage
quality is at it's peak, mineral consumption goes down, and when quality decreases, mineral
consumption goes up. I have found that through this program I can keep my cattle on a high plane of
nutrition all year long. Because of this, my cow herd is in top condition. Weaning weights are
averaging 100 pounds heavier than they did before I was involved in this program. Overall the health
of my cow herd has improved and my percent calf crop has increased."
Jack Hanson of Willow Creek Ranch, another cow/calf producer in Lassen County says,
"While we
have not had time to completely analyze all the data and implement changes based on that analysis, we
have no doubt that, over the long run, it will have a positive effect on reducing our greatest cost, the
cost of feed. The real benefit, however, is that I am convinced we can do this while improving
performance of our cow herd, which will have a positive effect on the bottom line. Last year, our one
tangible result of this program was increasing our conception rate for our fall heifers. We had one open
heifer out of 60, after a 55 day breeding season."
Harry Rogers of Key Brand Angus, a purebred Angus producer in Plumas County commented,
"These
are trying times for cattlemen. Any tool that can help us stretch a dollar is needed. The NutBal
program has been that kind of tool. Knowing what the forage quality of our pastures is has enabled us
to decrease our costs on supplements. In the past, it was routine to purchase protein and energy
supplements. Now we know when the cattle need it, and when they don=t. That has been the greatest
benefit of the program for us!"
NRCS intends to continue this program in California through the Year 2000 with a limited number of
producers. Producers interested in working directly with Dr. Stuth and his lab may reach him at
409-845-5838. Ceci Dale-Cesmat may be reached at 530-284-7126 (Greenville), or 530-257-7272
(Susanville). Contact Leonard Jolley at 530-792-5654 (Davis)
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