The Impact of Forage Processing on Beef Cow Performance and Efficiency

By: Dr. Katie Wood, Associate Professor, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph and Madeline McLennan,  M.Sc. Student, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph

This article was originally published in the October 2024 edition of Virtual Beef.

Although forage choppers and bale processors are not new technologies, there is a surprizing lack of data in how they can benefit beef cow performance. Feed is the largest cost to cow-calf producers and winter-feeding costs can account for two thirds of the primary production costs in Canada. To offset these costs lower quality forages can be included in total mixed rations (TMR). However, these forages can cause palatability, gut fill, rumen fermentation, intake, and digestibility challenges for cattle. One strategy to overcome these challenges is chopping these forages to a smaller and more uniform particle size. This has previously been investigated for ensiled forages and the dairy industry has observed several performance benefits. The chopping of forage can help to improve rumen passage rate, digestibility, and improve feed intake. However, the cow-calf sector has yet to quantify similar performance advantages with the use of bale processing technology. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the use of forage processing and chopping technology and its impact on animal performance, feeding behaviour, digestibility, and efficiency.

Researchers from the University of Guelph conducted a study that measured differences between the performance of gestating beef cows fed diets containing 33% wheat straw, 64% mixed haylage, and 3% vitamin and mineral pellet, that only differed in terms of the length of straw in the TMR. One group was fed a TMR containing 7-inch unchopped wheat straw and a second group was fed a TMR with 2-inch processed wheat straw. Researchers observed that animals fed the short straw diet consumed 1.43 kg/d (DM basis) more than the animals fed the long straw diet. It was also observed that the cows fed a short straw ration gained or maintained body condition more than the cows fed the long straw diet, likely due to this increased intake. Researchers identified that along with increased intake the groups fed the short straw diet sorted less against large and medium particles compared to the groups fed the long straw diet. This was analysed with a Penn State Particle Separator.

chopped straw next to a ruler for scale
Picture 1: Straw length differences in the TMR fed in the study. Picture: Madeline McLennan, University of Guelph.

Researchers concluded that the processing and chopping of these lower-quality forages in gestating beef cow rations can help to improve palatability, intake, and animal performance. In addition, the reduction in sorting behaviour can help to ensure that each animal in a pen is consuming the same ration and that it is consumed more accurately to its formulation.

Picture 2: Highline LTD. bale processor used in the research project stored at the Ontario Beef Research Centre. Picture: Madeline McLennan, University of Guelph.

This work showed that chopping low quality forages, like wheat straw, increased DM intake, supporting BCS gain in late gestation. Though this work has helped to quantify the key benefits for the use of this technology in cow-calf operations, there is still a question of “Does a bale processor make sense for my livestock operation?”, which likely depends upon several factors. There are not many studies that have quantified the time, cost, and waste reduction that is said to be the advantages of using this technology. Future work with this project will look to at labour and cost analysis, to help provide producers with a better understanding of the value of this equipment to their operation. Further information about bale processors/choppers can be found on the Seven Point Check List for Bale Processors by Blaine Metzger at the Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development AgTech Centre webpage (11).

References

Taylor, R. E., & Field, T. G. (1995, December). Achieving cow/calf profitability through low-cost production. In Range Beef Cow Symposium (p. 199).

Jungnitsch, P. F. (2008). The effect of cattle winter feeding systems on soil nutrients, forage growth, animal performance, and economics (Doctoral dissertation, University of Saskatchewan).

Kaliel, D., and J. Kotowich. (2002). Economic evaluation of cow wintering systems—Provincial swath grazing survey analysis. Alberta Production Economics Branch, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

Males, J. R. (1987). Optimizing the utilization of cereal crop residues for beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science65(4), 1124-1130.

Keady, T. W. J., Gordon, A. W., & Moss, B. W. (2013). Effects of replacing grass silage with maize silages differing in inclusion level and maturity on the performance, meat quality and concentrate-sparing effect of beef cattle. Animal7(5), 768-777.

Zebeli, Q., Aschenbach, J. R., Tafaj, M., Boguhn, J., Ametaj, B. N., & Drochner, W. (2012). Invited review: Role of physically effective fiber and estimation of dietary fiber adequacy in high-producing dairy cattle. Journal of dairy science95(3), 1041-1056. [8] Beauchemin and Yang, (2005). J. Dairy. Sci., 88(6), 2117-2129.

Tafaj, M., Zebeli, Q., Baes, C., Steingass, H., & Drochner, W. (2007). A meta-analysis examining effects of particle size of total mixed rations on intake, rumen digestion and milk production in high-yielding dairy cows in early lactation. Animal Feed Science and Technology138(2), 137-161. [10] Leonardi and Armentano, (2003). J. Dairy. Sci., 86, 557-564.

Tafaj, M., Junck, B., Maulbetsch, A., Steingass, H., Piepho, H. P., & Drochner, W. (2004). Digesta characteristics of dorsal, middle and ventral rumen of cows fed with different hay qualities and concentrate levels. Archives of animal nutrition58(4), 325-342.

Zebeli, Q., Tafaj, M., Steingass, H., Metzler, B., & Drochner, W. (2006). Effects of physically effective fiber on digestive processes and milk fat content in early lactating dairy cows fed total mixed rations. Journal of dairy science89(2), 651-668.

National Academies of Sciences, Division on Earth, Life Studies, & Committee on Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle. (2016). Nutrient requirements of beef cattle.

Metzger, B. (2001). Seven Point Check List For Bake Processors. Agtech Centre, Government of Alberta, Lethbridge, AB, Canada.