October 2022 Cattle Projections
Posted: October 20, 2022 | Written By: Heidi Doering-Resch, M.S., Form-A-Feed
October 2022 Cattle Projections
October 2022 feedlot projections show cattle cost increasing while some cost of gains drop showing more groups in the black this month.
A change to this set of projections shows moving to use of earlage in the TMR rations which helps offset the amount of dry corn one would have to purchase or keep on site when finishing cattle. This allows more marketing decisions and energy costs being priced when put into the pile in the fall, helping to bring some consistency to ration cost throughout a turn of cattle.
Earlage or snaplage has been a great commodity to utilize in rations as it provides energy and fiber in one product that’s fermented to help open up the starch component of corn while also providing fodder to the rumen and making use of corn residue without another trip to the field. Having a discussion with your nutritionist and running some feedlot feed budgets will help you determine if it’s a feedstuff to consider.
As people find crops may be yielding more than originally thought, the mindset changes to feeding cattle once again. Calf pressure should increase as sale barn seats start to fill with farmer feeders though the end of this month and into the next.
A reminder that bawling calves, while one of the most profitable, can also be one of the highest risk calves to feed. Many things need to fall into place for these calves to stay healthy as the transition from mom’s milk and forage to TMR-fed starch and protein can be a hard on them. Water consumption, buffers for the calf gut, and a keen eye on health can help make this an easier transition and a more profitable pen. Using products like Hydro-Charge, can help hydrate calves while providing support to the rumen as it transitions to TMR fed ingredients. Remember; water intake drives feed intake, and feed intake drives ADG. Hydro-Charge takes all of this into consideration by providing hydration and immune support alongside direct rumen stabilizing ingredients. Talk to your Form-A-Feed representative to learn more about this product which is currently on promotion.
As always if you have any further questions please feel free to reach out.