Grass Fed vs. Grain Fed Cattle

I come from a family of beef producers. So on Easter, when my family all gets together, farming is usually the topic at the dinner table. While I sat, listening to my Dad and Uncle, an interesting topic caught my ears.

The controversy of grain finished cattle compared to grass fattened cattle has been present for many years. U.S. Wellness Meats is a company that prides itself in grass fed cattle and the nutritional value it brings to the table. In this video, U.S. Wellness Meats talks about how much better grass-fed cattle is compared to grain finished cattle. 

Grain Fed Cattle

Grass finished cattle may offer added health benefits to consumers since the cattle are consuming their natural diet. But is producing only grass fed cattle possible?  Grass fed cattle take a lot before they reach a market ready point. Grain fed cattle are ready to be processed in as little as 14-19 months. Grass finished cattle can take anywhere from 16 to 24 months to reach this stage.

Another issue with grass fed cattle is the fact that there is not enough grass to produce enough cattle to feed the world. When cattle are finished in feedlots, grain resources are abundant and cattle are converting feed to muscle more efficiently. In addition to the shorter time it takes to finish the animal, it is a lot cheaper to feed the cattle grain.


Not only is it cheaper for the producer to raise grain finished cattle, it is also cheaper for the consumer to purchase. Most grass fed beef also has labels such as organic and antibiotic free labels on the product. This raises the price of the product. This decreases the number of people who will choose to pay for the product.

While grass fed cattle do offer nutritional benefits, we still need to raise grain fed cattle. To feed the world and better use our resources, we should raise both types of cattle. Each method of finishing the cattle has its advantages and disadvantages so it comes down to how the producer wants to operate.


Sources:
http://www.beefusa.org/uDocs/Feedlot%20finishing%20fact%20sheet%20FINAL_4%2026%2006.pdf
https://www.highlandcattleusa.org/content/Grain%20Finished%20Beef.pdf

Is it calving season yet?

For many, calving season is already under way. But on my family's ranch we are patiently waiting for the first calf to arrive. Calving season is my favorite time of the year with the excitement of new born calves and the joy of new life all around you. However it can also get stressful if you are caught unprepared and your calves get sick

SCOURGAURD 4KC

In the weeks leading up to the due date for the cows, we have been busy getting ready for baby calves to arrive. One of the first things my family does is vaccinate all the cows. We give the cows a Scourguard 4KC shot that will help prevent the calves from getting diarrhea. You can learn more about Scourguard 4KC at https://www.zoetisus.com/products/beef/scourguard-4kc.aspx.

Electrolytes

When the calves do arrive, there is still a chance they could get scours even after vaccinating the cow. If a calf starts scouring, the calf will become dehydrated. As ranchers we always want to have electrolytes on hand. Electrolytes are given to scouring calves to help re-hydrate them. Based on the calf's condition, you must decide how much to give the calf. You can use guidelines such as the ones found at http://www.milkproduction.com/Library/Scientific-articles/Calf-Management/Scouring-calves-Oral-rehydration/. You must watch the calf and help make sure he gets back to health.

Along with preparing to fight scours, we also take measures to prepare for calving. The barns are bedded with straw, the calving pen set up and supplies gathered. The calving boxes get filled with tags and OB gloves.

And once the first calf drops, your life gets crazy busy!

Added Workload for Veterinarians

One of the many concerns, producers have with the Veterinary Feed Directive is the fact that it will require veterinarians to prescribe all their feeds. When producers see an animal or herd of cattle fall ill, they need to get antibiotics into them soon. However, with the VFD program, producers will need to contact their vet, who will possibly have to travel to do a farm visit. Depending on how far away your local vet is, this could take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours.

Vets should know each producers herd.

There is already a shortage of large animal veterinarians in many states, including North Dakota. According to the FDA only 7% of veterinarians work mainly with food animals. Compared to the 67% of veterinarians that practice on small animals, such as pets, this is a very small number of vets who will be licences verify feed additives.  The vets are already stretched thin with all their work and territory they cover.

To help solve this problem, producers need to have a strong relationship with their veterinarian. The American Veterinary Medical Association says that a vet should know the operation well enough to treat any disease. The Vet should make visits regularly to see the livestock to maintain a working relation. When the veterinarian knows the producers operation it makes it easier for them to prescribe medications in a timely manner.

So while the VFD will add to the work load of veterinarians, if producers keep a strong working relationship with there vets, the VFD will be successful.

What really is the Veterinary Feed Directive?

While many people may have heard of the Veterinary Feed Directive, few actually know what it is or why it was formed. For many years, medicated feeds have been used to prevent and treat disease conditions in livestock. However, in recent years, they believe that certain medicated feeds are being used to treat diseases that they are not known to treat. To avoid this the FDA has created a program called the Veterinary Feed Directive. The Veterinary Feed Directive will monitor what medicated antimicrobials are being fed to livestock. The FDA will rely solely on veterinarians to make sure that the correct feeds are given.

Kansas State University Research Mike Apley talks about why the VFD was put into place and more about certain feeds that will now need a VFD. Click here to view the video. He also talks about the new role veterinarians will now take on.

Producers will need Veterinarian approval
 before feeding an antimicrobial.

The veterinarians are now responsible for prescribing all the medicated feeds. Producers will no longer be able to purchased feeds without a prescription from their local vet. The vets must be certified in the state that the the producers livestock are located. The vets also should have a good working relationship with the producers and know their cattle herd. To establish this, the vets may need to make visits to the ranches. Follow ups at the ranch may also be needed in some cases to make sure the prescribed medication worked.

According to NDSU Extension for the the feed directive to be valid, it must include both the veterinarian's and client's name and contact information, the identification of the animals treated and how many, the date of treatment and the name of the drug. The indications of how the drug is to be used should also be included. A valid VFD will also need feeding instructions, withdrawal times, expiration date of the drug, and the number of refills available. The veterinarians license number should also be on there. They also need a statement saying that extra-label use is prohibited.

This is an example of a drug label which states what it is to be
used for and how it should be administered.

That statement is the main reason why the VFD was put into place. Extra-label use is when the drug is used to treat diseases other than the ones listed on the label. The reason that producers can not do this is because the withdrawal times change when they use medications differently and they do not want any residue to end up in there meat. The FDA also does not animals to develop a resistance to the drug.

If producers start to practice keeping accurate records of all antibiotics and antimicrobial given, the transition into the VFD policy will be really easy and smooth. The VFD is put into place for the safety of the livestock and consumers.

Be prepared for the VFD coming into effect in January of 2017.

Are Producers Aware of the VFD?

Veterinarians are required to write
prescriptions for producers

In a recent article published by the Greeley Tribune based out of Colorado, Christine Gabel, a territory manger for Zoetis, commented on how surprised she was that very few livestock producers knew about the VFD. When speaking at the Colorado Farm Show this past week, Gabel strived to inform producers about the Veterinary Feed Directive. When this FDA approved program goes into affect in January of 2017, it will impact producers, feed retailers, and the veterinarian.

The VFD will require producers to have prescriptions to use antibiotics in feeds. This applies to every antibiotic that the FDA feels could affect human health. The purpose of this new program is to limit prescription feeds to only be used for disease prevention and treatment rather than growth and maintenance. This all came forward after the Center for Disease Control released a statement saying that many people are dying because they are resistant to the antibiotic. The CDC is saying that livestock is the cause of this.


Also speaking at the Colorado Farm Show was Zoetis productivity manager, Brett Kaysen. He explained that one of the biggest concerned that producers have with the VFD is the time it takes to get a prescription from the veterinarian and then getting it filled. Kaysen used the example that life is unexpected. A cow could calve in the middle of the blizzard and in dairy operations you give the calves milk replacer which contains antibiotics. Well if they don't have the prescription available right away what will this calf eat?  Kaysen said that the best thing for producers to do is to work on their relationship with the veterinarians. He said it is key to have a good working relationship with your vet who also knows your operation.

Producers who attended the show also had questions about how well this would work in rural areas that have a shortage of veterinarians and how it would affect the costs. Gabel and Kaysen didn't have answers for these questions yet but said it is something that needs to be figured out within the next year. Therefore it is so important to start informing everyone now.

To read the full story visit The Greeley Tribune.

New Program Set to Impact the Cattle Industry

Welcome to Coteau Hills Cowgirl!

I have grown up our family ranch running a commercial SimAngus cow-calf operation. Since I was young, I always loved to go outside and help with the cows. Growing up this way has taught me many valuable lessons and has shown me how truly great agriculture is.

Agriculture is more than just a job for many people. Agriculture is a lifestyle, one they feel proud of and passionate for. Agriculturist work hard, long hours, taking special care of their way of life, whether its in livestock, crops, or vegetables. This is no exception for producers who raise cattle . These producers are want to make sure that their cattle are healthy and well cared for.

A new program, said to pass legislature and go into effect January 1, 2017, wants to ensure that producers are properly giving medications to their livestock. This program known as the Veterinary Feed Directive, commonly called VFD, will require producers to have a written note from their veterinarian saying they are allowed to give this medicated feed to there livestock before they can purchase the feed.

Many producers have concerns with this program that they would like to see answers to before the program goes into effect.