Kansas State University's Joseph Craine, research assistant professor in the Division of Biology, and KC Olson, associate professor in animal sciences and industry, have teamed up with some other scientists from across the United States to look into the possible effects of climate change on cattle nutrition.
Comparing grasslands and pastureland in different regions in the U.S., the study, published in Global Change Biology, discusses data from more than 21,000 different fecal samples collected during a 14-year period and analyzed at the Texas A&M; University Grazingland Animal Nutrition Lab for nutritional content.
"Owing to the complex interactions among climate, plants, cattle grazing and land management practices, the impacts of climate change on cattle have been hard to predict," said Craine, principal investigator for the project.
The lab measured the amount of crude protein and digestible organic matter retained by cattle in the different regions.
The pattern of forage quality observed across regions suggests that a warmer climate would limit protein availability to grazing animals, Craine said.
"This study assumes nothing about patterns of future climate change; it's just a what if," Olson said. "What if there was significant atmosphere enrichment of carbon dioxide? What would it likely do to plant phenology? If there is atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment, the length of time between when a plant begins to grow and when it reaches physiological maturity may be condensed."
Currently, cattle obtain more than 80 percent of their energy from rangeland, pastureland and other sources of roughage.
With projected scenarios of climate warming, plant protein concentrations will diminish in the future. If weight gain isn't to drop, ranchers are likely going to have to manage their herds differently or provide supplemental protein, Craine said.
Any future increases in precipitation would be unlikely to compensate for the declines in forage quality that accompany projected temperature increases.
As a result, cattle are likely to experience greater nutritional stress in the future if these geographic patterns hold as a actual example of future climates, Craine said.
"The trickle-down to the average person is essentially thinking ahead of time of what the consequences are going to be for the climate change scenarios that we are looking at and how ranchers are going to change management practices," Craine said.
"In my opinion these are fully manageable changes," Olson said. "They are small, and being prepared just in case it does happen will allow us to adapt our management to what will essentially be a shorter window of high-quality grazing."
Additional investigators on the project include Andrew Elmore at the University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science and Doug Tolleson from the School of Natural Resources at the University of Arizona, along with the assistance of Texas A&M;'s Grazingland Animal Nutrition Lab.
Livestock
Research links cattle stress and weather
- Livestock
-
-
Homework pays off when shopping for bulls
It is important for cow-calf producers to look in to the future five or more years to imagine what they will be doing with the cattle they produce. Will they be producing a feeder calf sold right off the cow? Will they be retaining ownership on the calf through to slaughter? Will they be selling seedstock either purebred or commercial?
-
Cow-pieology 101: The straight poop on cattle nutrition
Cow pies serve an important purpose: they’re an indicator of bovine health and hay quality. A quick look at a fresh cow pie gives the trained observer a good idea of a cow’s diet and general health.
-
Improved breeding helps meet demand for high quality beef
With better genetics, Missouri beef producers can help supply the growing demand for high-quality beef according to MU specialist.
-
Uniformity a worthy goal in cattle herds
There’s no doubt when it’s time to market cattle, a uniform set of calves, stockers, finished cattle or bred heifers attract more buyer interes.
-
Specialist discusses limit-feeding hay
Limit-feeding hay, reducing hay waste and feeding an ionophore can decrease winter hay needs by a third.
-
Specialist discusses limit-feeding hay
Limit-feeding hay, reducing hay waste and feeding an ionophore can decrease winter hay needs by a third.
-
Pondering the cattle price climb
The question isn’t whether or not cattle prices will climb higher in 2012.
The question is, how high will they go? -
Don’t let salmonella sneak in the herd
The clinical signs of Salmonella are easy to identify —sudden weight loss, weakness, fever, diarrhea and dehydration. While these symptoms signal clinical Salmonella on your dairy, they are only the tip of the iceberg.
-
Keep close eye on herds during winter
Cold and wet conditions will compound dangers to cattle, and producers need to keep a closer eye on herds through the time spring grass can be grazed.
-
Interest in meat goats is on the rise
It seems everyone in the world eats goat meat but Americans. However, the preference for goat meat in the U.S. is rapidly increasing, as reflected in the record high prices of the last two years.
- More Livestock Headlines
-
Homework pays off when shopping for bulls
