Influence of weaning date and late gestation supplementation on beef system productivity I: animal performance

A 4-yr experiment examined how weaning date and prepartum nutrition affected productivity in a spring (March and April) calving system. Crossbred beef cows (479 ± 59 kg, = 144) were used in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 4 factorial treatment arrangement: 1) cows were weaned in early October or early December; and 2) during late gestation cows were fed on a dry matter basis a 32% crude protein supplement at 0, 0.41, or 0.82 kg/cow/d on dormant upland range or grazed corn residue without supplement. Cow body condition score (BCS) was affected ( ≤ 0.01) by treatment prior to parturition and breeding but was similar ( > 0.27) among all treatments in October. Dams on a higher nutritional plane during winter treatment had greater ( < 0.01) BCS and body weight (BW) prior to parturition and breeding. Subsequent pregnancy rates (88% to 97%) were not influenced ( > 0.76) by weaning date, but tended ( = 0.10) to be lower for cows grazing winter range without supplement. Calves born to dams grazing winter range without supplement had lower ( < 0.01) BW in October and adjusted weaning BW. Pre-breeding BW of heifers weaned in December born to cows grazing winter range without supplement was lower ( < 0.01) than contemporaries born to cows in all other treatment combinations. However, postweaning (0.48 kg/d) and postbreeding (0.42 kg/d) average daily gain, percentage cycling before breeding (33%), and pregnancy rate (81%) was similar ( > 0.12). Within weaning date, steers born to cows grazing winter range without supplement had lower ( < 0.05) hot carcass weight (HCW) than contemporaries born to cows grazing corn residue. Cows weaned in December had decreased BW and BCS but similar pregnancy rates as cows weaned in October. Weaning date and dam maternal nutrition had minimal impact on heifer progeny pregnancy rate. Steer progeny born to dams on a higher nutritional plane had similar HCW at slaughter when adjusted to equal fat thickness.