View From the Range

REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- Feeding cattle properly throughout the year takes a certain amount of skill and knowing what the end goal for each animal is helps develop a nutrition plan, according to New Mexico rancher Matt Copeland.

Copeland & Sons Herefords in Nara Visa, New Mexico, is participating in DTN's View From the Range series, where DTN will follow a year at the ranch to give readers an inside look at how the ranch operates and cares for its animals.

This segment in the series looks at how the Copelands feed their cattle -- from the bulls and calves they sell to their show cattle, cows and replacement heifers.

NUTRITION PLAN HELPS MEET END GOAL

"No matter what part of the operation we are looking at, we have to have a nutrition plan," Copeland said. "It's a little different for each area of our herd."

Cows run on the New Mexico range all year long. As the season changes from fall into winter, the grass turns dormant, but in a normal weather year, cows have plenty of grass to get them through the winter. Copeland pointed out that the grass -- even in the winter -- has a 4-6% protein level.

While many minerals are consumed through these grasses, the Copelands provide cows with a good, chelated mineral all year long. Their cows don't show deficiencies, but they want to be sure the proper mixture is available.

Cattle cubes are fed throughout the year to help cows maintain a good body condition. This is especially used during calving season to boost milk production, particularly for the first-calf heifers. The cube that the Copeland's feed has a 16% protein and 7% fat content. The amount fed is increased during calving season.

"The first-calf heifers also get some extra hay to keep them in good condition," Copeland said. "Otherwise, we don't feed much hay unless we have a lot of snow or extreme drought."

The hay produced on the Copeland ranch is planted under an irrigation pivot. The variety they grow has larger leaves and therefore a higher yield. One cutting is taken from the 80-acre circle, usually producing about 300 small square bales and 300 large round bales.

"Following the baling in August, a cover crop is planted to allow growth to graze replacement heifers there from December until May," he said.

SALE AND SHOW CATTLE HAVE END GOALS

The Copelands host a bull sale every March. Getting bulls conditioned for the sale is done with a high roughage diet of a 14% protein pelleted feed and free choice hay.

"We want the bulls in good shape but not too fat," he said. "A lot of ranchers around here are ready to turn bulls out the end of March or first of April, so we want our bulls to be hearty and ready to work. They don't have time to take them home and burn off fat, so they can turn them out."

When it comes to show cattle nutrition, Copeland said it's even more important to know the end goal. Heifers and bulls in their show string get fed different rations with changes in energy content. "Our ration is pretty simple. We can adjust it to how the cattle take being on the road or what show we are focusing for," he said.

Sourcing the feed and supplements needed for their cattle can be a bit of a challenge at times. Most of the corn raised in the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico goes to the large feedlots and dairies in the area. "It's hard to find a small co-op around here who has a feed mill and will do a small batch of custom feed for people like us," Copeland said. Thus, they have to pay a little more to get the feed they want.

When they do have to purchase hay, he said it's often cheaper to find a source farther away and pay shipping to get it there. The market is cornered by the large cattle operations (feedlots and dairies).

Making sure the cattle have the proper nutrition is a balancing game with a lot of give and take, but the Copelands are willing to play the game to be sure their cattle have the feed needed in the season.

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Editor's Note:

To see video about the Copelands, go to: https://www.dtnpf.com/…

To see previous stories in this series, go to:

-- "New Mexico Ranch Shares View From Range," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "Copeland & Sons Herefords Raise Cattle to Provide for Family, Customers, Environment," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Relies on Cows with Good Mothering Ability," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranchers Have Recorded Performance Data to Measure Herd's Progress," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Branding Tradition Unites Generations," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranchers Strategically Breed Cows to Advance Herd," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Sets Cattle Health Program for Optimal Herd Performance," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Reveals Effective Pasture, Range Management Techniques," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranch Family Legacy Continues in the Showring," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

-- "New Mexico Ranchers Market Genetics That Also Work Across the Country," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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