38 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN November 2025 KARLA WILKE | COW-CALF, STOCKER MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN WINTER PITFALLS OF SUMMER RAIN CONTINUED ON PAGE 40 fall.” This is typically related to the lower quality of the grass that grew rapidly and matured quickly. THE HIDDEN LOSS OF BODY CONDITION IN THE LACTATING COW If grass quantity is abundant and pairs are left out on range late into the fall, the high demand of lactation coupled with the low energy and protein content of the forage can take a toll on cows. The steady decline of cows’ fat reserves can be masked by the onset of winter hair and the increased gut fill due to the slow passage rate of low-quality forage out of the rumen. While body condition score (BCS) should be evaluated based on fat cover over the front ribs, tailhead and brisket, the eye can be deceived by the fullness of the gut. The increased hair cover, due to shortening day length, can mask ribs and hip Parts of Nebraska have received much-needed moisture this summer, alleviating some drought conditions. When the grass grows tall after a drought, producers may be tempted to graze long into the fall and maybe even delay weaning a few weeks. FORAGE PRODUCTION VS. FORAGE QUALITY A pasture full of mature grass in late summer can be deceiving. While the quantity is there, the quality may not be. Tall grass often has a high stem-to-leaf ratio, making the total digestible nutrients (TDN) – a measure of energy availability for the animal – and crude protein (CP) very low. As the plant matures, the stem’s high-fiber content makes it much less digestible than the leaves. The young, growing calf has a small rumen and needs highly digestible forage to meet their growth needs. Sometimes producers lament that “the rains came, the grass really grew, but the calves were lighter this PRODUCTION
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