By Madison Kovarna, South Dakota State University Extension
For 75% of the year, beef producers are generally feeding two animals— the cow and her unborn calf. Additionally, a cow may be growing a fetus while nursing a calf at her side. Maternal nutrition is extremely important not only to the cow, but also to her unborn calf, which relies solely on its mother for nutrition. Maternal nutrition can affect offspring performance by altering fetal development. Muscle fibers and fat cells that are formed during gestation set the stage for a calf’s future performance.
For example, Figure 1…
