Bunk Management

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Bunk Management

• Managing Nutrient and Energy Intake
• Substitution of Management for Roughage
• Feed Preparation and Delivery

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Feeding Programs

• Full fed
• Programmed feeding
• Limit fed
• Self fed
• Depends on the day

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Feed Schedule Rational Eating Rational Bunk
Capacity Satiety Feeding Logistics Sunrise Feed
Stability Sunset Weather Photoperiod Damage
Control EAT
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Single Feeding Multiple FeedingHigh Roughage
Diets Starting CattleStable Weather Rain or
SnowSettled Cattle High Moisture Diets in
Summer Limited Bunk Space
Feeding Schedules
Consistent Time
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Hazards

• Delayed Response
• Feed Fermentability
• Weather Changes
• Variation

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Variation - the principle issue of bunk
management

• Quantity of feed
• Availability of feed
• Feed mix
• Feeding schedule
• Can you measure and evaluate variation?
• Can you accept responsibility as being the source
  of variation?

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Dry Feed Delivery, lb
Days on Feed
Lot A Lot B
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Effect of Bunk Managementon Steer Performance

• Dry Matter
• Intake ADG Feed/Gain
• A 20.24 3.78 5.35
• B 19.73 2.07 9.53

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Grain Intake
Day 30
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Keys to Managing Intakes

• Read cattle and bunks
• Maintain consistency
• Realize Maximum is not always good
• We minimize satiety rather than maximize appetite.

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Feed Call Records

• Previous 4d feed deliveries
• Previous 4d bunk scores/cattle
• Any schedule changes
• Any feed changes

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Cattle Status

• Stools
• Interest
• Heat or cold stress
• Weather induced aggression
• Days on feed

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Bunk Conditions

• Uniform Feed Mix
• Uniform Feed Delivery
• Carryover
• Fines
• Ice/Snow
• Manure
• Sorting
• Apron Condition

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Bunk Scores

• 1/2 Small amount of feed scattered in bunk
• 1 Bottom of bunk covered with a thin (lt1/2
  in) layer of feed
• 2 Thick layer of feed
• 3 Most of the feed remains in the bunk
• 4 The crown of the previous feed delivery is
  still evident

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Changing Deliveries

• Basically limit to about 0.75 lb of DM
• Too small can be a significant problem
• Bumps occur at 2 or 3 d intervals
• Cattle can slick bunks several consecutive days
  while at their limit
• Dont be fooled by pens that clean-up early

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Prescription Ad Lib Deliveries
Dry Feed, lb
SB9541
Days
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Prescription Ad Lib Deliveries
Dry Feed, lb
SB9541
Days
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Interim Feed/Gain by FDM
SB9641
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Conclusions

• We are trying to control DMI by individual
  animals.
• Systems that minimize potential for binge feeding
  by individuals probably are most valuable.
• So many factors are involved in this process that
  responses to any one management change will
  likely be inconsistent.

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