Cattle Nutrition Research at Desert REC Decreases Feed Costs for Producers

A stop at the feedlot to observe the cattle is always a highlight of the day for the over 8,000 visitors to Farm Smart each year through school field trips and field tours. Cattle has been the #1 commodity in Imperial County(IC) for over 60 years and IC is among the top 5 producers in California. The University of California Desert Research and Extension Center (UC DREC) is a leader in feedlot cattle research and has one of the largest university feedlot facilities. The Desert REC feedlot can hold approximately 600 head of cattle and includes a feed mill and metabolism barn. With the extreme summer heat in our unique desert region, Dr. Richard Zinn's research on nutrition, health, and management of feedlot cattle has been an integral component of the success of the cattle industry in Imperial County. Dr. Zinn, a UC Davis Animal Science professor, has been with Desert REC since 1981. In addition to his extensive work at Desert REC, he collaborates with the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (UABC), in Mexicali, Mexico, which is just over the border from UC DREC.

In his recent work, Dr. Zinn's research has investigated corn processing for feed in feedlots producing calf-fed Holstein steers at DREC, indicating feed values for corn increased by 18%, improving average daily gain and feed efficiency while decreasing the cost of feed to produce high quality beef. This methodology is widely used throughout feedlots in the Imperial County and desert southwest of the US.

Additionally, Dr. Zinn's analysis of sugarbeets as a partial replacement of up to 40% of corn in feed rations has demonstrated feed costs can be decreased by 15-40% when corn costs are high while maintaining animal productivity. While only used opportunistically depending on feed costs, this research allows for a reduction in feed costs while maintaining production.

 

 

In 2017, Brooke Latack joined the UC Cooperative Extension as a Livestock Advisor for Imperial, San Diego, and San Bernardino Counties.  In addition to her research, she provides support and assistance to livestock producers through programs covering livestock nutrition, management techniques, environmental factors affecting producers and the community, and other critical topics.

Joining the team in August 2020 as the Feedlot Management Specialist is Dr. Pedro Carvalho. Dr. Carvalho will report to UC Davis Animal Science Department. Having Latack and Carvalho in our Center will enhance our mission and continue a long and rich history of support to our local/regional/world cattle industry.

For more information on DREC and its educational program, please contact our Center Director, Jairo Diaz at jdiazr@ucanr.edu or our Farm Smart Program Manager, Stacey Amparano, at scwills@ucanr.edu. You can also reach us at (760)356-3060