Justin Waggoner, PhD, shares how muddy conditions change how cattle gain:
- 4 to 8 inches of mud reduces gain by approximately 14 percent
- 12 to 24 inches of mud reduces gain by approximately 25 percent
He calculates that for every four days cattle have to slog through hock-deep mud, producers will need to add another day and 20 pounds of dry matter feed to reach finish and add one additional day for every seven days of slogging through mud over their pasterns.
Source: FEED-LOT, Facebook, March 6, 2026. Link.
Also see: Mud can negatively impact the health of cattle, Western Livestock Journal, January 31, 2025. Link.
Image: Link.