What Should I Feed and Supplement My Beef Cattle

Past: Stephen P. Hammack and Ronald J. Gill

A beefiness cow requires energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins in its nutrition. What determines how much of these nutrients is required? What determines if they need to exist supplemented in the nutrition?

Many factors affect the amounts of required nutrients. A female performs many functions—body maintenance, activity, weight gain, reproduction, and milk product—that all require nutrients. The amount of nutrients required depends on trunk size, environmental weather condition, how far an beast travels, desired charge per unit of proceeds, phase of gestation, and level of milk product.

The nutritional value and quantity of available forage determine if nutrients need to exist supplemented in the nutrition. During most of the twelvemonth, warm-season forages are probable to be scarce in some minerals, specially phosphorus and certain trace elements like copper and zinc. In nigh situations, supplementation should include at least year -round provision of salt and a mineral with 8 per cent to 12 percentage phosphors and a similar level of calcium. Vitamin A, which usually is low in dry out or weathered forages, should be injected or fed in mineral or other supplements if it is suspected to be deficient. Mineral and vitamin supplementation should be a high priority because deficiencies tin be corrected for relatively little toll.

After addressing mineral and vitamin needs, protein and free energy deficiencies must exist considered. Fodder poly peptide and energy vary seasonally. Warm- flavor fodder typically becomes deficient in protein in mid-summer and once again in winter. Forage lacks acceptable energy content primarily in winter, but free energy available to the brute is restricted more ofttimes by a express supply of forage rather than by deficiencies in establish composition.

Factors Affecting Supplementation

Many factors affect the type and corporeality of protein or energy supplement that a beef moo-cow may require. There are six disquisitional factors that affect supplementation needs.

Forage Quantity. The amount of available fodder obviously affects the need for supplemental feed. If grazing or hay will be limited, take immediate action. Reduce the number of animals in order to lessen the need for supplemental feeding of the remaining cows. As fodder supply declines, the opportunity for animals to selectively graze decreases, and so does diet quality. Then, supplementation may become necessary even if animal numbers are reduced.

Forage Quality . Poor quality provender has less than 6 pct to seven percent rough protein (CP) and is low in digestibility, with less than 50 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN). These deficiencies limit the corporeality of such fodder that an animal can eat. Because both consumption and food content of poor quality forage are low, supplemental needs are high. Medium quality provender (7 percent to eleven percent CP, l per cent to 57 per cent TDN) eliminates or significantly reduces the need for supplementation. High quality forage (above 12 per cent to 14 per cent CP and 57 per cent TDN) tin can be consumed in the largest amounts and ordinarily removes any need for supplementation, except perchance for high milking cows in low trunk condition. However, forage that is high in quality but depression in quantity, a common state of affairs in early spring, increases the need for supplementation of dietary bulk and energy. The amount a cow tin swallow in a mean solar day ranges from every bit little equally 1.v percent of torso weight for very low quality forage to well-nigh 3.0 percent for very high quality forage. The typical amount is two.0 percent to two.5 per cent.

Torso Status . The level of body status (amount of fat) affects supplemental requirements. Low body condition markedly increases the demand for supplemental nutrients, and coming together such needs ofttimes is cost prohibitive. Moderate body condition significantly reduces or eliminates the need for supplements. Fleshy cows generally need trivial if whatsoever supplement and the daily amount of fodder required oftentimes tin be reduced. If forage consumption is not reduced, higher product is possible or reserves of stored torso energy can exist maintained.

Body Size . The potential for fodder consumption is related to torso size, so larger animals may not require more supplement than smaller ones. Adjustments in stocking rate, to allow adequate amounts of forage per moo-cow, may offset differences in size but will increase the price per cow. But if forage is sparse or limited, larger cows require proportionately more supplement.

Milking Level. Higher milking cows can consume somewhat more provender, but non enough to completely satisfy extra needs. When forage quality is inadequate, higher milking cows need more supplement; from fifty per cent to 100 per cent more may be required for high versus low milk product in cows of the same trunk size.

Age . Young animals are still growing and require extra nutrients, but their body size is non every bit large as mature animals. Because of their smaller body size, growing heifers cannot consume as much forage as mature cows. For these reasons, immature females crave higher quality diets than mature cows and oft crave more and different supplements.

Feeds for Supplementation

What are some poly peptide and energy supplements and how should they exist used?

Oilseed Meals. Cottonseed, soybean, and peanut meals often are manufactured as big pellets or cubes for feeding convenience. These are loftier protein (38 percent to 45 pct CP), medium to high energy sources, commonly fed at 1 pound to 3 pounds a solar day. Although relatively costly per ton, they often are the cheapest source of protein. These feeds are well-nigh useful when supplemental protein, and little or no energy, is needed. Oilseed meals are specially suitable for dry out cows in moderate to good mankind when they take access to adequate amounts of low poly peptide, medium energy forages.

Grain . Corn and grain sorghum (milo) are the most comm on low protein, loftier energy sources. Other grains include oats, wh swallow, and barley. Grains often are the cheapest sources of supplemental free energy. Similar feeds include processed past products such equally wheat mids, soybean hulls, and rice bran. These by products are slightly higher in protein and a piffling lower in energy than grains and are relatively low in starch. Starch can interfere with forage digestibility, and then these are excellent supplements to fodder. Feeds in this category usually are found in breeder /range cubes.

Breeder/Range Cubes. These are most ordinarily 20 percent CP but also are found as 30 percent to 32 percent products. These feeds are designed to provide a combination of protein and energy, fed in larger amounts (3 to half dozen pounds a twenty-four hours) than high protein feeds. The equivalent of a twenty per cent cube can be prepared with a mix of near i-third oilseed repast and two-thirds grain. A mix of about three- fourths meal and i-quaternary grain is the equivalent of a 32 percentage cube. Some cubes use nonprotein nitrogen (NPN), usually urea, to supply nitrogen for potential synthesis of rumen microbial poly peptide. Cubes with low rough cobweb (beneath x per cent) generally are highest in energy. Whole cottonseed, brewers grains, and some corn gluten meals are like in protein and energy content to these cubes.

Poly peptide Blocks and Liquids . These feeds usually comprise 30 per cent to xl percent CP and typically are depression to medium in energy. Their formulation or physical structure limits consumption to effectually 1 pound to 3 pound s daily. The protein portion often consists of 50 per cent to 90 per cent from NPN, but can be considerably lower. Their main use is to provide supplemental protein on low protein, medium energy forages (beneath 7 percentage CP, l per cent to 52 per cent TDN) where convenience of self-feeding is a priority. These feeds by and large will not fill large voids of nutrient deficiency, nor support higher levels of creature performance.

Syrup Blocks and Tubs. These generally range from 12 percent to 24 per cent CP (often well-nigh one-half from NPN) and are medium in energy. Consumption of these blocks usually is very low (typically 1/2 pound to 1 1/2 pounds a twenty-four hour period), so higher poly peptide versions probably are most useful. These products are not intended to directly supply much supplemental protein or energy. Rather, their theoretical function is to stimulate rumen microbes to assimilate more forage and produce microbial poly peptide, which tin can be utilized in the modest intestine. For this to occur, sufficient amounts of at to the lowest degree moderately digestible forage mu st be available. These feeds piece of work best when supplied yr round, allowing aggregating of body fat reserves that animals tin utilize during typical autumn and winter decline in forage quality and quantity. They generally will non back up loftier performance.

Hays . Loftier quality hays, such as alfalfa, peanut, and soybean, tin be used equally supplements. These medium protein (normally 15 pct to xx percent CP), medium energy sources can be limit-fed in place of one of the feeds discussed previously. Such hays also tin can be fed costless choice, although protein is wasted, if their cost is competitive.

Supplementation Strategies

Supplements must exist chosen to encounter particular nutrient deficiencies. Trunk condition is a cardinal cistron in the choice of supplements. Thin cows are relatively more scarce in dietary energy than in protein. In contrast, fleshier cows may need extra protein, if they demand anything.

To minimize supplementation, use forage supplies logically. In full general, hay (excluding supplemental alfalfa, etc.) should non be limit-fed with standing forage. Limit-feeding of hay encourages cows to reduce grazing and fails to utilise pastures while quality is reasonably adept. For example, assume bachelor forage for grazing or feed ing includes some tame pasture (such equally coastalber mudagrass), some native range, and some hay. As winter approaches, the tame pasture should be used start, native range next, and hay terminal. That manner each forage is utilized virtually efficiently, and there is a better chance some hay will be left in late wintertime to early spring when high quality greenish growth begins but is limited in amount.

It is difficult to make general recommendations nearly supplementation of protein and energy. Normally, dry mature cows in medium or higher body condition on typical fallow warm-season pasture or low quality hay ofttimes demand only 1 pound to two pound s a day of a high protein feed. (On extremely low quality fodder, such as tall-grass prairie in winter, 3 pound due south to 4 pound s of high protein feed may be needed.) A sparse, dry, mature cow may crave 2 pound s to 4 pound due south daily, but of a medium -protein, loftier-free energy supplement. Afterward calving, all of these amounts essentially should exist doubled.

Daily feeding usually is not necessary when using high-protein supplements such as cottonseed repast cubes. Instead, depending on the amounts, weekly required totals tin can exist divided and fed every other twenty-four hour period, twice a calendar week, or even once a week. In fact, nondaily feeding of these supplements often is more efficient. Yet, combination protein-energy supplements, specially breeder /range cubes and repast-grain mixes, that are required in larger daily amounts, generally should be fed daily for all-time fodder utilization, highest brute functioning, and greatest efficiency.

Self-fed, controlled consumption tin be accomplished with some feeds, particularly oilseed meals and meal-grain mixes, by including an intake limiter such as salt. Cattle then will consume salt in maximum amounts of approximately 0.one per centum of body weight, or about ane pound of common salt consumption daily by a 1,000 -pound cow. So, to obtain supplement consumption of 3 pound s daily in a ane,000 – pound cow, a mix of i pound salt to 3 pound south supplement should be provided. When using table salt to limit consumption, plenty of high quality water must be available. Also, cows swallow more of a salt-limited supplement when it is located close to a water supply.

Perhaps the almost common supplement is a high quality 20 per centum CP breeder /range cube (high or all-natural protein and low crude cobweb ), or the equivalent. Such a supplement often is a compromise for the mutual state of affairs of depression quality forage and low to medium body condition. Just this must be fed in adequate amounts, typically iii to six pound a day, to be effective. In fact, with the exception of managing weight loss in fleshy cows, there are few situations where feeding smaller amounts of such cubes is applicable. If a producer is unwilling or unable to presume the cost of required amounts of these cubes (or the equivalent), then a lower amount of a higher protein feed should be fed. But realize, however, that torso condition, reproduction, productivity, and turn a profit are likely to pass up if nutrient requirements are not met.

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