Supplementing Feed to Grazing Cattle

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Supplementing Feed to Grazing Cattle

• Dallas Mount
• Platte County Extension Educator

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Introduction

• Forage Beef
• The ideal supplement should enhance or not
  inhibit the animals ability to digest forage
• Supplement should complement forage quality

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Basic Beef Nutrition
Rumen
Stomach, Intestines
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Rumen Function
Feed
Stomach and Intestines
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Considerations When Supplementing Ruminants

• Rumen microbes have nutrient requirements
• If not met, rumen efficiency is decreased
• Feed affects rumen microbes before it affects the
  animal

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Influence of Season on Forage Quality

• J. A. Johnson, et al. (1998)
• North Dakota State University

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Nutrient Content of Range Forage
Percent
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Ruminal Protein Digestibility
Percent
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Forage nutrient content varies with season
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Energy vs. Protein Supplements
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Effect of Degradable Protein Supplements on
Intake and Digestion of Low-Quality Forage by
Beef Cows

• H. H. Koster et al. (1996)
• Kansas State University

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Methods

• Cows fed a diet of
• Low-quality forage
• 5 levels of ruminally degradable protein
• Measured diet digestion parameters

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Forage Intake (g/kg BW.75)
Degradable Protein (grams/day)
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Forage Digestion ()
Degradable Protein (grams/day)
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Total Diet Digestion ()
Degradable Protein (grams/day)
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Implications

• Supplementing ruminally degradable protein
• Improved digestion of low-quality forage by 15
• Increased forage intake by 55
• This represents an improvement of forage
  utilization by the animal

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Type of Protein Supplement

• Natural vs. Non-Protein Nitrogen

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Type of Protein Supplement
Natural
Non-Protein Nitrogen

• Soybean Meal
• Cottonseed Meal
• Corn Gluten Meal

• Urea (48 nitrogen)

• Slowly digested
• Provide BCVFAs

• Quickly digested/dissolved
• Provides only nitrogen

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Performance of Cows on Native Range When Fed
Protein or Corn Supplements

• D. W. Sanson, D. C. Clanton and I. G. Rush
• (1990)
• University of Nebraska

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Methods

• 135 cows grazing native Sandhills winter range
• Supplement treatments
• Ear corn
• Ear corn protein supplement
• Protein supplement

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Weight Changes of Cows
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Implications

• Corn supplemented cows lost more weight than
  protein supplemented cows
• Corn supplement decreased forage digestion and
  intake

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Using TDN/CP Ratio for Supplement Selection
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Using TDN/CP Ratios for Supplement Selection
Forage TDN/CP
Supplement
gt 7
Protein
lt 4
Energy
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Conclusion

• Proper supplementation can improve forage
  digestion and animal performance
• Provide supplements that complement forage
• Use resources to help determine proper
  supplementation