Beef Cattle Nutrition PART I

1
Beef Cattle Nutrition (PART I)

• ANSC 406

2
The Different Feeding Systems
FEEDER CALVES VAC-45
COW/CALF
DIFFERING BREED TYPE/ ENVIRONMENT
FEEDLOT
3
What to Feed and How to Feed
PASTURE NATIVE/IMPROVED
FEED MILL
HAY FIELD
4
The Nature of Beef Cattle Diets

• Dependant upon
• The class and type of animal
• Your objectives for the animal
• Ingredients available to you
• Mixing and delivery capabilities

5
Pasture not Available?

• A legume or other high quality hay plus minerals
• Corn silage at 20 lb per day, plus mineral
• Complete diets from a bag are very good, but
  rarely economical.

6
Rule of Thumb

• When do cows need protein supplementation?

The general rule of thumb is that protein
supplementation should occur when protein levels
of forage fall below 7.
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Supplementation for Beef Cows

• Protein supplements often include CSM and can be
  in the form of
• Range Cubes
• Meal
• Liquid
• Solids
• High quality hay/roughage

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Supplementation for Beef Cows
PROTIEN SUPPLEMENT
ROUGHAGE
MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS
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Diets for Beef Cows

• Do cows require daily protein supplementation?
  
• No, 2-3 days per week is adequate
• Protein supplementation stimulates the intake of
  low quality forage
• Nitrogen from protein increases microbial
  population in the rumen
• Increased microbes increased digestion
  increased intake

10
Diets for Beef Cows

• Calculation Example
• Cow Weight 1200 lb
• Forage consumption at 2 of BW
• 1200 lb .02 24 lb/day
• From NRC tables you determine your forage is 6
  CP
• So, CP Intake 24 lb .06 1.44 lb/day
• From NRC table, your cows need 1.88 lb of CP/day

11
Diets for Beef Cows

• Calculate Protein Deficiency
• 1.88 1.44 .36 lb deficient
• Calculate how much protein is required to supply
  .36 lb per head per day
• If CSM is 41 CP, the calculation is
• .41 ? Lb CSM .36 lb
• .36/.41 .88 lb of CSM per head per day

12
Diets for Growing Bulls
13
Diets for Growing Bulls

• Objectives for growing bulls
• Feed to obtain about half of their mature weight
  by 14 15 months of age.
• Young bulls should gain 2.5 3.0 lb per day from
  weaning to 15 months of age.

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Diets for Growing Bulls

• 40 60 concentrate complete mixed free choice
  diet
• A limit fed high concentrate diet
• A diet of approximately 20 lb of good quality hay
  plus 5-7 lb of corn can be used in a less
  intensive situation
• From 15 months to about 3 years of age, bulls
  should be fed to gain 2 lb per day

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Diets for Developing Heifers
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Diets for Developing Heifers

• Heifers should be at 65 of mature body weight at
  15 months of age
• Mature pasture in adequate quantity
• Probably need 1 lb per head per day of a 32 CP
  supp. plus free choice mineral
• Limited forage quantity
• 2-3 lb of corn, 1 lb of a 32 CP supp and mineral

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Diets Differ

• Formulating diets for beef cows differ greatly
  from feedlot cattle, weaned calves etc..
• One must make the assumption about nutrient
  intake from grazing and then supplement to supply
  the deficit.