Winter Feeding of Beef Cattle

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Level II Agricultural Business Operations

Cattle Energy requirements

Silage◦ Assessing silage quality◦ Assessing the quantity of silage available

Concentrates◦ Types of concentrate feedstuffs◦ Assessing ration quality

Animals need a balanced diet containing the correct amounts of:

Energy: for movement and growth

Protein: for muscles, milk production, and embryo development

Minerals: for bones and to maintain the animal’s system

Dry matter

Carbohydrate

Protein

FatsMineral and vitamins

All foods contain Water ---- the remaining part is called Dry Matter

Cattle require energy for:

MaintenanceProduction

- Growth- Milk

Energy (ME) is measured in megajoules (MJ)

REQUIREMENT = MAINTENANCE + PRODUCTION

LWT 200 300 400 500 600

MaintenanceReq. (MJ).

27 36 46 54 62

Maintenance

The amount of energy an animal needs for maintenance depends on their size

A 400 kg store heifer requires 46MJ/day to maintain herself

Liveweight Gain

It takes 32MJ to produce 1kg of live-weight gain

Milk Production

It takes 5MJ to produce 1litre of milk

A 400 kg store heifer growing at 0.5kg per day

◦ Maintenance requirement = 46MJ

◦ Growth: 32MJ per 1Kg x 0.5 = 16MJ _____

Total Daily Requirement = 62MJ

All feed decisions revolve around meeting this target

Silage forms the bulk of the livestock diet for six months of the year through the winter months.

Silage is conserved grass that is made by farmers when the grass supply is plentiful.

Silage is made by preserving the grass under naturally produced acidic conditions which effectively pickle the crop.

Silage is quite moist and usually preferred by livestock to hay as it is more palatable and of higher food value.

Target best silage to most productive stock –

Finishing cattle Lactating cows Young growing cattle Dry cows

To assess feed value, predicted animal performance and the need for supplementation.

To identify early the stability of the silage and possible impacts on waste and animal health.

• Wait until six weeks after harvest.

•Take several cores across the clamp.

• Squeeze air out before sealing tightly.

• Send to lab early in the week.

• Provide as much information as possible e.g. 1st or 2nd cut

Value Indicates Highquality silage

Good quality silage

Average quality silage

Poor quality

silage

Metabolisable energy (ME)

(MJ/kg DM)

Measure of the energy content of

the silage.

>12 11.5-11.8 11.5 -10.5 <10.5

Crude protein (CP) (%)

Measure of the silage crude protein

content

>13 11-13 10 – 11 <10

Dry matter (DM) (%)

Measure of the quantity of material

left after drying

> 30 25 – 30 20 – 25 <20

Dry matter %

Crude protein %

Good quality silage

Average quali

ty silage

Poor quality

silage

(MJ/kg DM)

Measure of the energy content of

the silage.

>12 11.5-11.8 11.5 -10.5

Measure of the silage crude

protein content

>13 11-13 10 – 11 <10

Dry matter (DM) (%)

Measure of the quantity of

material left after drying

> 30 25 – 30 20 – 25 <20

Dry matter %

Crude protein %

Good quality silage

Average quality silage

Poor quality

silage

(MJ/kg DM)

Measure of the energy content of the silage.

>12 11.5-11.8 11.5 -10.5 <10.5

Measure of the silage crude protein

content

>13 11-13 10 – 11 <10

Dry matter (DM) (%)

Measure of the quantity of

material left after drying

> 30 25 – 30 20 – 25 <20

Dry matter %

Crude protein %

pH is a measure of the acidity of the silage;

it gives an indication of the fermentation quality and hence the ability of the silage to store. Ideally, silages will have a pH 3.8 – 4.2.

Dry matter %

Crude protein %

Measuring Quantity

Silo/Pit: Length (m) x Width (m) x Height

Volume (m3)

Dry Matter Conversion factor

Tonnes of silage

30m 5m

Width of pit = 10m Assume silage is 30% Dry matter

Example Calculation silage in pit 4 ?

Section A:30 x 3 x 10 = 900m3

Section B:5 x 3 x 10 = 150m3 X 0.5 = 75 m3

Total = 900 + 75 = 975m3

30m 5m

10m wide

Conversion FactorsSilage Dry Matter Conversion factor

Tonnes of Silage = Silage Pit Volume x Dry Matter Conversion Factor

975 x 0.6 = 585 Tonnes of Silage

Fodder Balance Worksheet

Silage stocks (t)

Pit 1 475

Pit 2 460

Pit 3 430

Pit 4 535

Round bales 13

Total 1913

Total Silage StocksFarm Example:

Silage RequirementsType of stock No

Requirement per month (t)

MonthsSilage

requirement

Autumn calver 10 1.2 6.5 78

Spring calver 70 1.0 6.5 455

350+ kg 65 1.0 6.5 423

250 – 350 kg 70 0.8 6.5 364

200 – 250 kg 30 0.7 6 126

calves 25 0.3 6 45

Total silage required 1491tonne

• Ration ingredients• Relative Feed Value• Understanding feed labels

14 % Moisture (Water)

86 % Dry Matter – minimum ME 12.5 MJ/kgDM

Silage

75 % Moisture (Water)

25 % Dry Matter

Meal is up to 4 x more concentrated energy than

silage

Straights

Blends

Pellets

Coarse Feeds

Blends, Pellets and Coarse feeds are a combination of straights, designed for a specific feed task

Straights are individual feed ingredients. Can be classified as either:

◦ Energy sources◦ Protein Sources◦ Fibre Sources

The combination of straights fed depends on:- Target animal performance- Cost (Relative Feed Value)- The quality of forage material available

Protein Energy Fibre

Soya bean meal Barley Oats

Rapeseed meal Wheat Beet pulp

Peas & Beans Maize gluten Citrus pulp

Linseed Maize (yellow meal)

Soya hulls

Maize distillers Vegetable/fish oil Straw

FeedFeed Protein%Protein% MEME Relative value (£)Relative value (£)Dried barleyDried barley 9.59.5 13.213.2 140140WheatWheat 1111 13.613.6 141141MaizeMaize 88 13.813.8 143-161 143-161 Soya hullsSoya hulls 1010 11.911.9 126 126 Citrus pulpCitrus pulp 66 12.612.6 121 121 Sugar beet pulpSugar beet pulp 99 12.512.5 131131 Soyabean mealSoyabean meal 4646 13.813.8 292292Rapeseed meal Rapeseed meal 3636 12.012.0 220 220 Maize distillersMaize distillers 2626 14.014.0 216 216 Maize glutenMaize gluten 1818 12.912.9 171 171

A mix of different straights blended together at the feed mill

Cheapest form of buying meal apart from buying in the straights and mixing yourself

Possible to buy a specified ration Potential to be dusty with poorer palatability

Blends

Extra cost for pelleting Reduces dust significantly Prevents cattle picking out individual

ingredients. Flows well in hoppers and meal bins.

Most expensive way to make up a ration Used as away to improve intakes. Most coarse feeds are based on around 20-

30% flaked maize- can separate out in creep feeders

Often contains ingredients that are cooked or steamed to improve digestibility and palatability

Must declare

◦ Crude Protein,

◦ Oil,

◦ Ash,

◦ Crude fibre

Ingredients are listed in descending order.

No legal requirement to declare ME

Two 17% CP Store cattle blends - which is best?:

Ration 1

Maize Meal, Wheatfeed, Palm Kernel, Oatfeed, Rapeseed Meal, Sunflower Ext, Soyabean Meal

Ration 2

Maize Meal, Distillers, Barley, Rapeseed Meal, Soya Hulls

Ration 1: ME 11.4

Ration 2: ME 13.4

Ration Quality

Grass, silage, straw, and meal all contain minerals

Only required in small amounts Deficiency can cause nutrition disorders High producing animals most at risk Oversupply can cause toxicity

Lick Buckets/Feed blocks Direct inclusion in feed rations Boluses Molasses Licks Pasture Dusting In-Line Water Dispensers

Assess silage◦ Quality◦ Quantity

Know your animals requirements Select a suitable concentrate

◦ Suitable quality ingredients◦ Value for money

Winter Feeding of Beef Cattle

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