Supplementation of Grazing Cattle
Sponsored LinksDuring certain times of the year, supplementation of grazing cattle may be necessary. Supplements are normally classified as either protein or energy based on crude protein concentration. Protein supplements contain higher concentration of protein (normally more than 25%) and energy supplements contain normally less than 18% crude protein.
It is generally recommended that cattle grazing dormant mature forages be supplemented. Protein supplements. Protein supplements are generally fed to these cattle. When the crude protein concentration of the forage is less than 6 – 7%, protein supplementation can be used to increase forage intake. The microbes will break down the protein into amino acids and ammonia and then utilize the ammonia for use in microbial synthesis and fiber digestion will be improved. Passage rate is then increased and intake can be increased.
Supplementation with nonstructural carbohydrates often decrease fiber digestion and forage intake. Several factors has been proposed for the decreased digestion including a decrease in pH as a result of increased VFA production as growth of fibrolytic bacteria are sensitive to ruminal pH, competition between bacteria for the starch and/or preferential use of the nonstructural carbohydrates by fibrolytic bacteria and the associated increase in lag time.
Use of byproduct feedstuffs is an alternative to using cereal grains. Products such as soybean hulls, wheat middlings, corn gluten feed, etc., have more fiber and less starch than the unprocessed feed. In addition, the fiber components are generally highly digestible and higher in digestibility than forage fiber. Therefore, use of byproduct feedstuffs has increased forage intake and digestibility.
June 06 2008 10:55 am | Cattle