Fodder beet is an ideal crop to feed ruminants during the winter season. It’s highly digestible and palatable, as well as having high energy value.
Fodder beet consists of two primary components – the bulb and leaf. The leaf provides protein and minerals, while the bulb provides energy and sugars.
Contents
Cost
Feeding fodder beet to cattle can be a cost-effective alternative to grain and grass silage when managed properly. It offers numerous nutrient advantages, such as high energy content and minimal nitrate risk.
Corn silage rations with beet can improve DM digestion and flavor for growing beef cows, but it’s essential to keep their moisture content within prescribed range.
Feeder beet can be included in corn silage by either mixing with the corn or using beet residue as a bulking ingredient. Combining both options together allows for faster incorporation of beet, while simultaneously decreasing bulkiness in the mixture.
Fodder beet can be fed to suckler cows as a dietary supplement or included in their young cattle’s diet. Additionally, it may be added to high protein rations for finishing cows.
Energy
Fodder beet is an energy-rich crop that can provide winter feed for livestock such as cattle or sheep, plus it has the potential to be used as biofuel.
Beet is an attractive energy source for ruminants with its high sugar content, making it suitable as a feed supplement. However, feeding fodder beet to cattle requires careful consideration and implementation in order to prevent rumen acidosis.
Prior to grazing, animals should be bolused. This ensures they do not consume more food than necessary and helps prevent rumen acidosis from developing in the first place.
Beet should be fed at a rate of 0.5-1.0kg/head per day to young stock and supplemented with a balanced mineral supplement. It can be mixed with grass silage and young calves should have some soya bean meal added for balanced protein levels.
Minerals
Dairy cows require a variety of minerals for proper body function and performance. Some minerals, like calcium and phosphorus, must be consumed in large amounts while others are needed in smaller amounts.
Phosphorus is essential for several bodily processes, such as bone formation and energy metabolism. A shortage of this mineral may result in slow weight gain or low milk production.
Fodder beet is an important winter crop for dairy cows in many parts of the U.S., but it should only be fed occasionally and combined with other forages to minimize potential health risks.
Digestibility
Fodder beet is an energy-rich crop, offering 12MJ/kg dry matter (DM). As such, it’s often seen as the superior source of energy for cattle. Unfortunately, its higher maintenance requirements mean it requires more attention than many other forage alternatives and therefore needs careful management when feeding it to livestock.
Feeding a fodder beet diet is similar to introducing cereal grain to cattle; they must be taught how to regulate their intake and feed at a rate their rumen can handle. Once this has been accomplished, they should be allowed unlimited beet with no more than 1kg DM per day in supplement.
Beet pulp and fodder beet are widely used in European and Australian diets as sources of energy, with no reported antinutritional factors. However, some researchers have observed that ruminants may experience ruminal acidosis when oversupplied with fodder beet or eating an excessive amount.
Health
Fodder beet is an excellent source of protein and minerals when offered to growing and finishing cattle. However, it should be introduced gradually since too much can exacerbate rumen acidosis and cause bloat if not provided in sufficient amounts.
At a Farm Options, KWS and Momont webinar on December 20, Dr James Gibbs recommended that dry cows and heifers should be gradually transitioned to dairy over two weeks. They should be offered behind an electric wire while gradually increasing their food intake over that period.
Beet is high in rapidly fermentable carbohydrates and, if not fed properly and without additional forage, can lead to rumen overload, leading to bloat, mastitis and potentially death. Furthermore, high nitrate levels after harvest may affect nutrient availability.
