Choosing the right rations for your cattle can be difficult. You want to be sure that the ingredients are healthy and that they are well-balanced. Here are some tips to help you make the right choices.
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Barley
Several studies have been conducted to evaluate barley finishing rations for beef cattle. The results have varied widely. Some researchers have found that barley-fed cattle performed better than corn-fed cattle. However, other researchers have reported no difference between the two groups.
Barley and corn are both feed grains that have high nutritive values. They are both low in cost per unit of dietary energy and are competitively priced. They can be used in many different cattle feedlot diets. However, their nutritional values vary from one type to another. This can lead to differences in supplemental protein needs.
Barley and corn are two of the most widely used feed grains in the United States. They are used to make up up to 90% of the dry matter in finishing rations. In most finishing diets, corn is used in conjunction with barley.
Corn
Increasing the amount of corn in a beef cattle finishing ration can raise energy levels and improve performance. However, the use of corn in finishing diets should be limited to less than 0.4 percent of body weight.
Corn is a high-starch grain, which is broken down rapidly in the rumen. It also contains fiber, which can help stimulate rumination. However, high levels of starch can contribute to digestive disorders in ruminants.
Barley can be a high-quality feed source for beef cattle. Although barley is grown in a number of areas, it is more common in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Great Plains. It is a better match for the climate of these regions.
Field peas
Using field peas for finishing rations for beef cattle is a good alternative protein source. These legumes provide highly rumen degradable protein that helps support a healthy microbial population. They also provide energy and can be used to replace corn grain in finishing rations. They are high in starch and protein.
Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of field peas. Field peas can be used to supplement dairy, creep feed, or growing rations. The amount of protein and energy contained in peas varies depending on the variety and source of the peas.
Field peas are an effective supplemental source of protein in high energy finishing diets. They provide rumen degradable protein, which can improve digestion and feed efficiency.
Distillers grains
Adding distillers grains to finishing rations for beef cattle can increase protein and energy levels. They contain crude protein, oils, and fiber that provide protein for livestock. They can be a cost-effective feed source.
Distillers grains are a byproduct of the ethanol industry. They are used for cattle, poultry, and swine. They are available in dried or wet form. Adding dry distillers grains to a finishing ration increases the amount of crude protein in the ration, which improves the nutrient digestibility.
Researchers at the University of Nebraska studied the effects of feeding distillers grains to dairy cows. It was found that the cows were not adversely affected by feeding distillers grains in dry or wet form. Despite the increase in dry matter intake, the cows were not able to produce milk at a higher rate.
Soybeans
Adding soybeans to a finishing ration for beef cattle can be a cost-effective way to increase the nutrient density of your ration. However, there are several factors to consider before incorporating soybeans into your feeding program.
First, the amount of soybeans you feed should be controlled. It should not exceed one-third of the total weight of the animal. This is to avoid digestive scours. The maximum amount of whole soybeans you should feed a 500-pound steer is 1.5 pounds per day.
Another consideration is the amount of oil in your ration. The oil content of rations can increase a cow’s risk of scours. It can also negatively affect bacteria in the rumen.
Feeding behavior measurements
Using an automated feeding system, the University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers calculated four productivity traits, ranging from the number of feed hits to the number of calories consumed in a day. They also measured body size, which they used to improve their prediction models of gain.
The aforementioned is a statistically significant measure of overall efficiency. Nevertheless, its magnitude was limited by the small sample size of the study.
Tolkamp and colleagues argued that previous approaches to detecting and classifying meals were flawed. They defined a meal criterion based on a minimum interval between feed alley visits. They calculated the criterion as a log10 frequency distribution of interval lengths between hits.
