If you are trying to meet your cattle’s protein requirements, here are a few things to keep in mind. Beef cattle’s protein requirements are closely related to the recovery of lean body tissue, which is often mobilized during the production cycle. Lean body tissue provides a good amount of protein when needed, but the requirements for the dietary portion of protein are different. You should provide your cattle with adequate amounts of dietary crude protein to meet their requirements.
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Nutrient requirements for beef cattle
The nutritional requirements for beef cattle vary depending on the age, weight and stage of production. Added supplements and grains help meet the animal’s energy and protein requirements. These animals also need water to regulate body temperature and perform well. Their body needs water to maintain energy levels and to aid digestion and excretion. They also need water for joint lubrication. Insufficient amounts of water can cause poor performance and death.
Insufficient protein in the diet can affect growth, milk production, and health in beef cattle. Protein deficiencies are often a result of forage quality in the Western U.S. and require beef producers to supplement these products. The good news is that supplementing cattle infrequently is highly effective in reducing protein costs. For more information, contact a local beef extension officer. There are also numerous online resources available for producers to explore the various methods of protein supplementation.
Sources of dietary protein
There are several sources of protein for beef cattle. The most common are alfalfa hay and soybean meal. Other sources include animal feed and supplements. By-products such as digestible by-pass protein are well-used by cattle and are an important component of rations for fast-growing cattle. Protein is essential for animal growth and maintains animal health. However, animal protein is expensive and is not environmentally friendly.
Beef cattle can get the required protein from high-quality forages. These include cool-season forages and vegetative legumes. If forage is not a viable option for beef cattle, a portion of the feed must be based on commodity-based co-product feeds. These co-product feeds offer the highest level of supplement value. Some examples of high-quality co-product feeds are soybean meal, cottonseed meal, and corn gluten feed. Dried distillers’ grains and brewers’ grains are also high in protein.
Metabolizable portion of dietary protein
The metabolizable portion of beef cattle’s dietary protein requirements is the real protein absorbed in the small intestine. This includes the amino acids RUP and MCP. Not all feeds deliver protein to the animal. High-energy co-products may be supplemented with low-protein forages and hay. In addition, a co-product may be needed to supply adequate amounts of protein to the rumen microorganisms.
In addition, rumen proteins are not equal in their degradability. Different amounts pass undegraded through the rumen and into the small intestine. In addition, cattle may directly use only a small fraction of the protein they ingest. Consequently, a diet containing low-quality feeds may not provide the proper nutrition and protein levels to produce meat. It is important to understand that beef cattle’s dietary protein requirements are influenced by both rumen proteins and RUP.
Another study conducted in the same area found that feed containing concentrates containing 10, 12, and 14% crude protein were equally beneficial. While daily live-weight gains in both diets were comparable, carcass weight gain was higher for the animals that consumed concentrates at higher levels. A diet high in energy should contain at least 14% crude protein. Heavy animals should consume up to 12% crude protein in their diets.
Importance of meeting nutrient requirements
It is important for producers to meet the basic nutritional requirements of beef cows to optimize productivity and profitability. Proper nutrition is essential for cow reproduction, health of both cow and calf, and growth of all cattle classes. However, the exact requirements of each nutrient can vary from herd to herd depending on the time of year, stage of production, sex, and level of activity. Listed below are the different nutrient requirements for different types of cattle.
In addition to the five main nutrients, beef cattle also need water, energy, and vitamins and minerals to grow and mature. Their requirements vary by age, breed, and stage of production. In addition to these, their nutrient intakes depend on the amount of water available to them, the pH of the soil, and the availability of minerals and nutrients in feed and water. Despite these varying needs, the overall nutritional level of beef cattle largely depends on the quality of the feed and water sources used in the production process. As a result, feed costs are the largest single expense for beef production. While feeding low-quality feeds may increase reproduction losses, supplementation programs can help offset these problems. Providing the correct amount of vitamins and minerals to cattle will help improve performance, productivity, and profitability.
