Many ranchers are seeking ways to reduce the cost of supplementation. A liquid protein supplement could be an ideal solution in this regard.
Liquid supplements can be tailored with a range of ingredients to meet individual needs. Common components include alfalfa hay, oilseed meals, grain processing coproducts like dried distillers grains and various commercial items.
Contents
Cost
Liquid protein supplements are an easy and economical way to add nutrition to cattle’s diets. They come in various forms such as blends or suspensions.
Depending on the type of liquid feed, its protein and energy content, as well as whether it’s a blended or suspension supplement, costs can range anywhere from 5c/head to 3.5c/head per day. Most supplements contain water, molasses and other additives which improve performance while making administration easy.
Liquid protein supplements have a relatively low cost to start, but their price can rise as more cattle consume them. Since livestock must consume the supplement at an increased rate, production and storage become costly affairs.
To develop an effective supplementation program, the initial step is identifying specific nutrient needs. This can be accomplished by monitoring forage quality and cow nutrient requirements.
Convenience
Cattle producers often turn to liquid protein supplements for convenience in supplementing their feed. These molasses-based solutions deliver essential minerals, vitamins, protein and energy in a convenient form.
They are designed to meet specific requirements in various scenarios and boost animal performance. Furthermore, they are cost-effective solutions that require minimal handling.
When rumen microbes aren’t effectively fermenting forage, protein must be added. Rumen microbes require at least 7% crude protein in order to properly produce and utilize nutrients from forage.
Rumen bacteria in cow rumen require rumen degradable protein to efficiently digest and utilize dormant forage. These proteins can be found in oilseed meals, grain processing coproducts, and distillers dried grains.
Storage
Liquid protein supplements are an ideal solution for cattle producers who wish to enhance the nutritional value of hay, haylage and straw, or add energy, protein and vitamins to feed. Not only that but they may also be utilized for conditioning rations, improving flavor and reducing dustiness.
However, liquid supplements can be difficult to store and pump during cold winter weather. At low temperatures, they become thickened, making them difficult to move around.
Many livestock producers opt to store liquid feed commodities indoors, enabling them to be pumped using gravity instead of needing gear pumps.
Ideal tanks should have plumbing to allow recirculation of the product during storage, especially for products prone to separation (e.g., corn condensed distillers solubles) or those containing fats, suspensions or other ingredients that settle out during storage. This is especially important for products with such ingredients as corn condensed distillers solubles which tend to separate during storage.
If liquid protein supplement consumption isn’t meeting target intake levels, it’s time to assess the forage quality and weather challenges that could be influencing it. If these elements are present, changing tub locations or cleaning out feeders may help boost liquid intake.
Preparation
Liquid protein supplements are typically made up of molasses, though some products contain other ingredients as well. Some liquid feeds also include vitamins, minerals and antibiotics for added benefit.
Liquid protein supplements have seen an uptick in recent years as they help improve forage digestibility in low quality pastures, such as dormant pasture. Furthermore, they can be fed to lactating cattle to ensure adequate energy intake and production before calving, plus help the cow return to estrous after calving.
However, there are a number of issues involved in the preparation of these supplements.
First and foremost, the protein source is essential. It should be rumen degradable so that rumen microbes can properly ferment the fiber to produce microbial crude protein (CP).
Second, the supplement must provide sufficient energy and other essential nutrients to the cow. For instance, it should have enough phosphorus to compensate for any carbon deficiencies and ensure optimal growth performance.
