Providing feed supplements to cattle grazing in certain areas is pretty common and for good reason. Cattle are often not able to get enough nutrients from just rangelands to meet their nutritional requirements. Producers have many choices when it comes to feeding supplements.
Feed costs are the largest on-farm expense that producers have during the year. According to Oklahoma State nearly 40% of total operating costs are associated with nutrition. If you are experiencing any type of drought conditions then this expense can be even higher. However this does not mean that we should try to cut out every expenditure that we can.
The problem with only looking at reducing costs is that it will affect your overall performance. What you want to do is look at them more like investments and try to get the most return possible. It is more important to be efficient than just to be the cheapest. Here are some ways that you can go about getting the most “bang for your buck” when it comes to using feed.
When it comes to ruminant nutrition most people think of things like crude protein, energy, and possibly mineral content. Although these factors are important, roughage intake can often be overlooked. A minimum amount of roughage is important to keep the rumen functioning as it should.
Creep feeding can be a very useful tool for producers raising young calves. Using this tool can both improve your overall bottom line as well as your profitability. Not to mention also helping calves in being more productive.
Salt blocks are available to producers in a variety of different colors. This is something any trip to your local feed store can tell you. Each color represents different things about it.
A feed tag is a very informative but often overlooked item on a commercially produced feed. Other than looking at the Crude protein or maybe the energy content not many people really look at them. With some of the confusing numbers and such listed on them, it is understandable how that can happen.
Many producers out there unknowingly sabotage their mineral program by providing sulfur salt blocks to their cattle in the pasture. The general way of thinking in providing this is that it is for the purpose for external parasite control. The trouble with this is that although applied externally has shown to do this somewhat. As far as I have been able to find there is no proof that ingesting it does this.
Protein tubs have been gaining popularity here lately with producers of all sizes. People that use them like the convenience of having a supplement that is designed to be self-fed in the pasture. They can deliver supplemented nutrients that does not require extra labor.
Seems every year Mother Nature wants to wreak havoc on some regions with drought. Drier than desirable conditions cause problems for livestock producers who depend on forages for grazing during the summer months. But on a positive note using proper planning both your cattle and your bank account can survive the drought.
Sulfur for cattle tends to be a bit of a dividing subject for most producers. When it comes to this subject it generates a love/hate relationship with cattlemen. There are ones who love them as well as swear by them, then there are others who feel they are a waste of money.
