Feed costs are one of the largest, if not the largest, expenses in a cattle operation. Many producers only consider their herd’s nutritional needs at the time nutrient deficiencies occur. The problem with this approach is that by the time a deficiency becomes visible it is too late. It will require more feed, thus more costs, in order to get back to their pre-deficiency level. Since nutrition is generally an operation’s biggest expense it is of benefit to planning their feeding programs as completely as possible.
Basics of a nutrition plan
When producers fail to plan their nutritional needs their main purchasing criteria tend to be unit costs instead of its content. Using this type of purchasing logic can affect your production in negative ways. If the supplement, feed, or mineral, doesn’t provide what your herd needs you will just be wasting your time and money.
Any successful cattle operation will have forages as the base of their feeding program. Forages can be in the form of pasture grasses that are grazed or harvested forages such as hay. Pasture nutrient values however are ever-changing based on the time of year and rainfall totals so supplementation may still be needed.
Things to consider
There are multiple nutrient requirements going on at any given time. The one group that usually requires year-round feeding is minerals. Start by providing a good loose, free-choice mineral. Avoid using a salt or mineral block because they may not provide all the nutrients that you need. When it comes to making a decision on minerals it is best to shop around to see which one would work the best for you. I discuss the importance of understanding minerals here.
Another nutrient to consider for your nutrition plan is protein. Protein is required in some form in every stage of production. Many protein supplements will also supply energy, minerals, and vitamins. With the various forms of protein supplements, you have different options to go with. Things like protein tubs, cubes, and textured feed are available. Since these various types have different delivery requirements it is best to do some comparisons to see what works best for you.
Developing a plan
Analyzing your forages will provide you with important information when developing and managing your plan. You should have your forages tested at different times throughout the year. This will allow you to track how the nutritional values change over the course of the year and help you to plan ahead.
The next thing you should take into consideration is what stage of production your cows will be in at certain times of the year. Her nutritional requirements will be different if she is dry vs in the last trimester. You will want to make her stage of production match best with what your forages will be providing.
Developing your nutrient requirement calendar can be done pretty easily on something such as a computer’s spreadsheet or simply with a pen and paper. It is only important that you write it down somehow. This will reduce the possibility of “forgetting” any information. Now the thing to remember is that your nutrient calendar will not be 100% accurate at the very beginning. The work will be evolving over time, so it may need to be tweaked.
The purpose of a well-designed nutrition plan is to supply your cattle’s nutrient needs in the most economically viable way possible. It will help you understand the flow your forages will go through as you go along the year. And it will help you to decide what supplements to provide to get the most “bang for your buck”.
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