Producers tend to have a love/hate relationship regarding supplements. On the one hand, they love how it improves the performance of their cattle, but on the other hand, they hate that it adds to their expenses. It is for this reason that producers tend only to feed supplements if they absolutely have to.
In order to get the most cost-effective use out of feeding cattle, producers should look at supplements more as an investment rather than just another expense. Supplements can add increased value to both performance and their return at the sale if appropriately used.
As we are all aware, forages alone will not provide all the necessary nutrients that your cattle need. Supplement feeding is required to complement what your forages provide. Though your grass may be green now, the quality of it will decline as the forages mature later on in the year.
So, how do you get the most effective use of supplements?
Choose best supplements
Choosing the correct supplement to feed is the first step in doing this. The way to look at this is that it is about supplementation, not substitution of the already available forages. It would be best if you went with one that “fills in the gap” of what your forages may be lacking.
In order to know what you need to supplement, you can do a forage analysis of your pastures to find out what they provide and what they don’t. The results of the analysis will tell you what supplements you should look for. If you don’t want to do this, just visiting with your local county extension agent is another way you can go. They can tell you what the forages in your area typically provide and what they may be lacking.
When looking for the best supplement, select the one that includes protein, energy, calcium, phosphorus, and some trace minerals. These are very important for your cattle’s overall health and well-being and should be lacking in their diet.
Your decision should be based on what nutrients your forages may need supplementing and what stage of production your cattle are in.
Protein Supplement
Simply put, a protein supplement is any feed that will increase the protein content of the current base diet. Protein supplements are needed to improve the forage digestibility of the microbes in the rumen. A producer could need a protein supplement if the cows are eating low-quality forages like in a dormant pasture.
Some examples of a protein supplement are things like alfalfa hay, soybean meal, or range cubes. Molasses tubs are also a source of protein. A portion of a tub’s protein could come from non-protein-nitrogen. It is essential to read the feed tags to determine the origin of the protein.
Another thing to consider when looking at these types of supplements is the ratio of ruminally degradable to rumen undegradable protein. Proteins degraded or utilized by the rumen microbes are rumen-degradable proteins. Cows can absorb or use the undegradable instead of breaking it down in the rumen. The types with a higher percentage of RDP will be forages, soybean meal, and non-protein nitrogens like urea and ammonia.
Energy Supplement
These supplements generally consist of low protein content. A problem with feeding for energy is the starches can interfere with forage digestion in the rumen. This interference can occur when you are providing a low-quality forage diet. There are supplements available that decrease the potential of something like this happening. These are known as high-fiber energy sources. They will provide the energy you need without affecting the rumen environment. Some examples of this type are soyhulls, wheat middlings, and sugar beet pulp.
Begin feeding supplements early.
One approach that many take when feeding supplements is only to start when the cattle “look” as they need it. This approach is not very good for many reasons. Using this approach will only cost you more because your cattle will have to catch up and will tend to overconsume it.
If you provide the feed early enough, this will prevent any dip in performance. Instead of trying to get the cattle back up to where they need to be, you will instead be maintaining where they are. Starting early will also allow your cattle a chance to get used to it, thus reducing the likelihood of getting acidosis or other types of problems.
When you are beginning to feed supplements to livestock that were last exposed to them a while ago, it is best to start slow and work your way up. Again, This strategy will reduce the likelihood of them developing something like bloat or acidosis, which will cost you vet bills.
Let’s say you want to start feeding grain as a supplement. A study by the University of Wisconsin suggests that you start with a 50/50 mixture of grain and forage. Then, over the span of 2 weeks, you can increase the percentage of grain in the diet.
Place supplements near a water source
A supplement will do you no good if the cattle won’t eat it. Cattle are creatures of habit and will not go out of their way for feed. So where you place the feed bunk is very important.
When starting to provide feed, place the bunk near areas where cattle tend to gather. These are usually places near a water source, shaded loafing areas, and things like that. Putting it near where they typically hang out will allow them to adjust to it.
Once they have been consuming it for a little while, you can then move further out to different areas in the pasture. In this way, they can graze in underutilized locations. I discuss more in-depth how you can do that in a previous post, ” Better grazing with supplements”.
Clean feeder trough regularly
Making sure that the feed remains fresh is just a good idea health-wise. It would be best to inspect the feed to ensure it stays dry and remove any wet feed. Removing wet feed will prevent mold and rot from forming.
Needing to prevent this is even true if you are providing supplements in an enclosed bunk, such as a range feeder with an adjustable feeder gate. Any recent moisture or rain can make the feed directly behind the gate clump together and get moldy, stopping it from flowing down correctly.
