Feedlots and cow/calf operations in the beef industry who feed 500 or more has annually on grains and concentrates; maintain 500 or more beef cows; backgrounder, stocker/grower, preconditioner; veterinarian, nutritionist, consultant
Issue link: http://feedlotmagazine.epubxp.com/i/592830
FEED•LOT  November 2015 19 showed substantially lower conver- s ion rates of corn-based high-starch supplement vs. a high-fiber supple- ment when fed at .75 percent of body weight. But when fed at lower rates, the difference was negligible, likely due to less disruption to the rumen microbial population and thus more efficient utilization. Fieser says in his experience, cracked corn makes an ideal sup- plement, but some producers may find other options more economical. There appears to be little differ- ence in supplement form, as far as performance is concerned. Hand feeding has been shown to improve feed conversion by 33 percent over self-feeders, and feed increases should begin around two weeks prior to forage depletion to maintain per- formance and prevent over-grazing. Is roughage needed? Adding roughage in the form of low-quality forages may help coun- teract the richness of the wheat diet, but will not produce an in- crease in performance or intake. In fact, a Louisiana State University study showed cattle gained better without it. "What an available bale of hay really shows us is how much wheat forage is out there," explains Fieser. "If there is plenty of wheat, they won't eat much of the hay. If they're eating the hay, it says wheat forage is declining." Corn and sorghum silages can make excellent forage supplement, and several studies have shown their value in increasing stocker rates, reducing dry matter intake of wheat forage by up to 0.66 pounds for each dry matter pound of silage provided. Silage also has a positive effect on wheat forage digestibility. "Be sure to consult your nutri- tionist to assess your operation's specific needs," says Fieser, "or you may end up giving cattle something they don't need and don't particu- larly want to eat. But when done right, and combined with good man- agement practices, supplements can improve stocker performance and prediction accuracy." FL Item Protein (%) Ca (%) P (%) Mg (%) K (%) Composition, % of DM 25 to 31 0.35 .25 to .40 0.15 3 to 5 A NIMAL REQUIREMENT 3 00 lb calf a 16.2 0.80 0.36 0.10 0.70 5 00 lb calf b 12.9 0.53 0.26 0.10 0.70 Table 1: Nutrient Content of Wheat Forage versus Animal Requirement a Based on 300 lb steer calf consuming 8.6 lb forage DM per day and gaining 2 lb/d, with mature BW of 1200 lb at 28% fat (NRC, 1996). b Based on 500 lb steer calf consuming 12.6 lb forage DM per day and gaining 2 lb/d, with mature BW of 1200 lb at 28% fat (NRC, 1996).