Cattle Feeding Tips

 

It is important to keep your cattle healthy and prevent illness, and this is done with a carefully planned Cattle Feeding program. The amount of forage in the ration can be altered to meet the needs of each individual animal. You can use the Body Condition Scores (BCS) to determine the appropriate amount of feed to give your cattle. These scores range from one to nine. A thin animal scores one, a moderate-sized animal scores two to four, and a fat animal scores nine or more. For more information about Body Condition Scoring and feeding cattle, visit your local ag extension office or Tractor Supply.

Beef, pork, lamb, and other meat products are all considered proteins. Generally, cattle do not need protein, but some may need it. A good amount is about five to six pounds a day, while a low-quality feed contains only one or two grams. Cattle also do not require more protein than sheep and goats, and they are not a good source of vitamin A or C. Consequently, it is important to find a balance between protein and fat content in your feed.

Beef feedyards began as a way to dispose of unwanted by-products. The first feedyards were constructed in the mid-1850s in Texas. The feedyards bought a billion dollars of feeder cattle and spent another $355 million on feeds and trucking. In addition, these feedyards employed 5,000 permanent workers, several hundred contract workers, and supported nearly 40,000 jobs in the state of Texas.

The amount of grain and forage in your feed can vary greatly depending on the age of your cattle. Cattle that weigh seven hundred pounds or more should be fed a ration that contains at least 11 percent crude protein. The exact ratios of these two components will depend on the type of grain and the desired market grade of the meat. In general, you can use a combination of both types of feedstuffs, and the proportions of each will vary depending on the price of feed grains and food processing by-products.

While cattle owners may be concerned about the financial stability of their cattle, a feedlot loan can be a solution. The lender will charge you interest on the feed and other charges. However, the interest rate charged is usually prime plus one or two percentage points. If you are able to manage the payments, this is an excellent risk protection measure. This can help you keep your cattle healthy and increase profits. You should also make sure you work closely with your lender to get the best deal possible.

The ration consists of a combination of grains, forage, and oilseed-based concentrates, which should be fed for 90 days. In Brazil, cattle are fed for ninety-two days on grass and three months on grain. To ensure the nutritional quality of the cattle, Nevs puts up a grass silage during the wet season and feed forage during the dry season. By following this plan, his cattle's overall production cost increases by 20%. Moreover, he can keep 1,300 cows on the same land resource as before, reducing annual death rates to less than 2%.

Besides grass, most of the feed fed to cattle is a mixture of grain and hay. Some farmers also add loose minerals. In addition to block minerals, cattle also consume molasses. For instance, when pasture cattle are turned out in the spring, they need a supplement of high magnesium. This helps prevent grass tetany, a condition which occurs when cattle are turned out on fresh pasture. However, the regular mineral supplement is sufficient for the rest of the year.

When it comes to feed costs, feeding livestock is the biggest expense for a farm operation. A bred cow, for example, weighs about one hundred and twenty pounds. It will eat roughly 2.5% of its body weight on short-stem hay. If a farmer feeds eighty cows, they would spend about nine thousand dollars on hay. This amount would be around $55 per ton over a five-month period. Prices will vary depending on several factors, including location.Know more about cattle feeding here.

Cattle feeding is a business that requires substantial capital and is highly risky. During some years, you may not be able to recoup your investment in cattle feed. The beef industry is highly cyclical, and cattle prices can drop dramatically when drought, high feed costs, or other issues arise. However, entry into the cattle feeding business is relatively easy. Cattle-feeding facilities range in size from a few hundred to modern facilities with over fifty thousand animals. The scale of cattle feed yards can be significant, as the cost per animal decreases as the number of cattle increases.