Adjusting feed rations with available forage

Adjusting feed rations with available forage

have had to deal with drought and other environmental conditions that create lower quality forage production. Many producers are forced to buy whatever forage they can acquire, which sometimes means lower quality. So what can be done to still meet livestock needs?

The first thing that is critical in creating an adequately balanced ration is to get a forage sample. This will give an estimate of what nutrients are already available, and what nutrients will need to be supplemented. For information on how to collect a forage sample, refer to MontGuide Collecting a Forage or Feed Sample for Analysis (MT201610AG).

Knowing the required amounts of nutrients for an animal is important, and a local county Extension agent, beef or sheep specialist, NRCS consultant, or

agriculture consultant can be of assistance. Animal needs will change based on many things such as age, production status, health status, and even environment. Therefore, it is important to start with the right required nutrient amounts. Upon receiving analysis results, you can begin applying the nutrients needed to the forage on hand.

Forages that are considered lower quality, with higher fiber and lower crude protein (CP) and energy (often reported as TDN, or total digestible nutrients) will likely need to be supplemented, especially during the winter when many cows are in late gestation.

In forages lacking protein, animals respond very well to supplemental protein forms. A lick tub, block, or cake can often be helpful in meeting animal needs. However, using lick tubs or cake is not always a guarantee that all animals will get the

right amount every day. Research has shown that particularly in tub or block form, not every animal will visit the lick tub or block every day. And even when cake is fed daily, more dominant animals will often crowd out those animals that are lowerrank, decreasing the likelihood that they meet their individual needs. Ruminants do have the ability to eat several days’ worth of protein at once, so it can be hard to account for.

Energy is another important nutrient that needs to be considered along with protein. If energy is inadequate, animals will start to lose body condition which can affect performance. Livestock require adequate amounts daily to maintain or account for increasing production, especially in late gestation, when the fetus has higher demands due to elevated growth.

If forage does not have adequate energy concentrations, energy can be supplemented in forms such as added fat or grain. The forage analysis will help target exactly how much needs to be fed daily, to avoid overfeeding of supplements or supplemental feeds, and avoid decreased production. The additional expense of these supplements will easily outweigh the cost of possible production losses.

Vitamins and minerals should also be carefully considered in livestock management. In forages that have higher fiber content and lower digestibility, vitamins and minerals are not as available as in more digestible forages. Again, having a quality forage analysis will help to evaluate the availability and amounts of these nutrients. Even in higher-quality forages, some minerals and vitamins may still be lacking, simply because they are in low supply in the soil. Supplementing with these minerals in adequate amounts, as well as ratios, is important to maintain optimal performance.

When trying to stretch out a low hay supply, ensure you are not feeding too little and affecting animals. General recommendations call for at least 1.5% of animal body weight to be fed daily in the form of forage dry matter. Another method to evaluate this is at least .7% of body weight should be fed as forage-NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber), or fiber. This helps to create an adequate environment for rumination, and decreases risk of problems such as ulcers or acidosis.

Feeding when it is cold out will change these requirements slightly, as it is recommended to increase the amount of fiber fed to avoid cold stress; this can be in the form of hay or straw. It is recommended that for every degree below an animal’s thermoneutral zone, forage should be increased by 1% of current diet, with 18ºF used as a common lower critical temperature for winter. For example, if the ambient temperature dips to 0ºF, feeding an additional 18% may be prudent to maintain body condition.

Feeding lower quality forages in a ration is possible, but it is important to know the nutrient concentration of that forage in order to adequately balance the ration. Also knowing the herd’s daily nutrient requirements is imperative to maintain optimal production. Coupling low-quality forages with supplements and grains to balance out their needs will help to ensure optimum forage utilization as well as livestock performance. �