1. Supplementing Feed to Grazing Cattle Dallas Mount Platte County Extension Educator

2. Introduction Forage = Beef The ideal supplement should enhance or not inhibit the animal’s ability to digest forage Supplement should complement forage quality

3. Basic Beef Nutrition Rumen Stomach, Intestines

4. Rumen Function Feed Stomach and Intestines Energy Protein

5. Considerations When Supplementing Ruminants Rumen microbes have nutrient requirements –If not met, rumen efficiency is decreased Feed affects rumen microbes before it affects the animal

6. Influence of Season on Forage Quality J. A. Johnson, et al. (1998) North Dakota State University

7. Nutrient Content of Range Forage Percent

8. Ruminal Protein Digestibility Percent Percent of Protein

9. Forage nutrient content varies with season Fiber portion of forage (NDF) Digestibility (TDN)Protein content and protein degradability

10. Energy vs. Protein Supplements Energy Corn Wheat Oats Fat MolassesProtein Soybean meal Cottonseed meal Corn Gluten meal Feather meal Blood meal

11. Effect of Degradable Protein Supplements on Intake and Digestion of Low-Quality Forage by Beef Cows H. H. Koster et al. (1996) Kansas State University

12. Methods Cows fed a diet of: – Low-quality forage –5 levels of ruminally degradable protein Measured diet digestion parameters

13. Forage Intake (g/kg BW.75 ) Degradable Protein (grams/day)

14. Forage Digestion (%) Degradable Protein (grams/day)

15. Total Diet Digestion (%) Degradable Protein (grams/day)

16. Implications Supplementing ruminally degradable protein: –Improved digestion of low-quality forage by 15% –Increased forage intake by 55% This represents an improvement of forage utilization by the animal

17. Type of Protein Supplement Natural vs. Non-Protein Nitrogen

18. Type of Protein Supplement Soybean Meal Cottonseed Meal Corn Gluten Meal Urea (48% nitrogen) Natural Non-Protein Nitrogen Slowly digested Provide BCVFA’s Quickly digested/dissolved Provides only nitrogen

19. Performance of Cows on Native Range When Fed Protein or Corn Supplements D. W. Sanson, D. C. Clanton and I. G. Rush (1990) University of Nebraska

20. Methods 135 cows grazing native Sandhills winter range Supplement treatments: –Ear corn –Ear corn + protein supplement –Protein supplement

21. Weight Changes of Cows

22. Implications Corn supplemented cows lost more weight than protein supplemented cows Corn supplement decreased forage digestion and intake

23. Using TDN/CP Ratio for Supplement Selection

24. CP, %TDN, %TDN/CP Cattle need4.0-6.0 Dead grass45012.5 Med quality grass hay11524.7 Winter annual pasture21653.1 Cottonseed meal46761.6 Range cube22803.6 Corn10888.8

25. Using TDN/CP Ratios for Supplement Selection Forage TDN/CP > 7 < 4 Protein Energy Supplement

26. Conclusion Proper supplementation can improve forage digestion and animal performance Provide supplements that complement forage Use resources to help determine proper supplementation