The Angus Journal is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association programs and services; the Angus business; herd management techniques; and advertising reflecting genetics herd philosophies.
Issue link: http://angusjournal.epubxp.com/i/435083
lb. of supplement. There are a variety of feed delivery methods available to suit each nutritional need and delivery preference, including blocks, tubs, lick tanks, buckets, cube feeders and vertical mixers, just to name a few. Ironically, how the cattle perform ranks below price, purchase location, storage facilities and delivery method. In the end, if the feed cannot be purchased, handled, stored or delivered to the cattle, their performance will suffer regardless of ingredient or its cost. The feed-handling logistics can be addressed if the ingredient improves cost of gain or enhances performance. Understanding the nutritional components of a supplement will improve ingredient selection relative to the animal's requirements. The first supplement component to consider is water or, inversely, dry-matter content. When purchasing supplements, the nutrients and price should be determined on a DM basis. If DM adjustments are not made when evaluating supplement choices, uniform comparisons cannot be made. To compare price per unit of DM, divide the price by the %DM. For example, wet distillers' grains (35% DM) costing $38 per ton wet at the plant cost $108.57 per ton on a DM basis. Adjusting price for moisture puts all supplements on an even comparison basis. The first nutrient most producers supplement is protein, shown on a feed tag as crude protein or CP%. Crude protein is simply the amount of nitrogen times 6.25. The microbes in the rumen convert feed and forage nitrogen to microbial protein. When cows are consuming poor-quality forage, nitrogen is typically limiting microbial growth, forage intake and, ultimately, cow performance. Forage with less than 7% CP is poor-quality and will require protein supplementation to allow for optimum microbial growth. Feed energy is not listed on the feed tag, nor is it part of a guaranteed analysis. True feed-energy estimates are only determined by animal feeding. To estimate feed energy, fiber components are determined because as forages mature, fiber content increases and available energy declines. Cows can use body- condition reserves to substitute energy during high energy-demand periods or when inadequate energy is supplied from forages. Protein and energy are the two major nutrients found in feeds; both are required in pounds compared to minerals and vitamins, which are required in grams. Supplements high in phosphorus can replace the need for phosphorus mineral supplements. For example, 3 lb. of distillers' grains provide about the same amount of phosphorus as ΒΌ lb. of a 10% phosphorus mineral. In this January 2015 n ANGUSJournal n 103 CONTINUED ON PAGE 104