When it comes to ruminant nutrition most people think of things like crude protein, energy, and possibly mineral content. Although these factors are important, roughage intake can often be overlooked. A minimum amount of roughage is important to keep the rumen functioning as it should.
The purpose of the rumen is to degrade complex structural fibers found in plants. Once it does that it metabolizes them to provide nutrients for the animal to make meat and milk that can be consumed by humans. They can produce better with plants that have lower fiber levels and are more digestible.
The quality and availability of roughage can have a direct effect on the success of a cattle enterprise. Providing better quality roughage can reduce the cost of feeding high-producing animals. But just how are you to go about providing better roughage for your animals? Well here are some things for you to consider.
Creep feeding can be a very useful tool for producers raising young calves. Using this tool can both improve your overall bottom line as well as your profitability. Not to mention also helping calves in being more productive.
Salt blocks are available to producers in a variety of different colors. This is something any trip to your local feed store can tell you. Each color represents different things about it.
A feed tag is a very informative but often overlooked item on a commercially produced feed. Other than looking at the Crude protein or maybe the energy content not many people really look at them. With some of the confusing numbers and such listed on them, it is understandable how that can happen.
Many producers out there unknowingly sabotage their mineral program by providing sulfur salt blocks to their cattle in the pasture. The general way of thinking in providing this is that it is for the purpose for external parasite control. The trouble with this is that although applied externally has shown to do this somewhat. As far as I have been able to find there is no proof that ingesting it does this.
Protein tubs have been gaining popularity here lately with producers of all sizes. People that use them like the convenience of having a supplement that is designed to be self-fed in the pasture. They can deliver supplemented nutrients that does not require extra labor.
Seems every year Mother Nature wants to wreak havoc on some regions with drought. Drier than desirable conditions cause problems for livestock producers who depend on forages for grazing during the summer months. But on a positive note using proper planning both your cattle and your bank account can survive the drought.
Sulfur for cattle tends to be a bit of a dividing subject for most producers. When it comes to this subject it generates a love/hate relationship with cattlemen. There are ones who love them as well as swear by them, then there are others who feel they are a waste of money.
Salt as you may know is one of the important building blocks for cattle. This, along with other minerals, are necessary for cattle to perform at their best.
When it comes to minerals people tend to focus only on either spring or fall. It is during these times of the year that cattle go through their highest demands. But just because that is the case it doesn’t mean that you should neglect your cows mineral needs during the rest of the year.
