Producers tend to have a love/hate relationship regarding supplements. On the one hand, they love how it improves the performance of their cattle, but on the other hand, they hate that it adds to their expenses. It is for this reason that producers tend only to feed supplements if they absolutely have to.
In order to get the most cost-effective use out of feeding cattle, producers should look at supplements more as an investment rather than just another expense. Supplements can add increased value to both performance and their return at the sale if appropriately used.
As we are all aware, forages alone will not provide all the necessary nutrients that your cattle need. Supplement feeding is required to complement what your forages provide. Though your grass may be green now, the quality of it will decline as the forages mature later on in the year.
So, how do you get the most effective use of supplements?
Producers tend to have a love/hate relationship when it comes to supplements. On the one hand, they love how it improves the performance of their cattle but on the other, they hate that it adds to their expenses. It is for this reason that producers tend to not feed supplements unless they absolutely have to.
