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We
can now determine the feed needs of your cows. As I stated earlier, due
to hay shortage, you could only feed 10 pounds of hay. This 10 pounds of
hay will provide you .9 pounds of protein (10 pounds of hay X 9% protein
= .9 pounds) and 4.8 pounds of TDN (10 pounds of hay X 48% TDN = 4.8
pounds of TDN). This will leave you 2.1 pounds short of protein and 7.2
pounds short of TDN.
To
meet the protein shortage with corn, you would have to feed 28 pounds
per cow per day (2.1 pounds short/.075% protein in corn = 28 pounds).
This is infeasible because of the cost and problems that would come
nutritionally from feeding 28 pounds of corn. You would feed less than
28 pounds of corn to meet TDN needs, but you would be short of protein.
The answer to corn, if you choose this supplement, would be to provide
an additional protein source such as supplement blocks, soybean meal, or
cottonseed meal to meet protein requirements.
Let’s
look at corn gluten. To meet the protein shortage with gluten, you would
need to feed 11.6 pounds per cow per day (2.1 pounds short/.18% protein
in gluten = 11.6 pounds per cow per day). This would also provide 8.35
pounds of TDN (11.6 pounds of gluten X .72%TDN in gluten = 8.35 pounds).
In this example, a producer could easily feed 11.6 pounds of gluten,
with 10 pounds of hay to meet the crude protein and TDN requirements of
the beef cow at a cost that will not break the bank.
Let’s
now consider soyhulls as a supplement. To meet the protein shortage with
soyhulls, you would need to feed 22 pounds of soyhulls per cow (2.1
pounds short/.095%protein in soyhulls = 22.1 pounds). Fed at that rate
you would see nutritional disorders such as milk fever and bloat. While
22 pounds of soyhulls will more than meet the TDN requirement of your
herd, it is unpractical to feed soyhulls at that rate. If you chose
soyhulls to supplement your hay, you would need to consider an
additional protein source so that you could feed less of the hulls.
The
final example we will consider is 13% with Bovatec®. To meet the
protein shortage, you would need to feed 16 pounds of 13% Cattle Feed
(2.1 pounds short/.135%protein in 13% = 16). This will also provide you
with 10.88 pounds of TDN (16 pounds X .68% TDN = 10.88 pounds of TDN).
Also, with each of the above examples, you would need to provide a free
choice complete mineral. The complete cattle feed will meet the mineral
needs of your cattle, but it is always a good idea to provide minerals
on a free choice basis. |
