This period is really characterised by an energy deficit, bought about by the lack of available feed and the increased demand. So, for producers looking to manage this period, their focus needs to be on addressing the deficit. In turn this requires focussing on the most appropriate supplement and correct feeding strategies to avoid waste and potential health risks.
Providing energy to cattle often means considering the use of cereal grains; hays or silages or processed products such as pellets. Often rations will comprise a mix of grains and hays. It’s important to introduce grain into a ration over a period of days. The rumen needs time to adjust to the introduction of starch, so rushing a ration is something to avoid.
Even though you may plan on using a grain, or pellets, remember the rumen still requires some fibre to function effectively. So rations need to include around 20% roughage to avoid upset.
The other key risk is associated with how you may feed a ration. Grains and mixes can be fed daily in troughs or through feeders. This requires making some calculations to ensure that the feeder holds enough for the daily feeding levels. Don’t skimp on the never of feeders either. Cattle that can’t access feeders – by being shy or because they are smaller and easily bullied by more dominant animals can run the risk of either not eating and so falling short of their energy target. Or they may wait until the feeder is free and then gorge on the ration which can cause digestive upsets.
