Tips on feeding cattle

Some important tips related to feed quality, feed storage, and feed loss management include:

• Analyze incoming ingredients and use selected suppliers that have quality control programs.
• Always monitor ingredients moisture.
• Use either a Koster Tester, a microwave oven, or a forced-air oven to check ration and ingredients moisture.
• Keep daily or weekly inventory reports.
• Check incoming ingredients moisture, color, odor, and texture.
• Watch for the presence of foreign material, heat damage, mold, and spoilage.
• Establish rejection criteria for incoming ingredients to ensure the best ration possible.
• Keep written quality control targets.
• Always handle feeds in a way that ensures that contamination does not occur.
• Frequently sample both ingredients and the total mixed ration.
• The ration should be consistently mixed.
• Check if the feed analysis matches the ration formulation.
• The mixer scale should be checked periodically for accuracy.
• Bunker forages should be tightly packed to minimize spoilage.
• Recognize that coproducts (e.g., distillers grain) will vary in nutrient content. A regular testing program should be established for coproducts used.
• Water must be kept clean.
• Reduce bunk shoveling with good bunk management.
• Estimate and account for feed waste.
• Watch the bunks to minimize feed wastage resulting from sorting or climatic factors (e.g., rain, snow).
• In times of high feed costs, reducing feed waste does make a difference.

For more information see: Improving Feedlot Profitability by Beth Doran and Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center.