Nutrition
In order to manage nutrition for optimal cattle performance the first step is sound grazing management. For more information see grazing land management. Once sound grazing management has been applied, it may still be necessary to supply additional nutrients to correct deficiencies, maintain weight (maintenance) or meet production targets.
Planning and managing a supplementary feeding program
- Dry season management of a beef business – a guide to planning, managing and supplementary feeding booklet
- Planning and managing a supplementary feeding program
- Assessing pasture diet quality (NIRS)
- Nutrient requirements of beef cattle
- Nutrient composition of feeds
- Hay and silage analyses – what do they mean?
- Product labels – what are they saying?
- Costing supplements
Supplementary feeding
- Protein and urea
- Energy supplements, including molasses supplementation
- Minerals and vitamins, including phosphorus
- Dry season management of a beef business – a guide to planning, managing and supplementary feeding booklet
Extended dry conditions/drought
Additional information
- Compensatory growth
- Hormonal growth promotants
- Hormonal growth promotants – growth and carcase responses
Water requirements should also be met to ensure optimum performance (and survival) of beef cattle.
Resources
Workshops
Publications
- Dry season management of a beef business – a guide to planning, managing and supplementary feeding booklet
- Other publications about nutrition
Multimedia
Nitrate supplements, methane and remote technologies
A producer demonstration trial is attempting to identify novel methods to improve the precision of supplementation while simultaneously demonstrating practical methane mitigation technologies via supplements. The trial is also testing the effect of free choice supplementation concepts to further understand animal performance and its relationship with supplement use, watering and grazing behaviour. The trial is utilising innovative remote livestock monitoring/management technologies to quantify all individual animal responses.
This webinar covers: methane from livestock basics; the basics of non-protein nitrogen supplementation and why nitrate, and; PDS trial design, aims, preliminary data and where it will go.
1:18:34 minutes | 28 November 2013. Also available are the webinar presentation slides (PDF, 6.18MB).
Links
- Feed cost calculator, NSW Department of Primary Industries
- Feed and nutrition dairy information for Australian dairy farmers and the industry, Dairy Australia
- Australian Fodder Industry Association website
- Assessing stock feed additives and mineral supplements, NSW Department of Primary Industries