Nutrition: Articles and factsheets

Key points Phosphorus deficiency increases cattle mortality rates and decreases growth and breeder efficiency, severely impacting the business performance. Economic analyses for example properties in the Fitzroy NRM…
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Water is one of the most important factors of successful livestock production. If water quality is poor livestock drink less. When livestock drink less, they eat less, lose condition and have less milk. These Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, pages cover: water salinity, blue-green algae, contamination, water testing and where to get more information.

This Meat & Livestock Australia factsheet outlines the benefits of using molasses for feed, including the competitive cost, its composition and using surfactants to reduce viscosity.

This factsheet outlines some high-energy alternatives which will allow feedlot operators to lower the cost of rations, while maintaining feed quality. Download a copy of High-energy feed alternatives…
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Key messages: Seek professional advice in both the diagnosis and correction of deficiencies. Determine the benefits and costs in your situation. Both deficiencies and excess can cause problems.…
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Hay and silage quality is impacted greatly by stage of maturity. As forage crops mature fibre increases while digestibility and crude protein decreases. A basic nutrient analysis will…
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Information on energy requirements of beef cattle and how to correct energy shortfalls can be obtained from attending a Nutrition EDGE workshop.

When deciding on a supplement strategy, it is important to determine the cost of the supplement in relation to the nutrient you require. In some cases, the supplement…
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Key messages Typically, if cattle have reduced growth during the dry season because of low quality and low availability of pasture, then during the following wet season, or…
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An explanation of what Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS), specifically Faecal Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (F.NIRS), is and how you can use it to assess the diet quality of the pasture your cattle are eating.