Sensible supplementation – considerations, planning and actions

Supplementing the diet of your livestock with key missing nutrients can provide a remarkable return on investment. But how do you know you are providing your animals what they need and not more of what they already have?

Join Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Beef Extension Officers Mick Sullivan and Kylie Hopkins in this 3-part (recorded) webinar series when they discuss:

  1. Sensible Supplementation 1 – beef cattle nutrition principles
  2. Sensible Supplementation 2 – herd management and nutrition
  3. Sensible Supplementation 3 – choosing and managing supplements

You can use the tabs below to select and watch a full recording or use the playlists (below each recording) to jump to the start of a particular section within the recording.

Additional resources:

In this webinar recording, Mick Sullivan (Beef Extension Officer – DAF Rockhampton) discusses how herd management can better align animal requirements with diet quality and reduce the need for supplementation.

Topics discussed include:

  • Managing seasonal variation in diet quality
  • Importance of breeder body condition
  • Choosing joining times
  • Strategies to manage breeder body condition

Download a copy of the presentation – Sensible supplementation 2 – Herd management and nutrition (PDF; 2.71 MB)

Full recording

Playlist

  1. Sensible Supplementation 2 – herd management and nutrition
  2. Webinar series outline and recap
  3. Diet quality is closely related to the season
  4. Filling the dry season gap?
  5. Breeder body condition scores
  6. End of dry season body condition and expected pregnancy rates
  7. Forward store at calving is insurance against a late season break
  8. How much do management options reduce dry season breeder live weight loss?
  9. How long can your cows hang on for?
  10. Green date – when does the season break?
  11. Factors to consider in joining times
  12. Breeder segregation
  13. Summary
  14. Extra support