Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle

  • November 27, 2018
  • in Beef
  •  Impress

Herd of cattle standing in a pasture.

Understanding beef cattle nutrient requirements is a critical step in developing a nutritional management strategy for the herd. Nutritional decision making is a key factor determining beef cattle production and profitability. Adequate diet is required for growth, maintenance, lactation, and reproduction. The following tables highlight daily diet dry affair and nutrient density requirements for different classes of cattle at various stages of production based on the National Enquiry Council'south Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle:

  • dry matter intake
  • total digestible nutrients
  • crude protein
  • calcium
  • phosphorous

Tables 1 and 3 show the requirements of growing and finishing steers and heifers. Each table is presented based on their anticipated mature weight. For steers, this represents anticipated slaughter weight. Requirements for heifers are shown every bit predicted weight at maturity with a body condition score of v.

Tables 4 through half-dozen show the nutritional requirements of brood cows. These requirements are based on months since calving. Each table assumes that calves will be weaned at 7 months of age. This corresponds to a decrease in nutrient requirements at this fourth dimension point within each table. Within a given weight group of cows, nutrient requirements change based on the anticipated size of the calf to exist weaned. The weights presented are for a 7-month-old male person calf. Therefore, if 205-day weights are available, it becomes easy to determine the food requirements for a particular herd during any month of the year.

Tabular array 7 is a summary of the requirements of pregnant replacement heifers relative to the time of calving. This table also accounts for the nutrients needed for continual growth past the heifers. It is assumed that the heifers are gaining at a rate of 0.73, 0.88, and 1.02 pounds per day for the 1,000-, 1,200-, and 1,400-pound heifers, respectively.

The post-obit must exist true for these tables to be effective:

  • Adequate forage quality is required (≥ 52% TDN, 8% CP). Every bit forage nutritional value declines, dry matter intake can be limited below levels presented in these tables. If this is the case, nutrient requirements every bit percentages will need to exist adapted.
  • Cattle are in skillful torso condition. Mature cows should exist a condition score (BCS) 5 at calving, while heifers should exist a BCS 6 to ensure acceptable rebreeding rates. If cattle are not in sufficient torso condition, additional energy will be needed during tardily gestation to increase BCS. Appendix Table A gives the amount of boosted TDN needed in the nutrition per day to change the body condition score in a lx-24-hour interval period by one unit.

Example. Presume that a group of cows should weigh i,200 pounds at a body condition score of v. This herd is within sixty to 70 days of the showtime of the calving season, and they have an average condition score of 4. The herd records indicate that the average 205-solar day weight for the male calves is approximately 560 pounds. From Table 5, we decide that the cows will consume approximately 24 pounds of dry matter per day and that they crave 52.3 percent TDN and seven.7 percent CP. Because we want to push button these cows from a condition score four to a score of 5 in the 60 days before calving, we need to provide an additional 2.6 pounds of TDN per twenty-four hour period. Based on the above requirements the cows need 12.55 pounds of TDN (24 × .523) plus the additional ii.vi for a full of xv.15 pounds per day. Every bit a percentage, this group of cows would require 63.1 percent TDN during this initial thirty days of the 60-day precalving time catamenia.

Kim Mullenix, Extension Beef Cattle Systems Specialist. Originally prepared by Darrell L. Rankins Jr., former Extension Animal Scientist, Professor, Beast and Dairy Sciences, Auburn University.

Reviewed June 2021, Food Requirements of Beefiness Cattle, ANR-0060

Did y'all find this helpful?