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Posted 9 June 2006. Forage and Grazinglands. Limit Feeding an Energy Supplement to Extend Forage Oklahoma State University. dasnr.okstate.edu Stillwater, OK (May 8, 2006) - Although Oklahoma has been receiving some rain lately, drought conditions are still abundant.
When hay and forage production is low due to drought, hay prices often skyrocket. In the event of severe drought, forage of any kind may be hard to come by, said Kent Barnes, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service area extension livestock specialist. “Grazing forages has always been and will continue to be the most economical and practical way to maintain beef cows,” Barnes said. “However, in drought situations limit-feeding grain may be an economical alternative to purchasing expensive hay. When drought is accompanied by relatively low non-forage feed prices, producers can evaluate the possibility of using concentrates to feed cows.” When forage is scarce it is possible to reduce forage use by 70 percent to 80 percent by limit-feeding some grain to cows. Barnes said the basic principle is to feed corn, or some other concentrate energy source, and a supplement in just enough quantity to meet the animal’s requirement for maintenance or a targeted level of weight gain. “Generally, a very limited amount of roughage will be fed, or enough to keep the animal’s digestive system healthy,” he said. “This program is referred to as limit-feeding because the diet is much more nutrient dense compared to hay or dry grass, and the amount consumed must be limited. Otherwise, there isn’t a benefit in terms of feed cost savings and the animals get too fleshy.” Given the cost of purchasing and hauling hay, limit-feeding grain may reduce the cost of meeting nutritional needs by 20 percent to 40 percent. Keep in mind that a limit-feeding program for cows will require some changes in cow management, may increase labor for feeding and may require additional feed bunks. Other considerations include feed storage capacity and feed delivery equipment. In addition, farmers must have a well-drained lot or be willing to sacrifice pasture. “Limit-feeding isn’t for everyone. In fact, this technique may apply to only a small percentage of the cattle producers in Oklahoma,” Barnes said. “However, limit-feeding is one way to manage a herd of cattle through a drought.” Contact: Trisha Gedon |
