Beef cattle production and management
Practical Action
Vitamins
Fat-soluble and water soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, D, E, K.
Water-soluble vitamins includes the vitamin B-Complex.
Characterists of animal feeds
Feed for livestock are classified into three broad groups: roughage, concentrates and succulents.
Roughages
These provide energy which can be used for movement and producing heat. They are also used in
building up reserves. They are a cheap form of basal diet in beef cattle. Carbohydrates are low in
moisture, fibrous and low digestibility. Energy is required in large amounts by the animal for
physical activity, maintaining body temperature, growth, reproduction and lactation.
Cereal grains such as maize, sorghum, millet and some of their milling by-products provide the
richest sources of highly digestible starches and sugars. The bulk of the energy consumed
by most cattle comes from grazing and natural forages, which have energy content of 45-55%
total digestible nutrients (TDN).
Concentrates
These feeds are low in fibre and rich in digestible nutrients. Concentrates usually have low
moisture content (about 10%) and over 70% total digestible nutrients. Calcium levels are
usually relatively low (0.05 to 0.2%) and phosphorous levels relatively high (0.4 to 1.2%).
Concentrates are sub-divided according to the most important nutrients they contribute in
compounded rations, e.g. protein concentrates such as the oil seed cakes (30 to 50 % CP) and
energy concentrates such as the cereal grains (80% or more TDN). Concentrates are expensive
feeds for ruminants since they have to be purchased. Because of this, they are only fed as
supplements to achieve high production.
Succulents
They include all feeds with high moisture content (10 to 30% dry matter). Most succulent feeds
are high Iy palatable to stock and can be consumed in relatively large quantities by ruminants
(up to three times as much as dry feeds by mass). Examples of succulent feeds include green
grass, silage, pumpkins and melons.
Fodder establishment
How to make hay
Hay is fodder, which has been dried and stored without further processing. When dried, hay can
be stored indoors and fed to cattle in the dry season when feed is scarce. Dried feeds such as
hay are an important part of the diet for young and old livestock alike.
Making hay
30