MODULE 6 Flashcards
illustrates how feed is broken down into its component parts in a laboratory procedure
proximate analysis
; this is especially true of
farm or feedlot rations where high-moisture silage is often fed.
in early spring, grazed native forage contains 75 to 90 percent
water
e rapid-growth period
Is above the cow’s daily water requirements, while 10 to 12 gallons is closer to what
she will actually drink.
30 GALLONS
Often can be a
problem, as water is a good solvent and may contain dissolved inorganic salts
Salinity
Most waters are alkaline with pH values of 7.0 to 8.0.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) consist of inorganic and organic materials
Supply most of cattle’s energy needs and make up 65 to 75 percent of the dry weight of grains, forages, and roughage.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates include compounds such as sugars, starch,
cellulose, and other related substances.
Two commonly used substances detected in typical feed analysis to evaluate carbohydrate content of feed are:
crude fiber and nitrogen-free extract.
Feed digestibility generally decreases as crude fiber content increases.
In actively growing grass,
forage, or high-quality hay, the crude fiber is lower, so digestibility is higher.
as plants mature, crude fiber content increases and digestibility declines
Microorganisms in the rumen (10 billion per
gram of contents) digest or break down
cellulose
the
major carbohydrate in the crude fiber portion of plants,
into products ruminant animals can use.
complex compounds composed of various amino acids. These amino acids contain
16 percent nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. I
protein
complex compounds composed of various amino acids. These amino acids contain
16 percent nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. I
important for growth, reproduction, and lactation in animals.
Adequate levels of protein
Is an excellent protein source when compared with grains such as corn,
sorghum, barley, or oats.
High-quality alfalfa hay
COMPOUNDS such as urea and ammonia, are
frequently placed in protein supplements fed to ruminants to reduce the cost of supplementation.
Non-protein nitrogen (NPN)
ingested into the rumen, where the microflora breaks it down and use the nitrogen portion to synthesize microbial protein,
Dietary protein
microbial protein, which forms microbial cells within the microbes.
Every time a protein is broken down and re-formed, energy is required
Certain proteins, such as those found in blood meal and feather meal (bypass proteins), may
escape microbial break down in the rumen and are digested in the abomasum and small intestine.
Technology has perfected ways to protect high-quality proteins, such as those found in —
, from breaking down by the rumen microbes.
soybean
meal,
Technology has perfected ways to protect high-quality proteins, such as those found in —
, from breaking down by the rumen microbes.
soybean
meal,
When using bypass protein, make sure the
rumen microflora gets 6 to 7 percent protein to optimize
forage digestion.
determined in the proximate analysis procedure using an ether extraction
Fat
Fat provides approximately 2.25 times the amount of energy per unit of weight when compared with carbohydrates or proteins.
Adding fat helps bind cube and pellet ingredients together to make them harder and more stable
during handling and feeding
Adding fat helps bind cube and pellet ingredients together to make them harder and more stable
during handling and feeding
critical for skeletal development, digestion, metabolic processes, reproduction,
growth, and lactation
Minerals
are two of the most important minerals animals require on a daily basis
Calcium and phosphorus
Can be extremely toxic at high levels; yet, under
some range situations, supplementation has improved cattle performance.
Trace element copper
are generally grouped according to their regulatory functions and are not necessarily
chemically related. Vitamins help animals digest and absorb nutrients
Vitamins
Vitamin A is commonly provided by injection or through supplementation, and animals can store up to a six-month supply of vitamin A in their livers.
is the single largest cost associated with raising small ruminants, typically accounting for
60% or more of total production costs
Feed
Energy (calories) is usually the most limiting nutrient, whereas protein is the most expensive.
is necessary to maintain a healthy rumen environment and prevent digestive upsets.
Fiber (bulk)
many factors affect the nutritional requirements of small ruminants:
- Maintenance
- growth
- Preganancy
- Lactation
- Fiber production
- Activity
- Environment
many factors affect the nutritional requirements of small ruminants:
- Maintenance
- growth
- Preganancy
- Lactation
- Fiber production
- Activity
- Environment
As a general rule of thumb, sheep and goats will consume 2 to 4 percent of their body weight on a
dry matter basis in feed.
Usually the primary and most economical source of nutrients for sheep and goats, and in some cases, pasture is all small ruminants need to meet their nutritional
requirements
pasture, forbs and browse
tends to be high in energy and protein when it is in a vegetative state
pasture
As pasture plants mature, palatability and digestibility decline
During the early part of the grazing season, browse (woody plants, vines and brush) and forbs (weeds) tend to be higher in protein and energy than ordinary pasture
is the primary source of nutrients for small ruminants during the winter or non-grazing
season
hay
varies tremendously in quality, and the only way to know the nutritional content is to have
the hay analyzed by a
forage testing laboratory
tends to be a moderate source of protein and energy for sheep and goats.
hay
Legume hays –alfalfa, clover, lespedeza –
tend to be higher in protein, vitamins and minerals, especially calcium, than grass hays
It is often times necessary to feed —- to provide the nutrients that forage alone cannot
provide. This is particularly true in the case of high-producing animals
concentrates
There are two types of concentrate feeds:
: Energy and Proteins
Energy feeds provide more calories, but tend to be low in protein (8-11%).
One of the problems with feeding a lot of cereal grains is that they are high in phosphorus content, but low in calcium.
Feeding a diet that is high in phosphorus and low in calcium can cause urinary calculi (kidney
stones) in wethers and intact males.
The proper calcium to phosphorus ration is 2:1.
Inadequate calcium
can lead to milk fever (hypocalcemia) in pregnant or lactating ewes/does.
Ruminant-derived meat and bone meal
cannot (by law) be fed to other ruminants, including sheep and goats.
Protein quantity is generally more important than protein quality (amino acid content) in ruminant livestock since the microorganisms in the rumen manufacture their own body protein.
Livestock do not store excess protein; it is burned as energy or eliminated (as nitrogen) by the kidneys.
Since parasites often cause blood loss in small ruminants, higher levels of protein in the diet
may enable the animal to mount a greater immune response to parasites.
Many minerals are required by small ruminants. The most important are salt, calcium, and
phosphorus.
ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be kept around 2:1 to prevent urinary calculi.
Small ruminants require vitamins A, D and E, whereas vitamin
K and all the B vitamins are manufactured in the rumen.
A mature animal will consume between ¾ to 1 ½ gallons of water per day
Water requirements and intake increase greatly
during late gestation and during lactation
Improved pasture and proper grazing management allows producers a way to keep production costs to a minimum by efficiently producing high quality forage
Developing a pasture and grazing management system for livestock requires planning as well as
an understanding of:
1) forage growth phases,
2) managing forage growth, and
3) grazing systems
Clover and grass pastures grow most efficiently if they are managed to maintain a 2 to 5- inch height, when plants are in the vegetative state.
Perennial ryegrass pastures in Phase I (1 inch high) grow very slowly because they lack leaf area for optimum photosynthesis.
In Phase II (2 to 5 inches high) the plants make the most rapid and efficient growth; their leaf
area is great enough to use all the sunlight falling on the area.
Pasture growth slows in Phase III
(5-12 inches high) as lower leaves become shaded and die
Four main classes are used to describe growing stages of the grass plant:
- vegetative stage
- elongation stage
- boot stage
- heading
- anthesis
- mature seed
involves unelongated tillers that are only producing leaves.
Vegetative stage:
internodes are starting to elongate and elevate shoot apices.
Elongation stage
Inflorescences are located in the sheaths of the flag leaf.
Boot stage:
Inflorescences start to emerge and to expand.
Heading
Flowers are shedding pollen.
Anthesis
Inflorescences are fully developed and seeds are ripe.
Mature seed
Good tiller development in the fall depends on
(1) adequate energy reserves;
(2) leaf area;
(3) soil fertility;
(4) soil moisture and
(5) available light and the ratio of red light to far red light, indicative of the amount of shade provided by other plants.
Management Implications
A critical grassland management practice is to keep an eye on plant regrowth and location of the shoot apices, otherwise known as the main growing points, in the canopy of the plant.
Managing Forage Growth
Pasture is the least expensive feed for livestock. Ensuring that
animal nutrient needs can be supplied by pasture for as many days as
possible will help your operation become more economically viable.
Refers
to a broader category of grazing systems including rest rotation, deferred rotation, and managementintensive grazing.
Rotational grazing
continuous grazing system, livestock producers allow animals to graze on pasture for the
entire grazing season. T
Pastures are rested for a specified period of time.
rest rotation grazing system,
A particular pasture is not grazed for a specific period of time until
plants reach a certain maturity level.
Deferred grazing system
Can be more productive in regions where adequate soil moisture
ensures regrowth of forage.
Rotational grazing systems
animals are moved to a new paddock in no specific order.
Pastures are grazed when they are producing the most readily available forage.
management-intensive grazing system,
Management-intensive grazing
requires subdividing the land into paddocks, providing access to water, adjusting stocking rates, and monitoring grazing duration.
Proper fencing is essential to improved grazing management and pasture production.
