5 Ways to Feed Cattle with Feed: Feed Them Right and They Grow Fast

In the process of beef cattle farming, if you want to save on farming costs, rapid fattening is the simplest method, and fattening inevitably requires feed. So what are the ways to feed cattle with feed? Feed these 5 types of feed correctly, and the cattle you raise will grow fast!

Correct ways to feed cattle with feed

1. Wheat bran

The specific amount of wheat bran added to cattle rations should be determined according to the size of the cattle, the season, and other conditions. Breeding cows can be fed a little more, calves a little more, and fattening cattle a little less; in summer a little more, and in winter a little less, but the maximum feeding amount should not exceed 15% of the total concentrate.

Feeder cattle stage: Since feeder cattle mainly grow their frame, they have a relatively high demand for calcium and phosphorus. The amount of wheat bran added to the feed can be increased to about 14%-15%, but attention should be paid to calcium supplementation.

Fattening stage: Fattening cattle have strong digestive capacity, and their frame has basically finished growing, so their demand for calcium and phosphorus is relatively small. Therefore, the amount of wheat bran added to the feed should be gradually reduced. In the early fattening stage, 8%-10% is appropriate, while in the later stage it needs to be reduced to 5%-7%. If a large amount of wheat bran is fed during the fattening stage, it will seriously affect the fattening effect.

2. Rice bran

Rice bran is rich in crude protein and oils, and has relatively high energy, but rice bran spoils easily, so it is best to use fresh rice bran to feed cattle.

Rice bran also has a laxative effect. Feeding too much will affect the cattle's digestion and absorption of feed. Generally, the amount of rice bran fed should not exceed 20% of the cattle's total daily ration.

When rice bran is overfed, once it exceeds 30% of the daily ration, beef quality will be affected, producing low-quality soft fatty meat, and people who eat it may easily develop dermatitis. If breeding cattle are fed too much, they will become overweight and their reproductive capacity will decrease; if calves are fed too much, it will cause diarrhea.

3. Legumes

It is generally not recommended to feed legumes directly to cattle. They must first be steamed or roasted to destroy the anti-nutritional factors inside through high temperature, and then fed to cattle. In addition, note that the feeding amount should not be too much, so as to avoid problems such as indigestion, rumen bloating, and diarrhea in cattle.

Ingredients: after crushing rice straw or stalk powder, 5%-20%, legumes 65%-75%, and the rest can be corn flour or rice bran. The ratio of corn flour or rice bran to okara can be appropriately adjusted according to the actual moisture content of the okara and other conditions.

4. Okara (soybean curb residue)

Okara is best fed fresh right after it is produced. When it needs to be stored, it can be dehydrated and dried or sealed and fermented. Once it spoils, it must absolutely not be fed to cattle.

Although okara has a relatively high protein content, it lacks nutrients such as minerals and vitamins, so it should not be fed in large amounts. It should be reasonably matched with other roughage, concentrate, and green feed. Generally, the amount of okara fed should not exceed 30% of the total daily ration.

5. Distillers' grains

Distillers' grains are the byproduct of grain liquor brewing. They are rich in crude protein, B vitamins, and other nutritional components, and can be said to be a very good cattle feed.

First, distillers' grains contain alcohol, fusel oils, and the like. They should be spread out to dry so the alcohol evaporates before being fed to cattle, to avoid distillers' grains poisoning.

Second, distillers' grains not only contain alcohol but are also fairly acidic. Cows are prone to miscarriage after eating them, so cows should not be fed this feed.

Third, although distillers' grains are good, they cannot be fed entirely as distillers' grains. Generally, the amount of distillers' grains fed should not exceed 40% of the total daily ration.

Fourth, distillers' grains are quite acidic. Especially for fattening cattle, besides eating distillers' grains, they also need to eat large amounts of concentrate. Therefore, an appropriate amount of sodium bicarbonate must be added to the daily ration as a buffer to neutralize the acidity.

Cattle raising requires a certain amount of technical support and must not be treated carelessly. Otherwise, no matter how much feed is given, feeding it wrongly is still doing useless work.