How to Formulate Beef Cattle Feed? Key Points Explained in Detail

Beef cattle mainly rely on roughage, but roughage cannot meet their nutritional needs, so supplemental concentrate feed is required, including energy feed, protein feed, mineral feed, micro (macro) elements and vitamins, etc. Whether the nutrition is comprehensive or not directly affects the growth and development of beef cattle. Let's take a look at beef cattle feed formulation methods below!

Formulation of Beef Cattle Concentrate Feed

Energy feed mainly consists of corn, sorghum, barley, etc., accounting for about 60%-70% of the concentrate feed. Protein feed mainly includes soybean cake (meal), cottonseed cake (meal), peanut cake, etc., accounting for about 20%-25% of the concentrate feed. Mineral feed includes bone meal, salt, baking soda, micro (macro) elements, and vitamin additives. Micro (macro) elements and vitamin additives generally cannot be self-formulated; they need to be purchased from legitimate manufacturers, used within the specified period according to instructions, and “three-no” products (products with no brand, no address, no certificate) are strictly prohibited.

Calf Feed Formulation Methods

① Corn 50%, wheat bran 12%, soybean cake 30%, fish meal 5%, bone meal 1%, calcium carbonate 1%, salt 1%. When the above calf feed and high-quality green feed are supplemented in early stages, the average daily weight gain from 1 to 6 months of age is over 600 grams.

② Corn 48%, soybean cake 19%, wheat bran 29%, oyster shell powder 2.5%, salt 1.5%. Daily intake 1.25 kg, fresh milk (containing 12.3% dry matter) 5.3 kg, fed for 150 days, plus autumn white grass and corn silage for free feeding. Average daily weight gain within 6 months of age is 600 grams, body weight at 12 months of age is 273 kg, and body weight at 18 months of age is 360 kg.

③ Soybean cake 40%, corn 22%, sorghum 20%, wheat bran 15%, oyster shell powder 2%, salt 1%. Daily feeding 2 kg, fresh milk 5.67 kg, fed for 90 days, plus autumn white grass and corn silage for free feeding. Average daily weight gain within 6 months of age is 549 grams, body weight at 12 months of age is 268 kg, and body weight at 18 months of age is 300 kg.

④ Corn 25%, wheat bran 25%, wheat flour 5%, soybean bran 40%, shell powder 3%, salt 2%. Milk feeding amount from 1 to 6 months of age is 300 kg, and later gradually replaced by the above mixed feed. Average daily weight gain is 725 grams.

⑤ Corn 35%, wheat bran 22%, sorghum 5%, soybean cake 35%, bone meal 1%, calcium carbonate 1%, salt 1%. From 1 to 6 months of age, in addition to feeding 287.6 kg of this formula, 133 kg of milk is fed in the early stage. Average daily weight gain is 680 grams.

Fattening Beef Cattle Feed Formulas

1. Feed formula for body weight below 300 kg: Daily dry matter intake per head is 7.2 kg, expected daily weight gain is 900 grams.

① Yellow corn 17.1%, cottonseed cake 19.7%, chicken manure 8.2%, corn silage (with ears) 17.1%, wheat straw 36.6%, salt 0.3%, limestone powder 1.0%.

② Yellow corn 15.0%, flax cake 13.6%, corn yellow silage 35.0%, hay meal 5.0%, white distiller's grains 31.0%, salt 0.4%.

③ Yellow corn 19.0%, flax cake 13.0%, corn yellow silage 17.6%, hay meal 5.0%, white distiller's grains 45.0%, salt 0.4%.

④ Yellow corn 10.0%, cottonseed cake 12.0%, corn silage (with ears) 44.6%, corn stalks 3.0%, white distiller's grains 30.0%, salt 0.4%.

⑤ Yellow corn 15.0%, cottonseed cake 22.9%, chicken manure 8.0%, corn silage (with ears) 17.9%, wheat straw 35.0%, limestone powder 1.0%, salt 0.2%.

2. Feed formula for body weight 300-400 kg: Daily dry matter intake per head is 8.5 kg, expected daily weight gain is 1100 grams.

① Yellow corn 10.4%, cottonseed cake 32.2%, chicken manure 4.1%, corn stalks 9.1%, corn silage (with ears) 13.4%, white distiller's grains 30.0%, limestone powder 0.5%, salt 0.3%.

② Yellow corn 8.6%, corn yellow silage 36.0%, white distiller's grains 48.0%, flax cake 7.0%, salt 0.4%.

③ Yellow corn 11.0%, corn yellow silage 25.0%, corn stalks 5.0%, white distiller's grains 50.0%, flax cake 8.6%, salt 0.4%.

④ Yellow corn 9.0%, cottonseed cake 11.0%, corn stalks 3.0%, corn silage (with ears) 51.0%, white distiller's grains 25.6%, salt 0.4%.

⑤ Yellow corn 25.0%, cottonseed cake 13.0%, corn silage (with ears) 37.0%, corn stalks 3.0%, white distiller's grains 21.1%, limestone powder 0.5%, salt 0.4%.

⑥ Yellow corn 19.0%, corn yellow silage 17.6%, hay meal 5.0%, white distiller's grains 45.0%, flax cake 13.0%, salt 0.4%.

⑦ Yellow corn 37.6%, corn yellow silage 19.0%, hay meal 5.0%, white distiller's grains 28.0%, flax cake 10.0%, salt 0.4%.

3. Feed formula for body weight 400-500 kg: Daily dry matter intake per head is 9.8 kg, expected daily weight gain is 1000 grams.

① Yellow corn 16.7%, cottonseed cake 24.7%, corn stalks 9.5%, corn silage (with ears) 37.4%, limestone powder 1.0%, salt 0.7%, white distiller's grains 10.0%.

② Yellow corn 21.1%, cottonseed cake 29.2%, corn stalks 9.1%, corn silage (with ears) 34.5%, white distiller's grains 4.0%, limestone powder 1.5%, salt 0.6%.

③ Yellow corn 38.6%, corn yellow silage 22.0%, flax cake 9.0%, hay meal 4.0%, white distiller's grains 26.0%, salt 0.4%.

④ Yellow corn 18.6%, corn yellow silage 22.0%, corn stalks 5.0%, flax cake 7.0%, white distiller's grains 47.0%, salt 0.4%.

⑤ Yellow corn 16.0%, corn yellow silage 32.0%, flax cake 6.6%, white distiller's grains 45.0%, salt 0.4%.

⑥ Yellow corn 25.0%, cottonseed cake 13.0%, corn stalks 3.0%, corn silage (with ears) 37.0%, white distiller's grains 21.1%, limestone powder 0.5%, salt 0.4%.