What are the factors affecting beef cattle feed utilization?

Beef cattle are a major meat source, and in China daily consumption is second only to pork. Market demand is very large, so more and more people are raising them, making it a relatively stable farming project. However, many people find when raising them that the feed utilization rate of beef cattle is relatively low. So what exactly are the factors affecting beef cattle feed utilization? Let's take a look together below!

1. Breed reasons

Breed causes genetic differences in beef cattle, which have different traits, so their feed utilization rates also differ. Generally, specialized beef cattle breeds have various characteristics such as fast growth, early maturity and obvious fattening. At present, the main beef cattle in China are yellow cattle, whose adaptability and digestive capacity are relatively strong. However, the feed utilization rate is relatively low. So when raising beef cattle now, we should use crossbreeds produced by crossing purebred beef cattle with yellow cattle. Feed utilization rate, net meat rate and so on are all far higher than those of yellow cattle.

2. Age reasons

The feed intake of beef cattle is closely related to age. Although the older they get, the faster the weight gain, the feed utilization rate declines. Therefore, as beef cattle grow larger, most of the nutrients are used for maintenance consumption, and fat content increases. So when raising beef cattle, we should pay attention to feeding sufficient feed during the calf stage to promote calf growth and improve feed utilization. Then, when the beef cattle reach the slaughter standard, they should be slaughtered in time, because after beef cattle grow to a certain stage, the weight gain rate declines, and if they are not slaughtered in time, feed costs will increase.

3. Feed reasons

Beef cattle have strong digestive capacity, and their feed is mainly roughage. Feed quality is closely linked to feed utilization rate, and nutrient ratios, processing methods and so on all directly affect the utilization rate. Generally, the better the quality, the higher the utilization rate will be. Beef cattle at different growth stages have different feed requirements and nutrient ratios. If the proportion of roughage in the feed is high, it will not only affect the absorption of dry matter by beef cattle, but their feed utilization rate will also decline, while too little will likewise lead to insufficient feed utilization. So we should reasonably match the nutrient ratio of the daily ration to improve feed utilization.

4. Environmental reasons

The environment also affects feed utilization. The most important factor is temperature. If the temperature is too high, it will reduce the feed intake of beef cattle, while the cattle are still continuously consuming energy, leading to a decline in utilization. If the temperature is too low, beef cattle will use part of the nutrients to maintain body temperature, which also leads to insufficient feed utilization. So when raising them, we must pay attention to controlling the temperature well and ensure the temperature is kept within the range suitable for beef cattle growth. We should also pay attention to humidity, air and barn hygiene and other basic environmental conditions to ensure the growth of beef cattle.

The above is a brief introduction to the factors affecting beef cattle feed utilization. The feed utilization rate of beef cattle directly determines their fattening amount and is directly related to farming benefits. So everyone must pay close attention. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting us.