February is a good time to review the winter ration and make any necessary adjustments. There are two key aspects to consider: Is cattle performance on target, and is there enough feed to last the rest of the winter? If growing or finishing cattle are weighed regularly, growth rates will highlight whether the ration has been achieving its objectives. Where animals are not weighed, there are other signs to look for.
Underlying performance is rumen function, so the incidence of cudding is worth observing. The majority of cattle not eating, drinking or sleeping should be ruminating.
The other key indicator of a balanced ration is the dung. Loose dung may be due to insufficient effective fibre, low rumen pH, very low DM ration, excessive protein/energy in feed or rapid feed passage rates. Stiff dung may be due to low rumen energy supply, low rumen degradable protein supply, excessively high structural fibre or sub-optimal DM intakes.
Having assessed this year’s ration and made any alternations, think about the feeding strategy for next winter. High cereal prices are squeezing beef production margins severely, so consider what alternative feeds could be bought-in, or grown on farm, to minimise exposure to future feed price rises. Prices in spring and summer may be lower than in winter – so buying early may be an option.
More information is available in our manual, Feeding, growing and finishing cattle for better returns, which you can download
here.
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