What Type of Cattle Feed Is the Best for Your Dairy and Beef Cows?

Posted by emilioatterson30 on March 10th, 2015

Your beef cows should be fed with the right cattle feed for their best development. Cattle feed have the correct nutritional balance which is important for growing healthy cows. The feed that you should give to your cattle depends on their breed and what purpose do they serve. This is because the feed for a dairy cow would be different from the diet given to cattle for meat because their nutritional requirements would differ.

Traditional Food

Grass

Grass is a traditional food item that is given to cattle, goats and even horses. Grass has been in use for a long time and continues to be a primary source of food for beef cattle. A large number of farmers feed their cows with grass from the fields, forests or untended fields.

Alfalfa hay is also a type of grass that is fed to cattle as a dietary item. It is one of the most popular types of grass for animals since it proves to be beneficial for their health and improves the quality of meat produced from them.

But grass alones is not able to provide all the nutrients that your cattle would require. Protein, for example, is not in sufficient quantities in grass, but is very necessary when your cattle are being raised to produce meat. This is why traditional food items lack in some areas, and have to be supplemented with special cattle feed.

Grains

Grains for animal such as wheat, soybeans, corn, barley and sugar beets are a good source of protein for animals. Grains, when fed to cattle along with grass, can provide an alternative source of protein and cover up for the areas where grass lacks.

Alternative Food (By-product Crops)

Additional food items are fed to animals today to keep the quality and quantity of their products on the higher side. Alternative food, also called by-product crops are given to animals as supplements. These crops are rich in fiber and protein, and also contain good amounts of carbohydrates.

Choosing the Correct Cattle Feed

What cattle feed you buy depends largely on the breed of cows you have. Their purpose and their daily activity routine also define what type of animal feed should be given to them. You should make sure that their diet covers for all such things and contains all the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients to aid their development maintain their good health and enhance the quality of their products.