Page 209 - Agriculture_Form_3

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Feeding management in beef cattle
Feeding management in beef cattle production is about giving the right type and
amount of feed at the right time to support growth, health and meat production.
Good feeding helps cattle to grow fast, stay healthy, and produce good-quality
beef. Feeding management involves understanding types of feeds, feeding
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methods, animal feed requirement and associated factors for example age, size,
level of production and use that determine animal feed needs.

Types of feeds
Beef cattle, like other animals, need a balanced ration with five main nutrients
to be productive. These nutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins
and water. Different feeds provide different nutrients. Roughages such as pasture
grass, hay, and crop residues which form the main part of the cattle diet, supply
carbohydrates and, sometimes, small amounts of protein and minerals. Young,
green forages have more nutrients than older, dry ones. Hay is dried grass stored
for feeding animals during shortages, especially dry times, while silage is green
fodder kept fresh by fermentation.

Concentrates are feeds low in fibre content but rich in either carbohydrates or
protein. They are used to meet special animal needs. Minerals are added through
supplements such as salt whereas, vitamins are added when natural feeds are not
enough. Water has the most important function in the body. It helps in digestion,
controls body heat, and supports many body functions. Cattle get some water
from juicy green feeds, however, they still need clean drinking water every day
based on how much they want to drink.
Note: Cattle are ruminants, and their stomach has four chambers. In the first
three chambers, special microbes break down fibrous feeds such as grass.
This process releases energy from roughages and produces some vitamins,
especially B vitamins. The microbes are later digested in the final stomach
chamber and provide high-quality protein. Minerals are also released from
the feeds as digestion continues. This digestive system helps cattle to get
nutrients from tough feeds like grass and hay. Many other animals, such
as poultry and pigs, biologically they cannot use such feeds efficiently.

Feeding methods
Feeding methods in beef cattle depend on the system used to raise them. They
include grazing, semi-grazing and feedlot feeding. Grazing is practiced in the
extensive system where cattle graze mainly on natural rangelands and travel long

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