The animal may attempt to stand in water, and itdoes not feed.

Treatment

Seek veterinary treatment. The animals are usuallytreated with antihistamines.

Foundered cattle, if left with the unaffected cattle,will rapidly lose weight. If transferred to thehospital pen and nursed, they may still gainweight. The profitability of continuing to feedthese animals on high grain diets is, however,doubtful.

Urea toxicity

Urea poisoning usually occurs when either the ureahas not been thoroughly mixed into the ration, or,heavy rain causes puddling in the feed. Thesepuddles accumulate urea, which is soluble, and ifcattle drink the solution urea poisoning can occur.

Urea is converted into ammonia in the rumen, andthe excess ammonia causes death.

Symptoms

The animal shows severe abdominal pain,shivering, bloat, drunken gait, salivation and rapidbreathing. In severe cases there may be violentstruggling and bellowing.

The death rate is usually high.

Treatment

The treatment is to drench with I L of vinegardiluted with an equal amount of water. To beeffective, this must be given soon after the animalhas eaten the urea.

Further treatment one or two hours later may berequired to prevent a relapse.

Monensin poisoningMonensin is a feed additive which improves feedconversion rates, assists in bloat and coccidiacontrol and will assist in improving growth rates ofcattle. It is added to feed at between 11-33 gramsper tonne.

If feed mixing is poor or an error in the amount ofMonensin added is made there is a risk of

poisoning occurring.

Symptoms

Animals will be depressed, with increased heartrates and fluid accumulations under the jaw and

,,'"

FS 17/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - health

brisket. The symptoms are caused by a severe heartmuscle degeneration.

Treatment

No effective treatment.

Prevention

Accurately measure all feeds particularly smallamounts of concentrated additives. Ensure

thorough mixing throughout the ration.

Transit tetanyThis is a condition which affects cattle during orimmediately after long transportation. Its primarycause is a lowering of calcium in the blood.

Symptoms

The animals are restless and unco-ordinated, withpartial limb paralysis and staggering. Animals willoften go down and show laboured breathing. Ifuntreated at this stage the animal will enter a comaand death will follow.

Treatment

Treatment of animals in the early stages with 'milkfever' calcium/magnesium /glucose solutions isoften successful. Follow the directions on the pack.Two packs may be necessary.

41-..

Prevention

Predisposing factors include heavy feeding beforelong-haul transport, deprivation of food and waterduring transit, and unrestricted access to water afterunloading. Other factors include the stresses ofloading, unloading, transport and excessive handlingupon arrival.

Avoid excitement and overcrowding of long-haultransported animals.

Limit their access to water for 24 hours after

unloading and restrict exercise of these cattle forseveral days.

Feed related diseases

Mouldy feeds or grains with poisonous weed seedscan cause deaths. Be alert for this potentialproblem when purchasing foodstuffs.

Pink eyeThis is an infectious disease of cattle which occurs

worldwide. It is caused by a bacterium, but otherpathogens are also implicated in outbreaks.Secondary bacterial infections cause most of the

FSI7/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - health

damage. Warm weather, dust, flies and thecongregation of cattle are all important factors inthe disease outbreak. As it is a highly contagiousdisease it is easily spread from animal to animal.

Symptoms

The first sign is a watery discharge from the eye.The discharge soon becomes a yellowish pus anddamage to the cornea of the eye follows. Theanimal will be temporarily blind in the affectedeye.

Treatment

Treatment with topical antibiotics are useful butneed frequent application. Bad cases may requireantibiotic injections under the conjunctiva. Consulta veterinarian.

Footrot

This disease is sometimes seen in feedlot cattle. It

usually occurs under wet conditions or where hoof

damage has occurred due to stones or rough gravelin the feed yards.

42SymptomsThe animal will be acutely lame, with noticeableswelling of the hoof. It is usually seen in one leg.

Treatment

The animal should be isolated for treatment as

soon as it is noticed. This will help reduce thespread through the feedlot and assist in the earlyrecovery of the affected animal.

Antibiotic treatment will be necessary.

Prevention

The surface of the feedlot yards should bemaintained in a smooth, firm state. Repair anyboggy areas and remove protruding rocks or roughareas from within the yards.

Avoiding antibiotic residuesRecord all antibiotic treatments on a cattle

treatment record sheet, and alongside the treatmentgiven record the earliest date that it is permissibleto sell the cattle while observing the recommendedwithholding period. Ensure that this record is up todate and that it is always checked before cattle aresold.

Treated cattle may also be tagged with a specialcolour tag in the feedlot with the earliest sale daterecorded on the tag.

Injection sites

Antibiotics may persist at injection sites for longerperiods than the recommended withholding period.If a sample of meat from such a site is selected andtested for an export order it may be well over theMaximum Residue Limit (MRL) and result in therejection of the export consignment.

Withholding periods for antibiotics have been seton general tissue levels and not for injection sites.Ways in which antibiotic residues can be reducedin general and at injection sites include:

· treat animals early using a well plannedtreatment program to cure the disease early.

· read the label and do not exceed recommendeddose rates unless advised by your veterinarian.Note: higher than normal dose rates will requirean extension to the minimum with-holdingperiod.

· use only clean sharp needles to reduce tissueirritation.

· inject into sites which may be easily trimmed -eg high on the neck rather than the rump or thehind leg.

· restrain the animals adequately for treatment -movement will cause more damage at theinjection site.

· limit the amount per injection to 10 mls per site.

· maintain a cattle treatment record.

More information

For more information on feedlot management andhealth contact:

Trevor ClarkSenior livestock officer

Primary Industries South Australia9 Old North RoadClare SA 5453

Phone (08) 8842 3900 Fax (08) 8842 3775

(J) PRIMARY INDUSTRIESV, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FACT SHEETFS 14/85/96

Opportunity lot feeding of beefcattle- managementBy Trevor Clark, senior livestock officer

Introduction

The profitability of a feedlot venture depends on fourdistinct factors:

the price of store cattle.

the cost of the ration relative to the rate of

liveweight gain.

the management of the feedlot.

the sale price of the finished cattle.

Allthese factors must be considered when thinkingabouta feedlot venture. If anyone factor isunfavourable there is likely to be no profit in theventure.

The management of the cattle in the feedlot and themethods of feed processing and feeding can have a largeinfluence on the feed conversion ratio (kilograms of feedconverted to one kilogram of live weight gain) and therate of gain.

Usual management practisesin feed lots

On arrival at the feedlot, cattle are often stressed from

thejourney and uneasy in the new surroundings. Newlyarrived cattle should be quietly assessed as they areunloaded for injuries, illness or fatigue caused bytransport to the property.

They should be watered as soon as possible after arrivalwith good quality water to which rehydrationformulations may be added for long haul or dehydratedcattle. Access to water should be restricted to long haulor dehydrated cattle to reduce the risk of transit tetany.

Cattle should also be offered good quality hay andallowedto settle down. Cattle which require urgenttreatment should be separated from the main group;otherwise draft and split them into their pen groups the

next day when they have had settled down.Usually within a week of arrival the cattle areeartagged, vaccinated with 5 in 1, have their hornstipped to five to seven cm, are weighed, drenchedand treated for lice if necessary, and have their tailtags removed.

Record the tail tag number of the property of originand their HGP status against the tag number allocatedfor identification in the feedlot. Hormonal growthpromotants may be administered if required. Theyare then ready for their finishing period.

Daily inspection 43-.'Daily inspection of cattle during the finishing periodis necessary for:

. disease prevention and animal welfare. All cattleshould be made to stand and observed walking.

· cattle not feeding. The cause must be identifiedand remedied.

. cattle not growing as well as the rest. Very poordoers should be removed from the feedlot andcashed in or finished on grass.

· feeding errors, ie the wrong ration given to thecattle.

Regular management

· regular cleaning of water troughs is important.Usually once a week is enough.

. regular assessment of liveweight gains is a guideto the suitability of the ration. Cattle scales are aninvaluable aid.

· regular cleaning of spilt feed and cleaning of feedtroughs.

· cleaning of the pen floor and repairs to potholesand worn areas.

Further information on material covered in this fact sheet may be obtainedfrom TrevorClark. Primary Industries. South Australia. Phone (08) 8842 3900Information may be used with acknowledgement.

FS 14/85/96AGDEX 420/17

ISSN 1323-0409

Revised November 1996

FS 14/85/96 Opponunity lot feeding of beef cattle - management

Preventive management treatments:

· a 5 in I vaccine to protect the animals againstclostridial diseases. The most important of these areentero-toxremia, tetanus and malignant oedema.Give two treatments about four weeks apart.

· a drench for internal parasites.

· a treatment for lice may be necessary during winter.

· injection of Vitamin A, or inclusion of Vitamin A inthe ration, is necessary where cattle are going intothe feedlot after three or more months on dry feed.

· divide stock into manageable groups based on sex,weight and condition.

· record the identity of all cattle which have neededveterinary medications, and ensure that withholdingperiods on all drugs are observed.

Feed processing

44

Process grain in some way before feeding as thisimproves animal performance. Heat treatment, steamflaking or reconstitution of grain to high moisturecontent all improve performance 8-15%.

The capital outlay of establishing such feed processingfacilities is not warranted for the opportunityfeedlotter.

-

Grain should be coarsely milled by either roller orhammer mill. Avoid making the grain too fine as thismay cause palatability problems, increase digestiveupsets and predispose cattle to respiratory problems.Roller mills are considered better than hammer mills

in this respect. Failure to process grain adequately mayresult in quite large losses of undigested grain throughthe animals and reduced growth rates.

Where possible the ration ingredients should be mixedtogether and fed as a total mixed ration. Cattle fed inthis way have a more even group performance and areat less risk of grain poisoning.

Always weigh and measure feedstuffs -particularly premixes which contain ionophoresand urea. Ensure that minor ingredients are alwayswell mixed through the ration.

Introducing cattle to grain

Cattle must have the grain and concentrate portion oftheir diet introduced into their ration gradually. Thenormal build-up to the desired ration compositiontakes about two weeks. There are several ways ofdoing this but an example of the build-up to a rationcontaining 80% grain and 20% hay follows.

In a ration where hay and grain are mixed together,this gradual introduction is relatively simple. Butwhere hay and grain are to be fed separately, cattleshould be given access to hay at all times during theearly build-up period. The daily ration of grain isgradually increased and the access to hay reduceduntil the desired ration is achieved.

FeedingFeed cattle at the same time each day. In wet weatherit may be necessary to feed two or three times dailyto reduce feed spoilage.

The aim when feeding out is to feed the daily rationsoon after the trough has been emptied by the cattle.Cattle on high-grain rations should not be allowed tobecome hungry as overeating at feeding time is aprime cause of grain poisoning.

Overfeeding should be avoided as the carryover feedfrom day to day quickly becomes stale.

Changing grainsIf it is necessary to change the type of grain fedduring the finishing period, it is important to do thisgradually over about 14 days. Sudden changes ingrain type will cause grain poisoning and costlysetbacks.

Sale preparationCattle should not be trucked empty, as they are morerestless and more prone to bruising. Access to waterand a feed of long hay will help to maintain a fullappearance at sale and firm their dung. Cattle inprime condition are 'soft' and will not travel well forlong d.istanceswithout stress or bruising. Alwaysallow some rest time at the lairages when delivereddirect for slaughter to allow the cattle to recoverfrom the trip.

More informationFor more information on feedlot management contact:

TrevorClark .

Senior livestock officerPrimary Industries South Australia9 Old North RoadClare SA 5453

Phone (08) 8842 3900 Fax (08) 8842 3775

% in ration

Days no. Grain Hay

1-5 20 80

6-10 40 60

11-15 60 40

16 80 20

~ PRIMARY INDUSTRIESV, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FACT SHEETFS 16/85/96

Opportunity lot feeding of beefcattle - ration formulationBy Trevor Clark, senior livestock officer

Nutrition and management of feedlot cattle are equallyimportant in the profitability of the feedlot.

Feedlotting is unnatural to cattle as they cannot forageand choose the components of their diet. Therefore, itis necessary to provide the animal with a balancedration if optimum gains are to be achieved.

The essential ingredients in the feedlot diet are:

· energy - essential for maintenance, growth andfattening. The higher the level ofenergy in the ration the more rapid thegrowth and fattening. Grains are a richsource of energy and so they becomethe major component of a feedlotration.

· protein - essential for the health, muscle growthand appetite of the animal. Protein isobtained from both the grain androughage components of the ration.When protein is deficient the energy ofthe ration is not fully utilised, feedintake drops and animal performance isreduced. Additional protein is thenadded to ensure a balanced diet.

· fibre - essential to promote and maintain astable rumen fermentation. To preventrumen disorders feedlot rations must

contain hay or other roughage sourcesto give a minimum of 15% fibre in thediet.

minerals - essential for growth and fattening.The most important minerals arephosphorus and calcium. Otherminerals such as zinc, cobalt andcommon salt (to supply sodium) can beadded to guard against deficiency.

Testing feedsThe nutritional value of feed-stuffs can vary from yearto year and from batch to batch. To enable accurateformulation of production rations it is important thataccurate information on the nutritive analysis of feeds isavailable.

There are a number of commercial feed testinglaboratories throughout Australia who are able toanalyse feeds and provide information on the energy,protein and other components of your feed samples.

The improvement in ration formulation and efficiencyof utilisation of feed nutrients will easily recoup thesmall cost involved. 45

Ration components

Grains

WARNING: Grain is capable of causingsickness and death of cattle under certainconditions.

Wheat has the highest energy value of all the grains.It should be used with care in feedlots as ittends to cause more digestive problems thanother grains. Wheat may be mixed with othergrains to reduce this risk and still use thehigh energy value of the grain. Extra proteinmay be needed in rations formulated withwheat.

Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye. Its feedvalue and ration management is similar towheat.

Barley is the grain most commonly fed in SAfeedlots. It has a high energy value butrations may require protein supplementationwhen high levels of barley are used.

Further information on material covered in this fact sheet may be obtainedfrom Trevor Clark. Primary Industries. South Australia. Phone (08) 8842 3900Information may be used with acknowledgement.

FS 16/85/96AGDEX420/17

ISSN 1323-0409

Revised November 1996

FS 16/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - ration formulation

Oats have a high fibre content which reducestheir energy value. Only moderate gainscan be expected when feeding oats.

have high energy value and a highprotein content. Depending on cost, theycan be used as a major component of theration or as a protein-rich additive.

have high energy and extra-high proteinvalue. Lupins are a fairly safe grain tofeed. Depending on their price, theymay be used as a major component ofthe ration or as a protein-rich additive.

Peas

and

beans

Lupins

46

RoughagesAlmost any type of roughage can be fed providedit is palatable. Good roughage helps cattle settleinto the feedlot. It can be diluted or replaced with alesser-quality roughage when the cattle are settledon to high grain rations.

Better-quality roughage is recommended forlightweight cattle because of their higher foodquality requirements compared to heavier animals.

Details of the nutritive value of various roughagesare in Table5.

Note: Lucerne hay can cause bloat whenmixed with grain, so be extra careful whenusing this mixture.

Protein additives

Protein is usually added to the rations as:

· true protein, in such feeds as lupins, peas,beans, and seed meals.

· urea, a source of nitrogen that is converted bythe rumen into protein. Urea can provide onlyup to one third of the animals' proteinrequirements, so the rest must come from trueprotein sources. Never include solid urea inany stock rations. Always dissolve the ureain a small amount of hot water and addslowly as the feed is mixed.

Minerals

The main minerals in a feedlot ration are

phosphorus and calcium. Grains are high inphosphorus and low in calcium. Therefore, groundlimestone is needed in high-grain rations to lift thecalcium level.

When urea is used as a protein source sulphurmust be added to give a urea to sulphur ratio of100:3.

Buffers

Feed additives known as buffers may be added tofeed rations to assist in getting cattle safelyaccustomed to high grain rations. These products,which include sodium bicarbonate, bentonites andCausmag@,act by reducing or buffering the build upof lactic acid in the rumen. It is this acid which is

the major cause of acidosis.

Include these products in starter rations at thepercentages recommended by the manufacturer. Theuse of these products does not reduce the need for aproper introduction schedule and good feedingmanagement.

Buffers should be gradually withdrawn from theration when the cattle have settled on to theirfinisher ration.

Where there is a risk of over-eating or unevenintakes due to weather or feeding errors it is a goodpolicy to re-include buffers for this period. Again,the buffers should be gradually withdrawn from theration when the cattle have settled down after thedisturbance.

Cattle being fed grain from self feeders and hayseparately may benefit from having buffers in theirgrain mix continually.

VirginiamycinVirginiamycin is an antibiotic like substance whichcan be added to high gain diets to reduce the risk orincidence of acidosis.

It is added at very low rates (eg lkg of Eskalin@premix per 1000 kg of feed) and must be mixedwell.

Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs)

There are several hormonal growth promotantsregistered for use in cattle. These products usuallyimprove growth rates by 10-15% and some alsoimprove feed conversion by about 8% . The implantis effective for 100-200 days depending on theproduct.

Hormonal growth promotants are administered as apellet implant under the skin at the back of the ear.The implant should be administered with care andaccording to the directions of the manufacturer.

Note: the EEC has instituted a ban on all

products derived from animals treated withHGPs. Producers who use HGPs must be aware

of the legal and management responsibilitiesrequired for their use. Cattle treated with HGPsmust be identified and carry a white tail tagwhen leaving the feedlot.

Feed additives

Feed additives such as the ionophores can be usedin addition to an implant. These promote a smallincrease in the growth rate and improve feedconversion efficiency by up to 10% . This meansthat cattle will eat less and utilise the feed better.

The products act by altering the type offermentation in the rumen by increasing the moreefficient micro-flora in the population.

Ionophores are available in some proprietary feedmixes (premixes) formulated for feed lot cattle.

WARNING:

These products must be thoroughlymixed in the feed. The feeding rate ofactive ingredient is less than 30 g pertonne of feed. If it is fed at too high arate, weight gains will be reduced as

animals go off their feed. High rates cancause poisoning - see the fact sheet onHealth. Thorough mixing is vital. Unless

this can be guaranteed, producers mixingtheir own feeds should not use

ionophores. Do not feed ionophores tohorses and pigs.

Antibiotics

There are no antibiotic feed additives registeredfor use in cattle feedlotting in South Australia.

Ration formulation

The nutrient requirements of feedlot steers areshown in Tables 2& 4. Energy requirements areexpressed as megajoules (MJ) and otherrequirements as grams (g) a day. As the rate ofgrowth increases so do the requirements forenergy, protein and minerals. These are required inthe ration in a more concentrated form, so that theenergy level and protein level of the diet must behigher. As energy levels of the diet increase sodoes the efficiency of use of the feed in the rationprovided that the formulation is correct and thefeeds are processed correctly.

Unless there are sound economic reasons for

selecting low growth rates - for example if goodhay is relatively cheap and grain is expensive - itis usually more economical to finish cattle asquickly as possible. Therefore a high grain dietwill generally be required in which the protein andmajor minerals have been balanced.

FS 16185/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - ration formulation

Howto formulate your ownrationFormulating your own rations is not difficult - itjust takes time. All you will need is writingmaterials, a calculator, some feed analysis tables(see Table5) or your own feed analysis figures,and some nutrient requirement tables (see Tables 2& 4). The procedure to follow is demonstrated fora 250 kg steer growing at 1.5 kg per day before theinfluence of HGPs or feed additives is taken intoaccount. Formulate the ration and then assess the

impact of additives or performance modifiers.

Example, for a 250 kg steer to grow at 1.5 kg/dayon a ration of energy density twelve (MID 12)would require 79 MJ of energy, 615 g of protein,36.8 g of calcium and 19.2 g of phosphorus a day.

To obtain a ration MID 12 from barley andwheaten hay that have MID values of 13.7 and 7.7respectively, the following format (known as the'Pearson Square') can be used:

12.0 - 7.7 =4.3

MD barley 13.7 proportion of barley

~Requirement 12.0

------..MIDwheatenhay7.7 13.7-12.0 =1.7

proportion of wheaten hay

47-'

*Note - the energy requirements must lie between the energyvalue of the feeds available for this method to operate.

To calculate the relative proportions of the twofoodstuffs take the difference between the barley MID(top left) and the required MID (centre) and put italongside the proportion of wheaten hay (bottomright) 13.7 - 12.0= 1.7. Then take the differencebetween the wheaten hay MID (bottom left) and therequired MID (centre) and put it alongside theproportion of barley (top right) 12.0 - 7.7 =4.3.These figures become the relative proportions ofthese two feeds in the final diet.

The ration would have 4.3 parts of barley to 1.7 partsof wheaten hay, which is equal to 72% barley, 28%hay. Of this ration the steers would need to eat 79 MJdivided by the energy level of the ration of 12 MJ/kg=6.6 kg of dry matter to satisfy their energyrequirements. As the dry matter is about 90% of thetotal weight of the feed the actual amount weighedand fed out would be 6.6 x 100/90=7.3 kg. Havingbalanced the energy of the ration and checked that thesteers are able to eat the required amount (see Table3) it will be necessary to check whether the rationsupplies sufficient protein and minerals.

FS 16/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef caule - ration formulation

Of the 6.6 kg of dry matter fed daily 72% or 4.75kg is barley and 1.85 kg wheaten hay. To calculatethe ration nutrient composition multiply the weight

Table 1: Ration formulation and steer requirements.

of each feed in the ration by its own nutrientcomposition, and then add the figures together asin the table below.

Clearly a calcium supplement is required. Eachkilogram of ground limestone provides 350 g ofcalcium (see Table5).

Each animal requires 29.7/350 x 1000 grams oflimestone =84.8 grams per day.

The balanced ration on a dry matter basisbecomes:

484.75 kg barley1.85 kg wheaten hay0.085 kg limestone

71.0%27.7%

1.3%--

6.69 kg

This would need to be converted to an as fed basisfor mixing the ration. Most air dry feeds inAustralia average about 90% dry matter, simplydivide the barley and the hay figures by 0.9 toreach an as fed weight per steer per day. Thelimestone is 100% dry, so simply add the dryfigure to complete the ration.

Now check the quantity of fibre in the diet usingthe figures from Table 5. If there is less than 15%,rumen disorders are more likely. This example ofhow to balance a ration can be repeated for rationsof energy density 10, 11 and 13. The ingredientcost of each ration and its rates of gain can becalculated in order to select the most economical.

Primary Industries South Australia is able toformulate least-cost balanced rations using acomputer program called Takeaway. For accurateration formulation with a least cost facility contacta livestock adviser. Information required toformulate a ration will include:

· the type of stock,

· the weight of stock

· their proposed rate of gain· feedsavailable

· price of feeds

Table 2: Daily calcium and phosphorusrequirements of feed lot cattle.

Growth rate 1.0kg/day

Growth rate 1.5kg/day

Weight(kg) Ca (g) Ca (g) P (g)P (g)

Table 3: Guide to daily dry matter intakes of feedlotsteers.

Weight Approximate dry feedintake (kg as fed)

Note: The actual dry feed intake varies according to theenergy density of the feed, the fineness of the diet,the proportion of concentrates and the palatability.At high levels of grain, dry feed intake is reduced.

Energy Protein Ca P(MJ) (g) (g) (g)

4.75 kg barley provides 65.1 570 3.80 17.61.85 kg wheaten hay provides 14.3 104 3.33 2.8

Dailyintake 79.4 674 7.13 20.4

Animalrequirement 79 615 36.8 19.2

Nutrientdeficiency No No -29.7 g No

200 25.3 13.3 35.6 18.5

225 25.9 13.7 36.2 18.9

250 26.5 14.1 I 36.8 I 19.2 I275 27.1 14.5 37.4 19.6

300 27.6 14.9 37.9 20.0

325 28.2 20.5 38.5 27.4

350 28.8 21.0 39.1 27.9

375 29.4 21.6 39.7 28.5

400 30.0 22.1 40.3 29.0

425 30.6 22.6 40.9 29.5

450 31.2 23.1 41.5 30.0

475 31.8 23.6 42.1 30.5

500 32.3 24.1 42.6 31.0

200 5.6

250 7.0

300 8-4

350 9.8

400 11.2

450 12.6

500 14.0

FS 16/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - ration fonnulation

Table 4: Dally nutrient requirements of feedlot steers.

* Feed MIDis a measure of the energy density of the ration. It is expressed as megajoules a kg (MJ/kg)of dry matter in the diet.

# Agrowth rate of 1.5 kglday or slightlyhigher is the maximumgain whichcan be reasonably expected on feeds common in SA.The useofgrowthpromotantsand feedadditivesmayimprovegrowthto nearly2.0 kg/day.Withthe use ofHGP'sand ionophorepremixesagrowth rate in the order of 2 kg I day is feasible.

l~

Growth rate, 1.0 kg/day Growth rate, 1.5 kg/day#

Weight (kg)*

Feed MID 10 Feed MID 11 Feed MID 11 Feed MID 12 Feed MID 13

Energy (MJ) Protein (g) Energy (MJ) Protein (g) Energy (MJ) Protein (g) Energy (MJ) Protein (g) Energy (MJ) Protein (g)

200 55 448 52 442 76 595 69 578 64 570

225 60 465 56 448 82 638 74 584 68 575

250 64 496 59 463 87 679I

79I

615I

73 580

275 68 527 63 492 92 720 84 653 77 602

300 72 558 67 521 98 760 88 690 82 637

325 75 588 70 549 103 800 91 726 86 671

350 79 617 74 576 108 839 98 762 90 704

375 83 646 77 603 113 877 102 797 94 737

400 86 674 81 630 117 915 107 831 99 769

425 90 702 84 656 122 952 111 865 103 800

450 94 729 87 681 127 988 115 899 107 831

475 97 756 91 706 131 1024 119 931 110 861

500 100 782 94 731 136 1059 124 963 114 891

i

FS16/85/96Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - ration formulation

4Table4: Nutritivecomposition of some commonfeeds (per kg of dry matter)

Energy Protein Fibre Ca P Drymatter(MJlkg) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%)

C

Grains

IWheat 14.0 13.1 2.6 0.04 0.36 90

Barley 13.7 12.0 5.3 0.08 0.37 90Oats 11.5 10.9 14.0 0.07 0.39 90Peas 13.4 26.2 8.0 0.09 0.40 90Faba beans 12.8 26.5 10.0 0.15 0.63 90

Lupins 13.2 30.0 20.0 0.22 0.39 90 1fe

Hays fl

Grass/clover hay p

(medium quality) 9.0 13.0 31.0 1.0 0.27 90 t:

Grass/clover hay s

(good quality) 10.0 15.0 27.0 1.0 0.27 90 a

Lucerne (half flowering) 8.2 22.6 32.0 1.35 0.22 90 FPea (flowering) 9.0 17.1 34.0 0.95 0.26 90

Vetch (flowering) NA NA 90.

8.1 16.9 30.6

Barley (dough stage) 8.8 8.1 29.0 0.21 0.30 90 .

Oat (milk stage) 8.3 7.1 32.0 0.16 0.24 90 .

Wheaten (flowering) 8.0 8.2 27.0 0.06 0.06 9050 .

Wheaten (dough stage) 7.7 5.6 29.0 0.17 0.15 90

Barley straw 5.8 3.8 50.0 0.36 0.08 90 I:Wheat straw 6.0 3.4 50.0 0.18 0.07 90 tlPea straw 6.2 6.0 43.0 0.99 0.07 90 £1

Supplements (Urea - 230.0 - - - 100Limestone 100 C- - - 35.0 - ..

Rock phosphate - - - 32.0 16.4 100 \Dicalcic phosphate - - - 22.0 16.0 100 fiStocklime - - - 37.0 - 100

1svt]a

Table 6: Guide to approximate energy density ofFrations

Energy Density % Grain % Hay p.(MJ/kg DM) b

10 40 6011 55 45 b12 70 3013 90 10

~ PRIMARY INDUSTRIESV, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FACT SHEETFS 13/85/96

Opportunity lot feeding ofbeef cattle - economicsBy Trevor Clark, senior livestock officer

The simplest way to work out the economics offeedlotting is to treat it as a distinct enterprise. Iffeedlotting is part of an overall enterprise mix on theproperty it should be costed out as a separate entity, buttaking account of other advantages (such as existingsilos, feed-milling machinery) in arriving at a finalassessment.

Feedlot profitability is affected by:

the price of store cattle.

the cost of the ration.

the management of the feedlot.

the sale price of the finished cattle.

If anyone of these factors is unfavourable, there is likelyto be no profit in the venture. Budgeting is an essentialtool infeedlotting.

CostassessmentsStore price

Valuethe stores at purchase price plus transport to thefeedlot.

The value of home-bred stores should be their current

saleyard price less commission and freight charges whichwould apply to their sale as stores. Store breeders,therefore, can put their own steers into feed lots at $10-15a head cheaper than other feedlotters who buy them.

Feed costs

As grain is the major ingredient in the ration, grain priceshave an overriding influence on the cost of the ration.Valuehome grown grain at the price for which it couldbe sold, and not the buy back price if delivered tomarketing boards.

Feeding-out costsFeeding-out costs are related to the costs of storing,mixingand feeding out the ration. They are acombination of interest, depreciation, repairs, power, fuelandlabour.

Additional costs

Any health treatments such as vaccination must beincluded. There is a risk of death or ill health in a

feed lot operation, and this must be considered. Anallowance for 1% deaths is suggested.

Profit estimates

Estimate a likely sale value for the fattened steer.This is essential if a budget is to be worked out. Anexample of a feeding budget is included on Page 3of this fact sheet. The following calculations weremade, using the assumptions outlined in this feeding

budget. 51_\To calculate a break-even price, add all fatteningcosts, including the cost of the steer, and divide bythe final weight.

For example, if the final weight of the steer is 393kg live, and the total production costs including thesteer cost are $495. This gives a total cost of126 ilkg - which is the break-even price.

The estimated price for the finished steer may be144.5 ilkg, so the estimated profit margin becomes(144.5 - 126) = 18.5 ilkg. For the 393 kg steer, thisbecomes $72.33/head.

You will be able to work out a fairly accuratebudget if you can forward sell your cattle beforeputting them into the feedlot. You will know thebuyer's requirements of carcass weight and fatcover, giving you the advantage of being able toaim for a target (for example, a 200 kg carcass with8-10 mm offat cover).

Establishment costs

Planning legislation requires that the construction ofall feedlots must be approved by localgovernment and relevant agencies. Attention mustbe paid to runoff control and periodic cleaning ofpens.

Further information on material covered in this fact sheet may be obtainedfrom Trevor Clark. Primary Industries. South Australia. Phone (08) 8842 3900Information may be used with acknowledgement.

FS 13/85/96AGDEX 420/17

ISSN 1323-0409

FS 13/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef cattle - economics

BUDGET FOR LOT-FEEDING STEERS

Target market Domestic Supermarket SpecificationsAUSMEAT fat score

210 KG carcase3-4

Steer costs __________________ $Ihead

Average steer purchase costat

Transport to feedlot

Planned weight gain on feed

Weight gain with lonophore premix

Approx. M/D of ration (*)

Carcase weight specification forfinished steer

Est. dressing percent

Finalliveweight in feedlot

Ave. liveweight in feedlot

Est. time on feed

225 kg liveweight130.0 c/kg liveweight, or approx.

$15.00

1.50 kg/day (*)

1.58 kg/day

12.0 MJ/kg DM

250.00 c/kg HSCW

210 kgHSCW

53.5%

393 kg309

106 days

FEED COSTS ------------------Average daily food intake

Expected feed conversion

Total feed consumed

Feed cost per tonne (*)

Premix with lonophore Beef-Lot 80

7.7 kg5.2:1

823 kg$99.75$17.30 per tonne

2.5% of

L.Wt

Feed costs $96.30 IMANAGEMENT COSTS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - - - --

I 52'~"--!:""-

Feeding out and feed milling costs

Milling and labourWater

Current interest rate

Interest on cattle

Interest on feed

Vitamin injectionDrench

Vaccination

Lice treatment

Veterinary

Ear and tail tags

Losses, percent 0.6% $38.52 I$20.00 I

$4.00 I

~0494.67 I

$15.00 per steer$4.00 per steer10.00%$8.96$2.81

$0.00$2.00$0.53$0.75

$1.25$0.60$2.62

$20.00TRANSPORT ex feedlot

TRANSACTION LEVY $4.00

COMMISSION AT 5.0%

TOTAL COSTS __________________INCOME-_ - - SALEOF FATTENED STEER

Price quote cIkg HSCW

Value of sale steer

270.00 cIkg HSCW, or 144.5 cIkg liveweight

-------------- $567.00 I

~FEEDING MARGIN FOR GRAIN FATTENING STEERS

Price differential,store to finished

Break - even sale priceBreak even purchase price

20.0 cIkg HSCW, or 14.4 c/kg liveweight235.6 clkg on purchase price and projected costs.162.1 c/kg live on anticipated sale price and projected costs.

(*) Data from Least Cost Ration formulation, Primary Industries SA.

Your estimates

Where a feed lot is being set up from scratch, thecapital cost of feed-milling equipment, grainstorage and handling facilities, and the yards couldbe about $50,000 for a complex to handle 150cattle.

Depreciation, repairs and interest on this amountwould be about $7,500 a year, or 15% of thecapital investment.

If 150cattle are fattened, this amounts to a perhead cost of $50, plus running costs for fuel,power and labour.The total cost would be about$55.

Two batches each of 150 cattle reduce this cost persteer fed to $25 + $5 fuel, power and labour. At anaverage occupancy rate of the feedlot in the longterm of 75% the cost per steer of throughput isaround $22.

Where silos, augers and feed-mixing equipmentare alread:' on hand, their cost incurred in their usefor feedlotting is considerably lower and improvesthe prospects of achieving a profitable feedlot.

Details of requirements for planning andestablishment of feedlots are contained in the

publication Guidelines for the Establishment andOperation of Cattle Feedlots in South Australia.

For more information on feedlot planning andestablishment contact:

Trevor ClarkSenior livestock officer

Primary Industries South Australia9 Old North RoadClare SA 5453

Phone (08) 8842 3900 Fax (08) 8842 3775

FS 13/85/96 Opportunity lot feeding of beef canle - economics

53-'

-

tJFeed composition tables forruminants

PRIMARY INDUSTRIESSOUTH AUSTRALIA FACT SHEET

FS 29/83/96

By Martin Cochrane,formerly senior technical officer (research); Brian Bartschformerly SDROand Steven Valentine, senior dairy research officers.

Further information on material covered in thisfact sheet may be obtainedfrom Cattle & Intensive Animal Industries Adelaide. Phone (08) 8207 7955Information may be used with acknowledgement.

FS 29/83/96AGDEX 401/53

ISSN 0725-3516

Revised November 1996

Ory matter content (OM), metabolisable energy (ME), crude protein (CP), fibre, calcium and phosphorus contents

of a range of common feeds for SA.

The values are expressed on an 'as-fed' basis in table I and on a 'dry-matter' basis in table 2.

Table 1: 'As-fed' feed values

DM ME CP Fibre Calcium Phosphorus(%) (MJ/kg) (%) (%) (%) (%)

ConcentratesWheat 90 12.6 11.7 2.3 0.04 0.32

Barley 90 12.3 10.8 4.8 0.07 0.33Oats 90 10.4 9.8 12.6 0.06 0.35

54.Lupins 90 11.9 27.0 18.0 0.20 0.35

, Peas 90 12.1 . 23.0 7.2 0.08 0.36-Faba beans 90 11.5 24.7 9.0 0.14 0.57

Bran 90 9.1 15.3 10.8 0.18 1.07

Pollard 90 11.0 15.3 8.6 0.15 0.74

Molasses 75 9.5 3.8 0.0 0.83 0.07

Brewers' grains 25 2.8 5.0 5.0 0.07 0.14

Linseed meal 90 11.5 28.8 9.0 0.37 0.80

Green fodder

Cereals

early growth 15 1.7 3.0 3.0 0.05 0.06

before heading 18 1.9 1.3 5.8 0.03 0.03

Pasture

early-grass-dominant 20 2.1 2.7 2.6 0.15 0.06

early-clover-dominant 20 2.0 3.7 3.6 0.20 0.05

grass-dominant (flowering) 23 2.1 2.3 3.4 0.17 0.07

clover-dominant (flowering) 23 2.3 3.7 5.5 0.23 0.06

mature grass 72 4.5 3.5 21.6 0.36 0.07

mature clover 72 3.9 5.5 23.0 0.72 0.19

Maize

immature 15 1.5 1.8 4.0 0.20 0.01

cobs maturing 35 3.2 2.8 9.5 0.17 0.07

Millet 25 2.5 3.0 6.4 0.10 0.05

Sorghum hybridsimmature 15 1.5 2.3 4.3 0.07 0.03

heading 25 2.3 2.5 8.0 0.11 0.05

FS 29/83/96 Feedcomposition tables for ruminants

DM ME CP Fibre Calcium Phosphorus

(%) (MJ/kg) (%} (%) (%) (%)

Pasture

early-grass-dominant 20 10.4 13.7 13.0 0.75 0.30

early-clover-dominant 20 10,7 18.7 18.0 1.00 0.25

grass-dominant (flowering) 23 9.3 10.2 14.8 0.74 0.30

clover-dominant (flowering) 23 10.2 16.1 23.9 1.00 0.26

mature grass 72 6.2 4.9 30.0 0.50 0.10

mature clover 72 5.4 7.7 31.9 1.00 0.26

Maize

immature 15 10.0 12.0 26.7 1.33 0.07

cobs maturing 35 9.1 8.0 27.1 0.49 0.20

Millet 25 10.0 12.0 25.6 0.40 0.20

Sorghum hybridsimmature 15 10.0 15.3 28.7 0.47 0.20

heading 25 9.2 10.0 32.0 0.44 0.20

Lucerne

immature 15 10.0 25.3 22.0 1.67 0.33

10% flowering 22 9.6 20.0 28.2 1.36 0.36

HaysOaten

early-cut 90 9.8 9.0 30.0 0.16 0.20

late-cut 90 9.0 6.0 32.0 0.16 0.20

Wheaton

early-cut 90 8.3 7.0 27.0 0.06 0.06

56 late-cut 90 8.3 6.0 29.0 0.16 0.14

Barley

early-cut 90 9.0 9.0 29.0 0.21 0.30

late-cut 90 8.3 8.0 31.7 0.21 0.30

Pasture

early-cut grass-dominant 90 10.1 13.0 29.0 0.66 0.37

late-cut grass-dominant 90 9.0 10.0 32.0 0.62 0.34

early-cut clover-dominant 90 10.0 15.0 27.0 1.00 0.27

late-cut clover-dominant 90 9.0 13.0 31.0 1.00 0.27

Pea 90 8.6 17.0 30.0 0.96 0.26

Cereal straw 90 6.0 3.0 50.0 0'.18 0.07

Millet 90 8.3 12.0 34.0 0.33 0.19

Lucerne 90 9.8 23.0 32.0 1.36 0.22-SilagePasture

direct-cut 23 9.1 13.0 33.9 0.78 0.26

wilted 30 9.7 13.0 33.7 0.77 0.27

Maize 21 9.0 11.0 31.4 1.33 0.29

Sorghum hybrid 25 9.2 8.0 33.2 0.44 0.20

Miscellaneous

Citrus (wet) 25 12.0 6.0 23.2 0.72 0.20

Almond hulls 90 7.6 6.0 28.0 0.23 0.11

Potato waste 35 9.7 9.1 6.0 0.03 2.51

Limestone 100 0.0 0.0 0.0 35.00 0.00

Rock phosphate 100 0.0 0.0 0.0 32.00 16.40

Dicalcic phosphate 100 0.0 0.0 0.0 31.00 13.00

Urea' 100 0.0 230.0 0.0 0.00 0.00

'Urea may be toxic to cattle and should not be fed at more than 1% of the total DM in the diet.

Conversion

100 DM%'As-fed' to 'dry-matter': data x - 'Dry-matter' to 'as-fed': data x -DM% 100

~ PRIMARY INDUSTRIES-V, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

FACT SHEETFS 29/82/96

Citrus peel and other materialfor drought feedingBy Warwick Hack, special project office, Murraylands andTony Morbey, regional manager, Mallee and South East.

Sheep, goats and cattle, because they are ruminants,can make use of organic material often regarded aswaste.

Although 'wastes' are usually free at the source, thecost of transport and labour to cart the material (muchof which is only water) to the stock may make itcheaper to buy grain.

Waste materials tend to be variable in composition,and hence feeding value. It is necessary to determinewhich waste material has the best feeding value for theprice landed on the property.

Energy content (Metabolizable Energy - ME) isthe best indicator of feed value for bringing grownanimals through drought.

Protein content is an important indicator of feedvalue for 'fattening' young stock.

Feeding factorsThe introductory period is when most pr()blems occur.Any changes in feed should ideally be gradual over athree week period. If possible, ensure stock have a fullstomach before introduction to waste feed. At first useonly a small amount of the new feed. There after

consistent feeding of waste materials every week isimportant to get any real benefit. It is important to besure of the continuity of supply before embarking on aheavy 'waste' feeding programme.

Feed on a hard area without dust or erosion problems,preferably with shade. Good, clean water must beavailable.

The material should also be fed in a manner to

minimize wastage and the amount of walking by theanimal. Provide a big enough area for all animals tofeed at the same time.

Salt licks are not essential, but added salt may help tostimulate appetite. Molasses can also be used toincreasepalatability and appetite.

All animals should be vaccinated for

enterotoxaemia, because the risk is high withhigh energy feeds.

Chemical contamination

Before feeding any waste products it isimportant to ensure that any chemicalsused on these products will notcontaminate your stock or the meal. Seekadvice on chemical application historyfrom the person selling the product andthen check withholding periods with anappropriate authority. 57

Citrus peelOrange peel was successfully used during the1972 drought and has proved to be an excellentdrought supplement for some farmers since then.Stock can be maintained in good condition on anall-peel diet.

Peel is available from May to February. It isusually free, but the supply may be limited, soconsult the management of fruit juice factoriesfirst.

The quality of citrus waste varies and this affectsits feed value. As a dry feed it has a high energycontent (about 12 MJ) with a low crude proteinvalue of about 6 to 10 per cent.

Sheep would need to eat between 14 and 17 kg ofwet material each week to maintain body weight(see table 1). Stock will eat citrus waste dry orwet. It can be stored to dry out in the paddockwhile sheep feed off it. Sheep generally take topeel well while cattle need longer to get used toit. Occasionally some sheep don't start well onValencia peel because they prefer Navel, lemonor grapefruit. Be prepared to change to the morefavoured citrus if difficulties are encountered.

Further infoT7lllltion on material covered in this fact sheet may be obtainedfrom Cattle & Intensive Animal Industries Adelaide. Phone (08) 8207 7957InfoT7lllltion may be used with acknowledgement.

FS 29/82/96AGDEX 430/57ISSN 1323-0409

Revised November 1996

FS29/82196 Citrus peel and other material for drought feeding

The peel should be spread thinly on the groundfor sheep, but leave it in small heaps for cattle.Cattle will not eat contaminated peel. Putting itout in heaps reduces the chance of it being fouled.

Preferably feed the peel in the paddock wheresome roughage and burrs are available. Feedingstock in yards, however, is a good idea whentraining them to eat peel or when paddock feed isnot available.

There are other organic materials that can be usedby ruminants in times of drought or assupplements to other feeds to eke out the supplyor reduce costs.

Potatoes

Potatoes have been fed to stock for many years.Potatoes are useful for maintaining condition.

They are rich in energy (12.5 MJ/kg dry matter)but relatively low in minerals and protein. Drymatter content is about 20 per cent of wet weight.

58

Potatoes can be fed in large quantities, but shouldbe introduced gradually as they can cause severescouring- evenbloating.

Raw potatoes are not suitable for young stock, oranimals late in pregnancy. When feeding potatoesto stock, break or cut them up to prevent choking.The risk of choking stock is less when potatoes aretrailed on the ground rather than being fed in atrough. Good hay with a clover or mediccomponent should be fed to supply protein andfibre.

Green and sprouting potatoes, which are toxic tostock, should be removed, and any soil stuck to thepotatoes rubbed off to improve palatability.

Grape waste from wineries

Grape waste is available from wineries duringFebruary and until mid-April.

Grape stems may be available free from wineries butdemand for the material as a mulch for almonds is

high. Although they are very palatable, grape stemshave a low energy content that is similar to straw,and a protein content of about 7 per cent.

Grape stems have been used as a feed formaintaining stock condition. They are fed out on theground in the same manner as citrus peel.

Grape marc may also be available and containsmostly seeds. It is fibrous, indigestible and low infeed value. It is palatable, however, and of value as asupplement to high quality feed or as filler in abalanced ration. Grape marc is in demand byorchardists as a humus.

Other materials

Other organic materials such as almond husks,paper, cardboard, saw dust or wood shavings havebeen fed to ruminants. They generally have a verylow energy content, however, and by themselves areunable to maintain stock liveweights. They may beused as a filler with all-grain diets to ensure that allanimals have the opportunity to receive a share ofsmall quantities of grain fed in drought conditions.

· calculated to provide energy needs for maintenance of 40 kg liveweight adult sheep.

Table 1: Feed values of waste materials for sheep and cattle.

Waste material Dry matter Metabolizable Crude protein Fresh weight to

content (%) (MJlkg DM) (% DM) maintain adult sheep.

(kglsheep/week)

Citrus peel 20 12 6 to 10 14 to 17

Grape marc 85 4 11 too low in feed value to

maintain liveweight

Potatoes 20 12.5 9 to 10 13 to 15

Oats 90 11.5 8 to 16 3.3

Pasture hay 90 8.5 8 to 12 4.5

-

(J) PRIMARY INDUSTRIES-V, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Hay for beef cattleBy Michael Milne. senior livestock officer

FACT SHEET.FS 64n7/96

Hay is usually conserved to supplement scarce orlow-quality pasture or to provide a drought reserve.It is costly to make and should be stored and fedwisely.

Production Feeding

Good-qualityclover or medic hay can provide the bulkand protein required to balance rations high in cerealgraincontent used for finishing steers. Many finishingrationscontain 25 to 50% by weight of hay, and pro-duce liveweight gains of about 1-1.5 kg a day.

Cows with YQungcalves at foot in late autumn andearly winter are often stressed by feed shortages andcold weather. Supplementing cows at this time withgood-quality hay ensures the calf's growth and healthand the return of the cow's heat cycle enabling her toget in calf in good time for the next season. A 500 kgcow eats about 15 kg of dry matter (DM) a day. If shegets only a third of her daily DM requirement frompasture, then she needs about 11 kg of good hay at 10%moisture daily to make up the difference.

Cattle tend to prefer hay to dry or very young pasture.To encourage grazing, make the intervals betweenhand-feeding as long as possible. Nevertheless, cattleshould eat all the hay on the day when it is fed out.Thus, the smaller the daily allowance of hay, the longerthe feeding interval can be. To be of any real value,hand-feeding should be done at least once a week.

Phase out hand-feeding when pastures start to growwell and the cattle are improving in condition.

Survival feeding

Hay kept in reserve for times of drought becomes morevaluable as feed supplies dwindle. It is necessary to usereserves in the best possible way, which meansmatching the amounts fed to the basic requirements ofeach class of stock. When feeding for survival,providing energy to the animal is of prime importance.

Table 1: Daily survival ration for cattle fed only hay(held at fat score 2).

Type of Stock Averagequality

cereal hayrequirement

(kg)

Averagequality

pasture hayrequirement

(kg)

Weaners

(6 to 9 months)*175 kg liveweight

Yearlings(10 to 12 months)220 kg liveweight

Stores

250 to 300 kgliveweight

Bulls 800kgliveweight

Cows

(last 3 monthsof pregnancy)

Cow with calf

(1 to 2 months old)

Cow with calf

(3 months and older

3.5 4.0

4.0 5.0

6.05.0 59

11.0 12.0

* Cereal hay alone is not sufficient to maintain normalgrowth required to reach mating weight at 12 to 15months.

Pasture hay as referred to in Table 1 has anenergy value rating of approximately 8megajoules a kg. Cereal hay has a rating ofapproximately 7. These units are also used inTable 2. The higher the rating, the greater theenergy value.

Introducing cattle to hay-grainrationsThe addition of hay to most hand-fed rationsminimises digestive upsets. Whether cattle are

Further information on material covered in this fact sheet may be obtainedfrom South East Regional HQ, Struan. Phone (087) 64 7419Information may be used with acknowledgement.

FS 64/77/96AGDEX 420/61

ISSN 1323-0409

Revised November 1996

9.0 9.0

9.5 10.0

10 12

FS64n7/96 Hay for beef cattle

being fed for production or survival, digestive upsetscan be avoided by introducing them to an all-hayration first, then slowly replacing hay with grain untilthe final ration is reached in about 21 days. Aminimum amount of hay (15%) should be fed withthe grain from then on.

Comparing feed valuesThe main factor to take into account in decidingwhich hay or grain to use in a ration, or as asupplement, is its relative unit cost of energy. Thenumber of units of metabolisable energy (ME) in afeed is needed to make comparisons of the value ofdifferent feeds. By combining this information withthe cost of a unit weight of the feed, energy costs canbe compared and the feed with the lowest energy costchosen.

Example:

If a producer can buy barley at $160 a tonne, andgood-quality hay at $90 a tonne, the followingcalculations will decide the cheaper feed per unit ofenergy.

Barley at $160 a tonne

Price of one unit

Grass/clover hay at$90 a tonne

Price of one

unit of energy

Table 2: Energy, protein and fibre contents of various feedstuffs per kg fed

16c/kg

Price/kg of feedEnergy units/kg feed

16- 12.3 ...(see Table 2)

= 1.3 cents

8c/kg

= 89

= 0.9 cents

60

Feedstuffs Metabolisable Crude protein (%) Crude fibre (%)energy (MJ)

Hay Grass

poor quality 7 8 33

good quality 8 9 28

Grass/clover

medium quality 8 12 28

good quality 9 14 24

Lucerne

full flowering 7 15 32

half flowering 7 20 29

before flowering 8 18 27

Medic-dominant pasture 10 15 -

Pea, cut at flowering 8 15 27

Vetches, cut at flowering 7 15 27

Cereal

barley (dough stage) 8 7 26

millet 7.5 11 31

oaten - milk stage 7.5 6 29

oaten - ripe seed 7 11 33

rye - before flowering 9 7 30

wheaten - cut at flowering 7 5 24

wheaten -dough stage 7 5 26

-

FS64n7/96 Hay for beef cattle

Table 2: Energy, protein and fibre contents of various feedstufts per kg fed (continued).

Good-quality grass/clover hay at $80 a tonne,therefore, has a lower cost per unit of energy thanbarley at $160 a tonne and is the preferred buy inthis case. Of course, the relative value of differenttypes of hay can also be compared by this method.

In times of plenty, good hay is an efficient, low-risk and relatively cheap supplement. But whenhay is in short supply, its price can exceed that ofgrain on an energy basis. If the cost per unit of

energy should work out to be the same, then thechoice can be made on the basis of proteincontent, convenience of feeding or availability.

Sometimes for instance, when feeding hay as partof a high-grain ration, it may be more appropriateto value it on a protein basis. This is done in asimilar manner using the price and protein contentper unit weight.

61

Feedstufts Metabolisable Crude protein (%) Crude fibre (%)

Cereal straw 5 3 36

Grainswheat 12.5 10 2.3

barley 12.3 10 5.4

oats 10.5 10 12

rye 11.5 10 3

fieldbeans 11.5 24 9

lupins 12 30 18

peas 12 22 6

Sheep nuts 10 10-12 12 - 25