Views: 1 Author: doris zhang Publish Time: 2024-11-18 Origin: Site
When growing fodder for animals, especially cattle, it's essential to ensure proper feed matching and mixing. Fattening cattle can be fed concentrate, roughage, silage, or trough residue material separately or after mixing. Ideally, cattle fodder rations, composed of various feeds, should be proportionally weighed and blended thoroughly. For mechanical mixing, at least 3 minutes of operation is required, while manual mixing should involve stirring all feeds at least 3 times. This ensures an even blend, preventing cattle from being picky and maintaining consistent nutritional intake. Proper mixing results in uniform growth and development of fattening cattle, whether it's cow fodder or mixed animal feed.
Fattening cattle can be fed either dry mix or wet mix. The most efficient cattle fodder often includes whole corn silage or trough residue feed. Before feeding, protein feed (e.g., cottonseed cake), energy feed (e.g., corn meal), silage, and mineral additives should be mixed evenly in proper proportions. Ideally, the moisture content should be 40-50%, creating a half-dry, half-wet texture. This method prevents feed fermentation and heating, which could reduce palatability and intake. When growing fodder and using it for feeding cattle, it is crucial to prepare small quantities at a time to meet their needs for 4-6 hours, ensuring freshness.
Efficiently feeding cattle fodder involves considering feeding frequency. Currently, most fattening cattle are fed 2-3 times daily, while free feeding is practiced less frequently. However, free feeding allows cattle to meet their nutritional needs independently, leading to faster growth, higher slaughter rates, and more beef production. Studies show that cattle under ad libitum feeding gain more weight daily than those on restricted feeding. Free-feeding cattle also yield a higher percentage of net meat, benefiting cattle farmers by maximizing the output of beef from cow fodder.
To enhance cattle feeding efficiency, it's best to place proportioned rations on the side of the trough and feed cattle smaller amounts at frequent intervals. This approach encourages healthy competition and prevents boredom or pickiness. Generally, the first morning feeding should be larger to prevent cattle from fighting for food. Night feeding should also include slightly more fodder to accommodate their nocturnal feeding habits. Proper management ensures that growing fodder is utilized effectively, maintaining healthy cattle growth.
Growing fodder and feeding cattle involve frequent feed changes due to weight gain or supply variations. Transitioning to new fodder for animals should be done gradually over 3-5 days to avoid disrupting feeding habits. During this period, cattle should be monitored closely for abnormalities. Gradual feed replacement helps maintain steady growth and minimizes potential losses due to abrupt dietary changes.
In addition to growing fodder and managing feed, providing cattle with adequate drinking water is critical for their health and development. Cattle should have access to free drinking water, with drinking equipment placed near the feces and urine ditch to maintain a clean pen environment. In winter, when free access to water is challenging, providing water at least three times daily is recommended. Research indicates no significant difference in weight gain between cattle drinking warm water (15°C), cool water, or eating snow, making it practical to provide cool water in colder months.
