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Utilizing Annual Cereals for Livestock Feed | |
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From the Nov 18, 2009 Issue of Agri-News | |
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| | As well as experiencing feed shortages following the dry growing season, producers may find it necessary to feed more animals. The additional feed requirements may partially be met by the harvesting of annual crops to supplement current hay production and carryover stocks.
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"There are several points to consider when using annual cereals as forages for livestock," says Barry Yaremcio, forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. "Feed test forages, grains and straw prior to the start of the feeding period. Develop balanced rations to prevent production and reproduction problems, optimize the use of feeds available and to minimize costs. If help is required to balance rations, talk to a qualified nutritionist. Remember that young animals are fed to grow and development while mature stock is fed to maintain condition over winter and to provide a live calf next spring. The winter feeding program can dramatically affect reproductive efficiency for the next year's calf crop."
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development have produced a new fact sheet, Utilizing Annual Cereals for Livestock Feed (Agdex 420/63 -1) that provides information and advice on:
- feeding cereal forage, and the differing nutrient levels
- avoiding the problems that can arise when feeding rough-awned barley and foxtail barley
- testing for possible higher than usual levels of nitrate in annual crops
- how to adjust feeding practices according to feed quality
- and herd needs
- what to look for and how to minimize cows' conception problems that can occure
- how producers can avoid Atypical Interstitial Pneumonia
- how to make silage or greenfeed with forages when quality can be reduced dry growing conditions
"The nutrition topics addressed above can be evaluated by using a ration balancing program," says Yaremcio. "Producers can develop their own rations at home. A useful computer program is the Cowbytes ration balancing program available from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development."
For a free demo version of Cowbytes go online to www.agriculture.alberta.ca/ and search Cowbytes.
Contact:
Barry Yaremcio
310-FARM (3276) |
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For more information about the content of this document, contact Barry Yaremcio.
This document is maintained by Rita Splawinski.
This information published to the web on November 18, 2009.
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