Ration Balancing
The diet of most cattle, with the exception of feedlot cattle, consists of 75-100% forage and the nutrient requirements of cattle vary tremendously depending on age and stage of production. A beef cow with a freshly weaned calf has very low nutrient requirements but one with a nursing calf has high requirements and this is often when they are consuming stored forages which may not be sufficient to meet their needs. Stocker cattle on silage or hay will often require supplementation to grow at the desired rate. All cattle will require mineral/vitamin supplementation, regardless of the forage quality.
Balancing rations for cattle on stored forages begins with a forage test which is discussed in another section of this website. There is ration balancing software available that can take the forage test results plus information on the cattle being fed and feedstuffs available to develop the best ration at the most economical cost. Understand, that without training in balancing rations it is easy to develop nonsensical solutions. If you are not comfortable with balancing rations, please rely on a professional for help. Most feed companies have nutritionists to help develop rations and assistance is available through your county extension office.
If you are looking for ration balancing software, below is some information and software available to cattlemen:
