BETTER SERVICE, BETTER RESULTS

Widespread summer rainfall has created a great pasture base for many producers going into winter. While this pasture base allows our producers to reduce the need to purchase hay or substitute feed, the quality of the pasture in winter will decline and will become a limiting factor to production. Understanding that diet quality effects passage rate in the rumen and therefore pasture intake is key to creating an effective supplement program, particularly during winter. Pasture quantity and quality are key drivers of production. As the winter months creep forward, nutrient density in pastures change, primarily associated with plant maturity. As grasses reach maturity, phase 4 or when seed head has lost all seeds, these plants are both low in protein and energy. During this time, it is important to assess grasses and provide stock with adequate protein and energy to prevent weight loss and maintain production. As plants mature and become more lignified, they become harder to digest. Due to this reduction in digestibility of plants, the movement in the rumen in slower and ‘gut fill’ increases. As a result, the animal is unable to consume the required pasture intake to meet daily requirements. Typically, tropical grasses, during winter have a Crude protein and metabolisable energy level of 6% and 5 MJ respectively. At this level, cattle cannot consume enough pasture to meet requirements, with particular emphasis on breeding stock with higher maintenance requirements due to pregnancy or lactation. Using supplements with high protein and mineral can allow cattle to digest dry pastures and provide supplementary protein for production.