Several years ago, the Middle Park Conservation District recently co-sponsored two nutritional workshops with Dr. Lindy Brackett, at Devil's Thumb Ranch near Tabernash.  Dr. Kelcey Swyers, a nutritional consultant from Fort Collins, spoke to beef producers and horse owners from around Middle Park about the Dos and Don'ts of Beef Cattle and Horse Nutrition. Over the course of the next several newsletters, I will divulge the knowledge I gained from attending these workshops, starting with today's article on the

Cattle Nutrition Facts

• In winter and mid-late gestation, Dry Matter Intake should be 1.5% of body weight.  If protein is supplemented, it will increase the DMI.  Winter feeds should also provide at least 10% crude protein and 55% Total Digestible Nutrients.  In spring and summer, Dry Matter Intake should be 2-2.5% of body weight (due to peak lactation).  Remember, these figures are on a 'dry matter' basis NOT an 'as fed' basis. 
• With regard to winter protein supplement options, you can choose from cake, protein blocks, tubs, alfalfa, or liquid supplements.  Alfalfa is typically the cheapest option, followed by cake, then blocks, and finally tubs.  Though alfalfa is cheapest option, Dr. Swyers warns not to feed straight alfalfa because it passes too quickly and the cow will not absorb enough nutrients.  You should cut it with hay.  Dr. Swyers also noted that roughly 20% of the herd will not eat self-feeding protein supplements like blocks and tubs. 
• When you nutrient deprive cows in late gestation, calves are born with a diabetic type appetite and gain weight quickly.  Calves are metabolically programmed to accumulate and store nutrients whenever available.  This type of metabolism is okay for terminal calves but is not ideal for replacement heifers and bulls.  Replacements heifers that are born with a diabetic appetite may experience decreased fertility and have a propensity to not breed back as quickly as other replacement heifers. 
• Cows fed a poor mineral program will have calves that have fewer antibodies and reduced immunity.  Cows will also have less nutritious colostrum. 

Horse Nutrition Facts

• Winter adjustments for horses include: increase energy requirements by 1% for every degree below 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
• In the winter, if feeding in a free-choice feeder, increase your hay rather than your concentrate feed because horses get more metabolic heat from microbial fermentation of hay than they do from concentrate feeds.
• In the winter, make sure you have adequate supply of salt and water. This will help prevent colic and dehydration.  You should also provide decent wind breaks.
• You can feed a lot of fat to horses without causing harm. They do not have a rumen, and they constantly secrete bile to digest the fat.  Ideally, fat should be fed in a pelleted form rather than in grain form because grain also contains a lot of sugar and starch.
• Molasses is an okay source of fat because it is a byproduct in which the sugar has been removed.  Other good sources of fat include: vegetable oil, soybean oil, rice bran, flax seed, and whole sunflowers.  

Most Common Mistakes in Beef & Horse Nutrition

1. Overgrazing
2. Spending money on the wrong mineral program
3. Spending money on the wrong winter protein supplement
4. Buying whatever your favorites sales rep tells you to buy
5. Not taking advantage of the value of least-cost balanced diets to achieve your goals
6. Letting your hay get moldy
7. Not performing a forage analysis on your hay

Other Common Mistakes

Additionally, Kelcey said that most beef producers UNDERESTIMATE the weight of their mature cows.  Thus, they don't feed enough when calculating the 'proper' amount to feed. 

Horse owners typically feed hay that is "too" good for their horses, according to Kelcey.  When hay is too high of quality it passes through the gut too quickly and provides minimal nutritional benefit to the horse.  Kelcey also noted that it is critical to keep a horse's gut full ALL OF THE TIME!

Finally, trace mineral blocks are 99% salt and do not provide enough trace mineral to count for anything.  Kelcey said that you might as well lick your hand because that is the same amount of mineral content you would get from a trace mineral block.