Why grazed grass is not a complete feed for your suckler cows

The coming weeks will see suckler farmers across Northern Ireland seeking to get their spring calving cows back in calf.

Ensuring as tight a calving pattern as possible year-in year-out is also critical when it comes to determining the overall viability of suckling enterprises.

It’s a simple equation: the tighter the calving pattern, the better cows and their calves can utilise grazed grass – the cheapest source of feed on every Irish livestock farms.

Underpinning all of this is the body condition score of cows as they approach the breeding season. The animals must be on a good and rising plane of nutrition, achieving the optimal body condition score of 2.0 to 2.5 at time of service.

Research carried out in both Ireland and the UK has shown that optimising cow nutrition leads to an increased number and weight of calves weaned; a reduced calving period; a reduced time between calving and conception plus fewer empty cows.

While grazed grass is by far the cheapest forage to offer suckler cows, it is by no means a complete feed for these animals. Mineral and vitamin imbalances are an issue as is the fact that, invariably, ruminant livestock need an extra energy source to allow the microbial populations in the rumen make full use of the fresh grass that is available to them.

David Morgan of Caltech: Crystalyx takes up the story: “Supplementing grass with Cattle Boosterfeed buckets can significantly and economically improve suckler cow performance.

“Independent trial work carried out at Newcastle University has shown that Cattle Booster increases the rate of forage digestion by rumen bacteria by up to 10 per cent. This stimulates grass intakes due to a reduced gut fill effect, thereby increasing forage intake; rather than replacing it.”

David pointed out that Cattle Booster also increases forage digestibility, or D-value, so animals actually get more energy out of what they eat.

He further explained: “These benefits continue throughout the grazing season, as long as forage supplies remain plentiful. For example, it hs been shown that Cattle Booster will act to improve autumn grass D-values by an average of 6.8%. Or put another way, increasing D-value by 6 units effectively increases forage energy content by 1MJ/kg dry matter.

“Cattle Booster provides all the minerals, trace elements and vitamins needed to balance grass, which are essential for optimum animal performance and health. Rumen bugs also need minerals to help them digest the grass and the little and often trickle feeding system supplied by Cattle Booster is an ideal method of ensuring this.”

According to David Morgan, Cattle Booster constitutes a concentrated source of sugar. This is important to help maintain rumen digestive efficiency.

He commented: “Cattle Booster will also provide suckler cows and calves with that all-important nutritional lift, thereby ensuring optimal milk yields and daily liveweight gains.

“The product has been formulated to balance typical mineral and vitamin deficiencies seen in pasture. It offers a comprehensive mineral and vitamin package in the form of a weatherproof, free access, molasses feed lick.”

David concluded: “Drenching cows or feeding supplementary meals are not practical options for significant numbers of suckler producers, once cows go out to grass.

“The good news is that Cattle Booster feed blocks are a proven management option, when it comes to meeting the complete nutritional needs of grazing suckler cows.”