Considerations for ranchers when using alternative feeds - have you done your homework?

Alternative or non-conventional feeds, such as grain screenings, cull potatoes or distillers’ grains, can be an economical means for beef cattle producers to supplement forage and grain inventories while continuing to meet animal nutritional requirements.

However, due to variability in the supply, nutrient composition and quality of these feed ingredients, there can be pitfalls if not properly managed.

Below are several key areas that producers can focus on when deciding if alternative feeds are a good fit for their farm.

• Match feed composition to beef cattle groups:

Two of the main components to creating a balanced ration for beef cattle is knowing the nutritional composition of the feedstuffs being used and their suitability for the type or group of cattle. •

Having the proper facilities and feeding infrastructure will make incorporating these feeds easier.

Think about handling and storage: • What about costs – do they add up?

It is key to compare feeds on an equal nutrient basis and not simply on purchase price. This allows for a direct comparison between feeds. Consider the below feed cost comparison example: • Two alternative protein sources are available: source 1 contains 30% protein and costs $350/tonne, while source 2 costs $375/tonne and contains 38% protein. The cost per unit of protein for source 1 is $1.17/kg. In comparison, the cost per unit of protein is $0.99/kg for source 2.Although protein source 1 is purchased at a lower price, it will end up costing more to feed the same amount of protein per head per day when compared to source 2.