Each of the four elements has a vital role to play, so if results are to be consistent, it’s essential they’re perfectly balanced. While it’s possible to push growth rates by increasing the energy density of the diet, this must be supported by sufficient protein to maximise the use of energy and starch. And where growth is rapid, appropriate minerals and vitamins are required to protect overall health. To do its job fully, the finishing ration must take all of these demands into account.
Even with a perfectly balanced ration, it’s still critical to maximise dry matter intake (DMI) if DLWGs are to be achieved. Making sure the ration is palatable and readily consumed is therefore as vital as getting its nutritional profile right.
In today’s beef market, the specifications defined by the customer – be that a butcher or supermarket – must be met in order to maximise profit. As fatty carcasses are no longer desirable, finding a feed that delivers the kind of finish the customer demands, within the required timeframe, is central to successful finishing.
Co-product starch alternatives include potato and bread products. As these are cooked, they deliver readily fermentable and highly digestible starch sources. Proteins come in the form of products such as brewers’ grains, Trafford and Sedagold wheat syrups and distillers’ draff. Not only do these provide high-quality protein, they also boost DMI thanks to their palatability.
One way to make a co-product ration especially efficient for finishing is to boost the oil level from the traditional 3% up to 6% of the total diet. We can do this by adding cooked chips, for example, which increases energy density, making for a highly efficient finishing ration.
If genetics and management are optimised, backing them up with a consistent ration can see a farm achieving DLWGs of 2kg or more. Even native breeds such as Aberdeen Angus or Herefords – prone to running to fat if finished too hard – can reach 1.5kg a day.
With DMI playing such a pivotal role in successful finishing, it’s well worth striving to maximise it. Moist co-products, when included in a total mixed ration (TMR), encourage uptake thanks to their pleasant taste and aroma.
They also add succulence, making the TMR more palatable, while minimising dust and wasteful sorting.
A happy side effect of feeding a balanced and consistent ration is satisfied animals, which are full up and contented. A quieter herd is easier to manage and wastes less energy.