In winter, farmers usually have difficulty feeding their cattle due to limited conventional forage sources. Many of them then use straw as an alternative cattle feed in the winter. How to use it as cattle feed? Here is some information you need to know.
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The Energy Content
Research shows that good-quality straw can be an excellent source of energy for ruminants. It is not only filling but contains Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) values in the mid-40s. So, it can provide a significant energy requirement for cattle. However, it is important to remember that straws contain a low protein value, only about 4-5%. It is recommended to mix them with minerals and salt in an appropriate ratio so that the standard protein needs of cattle can be fulfilled.
Best Straw Type
Oat straws are a type of straw that contains the highest energy value and has the best taste because cattle prefer oat straws over barley straws or wheat straws. But if there are no oat straws, cattle prefer barley straws to wheat straws.
The Criteria of the Cattle Being Fed
The criteria for cattle that are suitable for feeding straws are mature cattle with a fit and healthy body condition up to six weeks before the time of calving. Compared to other herd criteria, they have the lowest nutritional requirements.
It is recommended to prioritize the best forage for cattle of mating age and young cattle who are in their second pregnancy, as well as for post-calving rations. Thin cattle should be grouped with the mating cattle herd so that they can consume sufficient nutrients for calving and successful re-breeding.
Feeding Management
To supply adequate energy and protein, use the following feeding management:
- If the hay you are using as feed is of high quality or has a protein value of 16%, the hays: straws mix ratio is 60:40.
- If the hay protein value is 12%, the hays: straws mix ratio is 50:50
- If the hay protein value is low, only 9%, reduce the straw portion to 30% of the total mix.
It is important to remember that hays taste better than straws. Therefore, the cattle will compete fiercely to eat the hay. The sub-dominant cattle will lose to the dominant cattle and can only eat low-quality feed. To prevent this, if you have a bale processor available, it is recommended to cut the higher and lower quality bales together. That way, cattle will find it difficult to sort feed, and all cattle can eat high-quality feed.
Ensure sufficient feed space for all cattle so that they can consume high-quality feed one day and consume low-quality feed the next day to maximize energy and protein intake. Prevent feed wastage by properly adjusting the amount of daily feed offered to the group’s consumption level.
If you do not have hay in stock, you can use straw as the only source of fiber. However, make sure to mix it with adequate grains, e.g., mix 5 lbs of straws, 1 lb of maize grains, and a 40% protein supplement. Grains should be given whole or roughly processed, so the cattle do not digest them too fast.
Choosing Bale Wrap Net
In packaging fodder made from a mixture of straws, producers usually use net wrap. The advantage of using net wrap is that it is faster to pack bales with net wrap than yarn, making the production process complete faster. Net wrap is also better at blocking water from entering, so packaged fodder can be better preserved in the rain.
Choosing the best bale net wrap can be confusing for some. If you are currently confused about which one to choose, Silopak is the answer. Silopak has been leading the global bale net wrap market for the past ten years. Not only produced according to international standards, but the quality of our bale net wrap products also includes a guarantee of 12 months against UV degradation, equipped with roll carry handles for easier and safer handling, and also available with a minimum length of 2.000 meters. Detailed information regarding prices and orders can be found on our website.
Do not suffer any losses because you use cheap bale net wrap. To maintain the quality of the straw, make sure you pack it using the best bale net wrap.