We’re all well used to seeing ingredient labels on bags of concentrates or ration dockets, but do we know exactly what the nutritional benefits of each feed is? Below is an analysis of some of the most common feed ingredients you’re going to be dealing with this winter, while Table 1 shows the nutritional values of these ingredients and Table 2 shows what exactly the numbers mean.

Barley

This is a high-energy, high-starch and low protein feed ingredient. It is also low in vitamins and calcium. It should be fed rolled rather than ground. For safe feeding, limit inclusion level to 6kg-7kg/head in finishing diets. Higher inclusions are possible, but feeding management is critical to prevent acidosis.

Wheat

Similar to barley, this is a high-energy, high-starch and low protein ingredient. It’s low in vitamins and calcium.

However, in contrast to barley or maize, its starch is rapidly digestible, which leads to a significantly higher risk of acidosis. For this reason, limit inclusion to 2kg-3kg/head and feed rolled only.

Maize grain

Maize is another high-energy, high-starch product. It digests much slower compared to barley or wheat and therefore presents a lower risk of acidosis. There is no limit on inclusion. Maize grain has low energy and low calcium.

Citrus pulp

This is a by-product of pressing citrus fruits. Despite it being very low in protein, it is high energy and is a good source of digestible fibre and sugar. This makes it extremely useful in a ration, combined with a cereal and a high protein source. Limit inclusion to 3kg-4kg and, because it is low in phosphorous, it must be balanced for minerals.

Beet pulp

Beet is another by-product, this time of of sugar processing. It’s high in energy and is a good source of digestible fibre. It is also low in protein, so should be combined with a cereal and a good protein source. It is low in phosphorous.

Soya hulls

These are a by-product of de-hulling soya beans. Within the diet, they offer moderate energy and a good source of digestible fibre. These too are low in protein. They are a very useful ingredient in ad-lib concentrate diets or fodder beet diets, serving to reduce the risk of digestive upsets. Limit inclusion to 2kg-3kg.

Molasses

Best known for binding pelleted concentrates together and improving the palatability of a ration, molasses offers moderate energy and is a good source of sugar.

Soya bean meal

Soya bean meal is a very high-quality protein feed that also offers a high energy content. Its good amino-acid profiles makes it the most popular protein source in concentrate mixes. There is no limit on inclusion in a mix, only on the ration’s protein requirement and its effect on price.

Maize distillers

This is a by-product of alcohol distilling. It provides moderate protein and high energy. It is high in digestible fibre, however, it is also high in oil, which can affect fibre digestibility and intake. Limit inclusion to 3kg-3.5kg.

Rapeseed meal

A by-product of oil manufacture, rapeseed meal is high in protein and has moderate energy. It’s also a good source of rumen-degradable protein. The biggest downfall is palatability issues at high inclusion rates – therefore limit inclusion to 2kg.

Palm kernel

Palm kernel is a by-product of oil manufacture. In the diet, it provides moderate protein and low energy. Unfortunately, the protein quality is poor and, with a low energy offering, inclusion should be limited to 5%-10% of the total mix.

Energy

Energy drives milk production, liveweight gain and foetal growth. It can be expressed in one of two ways, depending on the class of animal being fed: UFL, which is used for suckler cows and growing animals and UFV, which is used for finishing animals including bulls, steers and heifers. The energy density of concentrate mixes for high levels of performance should be a minimum of 0.94 UFL/kg as fed for suckler cows and weanlings, with a target figure of 1 UFL/kg. For finishing cattle, we are looking at a minimum UFV of 0.92/kg, with a gold-standard figure of 0.98 UFV/kg.

Protein

Protein is a key nutrient for milk production, reproduction and growth. Protein requirement will vary with the type of animal, stage of the production cycle and the base forage being offered. For example, in beef systems, weanlings should be offered high levels of protein in their diet to sustain growth and development, whereas finishing cattle only need low to moderate protein, but high energy. Always balance the protein content of the concentrate with the protein content of the forage, as seen in Table 2.