Cattle Feeding: Soybean Meal As A Protein Supplement
08/25/2009 10:07AM
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Q: I have access to free soybean meal (48% protein) and would like to be able to use it as a protein supplement for my cows on summer pasture. What are your suggestions on feeding it? I was told about a pound a day is adequate but how do you limit them to that? I could throw it out to them daily but it's such a small amout I think some could easily get too much while others get none. Can something be added to make it self limiting so I can put out several days at once?
A: If the forage is vegetative and growing, which most warm-season pastures are right now, I doubt that cows need any supplementation of protein, especially if the cows are spring-calving cows. Milk production is decreasing and the cow nutrient needs are also decreasing. If spring-calving cows are getting pulled down by the calf this time of year, it may be more economical to just weaned the calf and cows can regain condition of there is forage available.
When grass goes dormant later this fall, pregnant cows will be about .35 to .45 pounds deficient in protein and a pound of soybean meal will meet that defiency. Supplementing protein will stimulate forage intake if there is ample forage for the cow to eat. The most widely used limiter is salt. Self-fed, controlled consumption can be accomplished with some feeds, especially oilseed meals and meal-grain mixes, by including an intake limiter such as salt. Cattle then will consume salt in maximum amounts of approximately 0.1 percent of body weight, or about 1 pound of salt consumption daily by a 1,000-pound cow. So, to obtain supplement consumption of 3 pounds daily in a 1,000-pound cow, a mix of 1 pound salt to 3 pounds supplement should be provided. When using salt to limit consumption, plenty of high quality water must be available. Also, cows consume more of a salt-limited supplement when it is located close to a water supply. You will likely need to experiment some to get intakes that you desire, but this is a starting place. Make sure you get a uniform mix of salt and SBM. You may want to experiemnt on a few cows to get the right mixture and consumption where you want it. I would not offer another source of salt other than what you have in the mix.
Source: Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science, University of Nebraska