When buying dairy ration, the most important thing to look for is the energy level. While the merchants will quote you based on the protein, protein is rarely lacking in the diets of spring-calving cows where they get some access to grass on a daily basis.

Spring grass is naturally high in protein at around 24%, so any few kilos of grass in the diet will bring up the dietary protein. Where no grass will be fed, then protein in the meal is more important and it should be up around 20% but this is very expensive. When looking at rations, the UFL (energy) should be close to 0.95. Where grass is going to be in the diet then a three-way coarse mix at 14% protein is good enough.

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