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Concentrate feed is the biggest cost associated with finishing cattle, so it is important to get the most out of every kilo fed.
When building up finishing cattle to higher levels of concentrate feeding, it is important to do so in steps over a period of 10 to 14 days.
This reduces the risk of cattle overfeeding on a ration and suffering from digestive problems. Once daily feed rates move above 3kg/head, split the feed into a morning and evening feed.
Silage
Between feeds, make sure cattle always have access to silage or straw to avoid animals entering a fasted state prior to receiving their next allocation of concentrates.
When moving cattle on to ad-feeding, step up feed rates by 1kg/head every three days and monitor closely for signs of acidosis, which include cattle becoming dull, losing their appetite and scouring.
If any of these symptoms appear, pull back on the feed rates and offer plenty of fresh straw or good-quality haylage for a few days. Once cattle recover, gradually build feed levels back up again.
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