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Feed & Forage [BE.FF]

    A herd of beef cattle in an open sided shed, standing with their heads through the feed rail at a diet of silage. The cattle are all looking towards the camera.
    A herd of beef cattle in an open sided shed, standing with their heads through the feed rail at a diet of silage. The cattle are all looking towards the camera.

    Improving Silage To Reduce Costs

    Improving silage quality provides an alternative resource of nutrients to livestock that may have otherwise been supplied in concentrate feed. Ruminants have evolved to eat grass, therefore the more we…

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    Beef cattle eating silage indoors
    Beef cattle eating silage indoors

    Feeding Pre-Calving Minerals

    An important factor in the pre-calving period is to ensure the cow is getting adequate minerals in her diet.  Mineral levels in UK silages are variable and are influenced by…

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    Transitioning Off Fodder Beet

    The importance of transitioning livestock on to fodder beet slowly, to allow the rumen bugs to adapt to the high sugar diet is well documented.  However, as calving and lambing approaches, the slow and steady approach should also be used for transitioning the livestock off the beet.

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    Forage Crop Ground Preparation

    Good ground preparation of forage crops is a large contributor to their yield potential, with a fine, firm seedbed, with the correct pH and nutrients being the ideal.  Peter Lindsay, SAC Consulting Senior Consultant discusses ground preparations in this short video.

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    A dun coloured cow in close up view. The cow's fore leg is visible as it has it's head down grazing some short grass.
    A dun coloured cow in close up view. The cow's fore leg is visible as it has it's head down grazing some short grass.

    Magnesium Supplementation of Suckler Cows – Are You Covered?

    As turnout approaches, now is a good time to reassess your mineral supplementation strategy for grass staggers prevention in the suckler herd (also known as hypomagnesaemia or grass tetany).  Whilst access to spring grass is one of the key risk factors for lactating cows, with the high passage rate of lush, wet grass through the digestive tract reducing magnesium absorption, there are several other factors to consider.

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    Silage bales stacked
    Silage bales stacked

    Improving Baled Silage Quality: What’s it Worth?

    When buying or selling silage bales, nutritional value is rarely taken into account, but the variation in quality can be huge.  Having an analysis to hand might allow you to command a better price if selling and the buyer is more aware of the silage quality they are purchasing and whether it is suitable for the class of stock it is destined for.

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