The Benefits of Liquid Feed Supplement for Beef Cattle
Sep 19, 2023
Liquid feed is a molasses-based supplement for livestock that provides added minerals, vitamins, protein and energy in a convenient, cost-effective and easy-to-handle form. It complements cattle's primary forage and grain diets, ensuring they receive a well-balanced nutrition profile.
How to Deliver Liquid Feed to Cattle
Liquid feed is commonly pre-mixed to precise nutritional specifications based on the specific needs of a herd. This customization allows producers to optimize performance and address nutritional deficiencies.
There are various methods available to deliver liquid feed to cattle, including:
Incorporation into Total Mixed Rations (TMR)
Top-dressing
Free-choice access
Incorporation into Total Mixed Rations (TMR)
In this approach, liquid supplements are mixed with dry ingredients like forages and grains to create a complete and balanced TMR, ensuring a consistent blend of nutrients.
Top-Dressing
Top-dressing involves pouring or spraying feed directly onto the surface of existing dry feed, which enhances the palatability of the diet. This method ensures a uniform distribution of nutrients and doesn’t require significant changes to your feeding infrastructure.
Free-Choice Access
Liquid supplements can also be provided in specialized lick tubs or troughs, allowing cattle to access the liquid feed as needed. This helps to reduce feeding-time competition and stress among cattle, promoting a more relaxed feeding environment.
Types of Liquid Feed
Several liquid feed options are available to meet specific nutritional requirements and production goals. Their usage depends on factors such as the cattle’s age, production stage and nutritional deficiencies.
Protein Supplements
Protein-based liquid supplements contain various protein sources like soybean meal, cottonseed meal, or urea to meet the needs of growing cattle or lactating cows. They are especially valuable during periods of increased nutrient demand.
Energy Supplements
Liquid energy supplements often include molasses, corn syrup and other high-energy components. Particularly beneficial for working cattle, these supplements increase the energy density of their diet during strenuous activities like cold weather, which increase energy demand in order to maintain a steady body temperature.
Mineral and Vitamin Supplements
These supplements address mineral deficiencies in the local forage or when additional vitamins are required for reproduction or enhanced immune function. They also contribute to optimal growth and weight gain, and can provide critical nutrients during calving season.
Complete Liquid Feeds
Complete liquid feeds are pre-mixed solutions that balance protein, energy, fiber, minerals and vitamins. They provide a one-stop solution for cattle nutrition when forage quality is poor or during specific production phases when precise nutritional control is required, such as in feedlot finishing.
5 Benefits of Using Liquid Feed Supplements
Using liquid feed supplements on your operation improves feed quality and convenience by helping to:
1. Create a uniform mix with reduced separation and less sorting in the bunk
Liquid feed blends seamlessly with other feed components so that every animal receives the same essential nutrients. This promotes consistent growth and health across the herd.
2. Save time by directly pumping liquid feed into the mixer wagon with no bags or hand-adding required
Liquid feed can be quickly added to other feed components, allowing producers to streamline the process and focus on other critical aspects of herd management.
3. Minimize shrink by preventing dust loss to wind or in storage
Spillage and wind dispersion can lead to unnecessary expenses and losses. Liquid feed reduces the chance of waste because it adheres directly to the feed components, leading to cost savings and overall efficiency.
4. Enhance diet-palatability for calves just starting on feed
Liquid feed provides a consistent texture and flavor, stimulates a cattle’s appetite and leads to better feed intake, improved growth and performance.
5. Enhance nutrient absorption
Liquids can help cattle better absorb and break down nutrients leading to an increased uptake of vitamins, minerals and amino acids into the cow’s bloodstream. This plays a vital role in cattle immunity, reproduction, bone development and overall improved metabolic processes.
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Find the Right Liquid Feed Supplements for Your Livestock Operation
FBN Direct® has the right liquid feed supplements, lick tubs and minerals to set your operation up for success. With a straightforward online ordering process, transparent pricing and direct-to-farm delivery of liquid feed, your herd will always stay healthy.
Here are a few popular feed products to help you get started with a proactive and healthy diet:
FBN 18 STRESS Tub, 1 Ton (8 tubs)
Audio Transcript
Looking to add better quality and convenience to your feed program?
Come running to liquid feed. Liquid feed is a molasses-based supplement that provides added minerals, vitamins, protein and energy. This cost-effective, easy-to-handle form saves time and hassle.
When included in a feedlot diet, it is pumped directly into the mixer wagon with no bags or hand mixing. It can also be delivered as a free choice supplement in a lick tank.
This molasses-based supplement conditions the ration into a uniform mix with reduced separation and less sorting in the bunk, enhancing the palatability of the diet, which is especially helpful for calves starting on feed because of its liquid form. It is not prone to shrink from storage or dust blowing in the wind.
Find out if liquid feed is a good fit for your operation. Connect with the FBN nutrition team today.
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Sep 19, 2023
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