Cattle feed plays a vital role in the livestock industry. The quality of feed given to cows can affect the overall health, growth, and productivity of the farm. Therefore, a good understanding of feed is very important. This includes the types, important roles, and factors that influence feed production. To understand better, let’s look at the review in the following article.
Contents
Commonly Used Types of Cattle Feed and Their Benefits
Understanding the types of cattle feed and their benefits can help develop appropriate feeding patterns for optimal results. Types of feed commonly used include coarse feed, fortifying feed, minerals, vitamins, and additional feed. Following are details of the benefits of several types of feed.
Coarse Feed (Forage)
Rough feed generally consists of grass, hay, and other forage. The main benefit is that it provides crude fiber which is important for cows’ digestion. In addition, forage that contains crude protein as much as 20% of the total dry matter, such as legumes or nuts, is important for cow growth and milk production.
Reinforcement Feed
Reinforcement feed or what is usually called concentrate has a low crude fiber content. Usually under 18%, with the main nutrients being energy and protein. There are two differences in concentrates, namely concentrates as an energy source and as a protein source. Concentrate is an animal feed ingredient that is useful for increasing the nutritional content of mixed animal feed. This is necessary for the growth and health of cows.
Minerals and Vitamins
Minerals and vitamins are important for cow health and ensuring proper nutritional needs are met. Both are necessary for optimal growth and health. Minerals include calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, while vitamins include vitamins A, D, and E.
Additional Feed
The additional feed can be animal feed and vegetable feed. Additional feed such as chicken feed and plant feed can provide additional nutrition. Generally includes protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, and fiber which are good for cow health.
The Role of Cattle Feed in Increasing Livestock Productivity
Cow feed plays a crucial role in increasing the productivity of cattle farming. This is because of the important nutritional composition contained in it. These include protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins and minerals.
Protein is important for growth and cow’s milk production. Meanwhile, carbohydrates are the main source of energy, which is needed for daily activities and growth. Then, fat is an important source of energy, especially in concentrated feed.
There are also vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health and growth. Apart from that, the water content in the feed is also very important. Because lack of water can cause serious health problems.
Furthermore, here are some of the important roles of cattle feed in increasing livestock productivity.
Growth, Development, and Health of Animals
Feed that meets the requirements for cow growth, especially containing protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. All of these are very important to ensure optimal growth, development, and health of livestock. This feed can be provided in the form of forage and concentrate.
Increased Meat and Milk Production
Improving the quality of feed, including concentrates given intensively, can increase beef and milk production in cows
Development of Animal Feed Innovation
Innovations in animal feed can help increase dairy cow productivity. Examples of innovation include a feed that acts as an immunomodulator and increases the content of linoleic acid and omega-6 in cow’s milk.
Feed Management for Milk Productivity
Feed management has a proportion of 70% in increasing the milk productivity of dairy cows. This shows how important the role of feed is in achieving livestock productivity goals
Factors that Influence the Feed Production Process
The feed production process involves several factors that need to be considered. The goal is to ensure quality and production success. Here are some factors to consider.
Feed Quality
Providing appropriate and high-quality feed can increase the potential for genetic superiority in the cattle being raised. In turn, this can increase production results by the set targets.
Care in the Growth Period
Care during the growth period is very important in dairy cow management to achieve good and optimal milk production. Healthy body condition, strong legs, good development, and the ability to eat well also need to be considered.
Cattle Fattening Management
Several factors influence the fattening system for cattle. These include feeding techniques, the area of land available, the age and condition of the cattle to be fattened, and the length of fattening.
Feed Storage
Feed storage affects feed quality. To ensure optimal feed quality, certain factors need to be taken into account. These include storing high-fat feed ingredients, liquid feed ingredients, and feed ingredients that have a high-water content.
To produce high-quality cattle feed and enhance livestock productivity, ensure you use Silograss silage film with a high-quality baler wrapper machine. These products not only maintain nutritional integrity but also feature advanced technology, delivering superior performance, durability, flexibility, and efficiency.