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FEED EVALUATION...
Feed evaluation is the most neglected part of the overall nutrition program on a cattle operation and probably the most misunderstood. There are more supplemental feeds types on the market than there are breeds of cattle and it gets very confusing to the cattle producer.
Generally, if any evaluation is done, a producer will calculate the cost of protein and make a buying decision on that. What about tdn and fat? Sometimes, the feed with the lowest cost of protein will have the lowest tdn and fat, so is figuring the cost of protein the answer?
What if you could consider protein, npn, tdn, and factor in the delivered price of as many feeds as you want to consider? Well, this can be done in the "Feed Evaluation Calculator" on this website.
An approximation will be illustrated for total feed cost and feed cost per head on any size operation and for any length feeding season.
FOLLOW THESE EASY STEPS
ENTER ALL PERCENTAGES AS DECIMALS
(1) Enter the total number of cattle to be supplemented
(2) Enter approximate length of feeding season in days.
(3) Enter the percent crude protein of the first feed being considered. (Example .28)
(4) Enter the percent equivalent crude protein from npn of the first feed being considered. (Example .135)
(5) Enter the percent tdn of the first feed being considered. (tdn is not usually on the tag) (Example .70)
(6) Enter the price per ton delivered to the ranch of the first feed being considered.
(7) REPEAT STEPS 3-6 FOR EACH ADDITIONAL FEED, COMMODITY, BYPRODUCT OR HAY BEING CONSIDERED.
The energy value of fat has been removed from the "Feed Evaluation Calculator" due to the fact that some labs consider fat in the tdn calculations and some labs do not consider fat in the tdn calculation. However, I believe that if everything else is equal, I will opt for the higher fat in a supplemental feed.
You will see a big cost per cow variation between the different feeds, commodities, byproducts and hay in the "Feed Evaluation Calculator" in this website. The choice you make could be the difference between a profit and a loss during this time of record high prices.
Dan E. Gary (806) 467-1987 or email jrpumpjack@arn.net
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17
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