SHONE FARM BEEF CATTLE GUIDELINES
NUTRITION
Cattle are ruminants and have four-compartment stomachs: Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum and
Abomasum. Absorbable nutrients are available to the animal after foodstuffs enter the rumen and are
broken down via microbial fermentation.
Nutritional requirements in cattle depend largely on what stage the animal is in (growth, breeding,
pregnant, lactation) and other factors (breed, sex, age, weight, genetics and environmental conditions).
Dietary components necessary for cattle to stay healthy are: water, energy, nitrogen, vitamins, minerals
and fiber.
Minerals: Mineral requirements for cattle include: calcium, phosphorus, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron,
magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc and chlorine. Cattle that
graze or are fed hay that have a deficiency in required minerals may be supplemented.
Vitamins: Cattle have the ability to synthesize most required vitamins (B and K are synthesized in the
rumen and Vitamin D is synthesized when the cattle are exposed to sunlight and can also be found in
some sun-cured forages. Vitamins A and E are the only vitamins that may need to be supplemented –
Vitamin A precursors and Vitamin E can be found in high-quality forages.
Calf Nutrition: Orphaned calves or those not receiving enough milk from its mother may need to be
supplemented because, due to an underdeveloped rumen, it cannot utilize roughages or other dry feeds
that mature cattle can eat. Commercially available milk replacers can be fed to an orphaned calf to
meet its nutritional requirements after the initial intake of colostrum. Newborn calves must receive
proper amounts of colostrum so care must be taken to assure this. If a calf is weak and unable to nurse,
it must be tube-fed until able to nurse from a bottle (if it’s orphaned) or from its mother. Grafting calves
onto an adoptive mother is preferred over bottle feeding with a milk replacer.
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SHONE FARM BEEF CATTLE GUIDELINES
Prohibited Feedstuffs: The FDA prohibited the use of protein derived from mammalian tissue in
ruminant feed in August, 1997. Exceptions include milk, blood, porcine and equine products. As a
result, Feed manufacturers are required to label any feed containing this type of protein with “Do not
feed to cattle or other ruminants”.
~ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ~
Feeding
Beef Unit
Pens
Insufficient Pastures (Hay Supplementation)
 Follow feeding directions laid out by Livestock Tech
 Decrease number of flakes if there is hay left over by the next feeding
 Increase if the animal is thin, agitated and/or crying all day
 Inform Livestock Tech of any observations and changes
Quality Pastures:
Breeding Cattle
 Rotate cattle on pastures of highest nutritional quality and good footing
 Rotate cattle according to pasture health
Cows (Gestational Maintenance)
 After breeding, start cattle on pastures with good nutritional quality - not necessarily the
best
 Rotate cattle according to Body Condition Scores and pasture health
 Rotate cattle on pastures of highest nutritional quality in the 3rd trimester
 Move pregnant cows - in groups - to calving field 2 - 3 weeks before predicted calving
Cow/Calves (Lactation Maintenance)
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SHONE FARM BEEF CATTLE GUIDELINES
 After calving, keep Cow/Calves in calving field for a minimum of 3 days
 After 3 days, rotate Cow/Calves in small groups - according to health - to a pasture of high
nutritional quality (lactation pasture)
 Rotate Cow/Calves as a group, if possible, according to Body Condition Scores and pasture
health
Feeder Cattle (Growth Maintenance)
 Rotate cattle on pastures of highest nutritional quality
 Rotate cattle according to pasture health
Calves (Weaned)
 Move calves to a pasture of high nutritional quality next to the pasture containing the
mother cows
 Rotate calves away from the mother cows to a higher quality (if possible) pasture
Cows (Weaning)
 Move cows to a pasture of lowest nutritional quality next to a pasture containing their
calves
 Rotate cows among lower quality pastures with dry grass (no irrigated fields) in order to
facilitate udder shrinkage and to avoid mastitis
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