Read Why Adequate food Nutrition is important-
Good health of the cattle is of utmost importance for the success of your cattle farming business. The product quality has to match the expectations of the market which in the case of cattle farming is the health of the cattle or the quality of milk.
To maximize return on your investment, your cattle need to be well grown and efficiently finished. Cutting corners on cattle nutrition is only going to adversely impact the returns that you can expect to get otherwise. Because like it is true for humans, providing very good nutrition to your cattle is very important for their good health.
From a food Nutrition perspective, care has to be taken that only the right kind of cattle food and in the desired proportion is provided. You also need to keep in mind that the nutritional requirements of cattle are not very straight forward and keep changing with the stage of development, breed of the cattle, gender and the purpose of farming (breeding and or dairy or beef).
Impact of Inadequate food Nutrition
It is a common tendency to cut down on animal nutrition, especially when the input costs are very high. But what people fail to visualize is the adverse impact of poor nutrition on the output or productivity of the cattle. Quite often savings in costs are more than offset by decline in revenues. Moreover, the probability of incurring significant expenditure on account of illness also goes up. Discussed below are salient effects of low nutrition on cattle.
1. Impact on Milk Production and Cow Weight
Cattle which are not adequately fed will be weaker than normal and obviously the cow milk production is also directly impacted. Cows require a certain amount of energy in order to produce milk and if that is not provided it is likely that either milk production will drop or the body reserves will be consumed to keep producing milk at consistent levels.
2. Decline in Reproductive Efficiency
The profitability of a farming business is also largely dependent on the reproductive capacity of the cattle. Inadequate nutrition has a direct adverse impact on the same. Lower mineral levels in the body will impact pregnancy rates and also impair development of testis in bulls.
3. Decline in Immunity
Saving on nutritional needs of your cattle may force you to spend money elsewhere which would be less desired and more painful. Cattle which are not nourished properly are susceptible to infections and diseases. These infections and disease could be contagious and the harm that it can do financially could be destructive for your business.
Meeting the Nutritional Needs of Cattle
The nutritional needs of your cattle is dependent on the stage it is in. Cattle farming can be divided into three stages
1) Rearing,
2) Farming and
3) Finishing.
The rations and the kind of food would be different during rearing, growing and finishing stages, as the growth objectives are different in each stage. During the rearing stage, the objective is to get the cattle to a particular weight usually 200 kgs and the nutritional needs are met through milk feeding and weaning. In the growing stage, developing the height and length of the body frame is the objective. The finishing stage is a short period and is focused on maximizing weight gain. The duration of each stage would depend on the type of cattle and the target market needs. Apart from the regular feeds, mineral and vitamin supplementation should also be a part of your nutritional program.
Cleanliness of your Cattle
While providing a good diet is crucial, keeping cattle in good hygiene is no less important. Only clean and healthy cattle will provide pure and nutritious milk or meat. So make sure adequate hygiene measures are implemented. The resting and transit areas of cows should be kept clean. Proper drainage should be constructed so that there is no collection of water. Waste should be properly scraped and removed. Consult a veterinarian to maintain proper cleanliness and hygiene protocol. There are variety of equipment that are designed for the good health and hygiene of your cattle, so do consider buying them.
Seek guidance from your veterinary and keep in touch with reputed animal health supplies vendors in your area to procure and feed right nutrition for your cattle. Also, ensure hygienic conditions and regular check up to keep your cattle and consequently your farming business in good health.