This practical guide is a tool designed for graziers to use in their day-to-day decision-making about livestock nutritional needs, feeding options, condition and health. Pasture supplements are expensive and should not be wasted, yet under-nutrition has an even greater economic effect resulting from low conception and progeny survival rates, poor growth rates, failure to meet market targets and tender fleeces in sheep. Supplementary Feeding of Sheep and Beef Cattle shows how to get the nutritional balance right and avoid costly repercussions from incorrect or inadequate feeding. The key topics covered will be particularly useful in drought situations, but also in seasonal pasture shortages, when the nutrient value of pastures is low. Practical tables and worksheets are provided as key tools, enabling livestock producers to make timely and cost-effective decisions about supplementary feeding.

"This practical guide is designed for graziers to use in their day-to-day decision-making about livestock nutritional needs, feeding options, condition and health." -- BACK COVER.

Beef Cattle Feeding and Nutrition is the third in a series of books on animal feeding and nutrition. These books are designed to keep readers abreast of the rapid developments in feeding and nutrition. These developments have resulted in changes in diets, the use of new feed processing methods, improved use of by-product feeds, and more supplementation with minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and nonprotein nitrogen compounds. The book is organized into four parts. Part I focuses on the nutrient requirements of beef cattle. Beginning with a review of rumen physiology and energy requirements, the remaining chapters discuss the vitamin, mineral, and protein, requirements of beef cattle. Part II on feedingstuffs includes studies on pasture and other forages; hay and haylage making; silage and crops for silage; and concentrates for beef cattle. Part III includes studies on breeding herd nutrition and management; and milk production and calf performance. Part IV on cattle finishing covers cattle finishing systems; feedlot disease; and economics of cattle feeding.

Nutrient Requirements of Domesticated Ruminants draws on the most up-to-date research on the energy, protein, mineral, vitamin and water requirements of beef and dairy cattle, sheep and goats. It defines the responses of animals, in weight change, milk production and wool growth, to quantitative and qualitative changes in their feed supply. It has particular application to grazing animals. Factors affecting the intake of feed are taken into account and recommendations are given according to the production systems being used; for instance, the feed intake of a grazing animal is affected by a larger number of variables than a housed animal. Examples of the estimation of the energy and nutrients required for the different production systems are given, as well as the production expected from predicted feed intakes. The interactions between the grazing animal, the pasture and any supplementary feeds are complex, involving herbage availability, diet selection and substitution. To facilitate the application of these recommendations to particular grazing situations, readers are directed to decision support tools and spreadsheet programs. Nutrient Requirements of Domesticated Ruminants is based on the benchmark publication, Feeding Standards for Australian Livestock: Ruminants, published in 1990 by CSIRO PUBLISHING on behalf of the Standing Committee on Agriculture. It provides comprehensive and useful information for graziers, livestock advisors, veterinarians, feed manufacturers and animal nutrition researchers. The recommendations described are equally applicable to animals in feedlots or drought yards.