Supplemental Feedstuff Selection: Using Value Rather Than Retail Price to Select Supplemental Feedstuffs for Beef Cattle

Author(s): Jason Smith

Abstract

Feed costs are a significant expense in the beef cattle sector, with forages being the primary source of nutrients. However, forages often lack the necessary nutrients for optimal production. Supplementation is often necessary to meet output objectives. Factors to consider include accessibility, transportation logistics, storage and handling qualities, nutrient content, uniformity, and retail price. Although comparing the cost per unit of nutrient of a small number of supplemental feedstuff options by hand is not very time consuming or difficult, comparing numerous options or conducting comparisons on a regular basis may become tedious. The University of Tennessee has developed two calculators in order to streamline this process that are included in this publication.