Should You Supplement Your Cattle This Autumn/Winter?

Posted June 4, 2022
 

There have been some great rainfalls recorded recently, the country is looking great and there's a good body of pasture in your paddock. Should you still consider supplementing your cattle feed?

 

As seasons begin to shift, pasture quality starts to decline along with its ability to provide adequate nutritional value for livestock. Autumn and Winter have a significant impact on the degradation of pastures, particularly in the Southern and Northern NSW regions due to frost, dry weather and the end of their seasonal cycle. The result is compromised nutrients through leaked protein and energy availability for livestock.

 

This decline in nutrients means it’s important to start supplementing livestock now, with elements that are vital for growth and development. Supplementing increases digestibility of pastures, and helps top up the vitamin and mineral profiles of livestock. Feeding supplements will maintain a positive nutritional plane to prepare herds for weaning, breeding, backgrounding, or feedlotting.

 

What are your options?

For weaners, growing heifers and breeders (growing herds), Riverina Dry Lick products are a high protein supplement ideal for encouraging growth while delivering much needed vitamins and minerals. A number of varieties are available, depending on deficiencies and age and are available as antibiotic-free and Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System (PCAS) approved.
Learn more about our Dry Lick products.
 
TRUEGRAZ® GOLD is another supplement designed for grazing cattle that can help at this time of year.TRUEGRAZ GOLD is a palatable, free flowing, molasses based liquid feed, which cattle are easily attracted thanks to its aromatic properties. It’s designed to increase stocking rates while improving forage utilisation. TRUEGRAZ GOLD is manufactured to strict quality control standards and is formulated in accordance with current research into ruminant nutrition. PCAS approved version is available by request.
Autumn is also an ideal time to supplement breeding cows with TRUEGRAZ GOLD supplements to also help regulate their cycling. TRUEGRAZ GOLD provides much needed vitamins and microminerals to prepare cows for the breeding season sooner and increase calving percentages through enhanced supplementation.
Click the link for more information on TRUEGRAZ GOLD.
 
For producers interested in increasing the growth rate of weaners, Riverina’s XLR8 Pellets are excellent for hay or pasture feeding.
This 16% high protein, high-energy feed can be fed to growing beef calves from just 12 weeks. Pellets are an all-round popular alternative due to their ability to speed up weight gain and easily digestible composition. Weaner growth season is typically between April and May, so now is still a great time to start your weaners on XLR8 if you haven’t already.
Learn more about Riverina’s XLR8 Pellet formula.
 
This is also the time of year for backgrounding cattle in preparation for feedlots. It’s important to note we typically see around 270-420kgs for domestic feeder cattle and 420kgs + for export feeder market cattle.
Aiding in easy digestion with all the necessary nutrients and minerals for preconditioning backgrounder cattle, Backgrounder Select® is a dual-purpose molasses-based liquid designed to supplement pastures and is a PCAS approved supplement.
The ingredients are held in suspension to reduce settling for a consistent supply of nutrients while the added organic zinc assists with lean tissue growth, hoof and tissue repair.
Discover more about the benefits of Backgrounder Select on our website.

 

Whenever supplementing any class of cattle, it’s important to note that vaccinations need to be up-to-date to protect livestock from clostridial diseases. 7-in-1 shots are recommended for breeders and 5-in-1 shots are suitable for replacement cattle and weaners.

 

For more information, you can view our products here or contact us through your local Riverina branch.

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