Forage cow: what does it mean and rationing, accounting for feed consumption

Forage - plant crops intended for feeding agricultural animals. Includes grains of cereals and legumes, straw, hay, chaff. Previously, fodder was used only for horses. Today, the scope has expanded: feed is given to cattle, poultry. Forage cows deserve special attention. What are these animals? What are their features and differences?

Fodder cow: what does it mean

On livestock farms, the livestock is divided into subgroups depending on the lactation period. Dry individuals, females after childbirth and dairy cows are kept separately.The goal is to get the right appropriate diet, as nutrition at different stages of life is different:

1. Dry individuals - vitamin mixtures.
2. New cows - hay and water, gradual introduction of protein and concentrates.
3. Milking - advance nutrition to increase milk yield.

Newly calved cows and milking cows are forage animals. They receive additional feeding (forage). Such food is saturated with protein, which is of particular value to the animal. The substance supports the normal functioning of the body, increases productivity.

How are grains and legumes processed for forage?

Forage feed is important to prepare properly. This is necessary for better assimilation and getting the maximum effect from its use. The type of additive chosen affects the characteristics of the course of preparation. Methods for processing cereals and legumes are different.The grain varieties include oats, barley, rye. Grain processing:

1. Crushing, grinding or breaking. Mandatory method for the destruction of the hard shell of the grain. In this form, the forage is digested faster.
2. Plumping or crushing. The procedure improves the palatability of the forage. The resulting product is digested in its entirety. The body does not need to expend effort to digest the hard shell of the grain.
3. Micronization is a heat treatment process (influence of forage with infrared rays). As a result, the shell cracks, the feed grain becomes soft.
4. M alting to increase the sugar content of forage.

Beans are lupins and soybeans. Such feed is subjected to heat treatment. Most often, steaming or boiling is carried out. When exposed to heat, the anti-nutritional substances contained in the product are destroyed.Ready forage has a high content of protein valuable for a milking individual.

Milking control

Determining the milk productivity of forage cows is a mandatory procedure for farms and private households. This allows you to calculate the productivity of each female. The calculation of milk yield is carried out for the whole year and for the days of lactation. In small farmsteads, daily weighing of the milk received from each individual is carried out.

On large farms, only averages can be calculated. For this, formulas are used. The first is the total milk yield divided by the number of dairy cows in the herd. To find out how much milk one forage individual gave, the annual or monthly volume is divided by the duration of lactation.

Example of counting per 1 feed cow:

1. Determination of the number of livestock. For example, there are 340 heads in total.
2. Monthly milk volume (31 days) - 200,000 liters.
3. Division of received values. Total milk volume per herd size. 200 000/340=588 l. This is the monthly value for 1 forage cow.
4. Next, daily volume calculation. 588/31 days=18.9 liters produced by a forage cow per day.

For a complete assessment of the livestock complex, an analysis is also carried out for fat content and protein content. The data is entered into special journals.

High milk yields are an indicator of a quality economy and an efficient forage base. At low rates, they reconsider the diet, conditions of detention, features of the breed.

Accounting for feed consumption

Conducted by the number of feeding days. Approximate structure: at the beginning of the month, the number of heads is recorded, the data is logged. Over the next month, all changes in the herd are made: replenishment with new animals, the departed livestock. In parallel with this, they keep records of the consumed feed. At the end of the month, the results are summed up, the formula for calculations is identical to determining the volume of milk yield.

Fed consumption control is needed for a number of activities. This is a forecast of feeding days and determining the number of individuals for fodder supplements.

Also, calculations allow you to find out how many cows will go to the dead wood, how many will replenish the dairy group. The data obtained determines how much forage will be needed for the females to feed.

Eating Rules

Forage is not the only food for animals. Individuals should visit pastures, where cows independently replenish the missing volume of plant components. The average walking time is 8-10 hours. So that feed mixtures do not disrupt the functioning of the digestive tract, it is necessary to constantly give water. At least 5 drinks per day are required.

Features of the diet for each group in the herd:

Recently moved calving. They are in the process of breaking down. Require a balanced and complete diet:

View	Nutrition
Cash Cows	1. Herbal blends. 2. Legumes. 3. Cereals.
Dry (after lactation)	Cows are being prepared for insemination. The task of nutrition is the accumulation of useful trace elements for the subsequent period of bearing calves. The diet should be saturated with vitamins and useful elements.
New cows	Cows after calving. Forage is given to prevent disruptions in milk production. Forage is introduced gradually, daily increasing volumes to normal.

Using feed mixtures - the ability to increase the average milk yield per cow by 0.5-1 liter. Forage individuals are capable of producing up to 3,000 liters of milk per year. Therefore, by providing a suitable diet and reasonable maintenance, the farmer receives minimum feed costs and increased productivity. To achieve a noticeable result, it is necessary to use only prepared and pre-treated forage.

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