| Show Selection of Protein Supplement for Livestock Imp Important The high cost of various natural protein pro tein supplements and usage of urea of-urea urea has caused many livestock producers to ponder which protein supplement best suits their needs The method to use depends on the situation WHEN CATTLE have adequate te roughage rough age such as dry grass str straw w non non- legume hay or corn stalks then the principal need is for supplemental pro pro- tein For this situation livestock performance per is related to the amount of protein Thus when roughage is Adequate adequate ade Ade- de quate protein supplements can be evaluated evaluated ev ev- ev on a cost per pound of digestible di dJ digestible protein basis according to Dr Joe Falkenburg Livestock Specialist Thus 20 percent to 32 percent range supplements contain about 16 18 percent and 26 percent digestible protein respectively respectively res res- what is their cost Alfalfa hay at 10 percent protein and 50 per ton then the per pound cost would be 25 cents IN A situation when roughage is limited energy is the deficient factor It may be most economical to tb provide to provide needed energy with more more roughage If another source is us used d. d the supplement must provide energy as as' as aswell well leU as protein and more pounds of a a. a alo lo lower er protein supplement can be fed L Usually a lower protein supplement 20 percent vs 32 percent has more grain as an energy source source and will utilize more natural protein in its com com- position UREA IS generally used t to formulate te the higher percent protein supplements Livestock producers frequently wonder about using urea which can cad be be converted con to protein by cattle and sheep in some situations with being cheaper than other protein Urea while being well utilized by feedlot cattle is poorly utilized by livestock on dry grass due to an energy shortage Utilization Utilization Util Util- of urea is intermediate on har har- harvested vested such as as' as hay or silo sil sil- sil age Research says Falkenburg has determined determined de de- de t urea supplements have a value value value val val- ue ue slightly to considerably lower than natural protein supplements In some cases then a ch cheaper apeT supplement supplement supplement sup sup- may not be more profitable concludes the Area Livestock Special 1st |
