Dietary needs of ruminants

common ruminant species

cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, deer, giraffes

ruminant digestive system

special type of herbivore with 4 stomach compartments

foregut fermenters - most digestion occurs in the front of the digestive system. They extract nutrients by passing partially broken down food back and forth between the stomach compartments, which is a long process

they need to graze most of the day, to obtain full nutrients from their food

examples of things owners must provide ruminant animals with to help with their digestion

field space with good pasture, plus silage and hay

how to meet dietary needs of cattle

good-sized grazing area which is safe and secure with good-quality pasture

need access to a sheltered area, and there should be a ‘penned’ area for observing the animals (to be used if there are concerns over food intake, etc)

require an eating area where feed is provided in a trough

if type of feed needs to be changed, should be done gradually. Concentrate feeds should be considered for times of drought, or when trying to ‘bulk up’ animal weights, or during lactation. Can be scattered on pasture or provided separately in the trough

pasture quality

the amount of nutritional value utilised by the animal. Silage and haylage are pasture which has been harvested in the summer months when it is high in nutritional value, then stored. These are fed to ruminants when pasture is not as good, e.g. in winter. The quality of both must be high

stocking density

the number of animals grazing on a specific area, e.g. in a hectare, at one time

wet conditions and many animals trampling an area cause compaction, and can limit the growth of grass and cause weeds to appear

relationship between pasture quality and nutritional value

high quality pasture means a greater proportion of the nutritional value can be used e.g. 80% used by animal, with 20% passed as waste

function of concentrate feeds

provide concentrated sources of necessary nutrients for livestock, either as complete diets or to supplement forage rations.

do ingredients of concentrate feeds vary and why?

yes - different for different species and requirements e.g. lactating animals

general ingredients for concentrate feeds

cereal grains and pulses in different ratios (to provide energy and protein) often with added minerals and vitamins

how to source concentrate feeds?

can be bought readily prepared

can be created on a farm which requires knowledge and skill

how to calculate concentrate feed rations?

using Pearson square ration formulations