Goal
Enhance the ability of cattle producers to make informed, timely decisions on supplemental feeding
Objective
Provide an objective basis for making informed supplementation decisions
Description of Supplemental Feeding Tools
Decision tools based on animal diet, fecal and forage analyses of crude protein and digestibility under grazing conditions. Nutrient profiles are representative seasonal patterns found in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma. Decision points measured correspond Winter, Spring, late Summer and following first frost.
The supplementation tools are designed to give you means to arrive at nutritionally realistic estimates of your herds protein or energy status at a diet level. This objective information can be used by you or your consultant to make adjustments in the type and amount of supplement fed to meet management goals. Locations include: Amarillo, shortgrass prairie; Vernon, Northern Rolling Plains San Angelo, Southern Rolling Plains and Decatur, Cross Timbers and tall grass prairie. All areas were grass dominated with minimal amounts of forbs or browse, except at San Angelo. You have three alternative tools here to derive these estimates:
- Regional Reference Library of Seasonal Diet Crude Protein and Digestibility Values
- Forage Based Estimates of Diet Quality
- Fecal NIRS Estimates of Diet Quality
- Nutritional Monitoring System Links