Nutrition is king when it comes to weight gain

Paying attention to nutrition pays dividends when it comes to herd weight gains, according to Queensland producers Megan Bayles and Doug Waddell (pictured).

The couple have a dual perspective on livestock nutrition, merging Megan’s role as Branch Manager for Elders Meandarra with Doug’s experience managing beef cattle at ‘Miramar’ near Surat. They’ve finessed their knowledge of ruminant nutrition at MLA’s Nutrition EDGE workshops.

“The way cattle prices are at the moment, producers need their stock to be performing effectively in their desired lines and need them to be efficient,” Megan said.

“Nutritional value is a major cog in the wheel if you actually want to turn over the kilos.

“I recommend going to Nutrition EDGE to either brush the surface to upskill yourself or even go further into the nuts and bolts of it all – it’ll open your mind to the bigger picture about nutrition.”

Monitoring nutrients

Megan encourages her clients to monitor nutrient levels on their properties so they can take steps to address any nutrient deficiencies affecting productivity.

“If you’re grazing the country either lightly or intensively then it’s imperative to be putting back into the country what you’re taking out of it,” Megan said.

Her strategies include:

• consider fertilising grazing areas;
• introduce new herbages for winter;
• establish a sustainable ecosystem to house and nurture dung beetles and healthy soil.

“If you’re not finding where your feed gap is and not testing your soil, you can’t know what your cattle are deficient in and what levels your country currently is at – you’re most likely wasting money on the incorrect feeds and supplements by not buying the right products and getting that bang for your buck.”

Targeted supplementation

Megan said phosphorus supplementation programs tailored to the needs of individual enterprises have proved effective for many of her clients seeking to meet their production targets through better herd nutrition.

“You’ll find most of Australia is phosphorus deficient and there’ll be areas that are highly deficient,” Megan said.

“When people come in and they ask for lick, it’s imperative to ask what type of country they’re on and what they’re wanting from it – are they wanting weight gain, to maintain weight, or are they wanting to make sure all the trace elements and vitamins and minerals are there, so bodies are functioning well for calving.

“It’s about asking the questions first to help get the desired results.”

Nutrition and innovation

Megan encourages producers to remain open to learning more about nutrition through tools such as the Nutrition EDGE workshops, as well as the services offered by livestock agencies, to ensure long-term profitability on-farm.

“The industry is ever evolving, it’s just a matter of being on the front foot and not being afraid to try things.”