Compound cattle feed is a mixture of various concentrate feed ingredients in suitable proportion. Commonly used ingredients in compound cattle feed include grains, brans, protein meals/cakes, chunnies, agro-industrial by-products, minerals and vitamins. Compound cattle feed is an economical source of concentrate supplements and it could be in the form of mash, pellets, crumbles, cubes, etc.
Compound cattle feed is palatable and good source of nutrients for growing, adult, dry, milk producing and pregnant animals. Through regular use of compound cattle feed in prescribed quantity along with basal diet, cost of milk production from dairy animals can be optimised and net profitability can be increased.
Compound cattle feed needs to be fed as follows:
Particulars | Cows
(400 kg body wt.) | Buffaloes
(500 kg body wt.) |
For maintenance | 1.5 - 2.0 kg | 2.0 - 2.5 kg |
For milk production (per litre) | 400 grams | 500 grams |
For pregnancy | 2.0 kg (last two months) | 2.0 – 2.5 kg (last two months) |
Presently, in India only two types of compound cattle feeds are manufactured for adult animals. Considering the increase in milk yield, regional variation in feed availability, preference of farmers it is required to produce different varieties of compound cattle feed. NDDB also promotes use of different compound feeds such as, calf starter, calf growth meal, feed for high yielding animals, feed for low yielding animals, buffalo feed, feed for dry pregnant animals etc.
NDDB provides cattle feed advisory services to Cattle Feeds Plants (CFPs) under the dairy cooperatives, by providing guidelines on quality of raw materials and finished products. CFPs are also assisted in least cost feed formulation, purchase specifications and test methods of cattle feed raw materials, finished products, including mineral mixture.
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FAQs
Compound cattle feed is a mixture of various concentrate feed ingredients in suitable proportion. Commonly used ingredients in compound cattle feed include grains, brans, protein meals/cakes, chunnies, agro-industrial by-products, minerals and vitamins.
What is a compound feed for dairy cows? ›
Compound cattle feed contains grains, brans, cakes, mineral mixture, and vitamins, as source of protein, energy, minerals and vitamins. Compound cattle feed can be fed according to level of milk production.
What are concentrates for compound animal feed? ›
Concentrate feed is also known as balanced compound or vitamin protein supplement. It is made up of additives, premix, protein feed, calcium, phosphorus and salt according to feed formula. It is one of the components of full price compound feed.
What are the 4 types of feeds? ›
We can conveniently classify feeds into three main types: (1) roughages, (2) concentrates, and (3) mixed feeds. Roughages include pasture forages, hays, silages, and byproduct feeds that contain a high percentage of fiber.
What is the best feed mixture for beef cattle? ›
Nutrition. Cattle weighing 700 pounds or more should be fed a ration containing 11 percent crude protein in a diet composed of grain (usually corn, but barley and sorghum are often also used), protein sources, and roughage.
What is the best feed mixture for dairy cows? ›
A dairy cow should be given 15-20 kg of chopped forage per day, preferably in two splits i.e. one in the morning and the other in the evening. Dry feeds include materials such as wheat straw; rice straw, maize Stover and other vegetable by products.
What is compound feed made of? ›
Compound feed: A mixture of products of vegetable or animal origin in their natural state, fresh or preserved, or products derived from the industrial processing thereof, or organic or inorganic substances, whether or not containing additives, for oral feeding in the form of a complete feed (HMSO, 1992; see also ...
How to make cheap cattle feed? ›
Ratios I use for my homemade farm animal feed
The ratios for my animal feed mix are as follows 4lbs of barley, 4lbs of mixed wheat, 2lbs of field peas, 4lbs of oats, and 2lbs of sorghum milo. At this ratio, it yields around 13% protein. I layer this combination in a larger trash can.
How much concentrate should I feed my dairy cow? ›
The amount of concentrate to feed depends mainly on two factors: quality of the forage and milk production level of the cow. Other factors can include weight of the cow and availability of either forages or the concentrate. A general rule on feeding concentrate suggests 1 kg of concentrate for each 2–3 litres of milk.
How do you make cattle feed formula? ›
A medium protein grain mixture is most suitable when milk is fed freely. A grain mixture of oats - 35 percent, linseed cake - 5 percent, bran - 30 percent, barley - 10 percent, groundnut cake - 20 percent may be fed to the calves. Another good mixture consists of ground maize - 2 parts, wheat bran - 2parts.
Concentrates: Concentrates refer to animal feeds that are rich in energy and/or protein but low in fiber, such as corn, soybean meal, oats, wheat, molasses, etc.
What are the three categories of livestock feed? ›
The three main categories of food for livestock are forages and fodder, feed concentrates, and crop residues. Forages and fodder include grasses, legumes, crucifers, and other species used as green fodder, hay, and silage.
What is the best animal feed? ›
Grains are one of the most used food products for feeding farm animals. In the United States, most farmers use corn since it's cheap, widely available and filling. It contains many essential vitamins and minerals, making it a healthy choice for most species.
What is the cheapest feed to fatten cattle? ›
Corn has the highest energy value and is likely the most economical grain in corn-producing localities. Corn, oats, and barley are the primary grains fed to cattle. Oats, which has a lower energy value due to its high fiber content, is considered the "safest" grain in regards to potential digestive disturbances.
What is the best grain to fatten cattle? ›
Corn is a commonly used grain element of most beef cattle feeding programs and a great supplement to forage diets. It's a major source of energy that promotes growth at every age. Corn is approximately 72% starch, 8.8% protein and 9.7% fiber.
What is the best feed to bulk up cattle? ›
- Alfalfa hay is an excellent source of protein and fiber. ...
- Distillers dried grains (DDG) are the nutrient rich co-product of dry-milled plants. ...
- Corn is high in starch that provides excellent energy and gut health for cattle which gives consistent weight gain and growth.
While total mixed rations (TMR) get a lot of attention, many dairy producers still feed forage and concentrates separately. The concentrate component is usually fed only once or twice daily.
Why is compound feed important? ›
It increases reproductive efficiency, milk production as well as fat content of milk. Growing animals should be fed 1 to 1.5 kg of compound cattle feed daily.
