When we evaluate the body condition of a beef cow compared with that of a dairy cow, there are obvious differences. The beef cow is stout and thick, with excess musculature and fat covering the entire body. The dairy moo-cow is lean, with visibility of most of the bony structures of the body and has a much more feminine advent than that of the beef cow. Nutritional requirements of these types of cattle correlate closely with their trunk composition and purpose.  We have also genetically improved these animals over many years to focus on the traits we use them for (milk production in dairy cattle and meat consumption in beef cattle). All cattle demand nourishment through their nutrition, which is equanimous of 6 basic nutrients: water, carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. Many factors influence the type of nutrition fed, including: digestive system function, feed and ration, environs, age, sex of the animate being, size, trunk condition, weight, brood, genetics, and purpose for which they are being used.

The dairy moo-cow is like an athlete during lactation, or the period during which she is making milk. Cows must calve each yr to keep to brand milk. Following a lactation menstruum, the cow is dry (non-lactating) for a brief period, which allows her to proceeds excess body stores and gear up her torso for the new calf near to be built-in. When the dairy cow first calves, she is burning a lot of calories to make milk and stripping herself of many of the torso stores she gained in the non-lactating period. A high producing milk cow may eat as much every bit 100 pounds of feed per twenty-four hours! This feed consists of a full mixed ration, which combines dry hay, silage (ensiled feeds are things such as chopped corn and chopped moisture hay), grain, mineral and frequently other past product feeds, such equally soybean meal, cottonseed meal, etc. This ration is frequently created past a trained dairy nutritionist that optimizes nutrition for the health of the moo-cow and milk production. This ration changes with the stage of lactation the moo-cow is in, as the animal's nutritional needs modify based on their milk product and stage of pregnancy.  As you tin imagine, their needs shift based on if they're making a lot of milk and not significant or early in their pregnancy vs. when they are heavily pregnant and not producing much milk.  Considering of their high nutritional demands, dairy nutritionists spend a lot of time balancing the rations for these animals as groups, based on their stage of lactation and gestation.

Beefiness cattle herds often consist of a grouping of grown female cattle that are the base of the herd and are the ones which produce calves each year. Some of these calves may stay and be used to grow or maintain the herd, whilst virtually of the calves are fed for man consumption. Some of the calves may exist grown to the size for processing on the farm and some sold at a younger age and fed out at a feedlot.  In comparison to dairy cattle, these calves that are fed for growth are not pregnant and not producing milk. Thus, there nutritional requirements are different, every bit they are not burning calories for milk production or fetal growth. Beefiness cattle don't necessarily take a set level of feed intake; however, they require high enough levels of feeds to meet their nutrient requirements based on the factors previously mentioned.

Consumption of fodder (grasses, hay, etc.) is limited past quality of forage. The higher the forage quality (protein, energy, digestibility), the greater the intake in virtually cases. It does non pay to feed poor quality feeds! Beef cattle may be raised solely on rich pasture in the warmer months, when the grass contains enough calories and nutrients and fed supplemental feeds when the grass is poor.  The cows producing calves are like the dairy cow, in that their nutrient requirements change based on the stage of lactation and pregnancy. Those calves fed for consumption may exist fed a loftier energy total mixed ration (similar a dairy cow with unlike levels of nutrients), made for quick growth and optimal muscling of the meat. Beef and dairy cattle need the same quality of minerals, withal the quantity needed of the various minerals differs in beef vs dairy cattle.

Efficiency is key with both beef and dairy cattle, and these animals perform much improve and take fewer health problems on higher quality feedstuffs and proper ratios of nutrients. If you are unsure of the quality of your feedstuffs, it is recommended that you contact your local extension agent for testing.