By Scout Nelson
Drought conditions can make feed decisions more difficult for cattle producers. Even when rainfall improves, dry conditions across parts of the western Great Plains can affect forage supplies. Some operations continue using forage from the previous season later into the summer and graze areas that are normally saved for hay. As demand for forage increases, producers may look farther away for feed supplies.
Brock Ortner, Nebraska Extension Livestock System Educator, and Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension Educator, provided information that can help producers understand feed costs and make better livestock management decisions. The Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator from University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension gives producers a way to compare different feed options using more than the purchase price.
Understanding the Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator
The Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator is an Excel-based tool designed to help producers evaluate feed purchasing decisions. It includes a library of more than 200 feeds and allows users to adjust nutrient values based on their own feed information.
The tool can account for feed price, freight, storage, handling, and feeding costs. It also calculates feed costs using different measures. These include as-fed cost, dry-matter cost, cost per pound of crude protein, and cost per pound of total digestible nutrients.
The tool also allows producers to compare up to four feeds side by side. This makes it easier to see which option provides the best value for a specific feeding need.
Use Current Feed Analysis Results
Feed quality varies based on plant species, maturity, growing conditions, and other factors. Because of these differences, producers can get more useful results by entering their own feed analysis information into the tool.
Important values include dry matter, crude protein, or CP, and total digestible nutrients, or TDN. Producers can find a feed in the Feed List and copy it into one of the F tabs. They can then update the CP and TDN values to match their feed test results.
If a feed is not already included in the library, producers can add a new row and enter the feed information. The feed can then be selected in an F tab for further evaluation.
Using current feed analysis results gives producers a better understanding of the nutrients available in each feed.
Consider the Full Cost of Feeding
The price shown by a feed seller does not always represent the final cost of feeding cattle. A feed may need to be transported, stored, handled, and delivered to the animal. Each step can require fuel, labor, equipment, buildings, and other resources.
Freight costs can become especially important when producers purchase feed from distant locations. A feed with a lower purchase price may not remain the least expensive choice after transportation and other costs are included.
The F tabs in the Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator allow producers to enter estimated costs for these activities. This helps show the actual cost of getting feed to the cow.
Account for Dry Matter Loss
Feed can also lose dry matter between the time it is purchased and the time it is consumed. This loss is often called a shrink.
Hay waste can change depending on how hay is delivered. Hay placed in a bunk, unrolled on the ground, or provided through a ring feeder can have different levels of waste. Producers can use these differences when estimating the amount of feed cattle actually consume.
Silage also can experience shrink during storage and feeding. Even well-managed silage piles can have an average shrink of 10% to 20%.
The Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator provides cells where producers can enter estimated dry matter losses during transportation, storage, and feeding. Including these losses can provide a more accurate estimate of the true feed cost.
Compare Nutrient Costs
Purchase price alone does not always show which feed provides the best value. Many supplements are used to increase a specific nutrient in the cattle diet, especially CP or TDN.
The Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator calculates the price per pound of these nutrients. Producers can find these calculations on individual F tabs and the Per Pound comparison tab.
This information can help producers compare feeds based on the nutrients cattle actually receive. A feed with a higher purchase price may sometimes provide nutrients at a lower overall cost.
Compare Four Feed Options
After producers enter feed analysis results, prices, additional costs, and expected dry matter losses, they can use the Per Pound tab to compare up to four feed choices.
The comparison goes beyond the purchase price. It considers the information entered into the tool and calculates the cost per pound of nutrient that reaches the animal. This provides a clearer picture of the "best buy" for a particular feeding situation.
Some products, including cubes and lick tubs, may cost more than bulk commodities because they include additional processing and offer convenience. These products can still be useful when they meet cattle nutrient needs or reduce labor. However, producers need to determine whether the extra cost is justified by the labor or management savings.
Download the Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator: https://cap.unl.edu/livestock/tools/
Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator Guide: https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/g2214/na/html/view
Photo Credit: istock-123ducu
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Hay & Forage, Livestock, Weather