The Economics of Supplementation

By Teri Walsh, Technical Support Specialist, Kent Nutrition Group

As the season changes, producers are making plans for winter feeding. Unless the plan is to dry lot with a total mixed ration (TMR), cattle will need additional protein to get the most out of the crop residue and stored or stockpiled forages being fed. The question is, which type of protein supplement will give cattlemen the most bang for their buck?

More often than not, the cost per ton is the deciding factor when choosing a supplement program. However, for a more complete picture, it’s important to add in all the other on-farm costs along with the cost per ton of supplement. These costs include labor to handle the supplement and mileage to and from the pasture.

Derek Bailey, Montana State University, looked at two supplement strategies, range cubes and low-moisture blocks, to determine cost effectiveness. 160 cows were divided into two treatments, 20% range cube fed three times per week and a 30% low-moisture block offered free-choice, on pasture October through December. The study’s results showed cattle supplemented with the low-moisture block ate less while performing the same as cattle supplemented with range cubes. The low-moisture block cattle consumed an average of 0.70 pounds (with 0.46 pounds of free-choice salt) whereas the range cube cattle consumed an average of 1.69 pounds (with 0.13 pounds free-choice salt).

From this research, we can pull out three criteria for determining the economics of supplementation.

• • Supplement Cost: The total supplement cost should include cost per ton of supplement, cost per ton for delivery, and storage cost per ton. Also consider how many pounds per head per day are fed during the supplementation period.
  • Labor Cost: When determining labor cost, you need to ask yourself, how many hours does it take to put out the supplement for each feeding and how many times per week does it need be done? What is your or your employee’s time worth when other tasks could be completed?
  • Equipment Cost: For equipment cost, how much does it cost you in fuel and wear and tear to drive your truck or tractor to the pasture round trip to feed the cattle?

The bottom line is that there is more to a supplement program than just the cost of the supplement. Too often, producers don’t include their time and equipment use into the total cost. For more information on determining the total cost of a supplement program or which protein supplement works best for your operation, contact your local Kent Nutrition Group representative or our Inside Sales team at 866.647.1212.