Protein Supplementation of Low-Quality Forage

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing levels of supplemental soybean meal on intake, digestion and performance of beef cattle consuming low-quality prairie forage. Results indicated that supplemental soybean meal increased forage organic matter intake and digestibility. Beef cows grazing on low quality, tallgrass-prairie forage had optimal performance when the cows were supplemented with soybean meal at 0.30 percent of their body weight per day. Below this level, cows lost weight. The researchers concluded that the improvement of the forage utilization was due primarily to the supplemental degradable protein that increased the animalís protein and energy intake.

Mathis, C.P. and co-workers. 1999. Impacts of increasing amounts of supplemental soybean meal on intake and digestion by beef steer and performance by beef cows consuming low-quality tallgrass-prairie forage. J. Animal Sci. 77:3156-3162.