Fatten your beef cattle with Novatek Feedlot 85

The purpose of a cattle feedlot is to fatten cattle for slaughter, and the quicker and more economical the cattle are fattened, the more successful the feedlot. Cattle farmers have to feed a well-balanced diet to realise good profits. In practice, there are generally two feeding systems to choose from when a farmer is considering fattening cattle, and they are: Total mixed rations or the cafeteria system. Under total mixed rations, the roughage portion (mostly grass) is chopped into small pieces and mixed with a concentrated feed. This reduces sorting and selection of the feed by animals and will, in turn, help the animal to receive all the required nutrients in the right amounts. Because of this, animals who

are fed the total mixed rations grow better and will reach the desired market weight quicker. The grass used in total mixed rations should be chopped to a certain length. If the grass is chopped too fine, digestion becomes rapid, affecting rumination and therefore disturbing the rumen health of the animal. If grass particles are too large, the animals will be able to separate the concentrate feed from the grass, which will, in turn, affect performance. Under the cafeteria system, the grass is fed separately from the concentrated feed. Farmers practising the cafeteria system have an option of letting the animals graze or to cut the grass and provide it to the animals in a closed environment. Under the cafeteria system, the grass must be fed on a free-choice basis (ad lib), and the concentrate feed needs to be introduced slowly to help prevent metabolic diseases. Animals will typically be kept in a feedlot for three months, depending on the initial body and target weight. If cattle are in poor initial body condition, it will take longer to achieve the target weight. To get the best results, a farmer will also have to consider the breed and the age of the animal. Fast-growing breeds will give you higher yields than slow-growing breeds. However, the younger animals, in general, provide better meat quality. To help farmers successfully fatten their cattle, Novatek produces the Novatek Feedlot 85 concentrate. Novatek Feedlot 85 is a high protein and low inclusion fattening concentrate that is formulated specifically for feedlot cattle. To make use of the concentrate, the farmer can mix the concentrate with various types of raw materials. This includes maize bran, No 3 meal, maize silage, corn & cob, cotton, and sunflower cake. Molasses can also be added to enhance the palatability of the ration. For more information on how to use the feedlot concentrate, please refer to the Novatek Feedlot 85 leaflet.

You may contact Wiehan Visagie at wiehan.visagie@novatek.co.zm or Marné Visagie at nutritionist@novatek.co.zm for any information on feeding and feeds.