1Matching Forage Quality to Beef Cattle Requirements

Beef cattle have basic nutritive requirements for maintenance or survival, growth, and reproduction which includes lactation. The essential nutrients for these animal functions include water, energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins. Under grazing conditions, energy is usually the nutrient which most limits animal performance. Energy deficits in forages occur because of the relatively variable, and often low, digestibility of structural carbohydrates such as cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin. Collectively, these structural carbohydrates are referred to as fiber and may comprise from 40 to 85 % of the forage dry matter. Ruminants have the ability to utilize these carbohydrates and store the resultant energy as fat. This fat deposition may then be expended during prolonged periods of energy-deficient diets. In contrast t