Farm Table says:
This fact sheet provides useful information on alternate roughage feeds for beef cattle to assist producers in feed management practices.
The items covered in this article were:
• Why feed alternate roughage feeds?
• Feeding misconceptions
• Roughage feeds
Key points were as follows:
• When long-standing drought exists producers look at alternative sources of feed mainly for the purpose of reducing costs. Roughage feed is a good option to mix with other feed sources (such as grain) however feeding roughage feed alone doesn’t provide the nutritional benefit that cattle require.
• Roughage feeds are not enough alone to feed cattle, they need to be provided with additional feed high in energy and protein, and that are easier to digest.
• Poultry shed litter and mushroom compost are both illegal to use as a feed source under the Stock Foods Act 1940 and the Stock Diseases Act 1923.
• Alternative roughage feeds include cotton hulls, rice hulls, sunflower hulls, grape marc, bagasse, canola hay, rice straw (some roughage feeds require vendor declarations to ensure no chemical residue status is critical).
