Nutrient Requirements of the Growing Calf Energy Growing cattle have energy requirements for both maintenance and gain. Energy required for maintenance refers to the amount of energy necessary to result in no net loss or gain of body tissues. Energy requiring processes involved in maintenance include body temperature regulation, essential metabolic processes and enzymatic reactions, and physical activity. This is particularly important in grazing animals. Average daily gain of cattle in backgrounding operations is directly affected by the amount of energy consumed daily.
Energy intake is a function of dry matter intake and dietary energy concentration.
Table 1 details energy requirements for calves of differing weights and average daily gains. More energy is required for heavier cattle and cattle gaining at more rapid average daily gains. For a given average daily gain, energy concentration required in the diet generally decreases as calves grow larger and intake increases. Daily energy, protein, calcium and phosphorus requirements for backgrounding steers of various weights and average daily gains. National Academy Press.