Provide dry cows with approximately 0.5 to 0.75 pounds of supplemental crude protein and lactating cows with 0.9 to 1.2 pounds of supplemental crude protein per day. This can be fed as approximately 1 to 1.5 pounds of soybean meal for dry cows and 2 to 2.5 pounds of soybean meal for lactating cows. Protein supplementation may be necessary for optimum breeding rates during drought conditions. Alfalfa hay, sunflower meal, safflower meal, as well as other protein meals may also be used as protein supplements. During drought conditions, energy may be the most limiting nutrient for grazing cattle.
Several options are available for supplying energy to cattle on drought stressed pasture.
Hay, grain, and crop processing byproducts can all be used to supply energy to grazing cattle. Low quality forages can be ammoniated to increase digestibility and protein content. Excess supplemental grain can reduce forage digestibility, resulting in less energy available to the animal from available forage. As a general rule of thumb, up to 0.2 percent of body weight of supplemental grain per head per day will not result in large decreases in forage digestibility. For example, a 1,200 pound cow could receive 2.4 pounds of grain per day without drastically reducing forage digestibility.