Protein Supplementation Becomes Important as Cattle Forage Quality Declines

Cattle grazing in late fall may have deficit in protein. Photo by Jason VanceBy Jason Vance As native pastures and rangelands lose nutritional quality heading into fall and winter, cattle producers should evaluate their herds’ protein needs and determine the most cost-effective way to provide supplemental nutrition. Jason Wagner, Kansas State University Extension cow-calf specialist, said protein is often the most limiting nutrient for cattle grazing low-quality forage, making supplementation an important consideration as producers prepare their herds for winter. “When we think about our low-quality forages, protein is often our most limiting nutrient for us, and we see really nice responses to protein supplementation when we offer that to those cows that are grazing those low-quality forages,” Wagner said. For spring-calving herds, protein requirements are relatively low at this time of year but gradually increase as cows approach calving next spring.

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