Our land and winter hay is never exposed to chemical sprays. Also our animal feed sources are never exposed to Animal By-Products.
Feed additives are traditionally added to feed to either promote growth or immune functions in the animal. They do this through low level antibiotic feed additives or additives that alter digestion to create more energy in the system allowing the animal to consume more and have greater gains.
We have always steered away from feed additives in our program as while they can be beneficial at times they are mostly unnecessary to our systems success and can be harmful to animal health if used improperly. The result is a program that specifies No Rumensin, No Urea our winter rations as they are the two feed additives most often used in our area.
“Rumensin is a feed additive that alters ruminal fermentation such that the propionate to acetate ratio is increased thereby increasing the amount of energy available to ruminant animals for growth and other productive purposes. The effect is seen with both forage- and grain-based diets.”[1]
Urea is used as a protein supplement in cattle rations. However; “When too much ammonia escapes the rumen because the microbes are not able to utilize enough of it for protein, the capacity of the liver for excretion can be overwhelmed and a toxicity can occur. It is vitally important that the right level of urea is fed and that there will be sufficient bacterial action to produce protein.[2]”
[1] Website: http://www.kfgc.org/99_meeting_papers/RumensinBeef.html
E.Thoma, Elvin. Critical Point Feed of Rumensin in the Beef-Cow Operation
[2] Website: http://extension.psu.edu/animals/beef/production/articles/urea-in-beef-cattle-rations
Penn State College of Agriculture Sciences
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