Rationing Beef Cattle - Chapter 6 - Procedure for Ration Formulation

Aug 27, 2026

Chapter 6 explains the step-by-step procedure for formulating beef cattle rations, linking target performance with feed composition and energy/protein requirements. It covers determining expected daily gain, establishing DM/ME/CP of ingredients, predicting the final ration M/D, and calculating forage intake and concentrate supplementation. The chapter provides worksheet-style calculations for ME shortfall, net value of concentrate DM, daily concentrate requirement, checks for actual M/D and CP, compilation of the daily ration, and construction of a feed budget across the feeding period.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Ration formulation procedure

Cattle performance

Feeds and ration M/D

ME and CP requirements

Potential forage intake and ME checks

Net value of concentrate and concentrate requirement

Actual intake checks (M/D and CP)

Daily ration compilation and feed budget

Chapter 6 Rationing The procedure for ration formulation used here has the following steps: 􀁸 Set a target daily gain. 􀁸 Establish the DM, ME and CP contents ofthe feed ingredients. 􀁸 Predict the M/D of the final ration. 􀁸 Determine the daily ME requirement and the required CP level in the ration. 􀁸 Predict potential forage intake and calculate the amount of concentrate supplement required. 􀁸 Compile the daily ration. 􀁸 Draw up a feed budget for the whole feeding period. The cells are cross referenced by letters from A to AO to help users follow through the calculations. Alternatively an Excel spreadsheet version is available [at www.chalcombe.co.uk](at www.chalcombe.co.uk)\downloads (a) Cattle performance | Daily gain | A | kg | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Start weight | B | kg | | | Final weight | C | kg | | | Average weight | D | kg | (start + final) ÷ 2 | | Total gain | E | kg | (final-start weight) | | Feeding period | F | days | (total gain ÷ daily gain) | (b) Feeds List the feeds with their DM, ME and CP values from a feed analysis or using data from Table 3.1 . Forage Concentrate (c) Ration M/D | Ration ingredient | DM | ME | CP | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | (Decimal) | (MJ/kg DM) | (Decimal) | | G | I | K | M | | H | J | L | N | | Daily gain
(kg) | Predicted M/D
(MJ ME/kg DM) | | --- | --- | | A | P | (d) ME and CP requirements | Average Daily ME Ration
Liveweight gain requirement CP content
(kg) (kg) (MJ ME/day) (Decimal proportion) | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | D | A | Q | R | (e) Potential forage intake | Potential forage intake | S | kg | DM/day | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Concentrate substitution | T | kg | reduction in forage DM per kg concentrate DM | From: Rationing Beef Cattle by Dr D Allen, 2nd Edition. 2001. Chalcombe Publications, ISBN 0 948617 44 6 (f) ME from ad libitum forage | Forage ME content x Potential intake ME supplied
(MJ ME/kg DM) (kg DM/day) (MJ ME/day) | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | G | K | | S | U =K * S | (g) Is there a shortfall of ME from forage? | ME required
ME from forage alone Shortfall | Q | MJ/day
MJ/day | | --- | --- | --- | | | U | | | | V=Q-X | | (h) Calculate the net value of 1 kg concentrate DM | 1 kg concentrate DM supplies
Less reduced forage DMI @ MJ ME/kg DM = Net value of 1 kg concentrate DM
| L | MJ ME kg MJ ME
MJ ME/kg | | --- | --- | --- | | | T | | | | X=K * T | | | | Y = L-X | | (i) Daily concentrate requirement | Shortfall(g) | V | MJ ME ÷ Net value | Y | MJ ME/kg DM | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | = | Z = V / Y | x kg concentrate DM | L | MJ ME/kg DM | | = | AA = Z * L | MJ ME/day | | | (j) Actual forage intake | ME requirement Less concentrate ME = Forage ME required ÷ Forage ME/kg DM | Q | MJ ME/day
MJ ME
MJ ME/day
kg DM/day | | --- | --- | --- | | | AA | | | | AB = Q–AA | | | | AC = AB / K | | (k) Check actual M/D | Feed ingredient | DMI
(kg DM/day) | | ME
(MJ/day) | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | G | AC | | AD = K * AC | | | H | Z | | AE = L * Z | | | Totals | AF = AC + Z | | AG = AD + AE | | | Actual M/D is total ME intake | | | | | | ÷ total DMI = | AG / AF | MJ ME/kg DM | | | | Predicted M/D | P | MJ ME/kg DM | | OK? | From: Rationing Beef Cattle by Dr D Allen, 2nd Edition. 2001. Chalcombe Publications, ISBN 0 948617 44 6 (l) Check CP | Feed ingredient | DMI | CP | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | (DMI x Decimal CP in feed DM) | | | G | AC | AH = AC * M | | | H | Z | AI = Z * N | | | Totals | AF | AJ = AH + AI | | | Total CP ÷ Total DMI | | AJ / AF | Decimal CP content OK? | (m) Daily ration | Feed ingredient | DMI | ÷ | Decimal DM content | = | Fresh weight | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | (kg/day) | | (b) | | (kg/day) | | G | AC | | I | | AK = AC * I | | H | Z | | J | | AL = Z * J | (n) Feed budget | Feed
ingredient |

FAQs

What are the main steps to formulate a ration in this chapter?

Set a target daily gain, define DM/ME/CP of feed ingredients, predict the final ration M/D, determine ME and CP requirements, estimate forage intake, compile the daily ration, and draw up a feed budget for the feeding period.

How does the worksheet assess whether energy (ME) from forage is sufficient?

It calculates ME required, ME supplied by forage from potential intake, and then determines any ME shortfall (ME required minus ME from forage alone).

What checks are performed after calculating the daily ration?

The chapter checks actual M/D based on total ME intake versus predicted M/D, then checks CP by totaling CP and dividing by total DMI to confirm whether the CP content meets the target.

Aug 27, 2026

Uploaded by Caleb Sterling