Nutrient Value of Alaskan Feedstuffs 1988

Abstract

Livestock rations should be balanced for many parameters including protein, and various minerals, and energy, to ensure that all required nutrients are present in the adequate amounts and proper relationships. Energy content is the primary consideration for balancing any farm animal’s diet because it is often the most limiting factor in animal performance. In Alaska, it is extremely important to test for major nutrients and then to balance rations because: 1) Alaska has longer, colder and wetter winters than those in the lower 48 states and consequently Alaskan animals have different nutrient needs. 2) Alaskan feedstuffs tend to be more variable in nutrient content than feeds grown in other states. After energy requirements, crude protein, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium are considered - and with the energy estimate - are the basis of the standard feed analyses performed by the Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (AFES) Service Laboratory feed testing section. Because all of these nutrients can vary greatly in the same feed, the Palmer Animal Sciences beef unit of AFES tracks the nutrient values of feed samples submitted to the AFES Service Laboratory. A summary of these values provides an indication of the types and values of feed available in Alaska. It also shows the variability in nutrient content of feedstuffs. Hopefully, this will stimulate the use of individual nutrient analyses for feeding livestock in Alaska.