Valuation of feedstuffs is a complex equation, leading nutritionist Dr Matt George, from Nutrition Service Associates, told the BeefWorks technical workshop. While primary nutritional characteristics are of key importance, additional considerations must be considered, including grain milling and roughage processing costs, ability to physically handle commodities, ingredient palatability, availability of supply, physical and chemical contaminants, and potential environmental impact. Here is a summaryof his address. FEED costs are the single largest cost aside from cattle in a feedlot production system. Feedstuffs can be categorised in several ways, including energy composition, protein composition, roughage content or origin sources, including co-products. Primary criteria used in 'optimum cost' ration formulation and therefore feedyard commodity use strategies are actual or perceived costs of: nutrient composition;physical properties; palatability and acceptability to animals; availability and continuity of suppiy; processing and storage requirements; feedlot operational impacts; physical and/or chemical contaminants; and increasingly subsequent environmental considerations.
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