Strategic Manipulation of RDP and RUP Supply to Meet the Protein Needs of Beef Cows

Protein nutrition of cows on pasture deserves special attention as protein costs/unit weight tend to be higher than those of energy, and choice of protein type and/or energy source interact to affect forage intake and performance. When discussing protein supplementation, level of energy nutrition must be at least described to determine the overall interaction between these two nutrients. Under grassland management, challenges of protein supplementation are not confined to only meeting protein requirements, but also to improving energy utilization to enhance calf growth and reproduction. This paper deals with requirements of protein for cows on pasture, and strategies to achieve protein supplementation under adequate or poor grass growing conditions while enhancing calf growth and reproduction.