Introduction

Optimizing livestock nutrition is essential for maximizing productivity and enhancing sustainable farming systems. An essential part of this process is analyzing feed and forage samples to determine their nutritional value, identify deficiencies, and detect potential contaminants that could affect animal health and performance. PCBFA supports Peace Country producers by coordinating feed testing, interpreting laboratory results, and assisting with ration formulation for various classes of beef cattle. Feed analyses typically evaluate protein, fibre, mineral content, and harmful substances such as nitrates or mould, providing critical information for sound diet formulation and feed management decisions.

This article summarizes the 2025 feed and forage test results submitted through PCBFA by members and non-members alike, and highlights the sources of feed samples, major findings, and trends in nutrient composition across feed types. It also outlines key implications and recommendations, emphasizing the value of regular feed testing as a proactive strategy for improving animal performance, profitability, and long-term farm sustainability. PCBFA has maintained and updated its client feed test inventory since 2007, providing a strong foundation for ongoing nutritional assessment in the Peace Region.

Methods

From spring to fall of 2025, 140 feed and grain samples from producers were analyzed for nutritional composition at Central Testing Laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba, using standard laboratory procedures for wet chemistry and/or near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). For this report, the feed types have been organized into 35 feed types as submitted by producers (Table 1). The results are presented and discussed as to how the feed types meet the minimum daily requirements for crude protein (CP), total digestible nutrients (TDN/energy), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K) and micro minerals (Cu - copper; Mn - manganese; Fe - iron; and Zn - zinc) of dry, mid-gestation beef cows (low nutrient requirement) and finishing beef calves (high nutrient requirement) as recommended by National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM, 2016). In addition, data for each feed type were analyzed, and, where possible, sums, means, percentages/frequencies, and modal values were calculated. 

Results

Category of feed types and origin – 

Hays constituted the main category (64/140 = 46%) of feed types analyzed in 2025, with the five most common being Alfalfa hay (15), grass hay (15), Alfalfa-grass hay (10), Fescue hay (6), and Clover hay (4). Silages came in second (31%) with Oat silage (11), Barley silage (7), unspecified silage (6), Corn silage (3), and cocktail silage (3) (Figure 2). Greenfeeds of various types accounted for 10% of submitted samples, while straws accounted for 8%. Baleage, haylage, and grains together made up less than 5% of the total samples. 

Figure 1 shows the contribution of the various municipalities to the 140 samples received. Saddle Hills, Fairview, and Clear Hills producers ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in their number of contributions. Greenview, Grande Prairie, Peace, and Smoky River were next, contributing a total of 45 samples between them.

Protein 

The CP content of the various feed types ranged widely from 5 – 17%, with the legume silages, such as Alfalfa and Clover Silages, having the highest, followed by the mixed silages and the cereal silages (Table 1). The hay samples were high in CP, especially the legume hays such as Alfalfa hay. The haylage and baleage feed types also had high CP contents, while cocktail feed types, such as cocktail hay or cocktail silage, had medium CP contents. Most greenfeeds occupied the middle-tier position in terms of CP content, while straws (Barley, Fescue, Oats and Peas) had some of the lowest CP Contents. Protein serves as the building block of nature and, according to the Beef Ration Rules of Thumb, the protein requirements for average mature beef cattle are 7%, 9% and 11% CP in mid-pregnancy, late pregnancy, and during lactation, respectively. For proper rumen function, a cow's diet must contain at least 7% crude protein; otherwise, a significant amount of undigested fibre will be excreted in the manure. The Feeder Calf Rule of Thumb suggests that the feeder calves, weighing between 550 and 800 lbs, require a ration of 14% CP; those weighing between 800 and 1,050 lbs need 12%; and those weighing 1,050 lbs to finishing need 10% CP. Based on these two rules and data from Table 2, most feed types will not meet the CP requirements of growing calves, while most of the fescue hay and pea straw samples will not meet the CP requirements of dry mid-gestation cows. 

Energy

The Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), commonly referred to as energy, are important for beef cow rations that are primarily forages. It serves as a good indicator of the amount of energy provided by a feed. The rule of thumb for energy is 55-60-65. The interpretation of this is that a mature beef cow needs a TDN value of 55% in mid-pregnancy, 60% in late pregnancy, and 65% after calving (nursing beef cows) to maintain a body condition score (BCS) throughout winter. The energy content of the various feed types ranged from 42–78%, with grains, most silages, greenfeeds, and legume hays having a high (>60%) energy content, while grass hays had <60% energy. Straws, for the most part, had a low energy content (less than 50% - Table 1). Going by the rule of thumb for energy, most of the major feed types will not meet the high energy requirements of a growing calf (Table 2). Most of the major feed type samples, with a few exceptions, would meet the nutrient requirements of mid-gestating cows

n=number of samples; DM – dry matter; CP – crude protein; ADF – acid detergent fibre; NDF – neutral detergent fibre; TDN – total digestible nutrients; ADI-CP – acid detergent insoluble nitrogen; Ca – calcium; Mg – magnesium; P – phosphorus; K – potassium; RFV – relative feed value

Acid Detergent Insoluble Nitrogen (ADIN)

Also referred to as bound protein, is a measure of heat damage due to overheating when hay is baled or staked with greater than 20% moisture or when silage is harvested at less than 65% moisture. When the ADIN:CP ratio is greater than 0.1 (i.e., more than 10% of protein is unavailable), the CP value must be adjusted to account for this loss in proteins if this feed must be used in a ration for cattle (UNL, 2008). A total of 60 feed samples returned results for this metric, with half (30) having an ADIN:CP ratio of 0.1 or greater. These were mainly from the hay and straw feed types. 

Minerals

The mineral contents of feed types are shown in Table 1. Calcium ranged from 0.06 – 1.97%, P from 0.06 – 0.30%, Mg from 0.11 – 0.39%, and K from 0.33 – 2.14%. Micro-mineral analyses were requested for only 6 samples (0.04% of total), with Cu levels ranging from 4.0 to 7.4 ppm, Fe (132–418 ppm), Mn (19–143 ppm), Mo (0.9–3.3 ppm), and Zn (26–55 ppm). In terms of meeting the nutrient requirements of animals, most major feed types, with a few exceptions among submitted feed samples, met the daily Ca requirements for mid-gestating cows. The daily Ca requirements of more demanding growing calves were met by all pea straw and clover hay samples submitted, but only barely met by the other feed type samples. For P, only the silages (oat silage, barley silage and cocktail silage) met the nutritional requirements of mid-gestating cows, while all the feed types hardly met the requirements for growing calves. Levels of Mg were high in most feed types and would meet the nutritional requirements of all beef cattle stock, while some samples sent in as grass hay and wheat silage feed types did not meet requirements for mid-gestating and growing calves. K levels were high across most feed types and would meet the nutritional requirements of all beef cattle stock. For the micro minerals, Cu levels in all feed types were below the 10 ppm minimum recommended for beef cattle. Nitrates were analyzed in 10 samples, and levels ranged from 0.03% to 0.54%. Two oat greenfeed samples had levels above the 0.5% cut-off, considered detrimental to cattle performance and health.

Implications, Recommendations, and Conclusion

• Most analyzed feeds are suitable for maintaining beef cows through winter but are nutritionally inadequate for growing calves and lactating cows without supplementation, with energy density, phosphorus, and copper deficiencies, and heat-damaged protein representing the primary production limitations.  

• The CP ranged from 5 – 17% and reflects large variability among feed types with legume silages, legume hays, haylage, and baleage showing high protein contents; mixed and cereal silages moderate; greenfeed in the middle range, while all straws and grass hays were protein deficient. This implies that many forages will maintain body condition in dry cows but reduce milk production and calf gains when fed alone, without supplementation with other rich protein sources.

• Most feed types meet mid-gestational cow energy requirements but fail to meet the energy requirements of lactating cows and growing calves (Energy = 65%). Without supplementation, cows will lose body condition, milk production will decline, calves will grow more slowly, and mature cow breeding performance will drop, with a greater return to heat.

• A fifth of the samples were heat-damaged (possibly due to the record- high temperatures observed – almost 10°C above Long Term Averages [1990-2020]) and thus had proteins tightly bound to carbohydrates. These proteins are severely damaged and unavailable to the cow's rumen microbes. These feedstuffs are often discoloured and, in many cases, have distinct sweet odours. High (>0.1) ADIN:CP ratios indicate that the bound proteins are unavailable, and CP values will need to be adjusted before use in ration formulation. It is recommended that producers properly cure hay to a moisture content of less than 16% and harvest silage at the appropriate stage (see Table 3) to ensure a moisture content of 60-65%.

• A major phosphorus deficiency was found across almost all feed types, with potential problems including poor fertility, delayed cycling, poor calf performance, and reduced feed efficiency if supplementation was not considered. Ca, K and Mg were, for the most part, in sufficient quantities to meet the nutritional requirements of even high-demanding cattle stock. Copper in all feeds was below the required 10 ppm for beef cattle stock, and animals will need to be provided with free-choice minerals.

• Only two samples had nitrate levels exceeding the 0.5% cutoff to be considered deleterious to cattle. Though a small number, nitrate level feed testing is essential before feeding drought-stressed forages.

References

NASEM [National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine] (2016). Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. 8^th revised edition. The National Academies Press, Washington, DC. Doi:10.17226/19014.

UNL [University of Nebraska-Lincoln] (2008). Understanding and Using a Feed Analysis Report.

http: //extension.unl.edu/publications.