LIVESTOCK
Nutritional needs of smallholder cattle
H
istorically South
African cattle have
been reared on the
veld, although it is interesting
to note that Gauteng is home
to the Karan Beef feedlot
outside Heidelberg, which
occupies 2 330 ha and
accommodates over 120 000
head of cattle, making it the
largest in Africa. In a feedlot a
large number of cattle are
Cattle grazing open veld
kept in pens, where they be
fed a specialised concentrated feed which is usually
corn-based, as well as
roughage which may comprise lucerne, mealie residue,
sorghum or other hay.
However, most smallholders
will keep their cattle on
pastures and it is most
important that the animals
receive sufficient, good quality
nutrition. Cattle need
fibre, energy, protein,
minerals and vitamins to
remain healthy and
productive. Another
most important nutrient
is water. It is important
to have knowledge of
feed or feed ingredients
that supply each of the
required nutrients and
the importance of each
nutrient.
Cattle are ruminants,
which means they have a
four-compartment stomach.
To put it simplistically, they are
able to swallow food and then
bring it back up again to
continue chewing it (the
Afrikaans word for ruminant,
“herkouer” describes this
perfectly). They require a
basic diet of roughage in the
form of grass, with
supplementation to give the
necessary nutrients at various
stages of production cycles.
It is important therefore that
smallholders who keep cattle
manage the veld, to ensure
the best conditions for the
cattle to thrive.
Probably the most crucial
factor in ensuring adequate
grazing is the number of
animals in any one camp.
Failing to stock correctly can
only lead to veld dete