What a Feed Tag Really Tells You

Kate Jackson, PhD

Land O'Lakes Farmland Feed, LLC

Feed tags are a mystery to many people, including the people who sell the feed. In the United States, at least, feed tags or labels are not put together like labels seen on food products intended for human consumption. "People food" labels sate a serving size, calories per serving, how well that serving meets an adult's nutritional needs (i.e., 50% of RDA for calcium) and exactly what ingredients are used. Animal labels, on the other had, state the chemical composition of a feed, how much is recommended to be fed and either exactly what ingredients it contains or the "class" of ingredients it contains.

A commercial feed in the United States is required to carry the following information:

Product name and brand name, if any.
Medication information, if used. There are many different medications available depending upon the class of animal being fed.
Purpose Statement: Since some product names are ambiguous on what animals the feed may be fed to, a purpose statement states what animal and what feeding situation the feed is designed for (i.e., For holsteins fed in confinement for slaughter).
Guaranteed Analysis: There are three basic nutrients that must be on all labels: a) If the product is intended to supply protein, minimum crude protein. If a source of non-protein nitrogen is used, the maximum amount of "equivalent protein from non-protein nitrogen" needs to appear. b) minimum crude fat, and c) maximum crude fiber.
If the total minerals added to the feed exceed 6.5%, additional guarantees are required for beef cattle labels. These guarantees are minimum and maximum calcium, minimum phosphorus, minimum Vitamin A if added, and if salt is added, minimum and maximum salt. Other minerals and vitamins may be guaranteed. Mineral supplements must state (when these nutrients are added) minimum/maximum calcium (Ca), minimum phosphorus (P), minimum/maximum added salt (NaCl), minimum magnesium (Mg), minimum potassium (K), minimum zinc (Zn), minimum copper (Cu), minimum selenium (Se), and minimum Vitamin A.

 

Non-protein nitrogen (NPN) sources generally found in commercial feeds are urea, monoammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride. Non-protein nitrogen is highly soluble, converts rapidly to ammonia in the rumen and is utilized by ruminal microbes to produce microbial protein which the animal then uses. To convert NPN to "crude protein" multiply the amount of nitrogen by 6.25. Different sources of NPN may be used in feeds for a variety of reasons. Urea is used as a low cost source of crude protein. Urea containing feeds have a lower price than feeds containing "all natural" proteins. Monoammonium phosphate is a source of phosphorus often found in mineral supplements. Ammonium sulfate and ammonium chloride are used to help prevent urinary calculi (water belly) in wethers and steers. Ammonium sulfate is also used as a source of sulfur for high urea diets.

 

Ingredient Statement: The major ingredients of the feed may be listed specifically (i.e., corn, soybean meal, alfalfa) or may be represented by collective terms (grain products, plant protein products, forage products, etc.) Collective terms refer to a group of ingredients used for a common purpose. Collective terms makes it easier to "best-cost" formulations (using the best combination of ingredients to meet a specific nutrient profile for the feed at the lowest possible cost) without reprinting labels each time an ingredient is changed. An abbreviated list of collective terms is in Table 1. The order in which ingredients appear is not regulated, but generally is from the greatest amount to the least amount.

 

Since August 1997, United States feed companies have been prohibited from feeding ruminant derived meat and bone meal back to ruminants, including cattle and sheep. This rule was put I place to prevent ny chance of introducing Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) into the United States. Any feed containing ruminant meat and bone meal must be labeled "do not feed to cattle or other ruminants." If "animal protein products" appears on the tag of the commercial feed you are using, don't panic. Ask your feed company to explain the source of "animal protein products." This term includes porcine meat and bone meal (legal to feed to ruminants), hydrolyzed feather meal, fish meal and blood meal (no BSE concern). Animal fat poses no threat from BSE.

 

Cautions, Warnings: This section gives any precautionary warnings such as with medicated feeds like Lasalocid (Bovatec): "The safety of lasalocid in unapproved species has not been established." Another commonly seen warning is "Caution: Do Not Feed to Sheep" found on feeds with high levels of supplementary copper and "Caution: Use as Directed" seen on feeds with high levels of urea.
Feeding or Mixing Directions: Directions are expected to be fullly explanatory. This section should indicate minimum and maximum amounts to feed. Amounts may be in absolute weights (i.e., feed 0.1 to 2 lb.), expressed as the amount of feed on a body weight basis (i.e., 1 to 1.5% body weight would be 10 to 15 lb. for a 1000 lb. bull) or the amount an animal is expected to consume when the product is fed free choice (i.e., optimum intake is 2-4 oz/head/day). It should also indicate if other feeds should be used in conjunction with this feed. If special care should be used in mixing this product, the directions would indicate for instance "mix thoroughly with grain and/or roughage prior to use."
Net Weight of Unit: New weight refers to bag weight (50 lb) or bulk amount (2000 lb).
Manufacturers or Distributors Name: The name and address of the company selling the feed must be on the tag.

Table 1. Collective Terms Used in Feed Labeling

Animal Protein Products

Blood Meal

Casein

Fish Meal

Hydrolyzed Feather Meal

Meat & Bone Meal -(Porcine or Equine)

Whey

 

Plant Protein Products

Canola Meal

Cottonseed Meal

Linseed Meal

Peanut Meal

Sunflower Meal

Soybean Meal

Yeast Products

Grain Products

Corn

Barley

Oats

Wheat

Rice

 

Processed Grain By-Products

Aspirated Grain Fractions

Brewers Dried Grains

Corn Gluten Feed

Corn Gluten Meal

Distillers Dried Grains with

Solubles

Rice Bran

Wheat Midds

Hominy Feed

Forage Products

Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal

Ground Alfalfa Hay

Dehydrated Silage

Lespedeza Meal

Soybean Hay

 

Roughage Products

Citrus Pulp

Corn Cobs

Cottonseed Hulls

Oat Hulls

Peanut Hulls

Rice Hulls

Soybean Hulls

Molasses Products

Beet Molasses

Beet Pulp

Cane Molasses

Condensed Molasses

Fermentation Solubles

 

Now to the point: What does a feed tag really say? A feed tag should tell you how much of a nutrient it is supplying at a given feeding rate. Let's look at the following tag as an illustration:

STEAK MAKER

CO-PASS 55-25 R400

Medicated

Feed Only to Cattle Being Fed in Confinement for Slaughter

For improved feed efficiency in beef cattle

Active Drug Ingredient

Monensin (as Monensin Sodium)

 

400 g/ton

Guaranteed Analysis

  

Crude Protein, Not less than

55.0%
(This includes not more than 25.0% equivalent crude protein from non-protein nitrogen).

Crude Fat, Not less than

1.0%

Crude Fiber, Not more than

15.0%

Calcium (Ca), Not less than

5.0%

Calcium (Ca), Not more than

 6.0%

Phosphorus (P), Not less than

0.75%

Salt (NaCl), Not less than

3.0%

Salt (NaCl), Not more than

4.0%

Potassium (K), Not less than

1.0%

Zinc (Zn), Not less than

700 ppm

Copper (Cu), Not less than

190 ppm

Selenium (Se), Not less than

4 ppm

Vitamin A, I.U/lb, Not less than

40,000

Vitamin D3, I.U/lb, Not less than

10,000

Vitamin E, I.U/lb, Not less than

50

 

Ingredients:

Processed Grain By-Products, Animal Protein Products, Plant Protein Products, Urea, Molasses Products, Roughage Products, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid), Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Monocalcium/Dicalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Chloride, Manganese Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Basic Copper Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement

 

Feeding Directions:

This supplement, along with natural feedstuffs containing grain, provides by-pass protein 200 to 250 mg. of monensin daily.

Feed to growing cattle at a rate of 1.0-1.25 pounds per head per day to provide 200 to 250 mg. of monensin daily.

Must be mixed thoroughly with grain and/or roughage before feeding. Blend into the total ration for best results.

Do not feed undiluted

Caution: Feed as directed

 

Caution:

Monensin medicated cattle feed is safe for use in cattle only. Consumption by unapproved species may result in toxic reactions.

Do not allow horses or other equines access to feeds containing monensin. Ingestion of monensin by equines has been fatal. Feeding undiluted or mixing errors resulting in high concentrations of monensin could be fatal to cattle.

Do not exceed feeding 360 mg. of monensin per head per day or 30 g. of monensin per ton of complete feed, as reduced average daily gains may result.

Do not feed to lactating dairy cows.

 

Now we can do the math to illustrate what an animal will receive from a given feed on a daily basis.  At a 1 lb (0.4536 kg or 453.6 g) feeding rate, this product supplies:

Nutrient

Math

Amount/hd

Crude Protein

1 lb x 0.55

0.55 lb

Crude Protein Equivalents

0.25/2.88*.4536

39.4 g urea

Calcium (Ca)

453.6 g x 5%

22.68 g

Phosphorus (P)

453.6 g x 0.75%

3.4 g

Salt (NaCl)

453.6 g x 3%

13.6 g

Potassium (K)

463.6 g x 1%

4.5 g

Zinc (Zn)

0.4536 kg x 700

317.5 mg

Copper (Cu)

0.4536 kg x 190

86 mg

Selenium (Se)

0.4536 kg x 4

1.81 mg

Vitamin A

1 lb x 40,000 IU

40,000 IU

Vitamin D

1 lb x 10,000 IU

10,000 IU

Vitamin E

1 lb x 50 IU

250 IU

Crude fiber has long been the industry standard for fiber. It is reported on the tag because it is a simpler laboratory test to perform than is acid detergent fiber (ADF). Crude fiber is an indicator of the relative indigestibility and bulkiness of the feed. Crude fiber has been used to roughly estimate energy content. As fiber increases, energy decreases. The exception to this rule is if the feed contains structural carbohydrates like soy hulls, wheat midds, whole cottonseed or beet pulp.

A feed tag does not give any indication of energy value. True energy values are not determined directly from a chemical analysis but by animal feeding trials which measure the aility of feed to meet maintenance and production (gain or lactation) requirements. A commonly used energy expression is TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients), which is estimated from the acid detergent fiber (ADF) content of a feed. TDN reflects diet digestibility but does not account for the major losses of energy associated with digestion and metabolism of feed. Consequently, it over-estimates the value of high-fiber feedstuffs such as hays and straws relative to low-fiber, highly digestible feedstuffs such as grains. TDN does not attempt to partition energy for maintenance or production.

Crude fiber was originally considered to represent all the fibrous components. The chemical analysis for crude fiber measures cellulose (digestible), hemicellulose (semi-digestible) and lignin (indigestible). Table 2 illustrates the different fiber components of various feed stuffs. The crude fiber for soy hulls (37%) and wheat midds (8%) are radically different, while their TDN values are similar (77% vs. 82%). Another anomaly in using crude fiber to estimate energy is the comparative amounts of cellulose and lignin. As a forage plant matures, it dramatically increases in lignin content. The energy level of immature plants is much higher than that of mature plants. Alfalfa, for instance, contains 23% cellulose and 7% lignin during the early bloom stage but matures to 29% cellulose and 14% lignin. The TDN value drops from 60% to 50% as well.

Table 2. Fiber Components of Different Feeds

Feedstuff

Crude Fiber

ADF

Cellulose %

Lignin

TDN

Alfalfa, early bloom

25

31

23

7

60

Alfalfa, mature

38

44

29

14

50

Beet Pulp, dry

20

26

31

2

75

Brewers Dried Grains

14

24

18

6

84

Corn

3

3

2

1

87

Whole Cottonseed (fuzzy)

28

35

24

10

95

Cottonseed Hulls

48

68

59

24

45

Dried Distillers Grains w/solubles

8

19

14

4

90

Oats

12

16

11

3

76

Oat Hulls

32

40

30

8

40

Peanut Hulls

63

65

40

23

22

Rice Bran

13

18

11

4

68

Rice Hulls

44

70

30

16

13

Soy Hulls

37

47

46

2

77

Wheat Midds

8

12

8

3

82

While a feed tag tells you some of the chemical properties of the feed, there are a few things it does not tell you. Feed tags are not allowed to make any inferences to quality or grade of a particular ingredient. A tag will list oats as an ingredient, but cannot call them heavy race horse oats. By this same token, feed labels will not tell you anything about nutrient availability, digestibility or bioavailability (how well the animal can utilize that form of the nutrient) from a particular source. Marketing materials associated with a feed may give some indication of the quality of a particular ingredient, but you as the consumer must judge the quality of a particular ingredient. This is an example of "let the buyer beware."

Feed tags can tell you quite a bit about the nutritional properties of a commercial feed, but not everything. Knowing a bit about what a tag means will make you a consumer who is better prepared to buy feed. But it will not necessarily help you judge a good feed from a bad one.

Back Home Up Next