Need to Know:
Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
As animals that rely on people for daily care,
beef cattle need the same things that all domestic
animals need:
• Food and water
• Shelter and comfort
• Protection from harm
• Freedom from pain, freedom to move, freedom
to be cattle.
Domestic cattle likely descended from
ox-like animals called aurochs that once
roamed over large areas in Europe, Asia and
Africa. Many archeologists believe that aurochs
were domesticated in different places by ancient
societies between 8 000 and 10 000 years ago.
Cattle are ruminant animals, which allows them
to use hay and grass as a main source of nutrients.
After they consume hay or grass, they “chew
their cud,” which involves regurgitating it and
chewing and swallowing it again. This is part of
their digestive process. Cattle have been used
as a supply of milk and meat as well as for plow
animals and their manure provides a major source
of fertilizer.
{
Beef cattle need people
who look out for their
welfare and make an
effort to learn about
how to handle and care
for them properly.
Things you need to
know about what
beef cattle need.
WHAT BEEF CATTLE NEED EVERY DAY: ACCESS TO
CLEAN, FRESH WATER AT ALL TIMES
Cattle need lots of clean, fresh water. Water
is an important part of an animal’s nutrition.
Water makes up 98 percent of all the molecules
in an animal’s body. Beef cattle need water to
regulate their body temperature, grow, reproduce,
digest their food and maintain their general
health. Animals will lose their appetite, become
dehydrated and can even die if they don’t have
access to enough water.
{
Snow should not be
relied upon to fulfill the
water requirement.
Beef cattle need more water in hot weather and
less in cold. The amount of dry feed they eat will
also affect how much water they need to drink.
A smaller, 200 kg animal might drink 15 litres of
water per day in cooler months. A fully grown
animal, at 500 kg, might drink 45 litres or more
in the summer.
Water troughs or buckets should be in a place
that’s easy for the animal to reach, and where
water does not freeze or become contaminated.
Snow should not be provided as the only water
supply as it will not meet daily water needs.
Need To Know: Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
1
The water consumption requirements of beef cattle
depend on factors such as:
• Kind and size of animal
• Rate and composition of gain
• Pregnancy
• Lactation, or milk production
“
Cattle should have access to fresh clean water
at all times. The average daily demand for cattle
weighing 500 kg is about 45 litres per animal and
increases in hot weather up to 90 litres per animal.
• Type of diet
• Level of dry matter intake
• Level of activity
• Quality of water
• Temperature of the water offered
• Surrounding air temperature
{
Beef cattle need access
to water in a place
that’s easy to access.
2
{
What does the Code
of Practice say
about water for
beef cattle?
All feed and water additives must be approved
by the appropriate government agencies and
be administered accordingly. If used, growth
promotants must be government approved and
must be administered in accordance with label
recommendations.
”
Need To Know: Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
WHAT BEEF CATTLE NEED EVERY DAY: ENOUGH
FOOD TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE BODY WEIGHT
WHAT BEEF CATTLE NEED EVERY DAY:
BALANCED NUTRITION
Ranchers and farmers raise beef cattle as a source
of meat for human consumption. Cattle need to eat
enough food to stay healthy, reproduce and gain
weight. Larger animals have more value because
they produce more meat.
All animals require energy, protein and minerals
to grow and keep healthy. Nutrition is especially
important for animals to reproduce. Beef cattle
should eat a diet specially formulated for their:
Beef cattle should be fed regularly and should
not have to wait longer than 24 hours between
feedings. When beef cattle are fed in groups, all of
the animals must have access to feed. They should
have access to feeders at the same time so that
they can eat at the same time.
• Age
Cows need more feed in the last third of pregnancy
and for about two months after calving. Alberta
Agriculture and Rural Development identifies
the fact that “low energy intake during late
pregnancy can result in:
• Breed
• Body weight and condition
• Physiological status (e.g., pregnant, lactating
[making milk] or growing).
{
Beef cattle need access
to feed that is suitable
for their weight, age
and breed.
• Slightly lower birth weights
Cows need the energy that comes from
carbohydrates and fats to initiate and maintain
pregnancy as well as to produce milk. Protein is the
building block for most tissues. In animals that are
not getting enough protein, body fat and muscle
will start to break down. Therefore, diets that lack
energy or protein or both can result in protein
deficiency and loss of body condition.
• Higher death rates in newborn calves
• Lower milk production
• Lower weaning rates
• Slower maturity rates
• Reduced conception rates.”
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development: Effects of Nutrition on Beef
Cow Reproduction at www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.
nsf/all/agdex3527?opendocument.
Thin cows have less fat cover than cows in good
condition. Fat is a good insulator, which in turn
helps reduce the energy needed to keep animals
warm in cold weather. A thin cow will need an
additional 1200 pounds of hay through the winter
to generate the heat it needs to stay warm.
{
Beef cattle also need macro and mico minerals
in their diet. Macro minerals include calcium,
phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sulphur,
sodium and chloride. Cobalt, copper, iodine, iron,
manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc are
considered trace or micro minerals. In 75 to 95
percent of feed grown in Alberta, there are trace
mineral deficiencies that must be made up with
supplements.
Beef cattle will eat anywhere from
2.5 to 4.5 percent of their body weight in good
quality hay or forage, every day.
Need To Know: Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
3
The vitamins that come from green plants (vitamins
A and E) and from sunshine (vitamin D) are also
essential to livestock health. Animals that are
housed indoors require a vitamin D supplement.
Most beef cattle begin their lives eating grass in
pastures during the summer months. In winter,
they often eat silage, which is grass that has been
cut and fermented. Some cattle eat dry hay instead
of, or in addition to, silage.
• All components used in the diet must be
good quality and free of spoilage that might
be detrimental to the animal. Unusual feedstuffs
may be incorporated into the diet only when
research has shown that they have no adverse
effect on the animal’s health or on the quality
of the final product.
• All feed and water additives must be approved
by the appropriate government agencies and
be administered accordingly. If used, growth
promotants must be government approved
and must be administered in accordance with
label recommendations.
Cattle in Alberta often spend part of their lives in
a feedlot, where they eat a high-energy diet that
includes grains and cereals. This gives them extra
calories needed to gain weight. Cattle should be
monitored for digestive upset if they are fed high
grain diets. Abrupt changes in the diet should
be avoided.
• Adequate feed must be provided regularly.
Feed interruption longer than 24 hours should
be avoided.
{
• When cattle are fed in groups, all animals must
have access to feed. Whenever restricted feeding
is practiced, all animals should have
simultaneous access to the feeders so that
they may eat at the same time.
What does the
Code of Practice
say about feeding
beef cattle?
”
“
• Diet for all classes of beef cattle should
be formulated in accordance with the
recommendations of the National Research
Council (US) subcommittee on beef cattle
nutrition in Nutrient requirements of beef cattle. In formulating diets, producers should take into consideration the environmental conditions, breed or breed cross, age, body condition, intake levels, and reproductive status of the animals. Additional dietary energy is needed in the last third of pregnancy and for about 2 months following calving.
• When animals are fed high-energy diets,
increased and regular attention should be paid
to avoid nutrition-related health problems, such
as grain overload and bloat. Abrupt changes in
diet should be avoided.
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Need To Know: Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
WHAT CATTLE NEED EVERY DAY: SHELTER, LIGHT,
FRESH AIR AND ROOM TO MOVE
In the wild, cows are prey, not predators. So, they
like to keep a safe distance from anything that
looks like it might be a threat.
But cattle are also social animals that live in herds.
Cattle should have access to outdoor pastures for
most of the year. All cattle need a chance to get
some exercise every day, if the weather allows it.
Barns used to house cattle must maintain adequate
air quality and ventilation. Ventilation systems
should be capable of keeping the barn dry,
removing stale air and strong odours, bringing
in fresh air without drafts and removing excess
heat and moisture. Manure must be removed from
livestock barns frequently.
Excessive ammonia levels can pose a health
threat to both animal handlers and cattle. Proper
ventilation is needed to remove ammonia from
livestock buildings.
Barns should also provide a sufficient source
of natural or artificial light so as not to cause
discomfort to the cattle. Enough light should be
provided to enable adequate inspection of the
animals in particular for cows in late pregnancy
and young calves.
Animals that are acclimatized to a particular
temperature range will face challenges if suddenly
required to adjust to extremes of temperature
outside of that zone of comfort (i.e., hot to cold
or cold to hot).
{
Cattle must have
shelter that provides
comfort, insulation,
warmth, dryness and
traction.
WHAT CATTLE NEED: A COMFORTABLE SPACE
All cattle need to live in a comfortable place.
A well-designed living space can help cows feel
safe and calm. A poorly designed space can make
cows fearful and uncomfortable.
Cattle also like to have their own space. Cattle
need floors and lighting that allows them to walk
safely. Slippery floors can change how cattle
walk, and can place greater stress on the animal’s
outside claw.
{
Cattle need space that
allows them to easily
stand up, lie down,
adopt normal resting
postures and have
visual contact with
other cattle.
Need To Know: Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use
5
WHAT BEEF CATTLE NEED: SAFE PASTURES
FOR GRAZING
Cattle eat grasses and other vegetation in pastures.
They can spend up to nine hours a day grazing,
resting and ruminating. Chewing the cud, or
ruminating, is part of how cattle digest their food.
They swallow, regurgitate, then slowly chew their
food to break it down even further.
{
What does the
Code of Practice say
about shelter needs
of beef cattle?
“
All fences around a pasture should be maintained
in good condition, to help prevent cattle from
wandering onto roads or into areas with poisonous
plants. Like any animals that live outdoors, cattle
can become prey for coyotes or wolves. Cattle are
particularly vulnerable at calving time.
The design and use of shelter facilities for beef
cattle should promote the health, well-being,
and good performance of animals at all stages of
their lives. Natural or constructed shelter areas
should adequately protect animals from weather
fluctuations characteristic of the region. All shelter
areas should be structurally safe for personnel and
animals, and the design should facilitate easy and
safe handling of animals.
Cattle on pasture should be inspected regularly
paying particular attention during high risk periods
(e.g., seasonal change, calving period, and
introduction of new animals to the herd).
Cattle on pasture or range should have access to
sufficient quantity and quality of feed and water.
Salt and minerals as required should be available
at all times.
Cattle on pasture or range should have access
to a well-drained resting area and to natural
or constructed shelter against adverse weather
conditions.
”
The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of
Beef Cattle will be updated and completed by the
summer of 2013. Information on the progress of this
new Code can be found on the National Farm Animal
Care Council website at www.nfacc.ca/codes-ofpractice/beef-cattle.
Excerpts from the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and
Handling of Farm Animals - Beef Cattle (©1991) have been used with
permission, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. www.cattle.ca
The process for the development of updated Codes can be accessed
through the National Farm Animal Care Council at www.nfacc.ca/
codes-of-practice.
Priorities for the updated Code identify
environmental and housing conditions, including
mud-effect on health and welfare and what is
acceptable shelter in extreme weather conditions.
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Need To Know: Basic Physical Needs of Beef Cattle
©Alberta SPCA 2012 albertaspca.org Permission granted to duplicate for classroom use