Producer Question from 2010
Q: We make our own liquid feed with molasses and blood meal. at 30% CP, is this a good feed to use to supplement cattle during the winter months that only have dried grass and hay? (January 9, 2010)
A: Before I get to your question, it is important to understand that ruminant blood meal can be fed to ruminants as long as it is labeled that it doesn't contain any meat and bone scrapes. If the ruminant blood meal does contain meat and bone scrapes, it can not be fed to ruminants and will be labeled that way. Ruminant meat and bone meal has been banned from feeding to ruminants as one of the fire-wall to BSE.
Blood meal is a good protein source and the protein is a high percentage by-pass, about 75%. So blood meal is a good source of by-pass protein. Growing calves would have a high by-pass protein need compared to mature cows. One of the challenges with blood meal is that it is not very palatable, so it needs to be mixed with another feed to get much of it into the cattle.
If the diet is deficient in protein, then this combination should work provided that they consume enough to take care of the deficiency. It also depends on the desired ADG, if the cattle are calves.
Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science
Animal Science, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Lincoln, NE