Filling the Gap
Jul 07, 2026
Justin Crocheck
Senior Cattle Consultant
THERE IS ONE FUNDAMENTAL THING that has held true in the feed industry in the past 35 years I’ve been associated with Key Cooperative. That one thing is that all species of livestock will need supplemental protein at some stage or all stages of their lives.
In a perfect world, all feedstuffs would supply exactly what a particular species needs for all stages of their lives. But with forages, protein levels can differ by species of forage, by different fields and by different cuttings. That’s why it is important to test forage samples in an effort to meet the needs of the animal being fed.
The protein value of our forages was lowered last year since the nitrogen content was diluted by the rains and/or the additional tons harvested. Grass hay that had tested 9–11 percent CP in the past tested 6 percent CP last year. If a first trimester cow requires 10 percent CP to meet her needs, then we need to provide supplemental protein to fill the gap.
If protein is our only need, then we can simply provide supplemental protein using soybean meal (46–48 percent CP) or distillers grains (26–27 percent). The feeding rate will be based on degradability and digestibility of the protein fed. If vitamins, trace minerals or ionophores are needed along with supplemental protein, then we can use a natural protein pellet (32–36 percent CP) to fill those needs. However, the feeding rate may not allow it to be our only source of protein because of the wideness of the gap.
Sometimes that nutritional gap can be so big in our ruminant diets that we need to spike the supplemental protein with urea. One pound of urea is equivalent to 287 percent CP, which means that one pound of urea is equal to 2.87 pounds of natural plant protein. With different forms of urea, we can provide supplemental protein through different delivery methods. We have the ability to supplementprotein through pellets (36–55 percent CP), molasses tubs (20–40 percent CP) or liquid supplements (30–50 percent CP) to fill the gap.
Allow Key Cooperative to assist you in filling the gap between your feedstuff values and the nutritional needs of your animals. Have your feedstuffs tested, review the options that fill the gap and select the supplemental protein option that makes the most nutritional and economic sense for your animals and your operation!
Senior Cattle Consultant
THERE IS ONE FUNDAMENTAL THING that has held true in the feed industry in the past 35 years I’ve been associated with Key Cooperative. That one thing is that all species of livestock will need supplemental protein at some stage or all stages of their lives.
In a perfect world, all feedstuffs would supply exactly what a particular species needs for all stages of their lives. But with forages, protein levels can differ by species of forage, by different fields and by different cuttings. That’s why it is important to test forage samples in an effort to meet the needs of the animal being fed.
The protein value of our forages was lowered last year since the nitrogen content was diluted by the rains and/or the additional tons harvested. Grass hay that had tested 9–11 percent CP in the past tested 6 percent CP last year. If a first trimester cow requires 10 percent CP to meet her needs, then we need to provide supplemental protein to fill the gap.
If protein is our only need, then we can simply provide supplemental protein using soybean meal (46–48 percent CP) or distillers grains (26–27 percent). The feeding rate will be based on degradability and digestibility of the protein fed. If vitamins, trace minerals or ionophores are needed along with supplemental protein, then we can use a natural protein pellet (32–36 percent CP) to fill those needs. However, the feeding rate may not allow it to be our only source of protein because of the wideness of the gap.
Sometimes that nutritional gap can be so big in our ruminant diets that we need to spike the supplemental protein with urea. One pound of urea is equivalent to 287 percent CP, which means that one pound of urea is equal to 2.87 pounds of natural plant protein. With different forms of urea, we can provide supplemental protein through different delivery methods. We have the ability to supplementprotein through pellets (36–55 percent CP), molasses tubs (20–40 percent CP) or liquid supplements (30–50 percent CP) to fill the gap.
Allow Key Cooperative to assist you in filling the gap between your feedstuff values and the nutritional needs of your animals. Have your feedstuffs tested, review the options that fill the gap and select the supplemental protein option that makes the most nutritional and economic sense for your animals and your operation!