Protein Supplementation



	How Often?
	Kansas workers fed the same weekly total of 28 lbs of a 43% crude protein (CP) supplement to Angus X Hereford cows on dormant tallgrass prairie (containing 3.8% CP) from early December to calving in early March. Feeding was done either 2, 3, 5, or 7 days a week. So, cows fed more often got less at each feeding but the same amount in a week. Feeding more often slightly decreased loss of body weight and condition and slightly increased forage consumption and digestibility, but the effects were negligible. And there was no difference in birth weight of calves. This is further evidence there is a lot of flexibility possible in frequency of feeding protein supplements without hurting production.



	Congressional Action:
	Two possible Acts of Congress could affect the beef industry. As part of the pending farm bill, the approved irradiation process to kill bacteria on meat would be officially defined as "cold pasteurization", a more appealing term to most conusmers, or at



	least less threatening, than irradiation. "Food Safety" advocates are fighting this proposal. Irradiation ensures greater food safety. Calling it cold pasteurization could increase consumer acceptance and demand for beef, especially ground producers. In another bill, some antibiotics could no longer be used for nontherapeutic purposes unless manufacturers demonstrate that such use does not lead to the development of drug resistance in bacteria. The drugs could still be used to treat sick animals.