Managing livestock nutrition is a challenge every producer faces, especially during the dry season, and managing livestock nutrition effectively is key to improving productivity.
On a station in Richmond, QLD, a 117-day study compared supplementing via uDOSE™ water supplementation technology to traditional lick blocks. With 750 heifers divided into two paddocks, the study aimed to evaluate how these two approaches performed in an extensive grazing system under real commercial conditions.
The findings clearly demonstrate why more producers are turning to uDOSE™ innovative solution for their herds.
Keeping weight loss during the dry season to a minimum
Both paddocks where the recently weaned heifers were placed were dry, with limited low quality forage available. Given these dry seasonal conditions, some weight loss in both groups was expected, further exacerbated by the large paddock areas requiring animals to walk large distances, actively searching for forage.
While there were variations in pasture availability across the two paddocks, this initial phase of the study has indicated that the uDOSE™ has had a positive impact on minimising weight loss with cattle losing just –0.015kg/day, compared to –0.068kg/day for those on lick blocks¹.
Further to this, animals consumed less amounts of urea² via the uDOSE™ (17.81g/head/day) compared to those supplemented via lick blocks (29.72g/head/day) indicating that the higher urea consumption was not able to increase average daily gains.
Water supplementing ensures more consistent intake of nutrients for every animal, and by maintaining a more stable body weight, the heifers supplemented with the uDOSE™ are better positioned to achieve their liveweight goals faster.
Ben Tate, Riverdale Station Manager, AJM Pastoral summed it up:
“We were impressed by the results with uDOSE™. With weaners, some weight loss is expected during the dry season, but uDOSE™ kept it to a minimum while ensuring that every animal received the nutrients it needed. The precision of water supplementation made a big difference in improving the herd’s productivity.”
Saving costs without compromise
The numbers speak for themselves: the daily cost per head was $0.077 with uDOSE™, labour included, compared to $0.11 for lick blocks, labour excluded. Given labour was not factored into the lick block cost, the actual cost difference between the two diets is likely even greater.
This represents a significant saving while maintaining better outcomes for the herd.
Precision technology for more efficient supplement consumption
Traditional lick blocks often result in overconsumption or uneven intake across the herd but uDOSE™ proved its precision. Cattle supplemented with uDOSE™ consumed 40% less urea per day, minimising waste and optimising nutrient delivery while ensuring that every animal had the opportunity to consume the supplement proportional to their body weight.
The uDOSE™ is also a safer way to deliver urea to animals where a gradual increase in rates can be adjusted remotely via uHUB over a few weeks. This is especially important with young animals grazing in dry conditions where adaptation to urea supplementation is essential.
Sustainable grazing practices
It was observed by the property manager during the trial that cattle in the uDOSE™ paddock grazed evenly across the entire area, unlike their lick block counterparts, who tended to overgraze near supplementation points. This suggests that animals on the uDOSE™ did not have to seek out their supplement – all animals receiving the target amount required each day when they drank from the supplemented troughs.
Conclusion
The results from this trial demonstrate the significant advantages of uDOSE™ water supplementation over traditional lick blocks. From better weight management to cost savings and reduced supplement waste, uDOSE™ delivers measurable benefits for livestock and land management. By adopting this precision water supplementation solution, producers can achieve improved productivity while maintaining sustainability, a winning combination for any operation.
What’s next? Building on these results
This study was conducted during the dry season, providing valuable insights into how water supplementation can support cattle under challenging conditions. To gather even more data, we’ll continue testing during the wet season. This expanded study will allow us to further demonstrate the long-term advantages of uDOSE™ in supporting livestock productivity year-round.
Curious about how uDOSE™ can improve your herd’s productivity and bottom line? Please contact our Sales Team.
¹ This case study was developed on a fully commercial cattle station in Northern Australia, without any adjustment to normal operations. Due to the absence of paddock replicates in the design of the study, the paddock effect on the analyses has not been accounted for to compare the groups.
² Expressed as Urea Equivalents
