Summer grazing is often thought of as the cheapest phase of growing cattle, but relying on grass alone can limit performance, particularly when aiming to maximise liveweight gain. Supplementing grazing with hard feed is a practical way to support growth, improve consistency and ultimately make better use of available grazing.
Grass quality isn’t the same all season. Early on, it’s soft, leafy and packed with protein and energy, but by mid-summer it is tough, stemmy and harder to digest. Dry spells can slow growth, and wet weather can make it tricky for cattle to eat properly. On grass alone, some youngstock will struggle to hit target weights.
That’s where Harbro Elitestock Rolls come in. They’re designed to be fed alongside grass, giving extra energy, protein and minerals. They fill in the gaps that grass sometimes leaves and help make growth more consistent across the group. As little as 1kg per head each day can give a noticeable boost to daily gains. With a bit of feed on top of grazing, cattle put on weight more steadily, hitting target weights sooner which has a direct impact on days to finish and overall profitability.
1kg Elitestock costs around 35p. Young growing animals will convert feed at around 5:1 while grazing, meaning it costs £1.75 to gain 1kg liveweight. Compared to a finishing animal which is likely to convert at 8:1, the same feed would cost £2.80 to gain 1kg liveweight.
Supplementation supports better rumen function. Grazed grass is often high in rapidly degradable protein but lacks sufficient energy to fully utilise it. This imbalance can limit rumen microbe activity and reduce overall feed efficiency. Elitestock Rolls provide energy needed to balance the diet, improving nutrient utilisation and supporting more efficient growth, as well as stimulating rumen function to maximise feed conversion efficiency of the summer grass.
Mineral nutrition is another important consideration. Grass may not supply adequate levels of key trace elements such as copper, selenium and zinc, which are essential for growth, health and immunity. Elitestock Rolls help meet these requirements, reducing the risk of subclinical deficiencies that quietly impact
performance.
Feeding at grass is simple but needs careful management. Compounds should be introduced gradually to allow cattle to adapt, and feeding should be consistent to maintain intakes. The 12mm roll can be fed directly on the ground, which avoids the need for troughs and can easily be fed on clean ground with a snacker. This reduces competition and lets you easily spot and check any animals that don’t eat.
In summary, supplementing summer grazing with Elitestock Rolls allows producers to get the best from both grass and livestock. By providing a balanced and reliable source of nutrition, it supports higher liveweight gains, improves uniformity across groups and enhances overall system efficiency and profitability.
Get in touch with your local Harbro Specialist
As a rule, additional concentrate feeding is required to maintain growing cattle performance once grass growth is under 60kg DM/ha/day, which as shown in this graph, is typically from end of June onwards.
ELITESTOCK ROLLS
A high-quality feed to promote frame growth and complement grass in a cost-effective way.
• RumiTech helps improve feed conversion.
• Includes Alkacid, our unique rumen buffer that neutralises rumen acids, stimulates saliva production and slows down starch digestion.
• Improves daily liveweight gain and feed conversion ratio
• Increases frame growth
• Reduces cost/kg gain
• Reduced risk of acidosis and increased rumen function
Also available as nuts, to suit different management systems.
Available in bulk, totes and 25kg bag.
