Methods of feeding high fat poured feed blocks

Abstract

Methods of feeding ruminants involve positioning the feed blocks in a pasture accessible to the ruminants. The feed block may have a total fat content of about 7 wt % to 33 wt % and an intake modifier to control intake of the feed blocks. High fat pellets having a high total fat content provide at least a portion of the fat in the high fat feed blocks. The methods control a rate of ingestion of high fat feed blocks by ruminants while not negatively affecting performance, and in some instances, ingestion of the blocks results in improved performance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of feeding an animal, the method comprising:
 positioning a high fat feed block in an area accessible to the animal,   wherein the high fat feed block comprises high fat pellets at about 5 wt % to 50 wt % of the high fat feed block, wherein the high fat pellets have a fat content of at least about 40 wt %, wherein the high fat feed block optionally includes an additional fat source, and wherein a total fat content is at least about 7 wt % to about 33 wt % of the high fat feed block, with all or a majority of the total fat content provided by the high fat pellets;   wherein the high fat pellets constitute discrete components of the high fat feed block, and   wherein in response to positioning the high fat feed block in the area accessible to the animal, the animal ingests the high fat feed block in an amount sufficient to improve performance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the high fat pellets comprise a high melting point fat, the high melting point fat having a melting point equal to or greater than about 60° C. (140° F.). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat feed block constitutes a supplemental, free-choice feed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the high fat feed block is provided concurrently with a main source of feed. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the main source of feed comprises forage. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat pellets comprise two fat sources. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the two fat sources include a first fat and a second fat, the second fat having a melting point less than a melting point of the first fat. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first fat has a melting point equal to or greater than about 60° C. (140° F.). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first fat is disposed substantially at a surface of the high fat pellets. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat pellets include animal fat, vegetable fat, and/or hydrogenated vegetable fat. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat pellets comprise one or more of:
 corn, wheat, barley, oats, sorghum, tapioca, soybean meal, cottonseed meal, or corn gluten meal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat feed block further includes a medicament and/or other non-food supplement. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additional fat source comprises one or more of: yellow grease, choice white grease, vegetable oil, hydrogenated analogs of vegetable oil, nut oil, seed oil, fish oil, beef fat, or chicken fat. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is selected from the group consisting of: cattle, sheep, goats, and deer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is a pig or a horse. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat feed block further comprises an intake modifier. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the intake modifier is present in the high fat feed block at about 1.0 wt % to about 3.5 wt %. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the intake modifier comprises one or more of:
 calcium chloride, a chloride ion, ammonium sulfate, calcium sulfate, salt, sodium hydroxide, diammonium phosphate, fish oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, meat meal, chlorinated fat, or acidulated fat.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high fat feed block further comprises molasses. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the area accessible to the animal comprises a confined pasture.