NASCalf Nutrient Grids

Hello, and welcome to this NASCalf tutorial. In this video, we’ll look at the nutrient grids used to input feed composition and feeding programs.

The nutrient grids are available when you select any feeding program—liquids, grains, or forages. We’ll use the grain program as an example, but the layout is similar across all feed types. Each grid can be resized and customized. You can select up to six ingredients for most feed categories and display up to 54 nutrients. If there are nutrients you don’t need, simply click the column header to hide them. To add nutrients, right-click a header and choose from the list. Columns and rows can also be resized to improve visibility.

At the top of the grid, a checkbox allows you to toggle between nutrient composition and the feeding program. In the feeding program view for dry feeds, you’ll see columns for cost, start and end days, and maximum intake. For example, you might feed a calf starter from day 3 to 60, then transition to a grower from day 61 onward. If feeding periods overlap, the program assumes a 50:50 blend during that time. The maximum intake setting limits how much of each feed the calf can consume, with additional intake coming from other available feeds.

For forages, an additional column shows forage as a percentage of total dry matter. When offered free-choice, calves typically consume about 6–10% of their diet as forage, though this can vary.

The liquid feeding grid works a bit differently. Instead of tons, cost is expressed per kilogram, and feeding is organized into periods with begin and end days and grams fed per day. For example, colostrum may be fed on day 1, transition milk on days 2–3, and milk replacer thereafter. Each period flows into the next, and the program will automatically adjust start days when changes are made. You can define up to 20 feeding periods, allowing you to closely match real-world programs.

In summary, the nutrient grids provide a flexible way to define both feed composition and feeding strategies within NASCalf. Take a few minutes to explore the layout and customize it to your needs.

Thanks for watching, and be sure to check out other NASCalf tutorials to get the most out of the program.