Introduction to Beef Cattle Nutrition Course Overview

This self-paced course will introduce you to the fundamental principles of beef cattle nutrition and prepare you to use this information when working with farmers and ranchers. It features interactive learning activities and custom multimedia.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Identify key aspects of the beef production cycle.
• Explain the basics of ruminant anatomy.
• Describe the main nutrient requirements of beef cattle.
• Recognize factors that influence feed intake and nutrient requirements in beef cattle.
• Describe how the chemical composition and nutritive value of feeds are determined.
• Classify body condition and describe how that impacts animal production.
• Balance and analyze basic rations for beef cattle.

Course Outline

You can work on this course any time, 24/7 for up to 60 days. You will watch videos, engage in learning activities and take quizzes. The course is divided into four modules, which can be completed at your own pace. Each module should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete.

To complete the course, you must access all pages and earn at least 80% on all assessments. A certificate will be available to download after the course is completed.

Total Time Estimate:    4 hours

Topic Overview

• Beef Cattle Production Systems
• Ruminant Digestive System
• Nutrient Requirements: Feed, Protein and Energy
• Nutrient Requirements: Minerals, Vitamins and Water
• Nutritive Value of Feedstuffs
• Body Condition Scoring
• Ration Balancing

Quick Tips

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• Contact the OSU IT Helpdesk if you need assistance.
• The public version of this course is available on the OSU Extension Catalog.