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Availability in Undesirable Growing Locations
The original purpose of oats being a food source for animals was their availability in locations prone to cool temperatures. Oats grow in undesirable soil conditions and are easily adaptable to a wide array of soil types. The plants were readily available in places with cool, moist climates, such as Scotland, Poland and the United States, making them an ideal food for animals, especially horses.
High Fiber Content
Today, oats are commonly used as a starting feed for cattle. Oats are an ideal grain to transition a calf to due to its high fiber and hull content. Oats have lower energy density and more bulk than other grains, which assists calves in learning to eat solid foods before starting on higher-energy grains. It is recommended that a 50 to 70 percent mix of oats with other grains be used while calves are learning to eat. Over time, this can be reduced to 20 to 30 percent.
Little Processing Needed
During the first 10 months of a calf's life, it is able to efficiently chew oat grain. This means that no processing is necessary. There are little to no benefits to processing oats for a calf less than 10 months old. This is also beneficial for creep feeding, which is the managerial process of adding extra feed to a nursing calf's diet. Since farmers are able to use whole oats for calf feeding, they do not have to have it processed.
Finishing Cattle for Beef
Oats are a good finishing feed for beef cattle. Many farmers will use a higher concentration of oats during the 40 to 60 days prior to finishing. This causes the cattle to gain weight prior to slaughter which makes them more valuable. It is an inexpensive way to quickly increase the amount of meat that will be sold.