What are the best feeds for livestock |
What are the best feeds for livestock
Livestock need proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, so it is important to provide fodder rich in these nutrients, to maintain their health and production, and they must be easy to digest to suit their digestive system, and in this article we will present the types of livestock feed
green fodder
Naturally grown green forage is best for feeding livestock; Grain and legume fodder, grass fodder, and tree fodder, as it is rich in the elements needed for livestock, and it is one of the best options for saving money, as it is less expensive than buying concentrated fodder, including
corn fodder
Green corn fodder is considered one of the healthy and desirable options for livestock, especially for milk-producing livestock. It can also be cultivated at any time of the year, and harvesting takes 60-70 days. Corn fodder provides large quantities of food, and it is easy to digest for livestock. It contains 8-10% of protein and 60% of quickly digestible nutrients
herbal feed
The rain-fed grass that grows naturally by relying on rainwater is one of the best types of fodder. The grass can also be grown and watered to feed it to the livestock, and the surplus of it can be stored as silag (green fodder stored with fermentation). It is a fodder with great benefits for livestock. It is worth mentioning that fodder grasses include many types, some of which are annual, permanent, or seasonal, and they are different in their characteristics, benefits, and ease of digestion for livestock
green clover
Green alfalfa is one of the most common types of livestock feed, as it helps provide the nutrients, protein, fiber and calcium needed for them, which supports their healthy growth and weight gain, as it is easy to digest and has a low cost
coarse feed
Rough feed is one of the most common feeds, and it contains 60% of digestible nutrients (60%), and more than 18% of crude fiber in dry air, and this helps in raising the efficiency of the cattle’s digestive system. hay or hay, dried alfalfa, straw, and silage
concentrated feed
Concentrated feed usually consists of grains and other ingredients rich in nutrients and carbohydrates, and is low in coarseness and fiber compared to other feeds. It also contains different proportions of protein depending on its type. Concentrated feed helps stimulate animal growth and increase its weight and production, so it is important for livestock to obtain concentrated feed in sufficient quantities, [7] and it is of two types; Feed containing a high percentage of protein (protein feed) exceeding 15%, such as; Soybeans, sunflower seeds, peanuts, coconuts, and other grains rich in protein, high-energy feeds (carbon feeds), with less protein (8-11%), such as; Barley, corn, oats, millet, wheat, rice and leeks, in addition to fodder rich in vitamins and minerals
Commercial concentrated feed mixtures can be purchased, which are available in several types and with different proportions of protein, energy, and vitamins, depending on the type, age, and needs of livestock, or the mixture can be made at home from grain, with an emphasis on the need to mix it in studied proportions