Feeding Strategies

Feed availability is usually one of the greatest constraints to livestock productivity. There are often times of the year (such as at the end of a long dry season) when feed is particularly scarce. Livestock keepers need to plan around seasonal feed shortages, so that periods of high feed requirement by their livestock (e.g. at mating or in lactation) do not coincide with times of feed scarcity.

References and Further Reading

Feed resources should, where possible, be harvested and conserved at times of plenty so as to provide feed later on when feed resources run out. Constraints resulting from a lack of storage space, or conserved feeds being attacked by vermin, insects or moulds whilst in storage may not allow livestock keepers to keep sufficient feed for their livestock throughout the year.

With a limited feed resource, livestock keepers then need to decide which livestock need to be better fed and then target their feed resources on those individuals. For example, if male animals are not going to be slaughtered or sold for some time, then they can afford not to grow, and be made to just maintain or even lose some weight, which can be put back on when feed supplies are more plentiful. However, breeding females at mating, late pregnancy or in lactation, need greater amounts of feed to maintain their pregnancy, produce healthy young and get pregnant again. In mid-pregnancy, however, the amount of feed fed can be cut back (unless the animal is still lactating).