The happiness and health of your farm animals will depend on how you feed them. You could be tending to sheep, chickens, goats, cows, or pigs. Whatever the case, you must take a special approach to their diets and animal feed because correct nutrition will keep them healthy, happy, and strong.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution here. Each species of animal is distinct, having their own characteristics. You have to acknowledge these differences, otherwise you cannot manage your livestock properly. The correct kind of feed for a chicken won’t be right for a goat and vice versa. To help, we are going to discuss how you should approach feeding with different animals.

Cows

Your cows need to enjoy a decent pasture, irrigated and deep in grass. A nutrient rich kind of grass works best. You’re also able to supplement these meals with chaff or lucerne hay. They are heavily nutritious and will give your cows the roughage they need. Dairy pellets and dairy meal are also a possibility if you wish to enhance your cow’s milk production.

As for foods you should avoid, meat is one of the main ones. This is a recurring theme you will experience with a lot of farm animals because it can lead to dangerous illnesses.

Pigs

They are omnivores, meaning they will eat a wide variety of foods if you allow them to. Even though they’re not picky, pasture and grain should constitute their primary animal feed. A balanced diet could include roughly 20% to 40% sun dried lucerne food for growing animals. Another popular choice here is green forage. Pigs can go through 4 to 5 kilograms each day. Corn is a vital supplement. Also, soybeans, beans, and potatoes are fine if you cook them.

Pigs are normally averse to onions, citrus peels, and turnip tops. Also, it is preferable to avoid meat scraps as they can cause disease.

Chickens

For chickens, they benefit from feed in crumble form. Pellets tend to be too difficult for them to consume. This is a critical precaution for those raising baby chickens. They can have a tough time handling standard feed. Then you’re best off making crumble feed a free-choice option after they are fully grown.

No matter what your reasons are for raising a flock of chickens, you need to give them enough vitamins, protein, and energy. You’re free to give them wheat, fresh greens, fish meal, meat meal, and corn. Or, you can invest in a feed that covers their nutritional needs. The latter can be most costly, but it is convenient.

Goats

They can pasture on anything from hardy shrubs to green grass. This doesn’t mean they are not sensitive to changes in their diet though. You can run into problems if you make major alterations all at once. It’s the same if you choose animal feed that is something unfamiliar. Give them the time to adjust.

Concerning their diet’s content, hay is the leading source of nutrients for goats. One good substitute is chaffhaye. A 50-pound bag is equivalent to 85-100 pounds of hay. Grain feed also has the means to help supplement your goats’ meals. Loose minerals are viable for offering free-choice.

Sheep

There are multiple forms of feeds for sheep. There’s pellets from milled ingredients. Also, there’s sweet feed that shows up as fresh grains and pellets. Or you can choose block feed, which is milled ingredients in solid blocks. Any of these options will work. However, the percentages of fibre, fat, and protein will differ between feeds.

Ensure you’re getting the correct kind of feed for your own animals. In addition, remember some basic rules for feeding sheep. Roughage needs to account for most of the portion. Concentrates can supply enough nutrition to preserve proper body condition in breeding season and peak production times.

You can depend on our products if you need animal feed

At JS Hubbuck Ltd, we’re happy to be able to supply first rate products for a variety of needs. If you’re someone in charge of farm animals, you’ll want to ensure they are happy as well as healthy. Our business can help you do this by offering feeds, bedding, and much more.

So, please let us know if you wish to shop with us for animal feed or anything else. We can advise you about any of the products we stock, ensuring you get great customer service.