Consider this – if you ate junk food all day every day, chances are you look and perform like you eat junk food every day. The same goes for your livestock – if you feed them junk food all day, they ‘re probably overweight, have poor-quality meat, low milk production or low birthing rates. Food is an integral part of our everyday lives, which is why it of the essence to feed your livestock right.
Food choices vary from area to an area and depend on the kind of livestock you are raising. But generally, food should include protein, carbohydrates, water, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Some animals will get some of these nutrients from eating plants, but adding grains to your livestock’s diet is a good way to increase its nutritional value. In fact, this practice can be very beneficial during times of poor pasture quality.
Large scale livestock raisers might choose to start growing grains for their livestock, but producers with only a few animals prefer to buy food grains online. Farmers who buy food grains online save themselves the time and hassle of growing grains, which allows them to concentrate more on the real needs of their animals. Plus, you can find almost anything on the online market in the world of today, all that at much lower prices than the ones in brick-and-mortar stores, so why not take the easier road? Here are some of the most common feed grains you can buy online and the nutritive value they provide.
Corn
Corn can be fed whole or crimped and it can be used for both ruminant and non-ruminant livestock. Mature corn is rich in starch and provides about 4.000kcal per kilo. It is also low in protein (about 10.9%) which makes it appropriate in a varied feed ration or as a feed supplement. Still, it is not recommended as a main source of nutrition and should be used in combination with other protein-heavy supplements. Feed it in the form of distillers grains or as silage.
Oats
Oats are high in fiber and low in energy, particularly due to the bulkiness of the fibrous hulls. The higher fiber content of this grain replaces some of the forage needs of the animals getting an oat ration. You should know that animals won’t gain weight at finishing time by eating oats as they will by eating higher-energy grains (like corn), so limit oats as processing time approaches.
Soybean
With 38% of protein, soybeans are generally used as the main source in animal rations. Protein is vital to an animal’s diet due to its basic structure used to create all cells and tissues, including skin, muscle, organs, and milk. However, unprocessed soybeans contain a protein-digestion inhibitor which makes them inappropriate to fed young animals or monogastric, such as pigs and houses.
Barley
High in starch content, barley makes a good energy source. However, research has found that only 60% of the starch is utilized by animals. It is also high in protein, particularly when it is grown in nitrogen-rich soil. However, the toxic mold in barley can cause illness in pigs, though it doesn’t seem to affect cattle.
Depending on the area where you live, there might be other grains that are more appropriate and accessible for your animals. Ask your veterinarian to suggest the best-balanced ratio for your animals.
