Supplementary feeding one of the most essential components to running a successful livestock grazing system. Used as a means to help meet production requirements and monitor reserves in times of drought, the extent to which supplementary feeding depends mostly on seasonal conditions and the businesses objective.
But why is supplementary feeding so important for your farm?
Why Is It So Important?
There are many reasons as to why supplementary feeding and diet feeder is important to you and your livestock.
Animal Health
First and foremost, the health of your animals is paramount to the success of your business; they must receive the desired nutritional requirements to allow you to supply the best product possible.
This is achieved by mixing a homogenous composition so that every animal receives the required intake of each ingredient. The process involves a well-mixed ration in which the feed ingredients have been precisely batched together by weight, mixed and then delivered to the livestock in an efficient manner that is repeatable.
Nutrition
Nutrition goes hand-in-hand with animal health. Supplementary feeding must satisfy the animals requirements for protein, roughage and minerals in order to achieve production objectives, like extra weight gain, in a way that is economically viable.
Common feed components used in supplementary feeding to meet particular requirements include:
⦁ Energy – grain, silage, molasses
⦁ Protein – cottonseed meal, silage, lupins
⦁ Roughage – hay, silage
⦁ Minerals – lime fed
Feed Budget
Feed budgeting is the process of measuring and predicting whether your available feed will meet your production requirements.
This includes measuring the amount and quality of pasture you have, estimating how many days your livestock will be out in the pasture, choosing a pattern that suits predicted circumstances and taking corrective action based on assessment of results.
An effective feed budgeting is useful to avoid over and under grazing, ultimately saving you on future costs of unnecessary production.
The right equipment is critical for an efficient supplementary feeding system.
Machinery To Match
Farmgard’s Abbey feed wagon has a uniquely designed auger with a flat profile and inflected top knife which chop, mix and feed out in a manner that optimises your feeding regiment – ensuring every animal gets an equal amount of feed with as little waste as possible!
Single Auger Mixer Wagon
In times of drought, or when grass growth is hindered or halts, you need to provide your stock with feed with as little waste as possible.
Introducing Farmgard’s Single Auger Mixer Wagon! With four weigh bars to provide consistent and accurate weighing of feeding and independent chassis for robust stability – our Mixer Wagon is the most effective solution to an efficient supplementary feeding system.
Twin Auger Mixer Wagon
If your feeding regime requires extra capacity without extra height Farmgard have you covered with our Abbey Twin Auger Mixer Wagon to ensure that your stock has an equal chance to be fed with what they need! Despite the extra capacity, the twin wagons remain easy to manoeuvre.
Farmgard Is Here To Help
When it comes to feeding livestock, drought is always a massive concern for farmers. Farmgard’s feed mixer wagon will afford you with much more control when feeding your livestock and maintain quality control over the end product.
On average a cow will eat some 250 – 300 minutes a day (consuming a whopping 15 – 50 kg of feed daily!) With a more consistent and repeatable homogenous ration distribution and less wastage, the Abbey mixer evidently pays for itself.
Contact Farmgard today on 1800 FARMGARD and speak with our team about the right supplementary feeding system for you. Alternatively, head to our website to check out our range of mixer wagons and other farming necessities.
