Providing high-quality feed for your animals

Good-quality feed is not cheap. Yet farmers should think twice before buying a substandard product and possibly compromising the productivity of their animals, say Dr Naudé Rossouw, director at Rossgro Feeds in Eloff, Mpumalanga, and De Wet Boshoff, executive director at the Animal Feed Manufacturers’ Association.

- Magda du Toit

FAST FACTS

Good-quality feed can be expensive and reduce a farmer’s profits.

Despite this constraint, farmers should not compromise on feed quality, says Dr Naudé Roussouw.

Logistics constitute a major part of the farm-gate feed price.

As most livestock owners know, good-quality feed contributes significantly to animals’ health and productivity. Equally, quality does not come cheap, and profit, at least in the short term, suffers. How then, does the farmer achieve a balance?

Dr Naudé Rossouw, director at Mpumalangabased Rossgro Feeds, explains that the main contributors to the cost of animal feed are research costs, ingredients, transport of raw materials and processed feeds, equipment, labour, and the feed conversion rate of the animal.

He advises farmers not to focus simply on the cost of quality feed, but rather on what they will lose if they buy substandard feed.

“Farmers may not realise it, but a portion of their feed cost [pays for] research. A great deal of research is needed to formulate the best feed and determine the optimal nutrient absorption rate for the [specific] needs of each animal category. Research is critical to guarantee that animals are provided with scientifically formulated feed products so that they can achieve peak performance and health,” he says.

When buying a load or bag of feed, farmers also receive the expertise and knowledge of animal nutritionists. “Most animal feed mills have animal nutrition experts who can provide advice about the requirements of animals, and they are often very willing to share this expertise with farmers.”