Raising and selling cattle has tight margins, and to safeguard your profits, you need to keep costs as low as possible. Looking for ways to make your stock feed go a bit further? Check out these ideas.
1. Store Stock Feed Properly
You certainly don't want to lose feed before it makes it to your cattle, and to ensure that doesn't happen, you need to store your stock feed properly. Make sure that feed is in a dry, climate-controlled area so that it doesn't get wet or mouldy. Also, make sure that feed is in a sturdy container so that mice or pests can't get to it.
2. Keep the Birds Away
Speaking of pests, birds can grab a lot of your stock feed. To deter birds from making your pasture into their home, come out and make a lot of noise at the end of the day so they are less likely to roost in the area. You may also want to consider a bird proof stock feeder. These basically have a relatively small opening for the cattle to access, and they make it harder for birds to grab the feed.
3. Add Leftovers
In addition to feeding your cattle stock feed, you may want to give them leftovers as well. Rather than throwing old vegetables or peelings into your compost piles, consider using that to augment your stock feed. Remember, that cattle are grass eaters and feed them accordingly.
4. Rotate Grazing Areas
If your cattle graze as well as eat stock feed, make sure to rotate their areas on a regular basis. When you move the cattle around, that gives the grass in those areas more time to grow back. That takes some of the burden off your feed and helps it to last longer.
5. Keep Water in a Separate Area
Unfortunately, when your water is too close to your stock feed, the water may splash onto the feed, making it virtually worthless. To protect the feed, keep the water tank and the feed containers in seperate areas.
6. Use a Spill-Resistant Feeder
When choosing your stock feeder, look for one that is stable and resists spilling. Even if you just have a single cattle, they can knock over a bucket of food, and that wasted food adds up over time. You can get feeders in a range of styles that are designed to resist spilling.
Share13 December 2017
Hello, my name is Darren and I live in a small rural community near Alice Springs, Australia. Although I now look like a farmer, this wasn't always the case. I grew up in a big city and spent the first 10 years of my adult life working in an insurance office. However, one day, I realised that I had had enough of that life. I sold my apartment and moved out here to stay with my uncle. He has been a farmer all his life and he took me under his wing. I learnt how to look after the land and how to repair agricultural machinery. I hope you enjoy my blog.
