GREENDIETS DIETS GREEN
a growing food movement
Whatis isa asustainable sustainablefeeding feedingstrategy strategyfor forcattle? cattle? What aim to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, do not production methods aim to minimize pollute the environment and positively greenhouse gas emissions, docontribute not pollute the to the conservation of biodiversity. Ruminants environment and contribute positively to the have the ability to convert forages and other conservation of biodiversity. Ruminants havefeeds the that cannot be eaten directly by humans ability to convert forages and other feedsinto thatmeat and milk humans Any sustainable cannot be that eaten directlycan by eat. humans into meat livestock system must aim to maximize the use and milk that humans can eat. Any sustainable of forages and minimize the use of human livestock system must aim to maximize theedible feedstuffs, such asminimize grains andthe soy. Ideally, forage use of forages and use of human should come from home-grown sources integrated edible feedstuffs, such as grains and soy. Ideally, into the rest of the farm system. forage should come fromcropping home-grown sources integrated into the rest of the farm cropping Mineral deficiencies system.
In most well-managed grazing situations, a largely forage-based diet should be sufficient to meet Mineral deficiencies the nutritional requirements ofsituations, most ruminants. In most well-managed grazing a Sustainably managed, home-produced feeds largely forage-based diet should be sufficient involve practices, such as moreofsympathetic tousually meet the nutritional requirements most management of the soil, better biological ruminants. Sustainably managed, home- activity, more balanced crop rotations, production produced feeds usually involveless practices, such pressure on livestock enterprises, more diverse as more sympathetic management of the swards (with traditional species of grasses and soil, better biological activity, more balanced deep-rooting herbs and forbs), and a reduction or crop rotations, less production pressure on prohibition of artificial fertilizer use, which may all livestock enterprises, more diverse swards (with help reduce the risk micro-nutrient deficiencies traditional species ofof grasses and deep-rooting seen in more intensive production systems. herbs and forbs), and a reduction or prohibition Nevertheless, it is likely that may inherent regional of artificial fertilizer use, which all help and local soil and forage mineral deficiencies reduce the risk of micro-nutrient deficienciesmay be enhanced on farmsproduction that are attempting seen in more intensive systems.to raise animals entirely on home-grown feeds. Working Nevertheless, it is likely that inherent with your vet or qualified advisor, you should take regional and local soil and forage mineral soil, forage or blood tests to identify any likely deficiencies may be enhanced on farms that are mineral deficiencies and outline youron strategies attempting to raise animals entirely homefor dealing with them in your Farm Health Plan. grown feeds. Working with your vet or qualified advisor, you should take soil, forage or blood tests to identify any likely mineral deficiencies and outline your strategies for dealing with them in your Farm Health Plan.
FEEDIPEDIA Feedipedia is an open access information system on animal feed resources that provides information on nature, occurrence, chemical composition, nutritional value and safe use of nearly 1,400 worldwide livestock feeds. Visit feedipedia.org
Article adapted from Farm Health Online. For more 23 information about practical, sciencebased advice on high-welfare livestock management, visit farmhealthonline. com
P h o t o c r e di t : Mik e S u ar e z /A G r e e n e r Wor l d
ISSUE ~ 4 ~ 2019 This article first appeared in A Greener World’s Sustainable Farming magazine, Summer 2019, page 10. Reproduced here with kind permission. For more information about A Greener World—home of the world’s leading labels—visit www.agreenerworld.org
MIKE SUAREZ
aspect sustainablemanagement managementor or LikeLike anyany aspect of of sustainable production, a sustainable feeding strategy for production, a sustainable feeding strategy for ruminants such cattlecomprises comprisesaanumber number of ruminants such asas cattle of core principles. core principles. First,a asustainable sustainablediet dietmust must meet meet the the First, animals’ nutritional requirements at all stages animals’ nutritional requirements at all stages of their development. It should ensure optimum of their development. It should ensure optimum animal health and high-quality production, rather animal health and high-quality production, rather than solely maximizing production or growth than solely maximizing production or growth rate. rate. Second, a sustainable feeding regime should use feeds atosustainable formulate diets that regime meet the proper Second, feeding physiological functioning of the animal at any should use feeds to formulate diets that meet given stage of its life. For example, the diet the proper physiological functioning of the of young should onFor natural milk, animal at animals any given stagebeofbased its life. example, preferably maternal milk, ideally with all calves the diet of young animals should be based on receiving milkmaternal for at leastmilk, three months. natural milk,natural preferably ideally For older animals, diets should contain a high with all calves receiving natural milk for at least proportion of forage from dry matter and at least three months. 70% of the daily dry matter should consist For older animals, diets should contain aof roughage, fresh driedfrom fodder, silage. and Whileat high proportion of or forage dryormatter feeding purchased concentrates to cattle can least 70% of the daily dry matter should consist increase productivity, research shows that of roughage, fresh or dried fodder, or silage.the sustainability of the system is markedly While feeding purchased concentrates to reduced cattle and health risks are increased. All animals should can increase productivity, research shows that have free access to fresh, clean water at all the sustainability of the system is markedly times. A sustainable should also meet All the animals’ reduced and healthdiet risks are increased. behavioral needs by not only offering natural animals should have free access to fresh, clean feeds, buttimes. using animal-friendly feeding techniques water at all and providing environments. A sustainableappropriate diet shouldfeeding also meet the This should include continuous access to grazing animals’ behavioral needs by not only offering and sufficient accessible indoor feeding space natural feeds, butand using animal-friendly feeding when animals are housed. techniques and providing appropriate feeding Finally, all feeds should come from a sustainable environments. source; in other words,continuous feed production methods This should include access to grazing and sufficient and accessible indoor feeding space when animals are housed. Finally, all feeds should come from a sustainable source; in other words, feed
