Livestock Nutrition Guide: Feed for Cattle, Sheep and Goats

Feed is the single biggest running cost in livestock farming, and the difference between profit and loss is usually decided at the feed trough. This guide covers the nutrition basics that apply to cattle, sheep and goats.

1. The four building blocks

• Energy (the fuel part of the feed) — from grass and leafy plants (forage), grains and concentrates (grains and high-energy feeds); it fuels growth and milk.
• Protein (the nutrient that builds muscle and growth) — from legumes, oilseed meals (protein-rich leftovers after oil is pressed from seeds) and concentrates; it builds muscle and milk.
• Minerals — calcium, phosphorus and salt; needed for bone, milk and general health.
• Water — the most important thing of all; clean water every day.

2. Types of feed

• Pasture and forage (grass and leafy plants) — the main diet for grazing animals.
• Hay and silage — dried and preserved grass kept for the dry season.
• Concentrates — grains and oilseed meals for extra energy and protein.
• Mineral licks or blocks — fill the gaps that pasture leaves out.

3. By species

• Cattle — grazers that do best on good grass, with concentrates (grains and high-energy feeds) for fattening or milking.
• Goats — browsers (animals that nibble leaves and shrubs) that do well on leaves, shrubs and a varied diet of plants.
• Sheep — grazers that need short, leafy pasture.

4. Feeding for profit

Feed the most expensive feed to the animals that return the most. Growing animals and those producing milk need the richest daily feed mixes; dry, idle animals can live on grass and leafy plants alone. Add extra feed in the dry season when pasture quality drops, and keep clean water available at all times — see our livestock guides for more.