cheap livestock feed today, has become a big problem for livestock farmers and they are facing the challenge of feed costs. For this reason, it highlights the need for a cheap and high-quality alternative to animal feed. In the continuation of this article from Ladorfat, we intend to discuss cheap and quality livestock feeds that are not only harmless but also beneficial for the animals. Stay with us until the end.
In the livestock industry, a significant portion of production costs (sometimes over 60 to 70 percent) is related to securing animal feed. The global price increase of major feed ingredients like corn, barley, and soybean meal in recent years has posed a serious challenge to farmers and severely impacted the profitability of this sector. In such circumstances, the smart and scientific use of cheap and alternative livestock feed is proposed as a vital strategy for cost reduction, maintaining animal health, and ensuring production sustainability. Alternative feeds are often by-products and residues from agricultural and food industries, which, with proper processing and precise ration formulation, can supply a significant part of the animals’ nutritional needs.
Cheap and alternative feeds include a wide range of materials that can substitute for high-cost ingredients such as barley, corn, bran, and soybean meal. The most important of these substitutes are:
Food Industry Waste: Biscuit waste, dried bread, broken pasta, etc. (rich in starch and energy).
Agricultural By-products: Date and date pit powder (for livestock), apple pomace, sugar beet pulp (with proper processing).
Lower-Value Grains: Broken wheat, corn screenings, rice flour.
Other Oilseed Meals: Sesame meal, rapeseed (canola) meal, sunflower meal, safflower meal.
Animal Powders: Fish meal and meat meal (complying with standards).
Some Processed Waste: Sunflower seed hull waste.
Bulky Agricultural Waste: Bagasse and sugarcane residue, green and hard pistachio hull, grape pomace, corn silage, sugar beet pulp (depending on the type of animal and the replacement level).
Hydroponic Fodder: Fresh forage produced in controlled environments (must be economically justifiable).
Substituting cheap feeds for main feed ingredients is a specialized process and should not be done randomly. The main criteria for substitution are:
The most crucial criterion is knowing the exact composition, including protein, energy (TDN,NEl), fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Each alternative feed must be included in the ration based on its analysis and the animal’s needs.
Substitution must be done in a way that maintains the balance of nutrients in the ration (especially the energy-to-protein ratio and the forage-to-concentrate ratio) to prevent digestive issues like acidosis and bloat.
The feed’s health must be ensured, including the absence of contamination by fungal toxins and harmful substances, as well as its palatability. For example, high-moisture waste must be ensiled or dried.
The final cost of the alternative feed, after accounting for transportation, processing, and storage costs, must still be cheaper than the main ingredient.
The substitution level varies for dairy cattle, beef cattle (feedlot animals), and dry cows, and is determined based on the animal’s needs at each stage.
The economic management of animal nutrition requires a smart and scientific approach, and alternative feeds are a powerful tool for cost reduction. However, success in using them depends on knowledge and experience in ration formulation, quality control, and the application of correct processing techniques. Trusting reputable and specialized producers minimizes the risks associated with using these materials.
Ala Sepahan Oil Company under the Lador brand, as one of the leading and specialized producers in the field of animal feed, utilizes up-to-date knowledge, modern processing, and strict quality control to offer products aimed at meeting the nutritional needs of livestock with the best quality and economic price. Some of Ladorfat’s products include Fat Powder Omega 3, Calciumized Fat Powder Plus, Aleppo cattle Oil, raw materials and additives for preparing ready-made feed for dairy and beef cattle, turkey feed, Feed for fattening calves, and others. Contact our experts in Ladorfat for price inquiries and advice.
