Winter is coming and keeping livestock happy and healthy will be a key focus for all livestock breeders this season. In this edition, experts share a supplementation guide for Mzansi’s farmers.
Cattle producers depend on effective and economical supplementation programmes to meet the challenges winter presents.
The use of supplements is to provide the animals with the requirements that the field is not able to supply naturally. Supplementation depends on your condition and phase of production, Gisela Bisschoff, ruminant nutritionist at ADM explains.
“Typically, in winter, it is something to maintain the body conditions or the increase in production requirements,” she says.
Award-winning Free State farmer and the founder of MC Enterprise, Clifford Mtimkulu, is also featured in the episode.
Nutrient content complementation
Mthimkulu says that in order for livestock to survive the winter season, it is important that animals get supplements that complement the nutrient content of the body of the animal.
In the episode, he explains the importance of why feed and water should be located as close as possible to the livestock.
“Most of the problems found these days are that water sources are too far away. They can be up to 5km away placing stress on the animals,” says Mthimkulu.
He advises that animals should be kept in a demarcated area where the feeding of supplements and water are in close proximity to the livestock animals.
Climate change impact
While it is important to understand the importance of supplement feeding and how to keep animals safe in the winter period, farmers also need to take climate change into consideration.
A researcher on beef cattle nutrition at the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Klaas Jan Leeuw, maintains that the climate change issue is more prevalent in the summertime with high temperatures. In addition, temperatures increase during winter, but from a lower base.
In this episode, they also discuss:
- Guideline for farmers just starting out with supplements; and
- Types and volumes for additional feed.
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Option 3: Click here to listen on Google Podcast.
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