Mar 11
22
In livestock farming the cost of feed represents about 70% of the total farm input costs and this rule equally applies to ostrich farming. The feed controls the health of your stock, it controls the productivity of your stock and it holds the greatest opportunity to the profitability of any farming enterprise. There are two major components of feed. One is the feed itself and ensuring it provides all the nutrients required, from the best ingredient sources at the right levels for the production group you are feeding. The second is the way you manage that feed….the feed management.
There are a number of elements to feed management. What are the different elements that contribute to Feed Management?
Ostrich On Farm Feed Milling Shed
Know What You Are Feeding: Whether a commercially produced ration or a ration you are producing on farm, learn to recognize if the feed provides all the nutrients required for the production group you are feeding. Also learn to identify the production potential of that feed with the given nutrients and ingredients providing those nutrients.
Feeding Rates: Every ration comes with instructions on the target amount/feeding rate for the production group that ration is designed for. This rule applies to commercially produced rations that you purchase as complete feeds from a feed mill or rations you are milling and mixing on farm according to the instructions of your nutrition consultant.
Mix the Feed Accurately: Those with responsibility for mixing feed must ensure that it is mixed according to instructions. Ostrich are extremely sensitive to mixing errors. Humans do make errors, so those responsible for the mixing must know that they can report mixing errors free from any fear of recrimination.
Weigh Everything Correctly: Animal feed is fed by weight not volume. Ostrich rations contain a high proportion of lucerne. Lucerne can vary in volume to weight. Errors will occur if farm systems are based on measuring devices based on volume rather than weight.
General Feed Management: This section covers such things as the time of day and number of feeding times per day for a particular production group; the type of feed trough and space required for each production group; understanding the difference between limit fed and free choice/ad lib feeding.
Water Management: Ensuring adequate supplies of water at the correct temperature delivered in a manner suitable for the production group is a key management component.
Stockmanship: The value of the stockman or stockwoman responsible for the stock under their control can never be underestimated. A good stockman/stockwoman cares for the livestock under their care and has a 6th sense that is difficult to quantify but invaluable to any livestock farming enterprise.
Summary: Feed Management is an art. Successful ostrich farming operations will be paying close attention to all the Feed Management with organized checkpoints in place to verify that all details are covered to ensure missed details do not sneak up and bite.
