Why finding the cheapest way to feed cattle is important? Cattle products are used in people’s daily lives. Not just for food, skincare and other needs also use them. Usually, the farmland business owner possesses big husbandry for taking care of the cattle. With that large amount of animals, the fodder has to be enough for the supply. Enough fodder means a higher cost. That chain circle will always rotate. To make the budget-friendly and easy to manage, the lowest cost is the dream of every farmland business owner.
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The Stigma
In society and business, there is a famous saying about the equality of price and quality. The product that comes with a more expensive price should be better in quality and otherwise. However, in this era where information and knowledge are easy to get, this stigma has been proven wrong (or at least not always true). Some strategies and methods can be used to cut the cost.
Using Silage
Instead of fresh fodder all the time which consumes a lot of money and time in processing real-time, pick silage as the fodder. Silage, fermented fodder made from various crops, can be saved for a long time. If you make it your own, you have to allocate your time in the making process.
The wrap also affects the result so make sure that you choose the high-quality one. It seems pricey at first because of the time and the tools needed for making this. However, after the silage is ready, the calculation can be done and it precisely saves a lot of money. Saving durability is key. Another advantage of feeding silage to the livestock is the health factor. Its texture is moist. It helps the digestive system to be better. To wrap silage the best, you need a machinery called as baler wrapper. You can check the working process in the video below.
Using Hay
Using hay as fodder is one of the cheapest ways to feed cattle. Not far different from silage, hay can be stored for a long time. With the appropriate wrap, a hay bale will be the savior in the season when the plants do not grow a lot. Usually, winter is the perfect time for the cattle to eat hay.
To cut the cost more, the farmers can make the hay their own. If you calculate the whole cost, it will be cheaper than buying hay bales in winter. Moreover, if you buy hay bales in winter together with other farmers, the price might be overpriced. Making hay and storing it is the solution.
Grazing
Any animals have the instinct to grab their food, and so do the cattle. Grazing is a very natural way to feed them at once low cost. It is known to be cheap and fast because it doesn’t need time for cutting the plant, and doesn’t require help from labor to process it. It cuts the labor fee and also saves time.
However, to have a routine and good grazing, time management is needed. Overgrazing will cause a lack of stock. If you want to apply grazing as the cheapest way to feed cattle, you have to rotate the schedule with the other methods.
The advantage of using this way is the cattle will produce healthier products. Some diseases like cancer and diabetes can be avoided because consuming fresh grass gives natural nutrients with low sugar levels.
By-Products
By-products are the secondary result of industries that usually not been used anymore. Or sometimes there are industries with various products that make secondary products as their products. You can get this kind of product from the industries around.
If it’s possible, you can negotiate the price and get the special price. Although by-products are secondary products, they contain a lot of nutrients that are needed by the cattle. For example by-products from alcohol industries (distillers’ grains). They are good protein sources and boost the cattle’s health.
The Advantage of Cutting the Budget
The very first thought about this might be profit. But there is more than just profit for the farmland business owner. It is also beneficial for the customer. Let us reveal what are the other advantages.
Lower Price
By making the feed section cheaper, the price of the products can also be cheaper. The customer will feel this advantage. For the culinary business owner, it gives more profit. So, instead of giving profit only to the husbandry owner, it builds a profit chain.
Helps the Environment
Instead of throwing the residue, the cattle eat by-products that will reach zero waste. It is eco-friendly and makes the secondary products more beneficial.
Cutting Veterinary Bills
Most ways above suggested the cattle eat healthier fodder with a good rotational schedule. It boosts cattle health and indirectly cuts veterinary bills.
To sum up, there are many advantages of using the cheapest way as long as it is good and approved by the nutritionist. It helps to save money at once and boost the cattle’s health and metabolism. Remember to always check the nutrient intake before applying any cheapest way to feed cattle.