Livestock Feed

Definition

Livestock feed is the food given to domestic animals in the course of animal husbandry. It includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, and sprouted grains and legumes.

Analogy

Think of livestock feed as the 'fast food' for animals. Just like how we need a balanced diet to stay healthy, different types of livestock require different kinds of feed to grow properly and produce quality products such as milk or meat.

Related terms

Grain Farming: This refers to the cultivation of grains like wheat, corn, barley etc., which can be used in making livestock feed.

Animal Husbandry: This is the science of breeding and caring for farm animals. The type and quality of livestock feed plays a crucial role in this process.

Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR): This term refers to a measure used in animal husbandry that calculates an animal's efficiency in converting feed into increases in desired output (for example weight gain in animals).