How to Improve Livestock Feed Conversion Ratios

Optimising livestock feed conversion ratios is a crucial aspect of sustainable and efficient animal husbandry. Two effective strategies to achieve this goal are the incorporation of probiotic liquid seaweed supplements and the implementation of regenerative grazing practices.

Livestock feed conversion ratios are the amount of an animal feedstuff consumed divided by the weight gain of the animal. The efficiency of feed conversion varies by animal species, weight and age.  The objective of feed conversion is to produce the maximum amount of animal product per unit of feedstuff consumed.

A primary factor determining feed conversion efficiency is gut health

A healthy digestive system allows animals to extract more nutrients from their feed, resulting in less feed being required to achieve the same level of growth.

7 Ways to Optimise Gut Health

– Introducing probiotic supplements
– Providing a healthy, safe environment
– Feeding a nutrient dense diet
– Supplying free-choice (organic) minerals
– Paddock rotation
– Avoiding stress
– Ensuring adequate hydration

Soil biology is key to healthy grazing and the production of nutrient dense forage

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in using Biological Fertilisers to improve the nutrient density of food for livestock and grazing pastures. This is due to the fact that these fertilisers can help to improve soil fertility, which in turn assists the uptake of nutrients by plants.

Biological Fertiliser for Nutrient Dense Grazing 

Particularly beneficial for grassland ecosystems, biological fertilisers can contribute where the over grazing of animals can often lead to a loss of nutrients from the soil.

Liquid Biological Fertilisers help improve soil fertility, which can increase the yield of crops.  Furthermore, they can enrich the quality of grazing pastures, and are a very effective way of improving the nutrient density of pastures for livestock and improving feed conversion ratios. 

Probiotic Nutrition for Improved Feed Conversion Ratios

Why does naturally fermented Liquid Seaweed make a premium livestock mineral  supplement?

Liquid Probiotic Seaweed is rich in beneficial microorganisms, vitamins, and minerals that can enhance the digestive health of livestock. By improving nutrient absorption and gut function, these supplements have been shown to increase feed conversion ratios, leading to better growth and productivity in livestock.  Here are 5 reasons why using Liquid Probiotic Seaweed is a great choice for your livestock health.

1. Seaweed has the highest diversity of organic minerals compared to any organic plant. 

For example, there are 7 primary minerals that cows need, cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc, and all of them are found in Seaweed.

2. Chelated (naturally cold-processed) Seaweed is easy for animals to digest. 

Dried seaweed is difficult for animals to digest.  When processed through natural fermentation, the seaweed becomes ‘pre-digested’, and easy for the animals to absorb. 

3. Animals love the taste. 

We heard a story about a sheep farmer that lived on the coast of Australia, and one day noticed his sheep eating the seaweed that had washed up.  The farmer trusted the animals instinct and started making Seaweed Tea for them. His sheep became the healthiest around and offered the highest grade wool.

4. Calms and satisfies animals. 

Gut microbes are greatly affected by stress, which can lead to changes in metabolism, appetite, immunity and behaviour.  Animals getting balanced nutrition have been shown to become more content as a result.

5. Cost effective.

Liquid Probiotic Seaweed Supplements can be a cost effective way to ensure animals are getting their daily mineral intake.

SONIC Probiotic Liquid Seaweed for Livestock works directly on animal gut health to enhance nutrient absorption and improve feed conversion ratios.  Liquid Probiotic Seaweed delivers vitamins, antioxidants, organic minerals and trace elements in a bio-available state.

Digestion Optimisation

Probiotics and prebiotics are two important components of a healthy gut microbiome.  The benefits of giving Bio-available Seaweed (Kelp) Minerals to livestock is that the seaweed is a prebiotic, or a non-digestible carbohydrate that acts as food for beneficial gut flora.

Probiotic Liquid Seaweed is effective in optimising digestive abilities due to the high levels of enzymes, minerals, and vitamins, which are essential for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. 

Furthermore, natural probiotics also have health-promoting benefits when consumed, to create an all round premium mineral supplement and digestive toner that will optimise feed conversion ratios.

Pasture Resilience

As a natural progression, beneficial microbes that accumulate in the droppings get spread all over the ground, which enriches the soil and makes the soil on the farm healthier and the plants more resilient.

The increased microbial activity results in better soil structure, improved water infiltration and increased nutrient density of feed or produce, contributing to improved animal gut health and optimised feed conversions. 

Conclusion

Complementing the use of Liquid Probiotic Seaweed Supplements for livestock, regenerative grazing techniques focus on holistically managing the land to promote soil health, biodiversity, and the natural cycling of nutrients. This approach encourages the growth of diverse, nutrient-dense forage, which can further improve the feed conversion efficiency of grazing animals.

By adopting these integrated strategies, livestock producers can optimise their feed conversion ratios, reduce resource consumption, and contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.

You might also be interested in reading article ‘3 Proven Ways to Optimise Livestock Nutrition’

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