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High Feed Cost Impacts 4-H/FFA Livestock Projects

07/05/07 - Sarah M. Smith            

Many 4-H and FFA youth involved with livestock market projects have already selected their animal(s) for the upcoming fairs and are quickly learning that feed prices have significantly increased since last year.  It is important for youth, parents, leaders, and advisors to expect feed prices to remain high and be prepared to factor these additional costs into raising project animals.

Feed prices are increasing rapidly because of the increased demand for corn.  Corn prices hit a ten-year high in January of 2007, primarily on the anticipation of high demands for ethanol production.  Rising corn prices have also resulted in higher soybean, wheat, and other cereal grain prices as more farmable acres are transferred into corn production and grain supplies decrease.

As feed prices continue to increase, youth livestock producers will need to find ways to maintain or improve production while keeping feed cost at a reasonable level.  Some tips are included here:

  1. Evaluate feeds based on the nutrients provided and balance diets to make sure you are feeding to the animals’ level of production and/or growth.  Do not over feed any unnecessary nutrients.  Protein supplements are often misused resulting in wasted money and animals not performing as expected.  All animals need a certain level of protein in their diets.  In addition, high performing animals (fast growing, heavily muscled, and excessively exercised) will need more protein than the average animal.  However, adding high levels of protein to get a pig to grow faster is not always cost effective when you consider high energy grains such as corn, barley, and wheat cost less and typically have higher calories per pound than the average protein supplement.  In addition, excessively high protein diets can at times limit gain and the animals ability to put on fat—Remember the Atkins Diet.
  2. Reduce feed waste by checking and repairing feed storage containers, covers, and feeders to prevent feed spoilage, rodent/insect damage, or animal waste.
  3. Evaluate alternative feeds that are available locally.  However, cheap feeds are not always the most economic solution.  As stated earlier the type and amount of feed greatly impacts production level—you might save $0.10 per pound on grain, but lose more than $0.10 in decreased production or purchasing supplementation to support the alternative feed.
  4. Make sure pigs have fresh, clean, cool water.  If pigs do not have adequate clean water they will consume less feed and grow slower.
  5. Weigh the feed on a scale, do not measure by volume.  Make sure animals are consuming adequate feed daily for desired performance and they are not wasting feed.  Animals utilizing self feeders tend to waste more feed than animals that are fed a set amount at each feeding.
  6. Implement an effective health program to keep animals from becoming diseased or infected with  internal or external parasites.  Make sure animals have been vaccinated and are treated for health or parasite concerns appropriately and quickly.
  7. Ensure the animal’s facilities are clean, dry, and the temperature is comfortable. 
  8. Handle animals calmly and gently to prevent unnecessary stress.

These basic management practices will not only help improve your animal’s performance (growth and gain), but will also improve the animal’s basic feed efficiency.

Sarah M. Smith
Area Extension Faculty-Animal Sciences
WSU Grant-Adams Extension
PO Box 37, Courthouse
Ephrata, WA  98823
Phones:  (509) 754-2011 Ext. 413
               (800) 572-0119 (toll free in Washington)
Fax:  (509)754-0163
http://grant-adams.wsu.edu/
http://animalag.wsu.edu
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