Winter feed and energy requirements

When the temperature drops, the nutritional requirements of your stock can increase. Just like us reaching for a hot drink and a warm meal, animals need nutritional energy to maintain their body temperature during cold, wet and windy conditions. Winter is also challenging because pasture quality can decline just as animals need more energy. Even if paddocks still look green, they may not be providing enough nutrition to maintain condition.

Signs your animals may need support include:

- loss of body condition (prominent ribs, hips or spine)

- reduced growth rates in young stock

- poor coat quality

- reduced performance

Supplementary feeding is then needed, the right choice will depend on the species, their age and current body condition. Options include hay, silage, grain or concentrates (introduced gradually and appropriately) and mineral supplementation. Come in store and have a chat with us, we are always happy to help.