What does animal feed refer to?
Animal feed is nothing but the food provided to animals in the routine course of animal husbandry. There are two categories in animal feed. This encompasses forage and fodder. The term feed often refers to fodder.
Commercial production and the significance of offering animal feed:
The beginning in commercial production of animal feed could be traced back to the period when animal nutrition had gained significant hype after realizing the essentiality of maintaining animal nutrition. Corn gluten was initially manufactured and later on, new animal feed items were produced primarily to accomplish balanced nutrition. Recognition of benefits of a balanced diet was considered quintessential so as to furnish enhancement to the type of food provided for animals. The feed industry got revolutionized with the advent of pelleted feeds.
Fodder:
Fodder refers to the type of animal feed that is provided voluntarily to animals rather than allowing them to search for their own food. The most commonly used fodder food items include hay, silage, pelleted feeds, mixed rations and oil, hay, sprouted grains, and legumes.
Significance of fodder food items:
The most rampant amongst fodder food items would be feed grains as there has been consistent global growth in terms of production for feed grain industries. It is necessary to supply appropriate feed grains to animals so as to improvise the meat acquired from them. The most essential feed grains are soya bean and maize that are majorly exported by the United States of America. The other common feed grains encompass rice, oats, barley, and wheat, and many others.
Forage:
Grazing livestock majorly feed on plant materials that implicate essentially the stem and leaves. These plant materials consumed as food by animals may refer to forage. Forage has been directly consumed by animals and they do not require humans to feed them. They are consumed as residue, pasture, and crop. However, at times, they are used more liberally to include same kind of plants cut for fodder. These are later on carried to the animals as silage or hay.
The growing demand for animal feed organics:
The demand for animal feed additives has soared high in the recent years ponderously due to the requirement of high value specialty animal feed products with low volume. They are also influenced by the growing demand for feed-grade vitamins, feed enzymes, and feed amino acids used for swine and poultry feeds. Furthermore, the demand is fueled by the increased consumption of pork. The rising number of meat consumers has influenced the demand for animal feed organics as well.