pig feeding at trough

Animal nutrition plays a crucial role in livestock agriculture for several reasons, as it directly impacts the health, productivity, and overall wellbeing of farm animals.

See these Farm Health Online pages for in-depth information on animal nutrition:

Feeding cattle

Feeding pigs

Sheep nutrition

Poultry nutrition

Goat nutrition

Please share information, tools and resources relevant to animal nutrition.

Related Organisations

Content below is from across the PEP community and is not necessarily endorsed by Stewards or by PEP

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The development of a forage network which will recommend a pathway to gaining optimum benefits from forages through realistic actions​. This project, which runs from September 2023 for 6 months, will: Bring together a network of stakeholders to understand the best approach for improving forage systems, considering potential opportunities and barriers to uptake​ Create a roadmap, which can be used to achieve benefits for livestock sectors through changes in forage systems​

The livestock industry is an integral part of the agricultural sector, encompassing various aspects of animal husbandry and production. It plays an important role in global food security and supports the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.

GrassCheckGB is a grass monitoring project involving 50 dairy, beef and sheep farms.   Growth and quality data is published weekly throughout the growing season

An ongoing Innovative Farmers field lab is looking into the impact of mob grazing on soil, biodiversity and animal health.

To build a socially and environmentally resilient and regenerative food system in a net zero landscape, the Sustainable Farm Networks initiative connects diverse demonstration farm networks across the UK to share experiences, findings and best practice.

The Leading Voice for the Agrisupply Industry The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) is the agrisupply industry’s leading trade association.

Animal health is integral to the sustainability, profitability, and ethical considerations of livestock farming. It involves a combination of preventative measures, good management practices, and veterinary care to ensure that animals are raised in a manner that is both economically viable and environmentally responsible while prioritizing their well-being and public health.

Clover is commonly used as a cover crop, forage crop, and soil improvement tool. 

How we manage our farms and fields is not only important for the nutrition of crops and livestock, but also for the quality and nutritive value of the food we eat.

Agro Mavens helps you and your business get talked about in the world of agriculture and agritech. A specialist marketing and communications agency for agriculture, from our base in the UK we work with agriculturally active brands all around the world, from multinationals to start-ups.

Though peas and beans have long been a trusted part of cropping rotations, it is perhaps only recently that the scope and value of their potential is being realised.

At Teagasc Athenry, researchers have been investigating the use of mixed swards in pasture-based sheep production systems. The results suggest increased diversity may be beneficial for animal performance.

From identifying lesions to treatment and nutrition, our information and resources can help you to manage all aspects of lameness.

This report aims to explore N cycling in livestock production systems, highlighting the roles of different forms of N, particularly its vital role in protein production, and where losses occur from the cycle.

  NSA is proud to present its inaugural Sheep Farmers’ Conference – an important addition to the biennial NSA calendar offering a packed day of high level presentations, optional workshops and networking opportunities.

There are two main challenges for the lamb sector; the first is to maintain the production of high-quality meat and the second is to ensure sheep farming is financially viable.

Find out how a strategic approach to feeding and weaning can help get the most out of your dairy-beef genetics.

As part of the NCS project, McArthur Agriculture have started to carry out trials in dehulling and roasting beans to start testing for different outcomes.

Combining regenerative farming with a drive for home-grown cattle feed is increasing sustainability and profitability on a challenging, northern farm.

This guide collates the available knowledge and numbers on forage utilisation and feeding.

Four farmers, who are working with ADAS in an Innovative Farmers field lab, have found grazing ewes on herbal leys containing the legume can even have a positive effect on pregnancy rates.

Driving feed efficiency is crucial in all beef growing and finishing systems. 

Brassica crops such as kale, forage rape, grazing turnips, stubble turnips, swedes and new rape/kale hybrids, can provide nutritious, cost-effective feeds for beef cattle and sheep.

Protein-rich peas and beans are replacing concentrates in the winter ration of sheep and cattle at a Radnorshire farm.

The search for a catch crop to fill the gap between lifting carrots in late spring and drilling winter wheat, led a Norfolk farmer to a 19% protein baled haylage from a quick-growing legume.  

A flowchart on how to assess body condition score in dairy cattle, using the Penn State assessment method.

Use our practical videos of on-farm tasks to help train and refresh staff and boost pig production.

Silvopastoral agroforestry – integrating shelterbelts, hedgerows or in-field trees with grazing livestock – can provide domestic animals with benefits, including shelter and shade, as well as supplementing their diets as tree browse or fodder.

Somerset beef and arable producer, Richard Coles, has substantially reduced his costs of production by cutting out expensive, bought-in ingredients and replacing them with home-grown feed, including high protein beans.

Technical Guide

Get the most you can from grazed grass and silages.

A well-managed cover crop can conserve and protect the soil, boost productivity, capture nitrogen and phosphorus leftover from a main crop or from fall applied manure, and if harvested in the spring, provide additional forage for dairy cattle and other livestock.

An innovative approach to growing and preserving peas, beans and lupins has cut out bought-in protein from almost all livestock rations while also meeting greening rules on a Durham farm.

UK feeding industries rely heavily on imported soya bean meal (SBM) as the main protein source in monogastric feeds, including for pigs.

Managing ewes correctly throughout the year is vital for generating the highest possible output from any sheep enterprise.

 Sheep and arable farmers lack insight into each other’s work and viewpoint on cover crop.

Grass grown for silage has different needs to grass grown solely for grazing.

Nutrient management can often be forgotten on beef and sheep farms, yet there is considerable scope to reduce costs and improve output through the use of home-produced and bought-in nutrients.

Buying a standing crop of beans and producing 21% protein forage has helped sheep and beef producer, Steven Smith, improve profitability on his Northumberland farm.

This checklist aims to provide a structured approach to assess a calf rearing system.

Forage first sheep systems seek to optimise lamb production from pasture to minimise costs.

A Welsh farming family, who grew and crimped peas and beans as part of a government/EU trial, has been able to completely cut out bought-in feed from their cattle rations.

The national crop area of beans, practices of home feeding, and utilisation within the feed industry in general have increased.

Optimising fertility is critical to the success of any suckler herd.

Dr Emma Davies: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

This recording from the Oxford Real Farming Conference is of a discussion between farmers involved in the Innovative Farmers Bale grazing project.

Beef cattle in the arable rotation has many benefits to both beef and arable producers. But what are the costs and margins involved?

As ewes approach lambing, their requirement for protein increases by almost 50%.

Six Pasture for Life member farms have come together in an Innovative Farmers Field Lab to undertake a four year study to explore the impacts of bale grazing on soil and forage.

A manual for consultants, vets and producers. 

A mixed farming system, based around livestock and cropping, is a fundamental part of organic, agroecological and regenerative farming.

Interested in stockpiling grass for winter? Tall Grass Grazing' webinar with Rib Harvard, farmer and ecologist from Worcestershire.

Lupins have long been promoted as a quality protein for ruminants and so they are proving for one Derbyshire dairy farm.

The objective of this farmer-led research trial was to investigate a new approach to winter feed provision for livestock that considers the overall health of the farm system, including soil health, biodiversity, animal welfare, farmer welfare and economic sustainability.

Join us (AHDB), alongside Pasture for Life and Innovative Farmers, for an on-farm discussion covering everything you need to know about bale grazing.

Nutrient management can often be forgotten on beef and sheep farms, yet there is considerable scope to reduce costs and improve output through the use of home-produced and bought-in nutrients.

Livestock populations provide people with a variety of products and services, including meat, milk, eggs, fibre and draught power, in a wide range of environments. This diversity of function is only possible because of the diversity of their genetic make-up.

The search for a catch crop to fill the gap between lifting carrots in late spring and drilling winter  wheat, led Charlie Davison to a 19% protein baled haylage from a quick-growing legume.

This informative and practical event featured Lynn Cassells of Lynbreck Croft, James Reid of Tap o’ Noth Farm, and Dr Lindsay Whistance of the Organic Research Centre, discussing how making hay from trees can be a valuable way to supplement winter forage and support livestock nutrition and welfare.

NSA considers what makes a successful lambing, how to mitigate risk and what to do if things start to go wrong. 

The BroilerNet project involves a bottom-up approach to identify challenges and innovation needs for broiler farmers in Europe, and to collect promising and already successfully implemented Good Practices to meet the challenges in questions.

Trials conducted back in 2015 and 2016 explored a range of opportunities for boosting the protein content of the wholecrop cereal silage the Flemings have always grown to provide extra winter fodder and a productive crop under which to establish new grass leys.

This farmer-led project investigated the feasibility and practicality of incorporating multi-species swards on Northern Ireland commercial beef and sheep farms. 

This resource from Farm Consultancy Group describes one method for implementing an agroforestry livestock system.

About 57 percent of the soybeans imported by the UK for animal feed comes from Brazil.

This conference aims to promote best practice and facilitate the exchange of ideas relevant to all stages of youngstock rearing. It will feature a series of practical seminars addressing the latest developments in cattle breeding, nutrition and health.

These factsheets give advice and guidance on a range of key technologies for successful production of dairy beef.

A fact sheet on the potential use of grass press cake as a fodder source for dairy cows.

The event will be hosted by FNZ Monitor Farmers, Matt and Pip Smith. The day will cover a range of topics to increase the profitability and environmental sustainability of sheep production.

Join us at this on-farm meeting to learn how to assess the nutrition and mineral status of your herd and ensure the correct balance is being delivered to get the best performance from grazed grass and silage. Mineral levels and nutrition from pasture can vary through the season, as can livestock requirements.

This landmark conference (January 22, 2025) will explore innovative strategies to increase pulse production and use in livestock diets. Register HERE

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