Best Feed Practices for Livestock During and After Disasters

Natural disasters are usually unexpected and can send ranchers scrambling to save and feed their flocks and herds.

WSU Animal Sciences Graduate Student Eli Walker said it’s critical to do as much as possible to keep feed as consistent and normal as possible.

“If you have a disaster, which may create some stress, and then you change their diet, that’s just going to compound that stress and add to it.”

If the diet must be changed, Walker noted that it’s better for the animal to do it slowly over time.

Walker said what he’s discovering is universal regardless of animal, as is the knowledge of what is in the feed.

“You need to have a good understanding of the nitrate and sulfur concentrations of your feedstuffs. It’s important to have those tested so that you understand how much of any type of nutrients are in the feed.”

Walker also stressed the importance of knowing the digestive biology of your animals to more effectively treat them during or after a natural disaster.