Feeding Animals

We take the welfare of our animals very seriously and, together with training, proper placement and sustainable feeding options, animal welfare is of the utmost importance in our projects. Before animals are provided to the people we serve, training focuses on proper feeding. Factors such as feed resources, feeding methods and possibilities of using crop byproducts are all carefully considered before animals are placed with their new families.

High quality, locally grown or sourced feed ingredients, fodder trees and forages are often a better solution for our project participants than expensive, commercially available feed. Our project participants have several options to improve their animal nutrition practices, including cut and carry grasses/forages/fodder, mineral blocks, crop by-products, kitchen scraps and environmentally friendly public pastures.

Along with animals, project partners receive grass/forage seeds and fodder tree saplings. They are encouraged to plant grasses and fodder trees in farm alleys. In addition, families are trained to formulate feeds using locally available feed ingredients. Our project partners have established community managed feed mills, which enable farmers to buy feed and sell feed ingredients at reasonable prices. Through these mills, project partners have saved money, rather than losing it to private business owners.