As winter sets in, keeping your livestock feed fresh and safe is more important than ever. Cold temperatures, heightened moisture levels, and increased pest activity can quickly compromise feed quality and impact the health of your livestock if it isn’t stored properly. Whether you’re a farmer, a rancher, or you keep backyard chickens and goats, protecting your feed is the key to ensuring your animals remain healthy all season long.
At Thomas Moore Feed, we take pride in supplying Texas dealers with premium-quality, nutritionally balanced feed. In this guide, we share our top feed storage tips to help you keep your animals healthy and strong.
The Importance of Proper Feed Storage
No matter the quality of your animal feed, it’s only as good as the conditions it’s stored in. Moisture, mold, temperature shifts, and unwanted pests can reduce the quality and safety of even the best feed. Some of the most notable consequences of improper storage include:
- Reduced nutritional content that can negatively impact animal growth and performance.
- Potential health issues and reduced productivity.
- Increased feed waste and unnecessary financial losses.
Proper feed storage ensures your livestock remains healthy and your operation runs efficiently.
Simple Feed Storage Tips
To keep your animals healthy and protect your investment, follow these simple storage guidelines to ensure your feed stays fresh and safe all winter long.
Keep Dry and Elevated
Moisture is the biggest threat to feed quality. Always keep feed in a dry, well-ventilated area, and use pallets or shelving to keep it off the ground. Avoid storing feed in areas that are prone to flooding or leaks, or where humidity levels are high, to prevent mold and spoilage.
Temperature Control
Extreme temperatures can significantly reduce the shelf life of your feed. Cool areas where temperatures remain stable are ideal for storage. Additionally, storage spaces should be properly insulated and/or ventilated, and feed should never be stored in direct sunlight.
Pest Protection
Rodents, insects, birds, and other pests can quickly contaminate animal feed. To reduce the risk of pest infestation, store your animal feed in tightly sealed bins or containers, perform regular inspections, and keep the storage area clean.
Rotate Stock
To make sure older feed is used before newer deliveries, implement a first-in, first-out storage system. Label bags or containers with delivery dates, and periodically inspect the feed, checking for signs of spoilage. This will ensure your livestock receives the freshest feed possible.
Monitor Condition
Even when stored with care, animal feed can degrade over time. Monitor the condition of your feed, checking for signs of mold, clumping, discoloration, or the development of unusual smells. If any issues arise, address them promptly to limit the spread of contamination.
Thomas Moore Feed: Your Source for Quality Feed Solutions
High-quality animal feed starts at the source, and maintaining its quality requires the implementation of proper storage practices. At Thomas Moore Feed, we’ve made it our mission to produce quality livestock and poultry feed, specially formulated to meet nutritional requirements, and distributed through reliable dealers across the Lone Star State. When you purchase our well-balanced feed and store it correctly, you can feel confident knowing your animals will receive the nutrition they need to thrive.
Prepare Your Animals for a Healthy Winter
Proper feed storage doesn’t have to be complicated. By keeping your feed dry, pest-free, and rotated, you can be sure your livestock will remain healthy throughout the winter — and all year long. Set your animals up for success by taking the time to safeguard every bag of feed. And don’t forget to visit a local Thomas Moore Feed dealer and ask for our premium feed by name, because good care starts with quality feed.
