Animal Performance Not Matching Feed Quality
When feed isn’t giving the results you expect
Many livestock farmers notice that despite providing high-quality feed, animal growth, milk production, or condition scores don’t match expectations.
This is often not a feed issue, but a gut and digestive efficiency problem. If animals can’t fully utilise nutrients from feed, performance suffers, feed costs rise, and overall productivity drops.
Common causes of poor animal performance
Inefficient nutrient absorption
Even high-quality feed requires a healthy digestive system. Poor gut microflora can reduce nutrient absorption, leaving animals underperforming.
Digestive stress
Stress from diet changes, environmental factors, or gut imbalances can affect feed efficiency.
Underlying soil and pasture issues
Feed quality alone cannot overcome poor pasture growth caused by low soil biology or nutrient inefficiency.
Imbalanced minerals or supplements
Animals need a balance of micro and macro nutrients for optimal growth and production. Deficiencies or imbalances reduce feed conversion.
How to improve animal performance
Supporting the gut and digestive system can improve feed efficiency and overall animal health:
Maintain healthy gut microflora to improve nutrient absorption
Support the immune system to reduce energy lost to illness
Provide consistent, high-quality feed with balanced minerals
Address underlying pasture and forage issues that limit nutrient intake
Where our products fit (practical tools farmers use)
Our Animal Boost product is designed specifically to support animal digestive health:
Animal Boost
Enhances gut microflora
Improves feed efficiency and nutrient utilisation
Supports overall animal performance and resilience
Additionally, supporting soil and pasture health with products like Lazerhume, Restore, and Optimise iO can indirectly improve feed quality and animal performance by producing healthier, more nutritious forage.
When this approach won’t help
Animal performance may remain low if:
Feed quality is extremely poor or inconsistent
Chronic disease or parasite load is not addressed
Environmental stressors such as heat, cold, or poor housing are extreme
Animal Boost works best as part of a holistic farm management approach.
Related growing problems
Poor animal performance often occurs alongside:
Addressing these interconnected issues improves both forage quality and animal productivity.
Frequently asked questions
Can Animal Boost replace feed supplements or minerals?
No. It enhances digestive efficiency and nutrient absorption but does not replace a balanced diet.
How quickly will I see results?
Improvements can typically be seen in feed conversion, condition, and growth within weeks of consistent use.
Can it be used for all livestock types?
Yes — Animal Boost is formulated for general ruminant and monogastric animal use, with MPI-approved gut microflora support.
Key takeaway
High-quality feed alone doesn’t guarantee optimal animal performance. Supporting gut health, digestive efficiency, and forage quality ensures that animals get the most from their feed, improving growth, production, and resilience.
Explore all common growing problems and solutions in our “Growing Problems Hub.”