Business & Rural
29 June, 2026
Roughage needed for winter
Roughage in the diet helps keep livestock warm, with the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose generating heat.
WITH the ongoing challenges of drought - including higher prices and the need for other feed supplements, you could be thinking about how and why to feed roughage over winter.
Livestock need to eat more roughage in cold weather to give them energy for heat production.
Roughage in the diet helps keep livestock warm, with the fermentation and breakdown of cellulose generating heat.
If they don’t have enough roughage, their weight will melt off as they burn body fat to generate energy for warmth.
It is recommended to feed roughage late in the afternoon to provide ‘heat’ through the night.
For further information, please contact your local veterinarian, Agriculture Victoria animal health or extension staff, or, in NSW, your Local Land Services.
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