Small Pet Advice

Of all the seaweeds that grow the length of our coasts, Ascophyllum nodosum, has been the most favourable seaweed used to feed to animals. The Ascophyllum nodosum, or egg wrack, has been used through the centuries, both to feed the land as well as animals. When processed the seaweed does not change its composition very much, and in fact stores several of its vitamins better than dried grasses. The seaweed has a low calorie value, and when dried contains no more than approximately 15% moisture.

Adding seaweed as a supplement to animals, along with their other feed, makes a perfect winter feed, providing all the crucial vitamins, minerals and trace elements needed for overall health. Animals that have access to the seashore, will naturally feed on growing seaweeds – as they know what is good for them!

Farmers tend to think that the price of the seaweed products available are costly, but they do not take into consideration that the seaweed products contain all the required vitamins, minerals and trace elements, and they take no account of the joint supportive action these provide.

A shortage of trace elements in an animal will result in a range of diseases – such as anaemia if they lack copper, soft egg shells and hair loss from a zinc deficiency. Vitamins and minerals in seaweed is less than the theoretical daily requirement, but the multiple contents give a combined effect on each other. This results in an increased absorption and utilization of food content. There has been a lack of research in times past to verify the benefits of feeding seaweed, and this is something that is now being looked into in a variety of ways. Many vets are recommending to farmers to feed seaweed to their animals to solve health issues.

There is a real danger of adding pure chemicals to food, and thus we, as humans, have a responsibility to those relying on us, to provide the most natural of feeds we can. This will take away the dangers of using chemicals, which, if fed to animals, will go into their systems, and hence into ours – so we are poisoning ourselves, and everything around us. Over use of chemicals is also aiding the rate of climate change happening globally.

It is now becoming noticeable that people are slowly beginning tocomprehend what damage has and is being done and they are starting to adopt a more natural approach in the food that is eaten, and what food is being offered as a winter feed to their farm animals.

The saying of ‘when we buy cheap, we end up paying dear’, is a very proper statement. All the low cost prices of manmade foods, with chemicals and preservatives added, is now resulting in paying dear – at a local and national level and, more importantly, at a worldwide level.