It's a Mystery!!! Or is it???
It's a Mystery! Or Is It?
How to Read a Feed Tag and Understand What You're Really Feeding
Walk down any feed aisle and you'll see dozens of bags covered in nutritional guarantees, ingredient lists, percentages, and scientific terms.
At first glance, they all look pretty similar.
But are they really?
Understanding a feed tag can tell you a lot about what's actually going into your animals. Once you know what to look for, that mysterious list of ingredients becomes much easier to understand. And this is invaluable information to know!
Let's start with the ingredient panel.
The Ingredient List: Where the Story Begins
Just like a food label on groceries, feed ingredients are listed in order from highest inclusion to lowest inclusion by weight.
The first few ingredients usually make up the majority of the feed. Keep that in mind.
For example, if the first ingredient is wheat, there is more wheat in that feed than any other ingredient. If peas are second, there are less peas than wheat but more than anything listed after it.
That seems simple enough.
The challenge begins when ingredient names become vague.
What Are "Grain By-Products"?
One of the most common ingredients you'll see on feed tags is Grain By-Products.
Sounds harmless enough but it certainly isn’t very clear. Nor does it sound very wholesome.
So what exactly is it?
The truth is that "grain by-products" is a broad category that can include a wide variety of materials left over after grain processing. Depending on the source, it could contain things such as:
- Wheat middlings
- Bran
- Screenings
- Distillers grains
- Grain fragments
- Other residual materials from grain milling
Some of these ingredients can be useful and nutritious.
Others are primarily included because they're inexpensive.
The challenge for the consumer is that the feed tag doesn't tell you exactly which grain by-products are being used today.
The manufacturer can often change the specific ingredients within that category while still keeping the same label. They often use whichever grain is cheapest and readily available.
As a customer, you're left guessing. And you're getting the leftover seconds.
But at our mill we do things differently. We guarantee the specific grains that we list (never by-products). AND we don’t change our recipe even if the grain prices change. You get consistency, which means each animal is getting the proper proteins that they need.
What About "Processed Grain Products"?
This term is even broader.
"Processed Grain Products" can refer to numerous grain ingredients that have been processed in some manner before being added to feed.
Depending on the manufacturer and formulation, it could include various grain fractions, milling leftovers, screenings, or other grain-derived materials.
Again, some can be valuable feed ingredients.
The issue isn't necessarily that they're bad.
The issue is that the label doesn't tell you exactly what they are. And this is not a guarantee for proper nutrition.
Imagine buying a loaf of bread and seeing an ingredient listed simply as "processed food products."
You'd probably want a little more detail!
We don’t want mystery feed when it comes to putting food on our table.
Ingredients Tell a Bigger Story
When evaluating a feed, ask yourself:
- Are the ingredients clearly identified?
- Can I recognize what I'm feeding?
- Does the company explain why ingredients are included?
- Is the ingredient list consistent and transparent?
A feed tag that clearly lists ingredients often gives you a better understanding of what you're purchasing. This means a lot to the customer and that’s what we strive for.
The Guaranteed Analysis: The Next Piece of the Puzzle
After the ingredient list comes the Guaranteed Analysis.
What Is Guaranteed Analysis - Pet Food Institute
This section typically includes:
- Crude Protein
- Crude Fat
- Crude Fiber
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Salt
These numbers tell you the minimum or maximum levels of certain nutrients that the feed is guaranteed to contain.
But here's something many people don't realize:
Two feeds can have exactly the same guaranteed analysis while using completely different ingredients.
A feed containing high-quality protein sources can show the same protein percentage as a feed relying heavily on lower-quality ingredients.
That's why the ingredient list and guaranteed analysis should always be viewed together.
Two feeds may both contain 17% crude protein, but one may provide a better balance of essential amino acids, be more digestible, and ultimately support better animal performance.
That's why nutritionists don't stop at crude protein. They also evaluate amino acids such as lysine and methionine, ingredient quality, digestibility, and overall formulation to determine the true nutritional value of a feed.
Understanding the Guaranteed Analysis
The Guaranteed Analysis is the section of the feed tag that provides the nutritional promises the manufacturer is making about the feed.
What Does "Crude" Mean?
One of the most misunderstood words on a feed tag is crude.
Many people assume crude means low quality, but that's not what it means at all.
In feed analysis, crude simply refers to the method used to measure the nutrient.
For example:
Crude Protein is an estimate of the total protein content based on the amount of nitrogen found in the feed. (Proteins are made of amino acids which contain nitrogen. Isn’t science fun!?)
Crude Fat measures the amount of oils and fats that can be extracted from the feed.
Crude Fiber measures the less digestible portions of plant material.
The word crude doesn't tell us how digestible or useful that nutrient is to the animal. It only tells us how much of that nutrient category is present according to standardized testing methods.
What Do Minimum and Maximum Mean?
When a tag says:
Crude Protein (Min) 17.0%
it means the feed contains at least 17% protein.
When a tag says:
Crude Fat (Min) 5.0%
it means the feed contains at least 5% fat.
When a tag says:
Crude Fiber (Max) 6.5%
it means the feed will contain no more than 6.5% fiber.
Why Some Nutrients Have Both a Minimum and Maximum
Certain nutrients have a safe range rather than a single target number.
For example:
- Calcium (Min) 3.5%
- Calcium (Max) 4.5%
This tells you the feed will contain somewhere between those two values.
Salt is another nutrient commonly listed with both a minimum and maximum value.
What Do the Percentages Actually Mean?
The percentages tell you how much of the feed is made up of that nutrient by weight.
For example:
17% Crude Protein means that in 100 pounds of feed, there are at least 17 pounds of protein.
5% Crude Fat means that in 100 pounds of feed, there are at least 5 pounds of fat.
For a 40-pound bag:
- 17% Protein = at least 6.8 pounds of protein
- 5% Fat = at least 2 pounds of fat
I guess learning math in school was necessary! ;)
Why Guaranteed Analysis Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
Two feeds can both guarantee:
- 17% Crude Protein
- 5% Crude Fat
Yet perform very differently in the field. Why?
Because the Guaranteed Analysis doesn't tell us:
- Protein quality
- Digestibility
- Amino acid balance
- Freshness
- Nutrient sources
That's why the ingredient list and guaranteed analysis should always be evaluated together.
What About Vitamins and Minerals?
Many feed tags also include guaranteed levels of:
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Salt
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Copper
- Zinc
- Selenium
These nutrients support bone strength, immune function, reproduction, metabolism, eggshell quality, and overall health.
A more detailed guarantee often provides greater transparency about what is being supplied to the animal.
What's Missing From Most Feed Tags?
By now you've probably realized that a feed tag tells you a lot—but it doesn't tell you everything.
In fact, some of the most important factors that influence animal performance aren't required to appear on most feed tags at all.
Amino Acids: The Building Blocks of Protein
Protein is made up of smaller components called amino acids.
For poultry, two of the most important amino acids are:
- Lysine
- Methionine
A feed can have plenty of crude protein but still be deficient in one or more essential amino acids.
It's similar to having a pile of lumber to build a house but not having enough nails. Even though you have the raw materials, you're still missing a critical component.
That's why nutritionists look beyond crude protein percentages and formulate diets around amino acid requirements. That is exactly what we’ve done with our feeds!
Fatty Acids Matter Too
Many feed tags list crude fat, but they rarely tell you anything about the quality of those fats.
Different fat sources provide different nutritional benefits.
The Guaranteed Analysis may tell you how much fat is present, but it generally doesn't tell you what kind of fat you're feeding.
If a feed it off balance, with too high Omega 6 fatty acids, the result is inflammation in the body of the animal. Have a higher percentage of Omega 3 fatty acids, and a healthy level of Omega 6 (which needs to be lower than Omega 3’s), then systemic inflammation is kept low.
By avoiding corn and soy in our feeds, we accomplish that!
Probiotics and Enzymes
Many modern feeds contain probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, or other nutritional support ingredients.
These ingredients may help support digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall gut health, yet many are not fully represented on the feed tag.
We list them on our feed tag!
Questions to Ask When Comparing Two Feed Bags
When comparing feeds, ask yourself:
- Are the ingredients clearly identified or hidden behind broad terms?
- Does the company guarantee key amino acids like lysine and methionine?
- Where do the protein sources come from?
- How fresh is the feed when it reaches my farm?
- Can the manufacturer explain why each ingredient is included?
Does the Milled Date Really Matter?
After looking at ingredients, guaranteed analysis, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and feed quality, you may be wondering:
Does the milled date actually matter?
In a word: Yes.
The moment grain is cracked, rolled, ground, or processed, it begins interacting with oxygen, light, moisture, and temperature.
While feed doesn't suddenly become unusable overnight, its nutritional quality can gradually decline over time.
Why Freshness Matters
As feed ages:
- Natural oils can begin to oxidize.
- Certain vitamins can gradually lose potency.
- Aroma and palatability can diminish.
- Nutritional quality may slowly decline.
That's why freshness is about more than preventing spoilage. It's about preserving the nutritional value that was originally formulated into the feed.
The First 30 Days Matter Most
Feed can remain usable well beyond 30 days when stored properly (in a dry, cool place) but the highest nutritional value is generally preserved during the first month after milling.
Think of it like freshly ground coffee.
Will it still work months later? Probably.
Will it be at its peak quality and freshness? Not likely.
The same principle applies to feed.
Why We Do Things Differently at Red Bridge Farm Feed Co.
About Us – Red Bridge Feed Co.
At Red Bridge Farm Feed Co., freshness isn't an afterthought—it's part of our process.
We crack our grains immediately before milling and shipping.
Rather than allowing ingredients to sit for extended periods after processing, we focus on producing feed as close to delivery as possible.
By cracking grains right before milling, we help preserve the natural oils, aroma, and nutritional value that animals benefit from most.
We believe animals should receive feed at its nutritional peak—not months after it was produced.
Fresh Feed. Better Nutrition.
A feed tag tells you what was formulated into a feed.
Freshness helps determine how much of that nutritional value is ultimately available when the feed reaches the feeder.
That's why we believe freshness should be considered just as important as ingredients and guaranteed analysis.
It's important to ask: When was it milled?
The Mystery Solved
The feed tag tells you what should be in the bag.
The ingredient list tells you where the nutrition comes from.
The Guaranteed Analysis tells you what nutrients are present.
The milled date tells you how fresh that nutrition is likely to be.
Together, they tell the real story.
The next time you pick up a bag of feed, flip it over and read the tag. What once looked like a mystery may not be such a mystery after all.
Healthy Feed. Healthy Food. Healthy Families.
