The surprising food keeping this family's cattle alive
During one of the most severe droughts in Australia’s history, a farmer has posted a bitter sweet photo on a drought support Facebook group of her cattle grazing on an unusual food source.
“This is how we are keeping our cattle going,” the woman from Moorook in South Australia wrote.
Along the dusty dirt fields, several heads of cattle can bee seen making their way through tonnes of orange peels.
The innovative idea to feed drought starved cattle orange peels is gaining popularity as orchid growers and juice suppliers realise the left over rinds from citrus fruit can provide much needed feed for farmers struggling with the every day reality of how to fuel their livestock.
People commented on the post describing the idea as “fantastic” and wanted to know more.
“We are paying freight only from a place 50km away. Very thankful for the opportunity,” the woman wrote.
Some suggested buying grain was more nutritious but the farmer said grain was simply too expensive to buy and prepare for feeding.
“To buy the grain at $300 or more per tonne,” she said, adding that the grain needs to be soaked in water first, “then to have the water space and equipment to do this...” it seems impossible.
As for the nutritional value of orange peels, the farmer said she also supplemented the peels with hay and felt her herd was happy and healthy.
“They get so much out of them! They have actually improved being on the oranges,” she said.
People responded to the image with encouragement and messages of hope.
“You are doing such a great job under extreme conditions. Hope the rains come soon,” one person wrote.
“I don't know how you are managing and my heart goes out to you,” another said.
Some farmers shared their stories, posting images of their children being innovative, digging up kurrajongs and lopping the leaves off the tree to feed cattle.
“My nearly 3-year-old doesn’t know any different, it’s been like this his whole life,” one person wrote.
Sadly, Australian children who have never known anything but drought are not uncommon.
“The drought started the year our eldest was born,” one parent wrote.
The quick fix might be working for now but this farmer wants people to know that citrus peels are not an answer to the drought.
“People will say ‘why haven’t we put money, feed, hay etc. away’ but eight out of ten years were bad years and we are now on our third year of bad years,” she said, adding “how do we get in front?”
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