Feeding strategy and feeding methods

11april2007
Source: EZNC
For exotic animals the main feeding strategies are the cafeteria feeding and the so called norm feeding.
A feeding strategy is the way in which the feed is tuned to the animal’s need. A nutritionally balanced diet must also be provided in a suitable form and correct proportion based on the most appropriate physiological model or models for the species. For exotic animals the main feeding strategies are the cafeteria feeding and the so called norm feeding.

Cafeteria feeding offers an abundance of nutrients (energy, protein, vitamins and minerals) from a variety of raw material during a longer period of time (about 4-5 months). No attention is paid to the individual need of the animal. In a cafeteria feeding system, the animals will take little of the less tasty feed. Norm feeding, on the other hand, tries to balance the nutrients as well as possible with the animal’s calculated need. The aim of norm feeding is to supply each animal with a varying combination of feed according to their need of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals.

One of the factors that needs to be taken into account is the time it takes for an animal to take in the feed. The eating of hay, for example, is a time consuming activity, whereas gorging concentrate or fruit can be done in no time.
Feeding strategies and feeding methods are related. Choosing a certain feeding strategy may mean that a certain feeding method is excluded. And a certain feeding method can pose restrictions on the feeding strategy. Nevertheless, a great number of feeding strategies and feeding methods can be combined.