Forced variety
25-03-2025
Variety feeding
To feed the necessary nutrients, it is recommended to ensure variety in the diet of animals. Different components in the menu contribute to the animal's nutritional needs. This way, the menu contains enough protein, fat, fibre and other (micro)nutrients in total.
It is a misconception that this variety has to be offered every day. In fact, if a menu with a lot of variety is offered daily, this can actually end up making the diet poorer.
Many animals are naturally selective, so they will select and eat a few items from this wide range. They may leave the rest, or when animals are housed in groups, the same items are always left behind for the animals that are lower in rank or reach the feeding bowl later.
To avoid this, the method of ‘forced variety’ can be applied. This means that the diet still contains the necessary variation but this variation is spread throughout the week. So during each feeding moment, only one product is offered, making selection impossible.
The images below, provided by Ben Lamberigts of Wisbroek, show clear examples of what such a menu looks like when it is offered mixed or per product for five feeding moments.
Source: Ben Lamberigts, Wisbroek 2025
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