By Hector Menendez, Jordan M. Adams et.al
Feed is the single largest cost in most livestock operations, often accounting for 50-70% of total production expenses. At the same time, how feed is sourced, stored, mixed, delivered, and managed has direct implications for animal performance, environmental stewardship, and long-term operation viability. Recognizing this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) established the Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) 592 – Feed Management as a practical framework to help producers improve feed efficiency while reducing nutrient losses to the environment.
The National Animal Nutrition Program (NANP) Feed Management Committee is built around CPS 592, using the standard as a bridge between advanced animal nutrition research and on-the-ground decision making. This article explains why CPS 592 is important, how it applies to real-world livestock systems, and how producers, extension professionals, and NRCS personnel can use it as a flexible, science-based guide rather than a prescriptive set of rules.
What is NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 592?
CPS 592 (Feed Management) is designed to help livestock producers:
- Improve feed efficiency and nutrient utilization.
- Reduce excess nutrient excretion (nitrogen, phosphorus, and others).
- Minimize feed waste and shrink.
- Support whole-farm conservation goals.
Rather than focusing on a single practice, CPS 592 emphasizes management decisions across the entire feeding system. This includes feed formulation, ingredient selection, storage, delivery, and monitoring animal performance. Importantly, CPS 592 is adaptable across livestock species (beef, dairy, sheep, goats, swine, poultry) and production stages. At its core, CPS 592 recognizes that better nutrition management is both an economic and environmental solution.
Source : sdstate.edu