The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 6 plus 6 letter word MANGEL WURZEL
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "cattle food" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case cattle food = mangel wurzel.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MANGEL WURZEL mean?
MANGEL WURZEL noun- A root vegetable, variety of Beta vulgaris, cultivated chiefly as cattle feed.