SEPTEMBER 07 NEWSLETTER

This months linked article's:

HIGH CELL COUNTS

Due to the adverse weather conditions this summer - are you suffering from high cell counts? If so do not fear GP Feeds are here, we have a mineral designed to help combat this very problem - GPF HIGH TBC MINERAL.

Benefits / Features

Contains high levels of Vitamin E and Selenium to maximize antioxidant activity and help the cow to combat bacterial infections in the udder.
Contains copper from 3 different sources (including organic) to ensure that the animal has enough bio available Copper for its metabolic processes.
Contain Zinc from 3 different sources (including organic) to ensure that the animal has enough bio available Zinc for its metabolic processes.

We have seen dramatic results in a very short period of feeding this mineral. One of our customers had a somatic sell count of over 400, costing at least 1p per litre in penalties. After 3 weeks of feeding our mineral, his somatic cell counts were under 200 - saving him a small fortune!

For more information please contact the office on 01948 661602 and speak to Gareth.

MOIST FEEDS - UPDATE

There is still very little moist feeds available - if you are short of forage for the winter you should consider our own FORAGE SAVER BLEND which is readily available and contracts can be fixed for the winter. When fed at 2kgs per animal per day, it replaces 10kgs of average quality silage and when fed at this rate it will save over 60 tonnes of silage per month on a 100 cow herd plus followers.

Forage saver is readily available - ring the office on 01948 661602 to place your order

NEVER A BETTER TIME

With generally only 'average' quality silage, and escalating feed prices (due largely to world demand for energy), many farmers are worried about the coming winter

But, stop and think! For many years, despite the economic climate, has there ever been a better time to feed your cows well?

Using a simple example to illuminate the point

Feed Price	Cost/ 0.4kg	Milk Price	Return
£145 /T	5.8p	20p/litre	14.2
£170 /T	6.8p	25p/litre	18.2

So, the return IS THERE, rather than just thinking of price per tonne QUALITY FEED WILL PAY - CALL Gareth TODAY ON 01948 661602 TO DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS! GP Feeds are here to work with you to achieve better results.

TOP PRODUCTS TO BUY THIS MONTH

MOLASSES
The only raw material that's down in price. A good replacement for liquid lactose, which is in short supply due to the current liquid market. Molasses helps to promote high dry matter silage intakes (i.e. first cut silages which are now being fed) and improves rumen function. Very competitive tank schemes available, interest free over 3 years.
SUPREME HDF 18 NUTS
Our best winterselling cake. Excellent source of proteins and energies from different types of quality raw materials. Competitively priced for today's market. Also available in 20% and 22%.
GP FEEDS MINERALS
A must for every diet. We have seen outstanding results by supplementing minerals of the right quality and quantity. Don't buy your usual minerals until you have spoken to GP Feeds. Very competitively priced.

SUGARBEET

1st offer tonnage still available - book now before we sell out!

New crop prices now out. Competitively priced against wheat. We still have some 1st offer priced Sugarbeet available. Book your requirements now before we are sold out - call Gareth on 01948 661602.

WINTER FEEDS - BOOK NOW!

Don't forget to speak to us about your winter feed, whether it be compound, blend or even both. Prices will rise of that there is no doubt, but make sure you get the best deal by booking with us now. Contracts can be booked through to April 2008.

YOUNGSTOCK

Do you have extra calves and youngstock on the farm? If so they need feeding, here at GP Feeds we have a range of products, whether it be a quality coarse calf mix to get a good foundation for replacement stock, maybe a heifer rearing nut or even an economical ration to keep them up to standard ready for exporting, we have something to suit all your needs. Our best sellers are:

COARSE CALF 16 MIX (Oil 3.5%, Protein 16%, Fibre 6.6%)
Extremely palatable mixture fed ad lib from 2 days to 10 / 12 weeks of age. Contains: Barley, Linseed, Sugarbeet, Hipro Soya, Flaked Peas, Flakes Maize, Sopralin, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins.

SUPERGRO HEIFER REARING 20 NUTS (Oil 4.2%, Protein 20%, Fibre 9.3%)
A specialist heifer replacement product to be fed from 10 / 12 weeks of age to calving. Well balanced ration providing in excess of 1 - 1½ kilos LWG per day. Contains: Wheat, US Maize Distillers, Rapemeal, Sunflower, Palm Kernal, Barley, Processed B Maize, Hipro Soya, Sugarbeet, Citrus, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend.

GPF HEIFER NUTS (Oil 4%, Protein 18%, Fibre 14.4%)
Popular and cost effective alternative to Supergro Heifer Rearing 20 Nuts, still providing excellent results and uniform growth. This product is suitable for all types of youngstock.Contains: Soya Hulls, Rapemeal, Wheat, Wheatfeed, Palm Kernal, Sunflower, Sugarbeet, Molasses, Limestone, Supagold Biscuitmeal, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend.

As with all our feeds the ingredients have been carefully chosen for digestibility, with well balanced starch and sugars and quality protein sources, along with FIXED FORMULATIONS.

Phone the office today on 01948 661602 to discuss your needs.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT! - Feed more Molasses this WINTER!

Farms are facing a tough winter this year keeping their feeding costs down as cereals and other energy feeds continue to rise in price. An energy rich feed that is now presenting excellent value to farmers is Molasses! For the past couple of years Molasses has been driven into rations as a nutritious liquid with added benefits but now it is once again featuring as a cost effective source of sugars and energy. The added benefits of increasing palatability and improving DM intakes are still integral reasons to use bulk liquids this winter but as in previous years they now also offer a competitively priced source of nutrition that will help keep feeding costs down.

Competitive tank schemes available. Interest free over 3 years ring the office on 01948 661602 to discuss your needs.

RAW MATERIAL PRICES RISING

The prices of cereals and other starch based feeds have risen this year due to increased demand from the Biofuel industry and other companies seeking renewable carbohydrates as fuel sources. Cheaper energy feeds such as Palm Kernel Meal have also become more expensive as they are sourced as cheap recyclable energy matter for Biomass plants. In comparison the price of Molasses has come down this year as we have seen high levels exported for the first time in years. The reality of this shift in prices is that we are now seeing Molasses valued as a superior energy source to other feeds on a least cost DM basis this winter (see table below ).

Feed Material	DM Cost per tonne*	ME - MJ/kg (DM Basis)	Cost of ME per tonne
Wheat	£200.00	13.5	£14.81
Sugar Beet Pulp	£166.67	12.5	£13.33
Cane Molasses	£133.33	12.7	£10.50

* Estimated delivered prices Winter 2007 (DM Basis)

MAXIMISE YIELD POTENTIAL

With the outlook for milk prices looking more positive this winter farmers will be looking to maximise yield potential so energy and sugars will be vital. Molasses is the ideal supplement for any shortfall in grass silage quality as through its sugars it will provide a source of rapidly fermentable energy that will be made available to the rumen both quickly and efficiently.

REDUCE COSTS AND IMPROVE QUALITY!

This winter we recommend that feeding systems take full advantage of using liquids such as Cane Molasses and MolaFerm 20 as an effective source of sugars and energy that will help keep your feed costs down while complementing your grass silage quality leading to better milk yields and more money in the bank! And don't forget Molasses is a liquid so none of the nutrition is lost on the silo floor!

For more information about our extensive range please contact Gareth at the office on 01948 661602.

PROTECT YOUR MAIZE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

Although this year has seen some of the worst growing conditions for maize, the crop is still going to play a major part in the forage base in many rations this winter. It makes sense to ensure that as much of the feed value as possible gets in front of your cows.

The 'waste factor' with maize silage, due to aerobic instability and spoilage in the top few inches of the clamp, is something that most farmers have tried to overcome, with varying degrees of success, for many years. We at GP Feeds can help to reduce these problems with a two-pronged, scientifically proven approach.

Step 1

Treat the silage with 1-2 litres / tonne of Protect. Protect uses proven food preservative technology to kill the yeasts and moulds that are present on every crop and which are the principal spoilage organisms once 'made' silage is exposed to air. Protect has a dual action, infusing the sealed clamp with sulphur dioxide gas which is lethal to spoilage micro organisms, and forming a low level of benzoic acid which inhibits the growth of yeasts and moulds once the clamp is open. Since temperature plays a major part in the ability of these organisms to multiply, maize silage that is intended for use during the spring and summer should be treated at the higher rate of 2 litres / tonne. Remember, because Protect works by producing a gas, the clamp must be sealed for at least two weeks before use.

Step 2

Cover with ClampFilm. The top few inches of any silage are always the least well consolidated, so some air is always present, which prevents a true anaerobic fermentation taking place. Respiration of the plant material continues and allows the degradation of the top layers, effectively creating compost. The only really easy way to stop this is to create an airtight seal as quickly as possible.

Normal black silage sheeting is not flexible enough to contact the silage in every dip and hollow, and is also oxygen permeable, so rarely forms a complete seal. New ClampFilm is a low cost, tough 40 micron sheet with very low oxygen permeability. When laid in direct contact with the silage it is sucked down onto it as the residual air is used up, forming a 'shrink-wrap' seal and virtually eliminating top and shoulder waste. Very quick and easy to unroll and spread, ClampFilm eliminates the time-consuming and laborious salt spreading that has been use by many to overcome the 'top-waste problem'. Once in place the side sheets are pulled over and a normal silage sheet weighted down on top.

FOR PRICES AND TO PLACE YOUR ORDER RING THE OFFICE ON 01948 661602

QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION

Contact

Gareth or Rachel (Office)
01948 661602 Fax 01948 871776

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