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JUNE 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CS PLUS... MARKET REPORT... MOLASSES... MINERALS - A MINE FIELD... IS IT WORTH CHASING BUTTERFATS AT GRASS? The cows go out and butterfats plummet. It's a picture repeated across the country every year. But is it worth doing anything to maintain butterfats, and if so what? David Woodcock, Technical Business Manager with Optivite considers the options. As ever at this time of year, thoughts turn to what should be done, if anything, to boost butterfat levels at grazing. Nationally we usually see a 0.4% fall in butterfat levels. In some herds the decline can be as much as 1%. There is no doubt that butterfat is increasingly becoming a problem area for those in the EU responsible for managing the overall milk market. Globally butterfat prices continue to fall on the commodity markets, which is a growing concern. However many UK milk contracts still include both bonuses and deductions dependent on butterfat levels. Dairy farmers looking to maximise returns from their contract must keep a close eye on butterfats. The first stage in deciding whether it would make sense to try and maintain fats at grass is to understand the terms of your milk contract. If the contract will reward high butterfats or penalise low levels, then it is worth considering what the options are to maintain or increase levels. If there is no milk price advantage, then don't incur extra costs chasing something you won't get paid for. If it makes sense to take nutritional action to influence butterfats, the next stage is to look at what has happened historically on your farm. What are fat levels at turnout and by how much do they usually fall? What are fat percentages now and how do they compare to previous years? It may be that fat levels are higher than usual now and even if you experience a typical grazing depression you will still exceed the deduction threshold. Once you understand the extent of the possible problem it is time to consider what action can be taken. There are two crucial points that must be remembered. The first is that approximately half of a cow's milk fat production comes from her being able to convert the end products of rumen fermentation into milk fat. The remainder of the butterfat produced comes from fats fed in the diet, or from the mobilisation of body reserves. If you are on a constituent milk contract - don't be penalised The second vital point to remember is that feeding dietary supplements will have little effect if the basic rumen fermentation is incorrect. Therefore the starting point to achieve higher fats at turnout is the rumen. To achieve high levels of fat production, the diet needs to encourage a fermentation, which results in high levels of acetic, and butyric acid, which are the precursors for milk fat. This in turns requires a diet high in structural fibre and low in sugars. This is exactly the reverse of what we find in spring grazing. The other problem is that the fermentation encouraged by high grass intakes can lead to an acidic rumen, which can further inhibit fibre digestion. If you want to increase grazing butterfats the first stage must be to ensure an adequate supply of structural fibre to help control rumen pH and increase the supply of butterfat precursors. Check the fibre levels in all supplementary feeds and consider changing to a HDF concentrate or feeding beet pulp. The other option is to hold cows back on a winter ration for part of the day. Bear in mind that any significant supplementary feeding will reduce grazing intakes and you may need to tighten stocking rates. The other way to boost fat production is to increase the supply of fat fed in the diet but care needs to be taken to feed the right sort of fat because different fats have different effects in the cow. Some can create an oil slick in the rumen, which reduces fibre digestion and dry matter intakes. Fats based on calcium soaps are shown to be effective in raising milk yield but not fat percent. The best fats for improving milk fat contain a high proportion of palmitic acid (C16 fats), which is readily utilised by the cow and efficiently diverted to the udder. If you have studied your milk contract and calculated that a butterfat increase would be financially beneficial, then CS plus will undoubtedly be the product to use. We have a limited tonnage of CS Plus bought very well and under the current market price. Ring the office today 01948 661602 to avoid disappointment before stocks are gone. CS PLUS EXCLUSIVE TO GP FEEDS CS PLUS (maintains condition score) is a specially formulated fatty acid blend processed with a selected glucose preparation into a free flowing dust-free meal. CS PLUS has been designed for raising BUTTERFATS in particular, whilst improving milk yield, maintaining cow condition and helping with fertility. The blend of protected and slow release fatty acids - C16, has been put together to maximize synergistic effects on net energy yield and milk quality. The unsaturated: saturated ratio is close to 3:1. The glucose blend enhances liver function and hormonal, nervous and enzymic systems to increase overall animal performance. More>> Market Report Soya (Argentnian): Blockades of ports and roads etc are back on as we go to print. This will affect the market short term (as it has done before). If you require soya on the spot, we would advise you to buy now. Prices have come back off the all time high, but in such a volatile market anything can happen. Rapemeal: Prices for August/October have come off to a more realistic price. Again as above, supply and demand could put the price of Rapemeal up, if the supply of Soya becomes tight. Maize Gluten: Some US Gluten is available ex Liverpool for June. Ring the office for prices, depending on load size and delivery area. Guide price £184/t. Non GM Gluten (European) now available for June/April 2009. Guide prices £188 - £194/t. Again prices depending on load size and delivery area. For a firm price please contact the office. Southern French Maize: We have supplies available now through to April 2009. We can offer whole, rolled or a coarse ground meal. We have sold a good tonnage for the summer and it is working extremely well on farm, as an excellent source of slow release energy. In the rolled and coarse ground form it is also a good source of by-pass starch. Ring the office for up to date prices, as this product is priced in Euros and prices can change on a daily basis. Oatfeed Meal: We can now offer this product for a limited period only. If you...
JUNE 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CS PLUS... MARKET REPORT... MOLASSES... MINERALS - A MINE FIELD... IS IT WORTH CHASING BUTTERFATS AT GRASS? The cows go out and butterfats plummet. It's a...
JULY 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: FATS... ADD - F NC... TOP PRODUCTS TO BUY THIS MONTH... QUEEN'S AWARD FOR ECOSYL PRODUCTS... ITEMS FOR SALE... 8 YEARS ON It's now 8 years since Gareth Perkins started GP Feeds, and we are still going strong. It is due to all our customers, especially those who have supported us from the start, that we have built a sound reputation in the area. We will continue to grow stronger as the years progress and will continually strive to provide you with only the best. We sell a wide range of products including Blends, Dairy Compounds, Beef Feeds, Youngstock Feeds, Sheep Feed, Straights, Minerals, Silage Additives, Fats, Moist Feeds and anything else you might require - just ask and we will do our best to supply it! We pride ourselves on: Customer Service - you're a name NOT a number. Quality Products - we CHOOSE to sell ONLY THE BEST. Fixed Formulations - nothing changes unless YOU ask. Full Technical & Nutritional Support - Herd Costings, Silage Analysis and Diet Advice. Fixed contract prices - to assist you with your cashflow forecasts. If you are looking for the above you need to speak to us. Call the office today on 01948 661602 COMPOUNDS AND BLENDS With most raw material prices continuing to rise now is the time to consider booking your requirements for next winter. We only use quality raw materials in our compounds and blends, with FIXED FORMULATIONS. We only change something when YOU ASK us to. Feed your animals correctly to reduce problems and costs in the long term - lameness, acidosis, fertility, vets bills etc. Give us a call on 01948 661602 to discuss your needs, alternatively fill in our 'Blend Calculator'. GP Feeds are here to work with you to achieve better results. FATS There are many fats on the market today which all claim to benefit the modern dairy cow. The question is - which one is right for you? Fat prices in general are an ever moving market, Megalac alone has gone up £50 this month. Here at GP Feeds we have a number of fats available, details of which are below. Product Name Analysis * Recommended usage rate * Benefits / Comments CS Plus (Exclusive to GP Feeds) 27 MJ / kg DM 69 - 75% C16 300 - 500g per cow per day Our top selling fat, with the current wet weather this product will keep those butterfats up. Maximises butterfats Sustains milk yields Maintains the cows body condition Promotes optimal liver function Can be added to blends, compounds and TMR diets Megalac 33.25 MJ / kg DM 500 - 750g per cow per day Increases milk yield Reduces the risk of acidosis Improves fertility Can be added to blends, compounds and TMR diets Optilac 23 MJ / kg DM 500g per cow per day Provides energy in highly digestible form Improves milk yield and fertility Cost effective alternative to other calcium soaps Can be added to blends, compounds and TMR diets Dynalac 25.5 MJ / kg DM 500 - 1000g Helps to improve butterfat levels ** CS PLUS ** ** SPECIAL OFFER ** Prices are due to go up, we still have a limited tonnage left at pre-increase price. For further information and up to date prices contact the office on 01948 661602. MINERALS Minerals don't always get the attention they need. We sell a full range of minerals, our speciality is designing a mineral to suit your own animals specific needs. Don't buy your usual minerals until you have spoken to GP Feeds. For a competitive price on minerals ring the office on 01948 661602 MOIST FEEDS GP Feeds have again been working very hard to secure the procurement of 'moist feeds'. We now have various options available to you, and are sure that we have something to suit everyone's needs. Please find below product details, typical analysis and feeding recommendations, on four of our most popular products. Feedmax Sticky Orange Pudding Brewers Grains Supergrains Early ordering is recommended as these products will sell out fast! TOP PRODUCTS TO BUY THIS MONTH FATS Struggling with butterfats and milk yields - take a look at this month's table (page 2) to check which one is the right one for you. Special offer on CS Plus - place your order today! 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 EXCEL PRE CALVER ROLLS Fed at 2.5kg per cow per day, will supply all the necessary protein, energy and minerals she needs. Milk fevers and retained cleansings are a thing of the past with our Excel Pre Calver Rolls. YOU'VE FED THE REST NOW FEED THE BEST! SUPREME HDF 16 NUTS Our best summer selling cake. Excellent source of proteins and energies from different types of quality raw materials. Competitively priced for today's market. Also available in 18%. 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. MOIST FEEDS Take a look at our most popular four above and ring the office today to place your order. COARSE CALF 16 MIX The 'Rolls Royce' of calf rations. We have buying group members who use this product, instead of the groups cheap calf rations. This is where quality really counts, you can actually see the calves growing daily. You don't have to believe us just ask the buying group members! RING GP FEEDS ON 01948 661602 TO PLACE YOUR ORDERS TODAY ADD-F NOW NON-CORROSIVE One of the best known and respected of all silage preservatives, Add-F, is now available in a non-corrosive formula from us, called Add-F NC (for non-corrosive). Originally developed by BP forty years ago, Kemira Chemicals have now taken over production and have made it far safer by using their proven gaseous ammoniation buffering process to remove the adverse effects that the old Add-F had on machinery and skin. Add - F NC is ideal for: All silages that are low in sugar and/or have a high nitrate level Wet and contaminated grass, as per our current weather conditions Add-F NC is 80% formic acid, known for many years as the most effective and rapid silage preservative. Formic acid treatment is often used as the benchmark when research scientists test the effectiveness of silage additives because of its known reliability and predictability. Unfortunately handling and corrosion problems have made it increasingly unpopular for farm use. Kemira has a good...
JULY 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: FATS... ADD - F NC... TOP PRODUCTS TO BUY THIS MONTH... QUEEN'S AWARD FOR ECOSYL PRODUCTS... ITEMS FOR SALE... 8 YEARS ON It's now 8 years...
MAY 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: INITIATION CALF... WHY CHOOSE GP FEEDS?... GPF RANGE... THOUGHTS BEFORE FIRST CUT SILAGE... SILAGE ADDITIVES... SILAGE MAKING TIPS - THE NINE BASIC RULES... ADD-F NON-CORROSIVE ... CLAMPFILM... FACTS ABOUT MILK PRODUCTION & NUTRITION IN SPRING & SUMMER... INITIATION CALF We all know that the first few weeks in a calf's life are a crucial period and whatever happens then in the feeding regime has a far reaching effect on the eventual conformation and performance of your dairy heifer replacements. Always on the lookout for new and innovative products, GP Feeds are pleased to introduce Initiation Calf, a whey based milk replacer in pellet form that will save you time and money. This product has been successfully used in France and Ireland with over half a million calves reared on it and it is now available to you through GP Feeds. There are many milk replacers on the market at this moment in time so why should you look at this one? Here are some good reasons. WHY CHOOSE GP FEEDS? If you are interested in our feeds but a little unsure, pick up the phone and talk to us. We are sure we will be able to answer any questions you may have. Our service is reliable, and using our predictive order system we give you a call well before you run out, so you need never have any supply issues again! As it's been widely reported the dairy industry is at its lowest milk production level for over 30 years (35 -37 years depending on source), yet prices for animals are continuing to rise. For the seller this is good news, but not so for the buyer. Just recently at a sale at Beeston over a dozen animals were sold for over £1700 each - surely prices of this level can't continue? With price rises being felt from all side it is more important than ever that you are getting the most from your animals (even more so for the higher priced ones - what's the point in paying a high price to waste money in not achieving an animal's best). With our rations we are confident that we have just the products to help. Remember we offer: Fixed Prices Fixed Formulations Friendly reliable service Practical farm advice from well respected nutritionists Products that do the jobs they are designed for Don't forget we sell a full range of products including amongst others: Blends (fixed formulations and prices) Compounds (fixed formulations & prices) Fats (including high C16 fats) Youngstock feeds (full range to suit all requirements) Sheep feeds Straights (including, Rape, Soya, Maize, Biscuitmeal etc) Silage additives (both acid and biological) Moist feeds (including Brewers Grains, Supergrains, Draff etc) Molasses (you name it we can sell it) Minerals (want a customised mineral no problem) Remember with GP Feeds you are first and foremost a customer not merely tonnage to fill our mill, and as the motto goes 'the customer is always right'. With this in mind what you ask for, you get. We don't change things around to suit us, this we feel is worth pointing out, especially in the volatile markets we are currently seeing today. Our rations are created on quality raw materials, not merely analysis and regular ingredient changes. Don't forget if you are looking for something not listed, it doesn't mean we can't supply it - call us on 01948 661602 as we can source most products. GPF RANGE With the continued success of our GPF Range this summer we have launched GPF Beef 16 Nuts - which has been trialled on a large Beef farm throughout the winter with excellent results. He managed to win top prize at the Christmas markets with his animals. If you are interested in the product please call the office and speak to Gareth on 01948 661602. THOUGHTS BEFORE FIRST CUT SILAGE Within the agricultural industry we are always being advised and told about new ideas and innovations. We have recently seen an article published by a well known and respected company, within the industry, that has revolutionary new ideas about silage making and ration mixing on farm. Over the past 3 years of research and development on UK farms evidence is suggesting that grass silage should be cut and ensiled at a shorter chop length than has previously been recommended. A chop length of 20mm is suggested rather than the usual recommendation of 25mm. The benefits of shorter chop silage are increased profitability of the dairy herd due to: Improved silage quality because of faster ensiling and better compaction of the clamp (greater quantity of grass in each load from field) Higher dry matter intakes and milk yield Reduced acidosis because of better TMR mix and less chance of cows selective feeding the starch ingredients of the diet Greater control of the ration structure as chopped straw can be easily added as opposed to when the chop is longer Where mixer wagons have been used to chop the grass silage even more, before the other ingredients are added, a further 2 litres of milk has been produced. IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO REDUCE CHOP LENGTH WHERE GRASS SILAGE IS BELOW 25% DM AND NO OTHER FORAGES ARE FED - ESPECIALLY IF FED THROUGH A FORAGE BOX RATHER THAN A MIXER WAGON. Further recent studies have shown significant problems of poor ration mixing on farm, resulting in ration sorting at the barrier. 17% were shown to be correctly mixed, 29% poorly mixed and the sorted by the animals, 37% were poorly mixed only and 17% were well mixed but sorted after feed-out. Poor ration mixing can be due to a number of factors including: Over or under mixing Chop length of the forage Order of ingredient addition to the mixer Overfilling the mixers capacity Mixer capability In the study it was proved that increasing the proportion of long forage in the diet reduced the ability of the mixer to produce a uniform mix resulting in ingredient selection of the finer starchy particle. These situations of poor mixing and ration sorting can lead to lower milk yields and herd health. Cows could possibly select the high starch components and salivates less leading to lower natural buffering, whilst the starch itself increases acid production in the rumen resulting in acidosis. This results in lowering the total dry matter intake and milk yield because the cows are eating the fibre part of the TMR later. Contrary to common advice, reduced grass silage chop length will increase dairy cow performance due to less not more rumen acidosis. These results are the work of one agricultural company and may not be the view of others. However, we felt it only right to give you an insight into current thinking with...
MAY 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: INITIATION CALF... WHY CHOOSE GP FEEDS?... GPF RANGE... THOUGHTS BEFORE FIRST CUT SILAGE... SILAGE ADDITIVES... SILAGE MAKING TIPS - THE NINE BASIC RULES... ADD-F NON-CORROSIVE ......
JUNE 07 NEWSLETTER
SILAGES & ECOSYL... FEEDING YOUR YOUNGSTOCK... RAW MATERIALS - WHERE IS THE MARKET GOING?... TOP PRODUCTS TO BUY THIS MONTH... ***** PRICE ALERT ***** NOT USED MOLASSES FOR A WHILE? LOOK AGAIN Molasses prices have fallen to very competitive levels for the summer. With other feed prices rising (such as cereals), phone us today on 01948 661602 to get a fantastic quote for a very cost effective form of energy and to boost palatability within the ration. Molasses performs various important roles within rations: Promotes high dry matter intakes with no substitution effect Improves rumen fermentation Excellent source of fermentable energy, making it suitable to balance rapidly digested protein sources, such as those contained in grass silage Binds dusty ingredients and minimises waste Highly palatable Call us now on 01948 661602 for a molasses to suit your requirements we won't be beaten on price! FEEDING YOUR YOUNGSTOCK The foundation of any good quality yielding herd, is only as good as the youngstock you replace into it. It is vital that your herd's next generation is fed correctly in order to determine whether the animal is to be an asset to your business. From weaning off milk or milk replacers, all of your animals should continue to grow quickly in the most economical and profitable way. This must include checking their weight throughout their lives to ensure that target weights are being met. Failure to reach target weights will lead to small heifers at bulling, small heifers at calving and small heifers at the lactating stage. To help maintain growth and health we have a full range of replacement feeds available in 25kg bags, ½t tote bags, 1t tote bags and bulk. These products, when fed alongside quality forage, will ensure that all aspects of growth patterns throughout the various stages of their young lives will be taken care of. COARSE CALF 16 MIXTURE (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. CALF STARTER 18 PELLETS (Oil 4%, Protein 18%, Fibre 8.2%) Highly palatable 3 mm pellets fed ad lib from 2 days to 10 / 12 weeks of age. Has all the ingredients essential for quick growth. Contains: Wheat, Sugarbeet, Hipro Soya, Palm Kernal, Wheatfeed, US Maize Distillers, Rapemeal, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend. 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. 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. We aim to give your youngstock the best start in life. RAW MATERIALS - WHERE IS THE MARKET GOING? Our first question should be what raw materials are available for farmers. Maize products from the USA are not generally being imported to Europe by the shippers due to the continuing dispute over the GM issue. The EU still have not granted a licence to import into the EU any maize products with the presence of the gene B10, a zero tolerance is currently in force. It is hoped a licence will be granted in July or August, but there are a further 2 more varieties of GM Maize planted this year to be harvested in October and acceptance of these by the EU is likely to drag on into 2008. So it is very unlikely that the import of Gluten and Distillers Maize products will be available beyond October. A small tonnage is currently being offered after safe arrival June - August @ £120 ex Bristol (is this viable?). We have been active in the market buying Rape, Soya and Sunflower along with lower protein products such as Wheatfeed, Soya Hulls and Palm Kernal. A lot of these products are trading at prices just a few weeks ago we would have said impossible. We now need to ask ourselves what if anything will bring these prices down, or is demand going to hold these prices firm? If we look at the high proteins first, we know the present stock of Soya beans for crushing are plentiful with a large carry over projected into the next crop year (610 Million bushels) but this year 8 - 10 million acres less are being planted compared to last year. Remember for the past 3 years we have had near record production 2004 /05 42.2 bushels per acre, 2005/06 43 bushels per acre and last year 42.7 bushels per acre while 2002/03 & 2003/04 the yield was 38 & 33.9 bushels per acre. The United States Department of Agriculture is using a yield potential for the years crop of 41.5 bushels per acre which gives us a carry over into next crop of 320 million bushels, almost half of this years carry over! With any reduction in yield from the highest figure of 41.50 a drop in yield of 3 / 4 bushels per acre would leave a very low carry over of less than 100 million bushels and price rationing!! Any adverse growing conditions will make for a very volatile market. Rapeseed average plantings this year are up 10 - 15% in the UK and to date is set to produce an average crop of about 2 million tonnes (last year 1.8 million tonnes), usage of Rapemeal will increase replacing part of the usual maize products from the USA, perhaps the major issue is: can the crushers sell the oil to maintain their crush capacity? We were all affected by their inability to sell their oil in the first quarter of this year when supply of Rapemeal was very difficult due to the crushers not being able to crush the Rapeseed as they were full to the gunnels with oil. Providing there are no technical problems, we feel the crushers have adopted a more cautious role in their selling this year and don't expect the same problems as last year. Prices should follow in line with Soya. The prices of Soya and Rape Meals have not been unattractive to buyers as the most valuable part of the seed...
JUNE 07 NEWSLETTER
SILAGES & ECOSYL... FEEDING YOUR YOUNGSTOCK... RAW MATERIALS - WHERE IS THE MARKET GOING?... TOP PRODUCTS TO BUY THIS MONTH... ***** PRICE ALERT ***** NOT USED MOLASSES FOR A WHILE?...
APRIL 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CAN YOU MAINTAIN BUTTERFATS AT GRASS?... MAGNESIUM PRODUCTS... SILAGE ADDITIVES... LOOKING TO MAKE YOUR SILAGE GO FURTHER... MINERAL REMINDER ... SPRING & SUMMER FEEDING Following on from last month's newsletter if you want to get the best from your cows whilst out at grass you need to feed a good quality compound. The compounds below are certainly worth considering and we advise you book your requirements soon before the already volatile markets get any worse. With the good milk price we believe it's worth chasing those litres! Also don't forget ask us to quote on your blend as well! GPF 16 Nuts (4% Oil, 16% Protein, 13% Fibre, 7.5% Ash,) Ingredients: Wheat, Soya Hulls, Sunflower, Rapemeal, Palm Kernal, Wheatfeed, Sugarbeet, Biscuitmeal, Molasses, Minerals & Vitamins and Fat Blend. GPF 16 Nuts is our most economic ration. It is aimed at herds producing up to 6,500 litres. HE Supreme HDF 16 Nuts (3.6% Oil, 16% Protein, 9.5% Fibre, 7.8% Ash) Ingredients: Wheat, Maize, US Maize Distillers, Hipro Soya, Palm Kernal, Sunflower, Rapemeal, Sugarbeet, Citrus, Molasses, Megalac, Minerals & Vitamins and Fat Blend HE Supreme HDF 16 is our most popular spring / summer ration, it accounts for over 40% of our spring / summer sales year on year. This is a high quality nut, made of high quality raw materials. This ration will help to maximise your milk production whilst maintaining butterfat levels at a time when the grass will naturally decrease them. Excel 16 Nuts (4.5% Oil, 16% Protein, 7.5% Fibre, 7.5% Ash) Ingredients: Wheat, Maize, US Maize Distillers, Palm Kernal, Hipro Soya, Biscuitmeal, Sugarbeet, Citrus, Megalac, Sopralin, Molasses, Minerals & Vitamins and Fat Blend. Excel 16 is the Rolls Royce of our spring / summer range. We are very proud of this nut! With Sugarbeet, Wheat and Hipro Soya making up 47.5% of the total feed. Excel 16 has been especially formulated for spring calvers producing more than 40 litres. The emphasis is on lower protein and a range of quality energy sources. This ration will help to maximise your milk production whilst maintaining butterfat levels at a time when the grass will naturally decrease them. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THESE PRODUCTS, THERE ARE NO 'FILLERS' AT ALL IN OUR RATIONS AND ALL COME WITH GUARANTEED FIXED FORMULATIONS. CAN YOUR CURRENT SUPPLIER SAY THE SAME? CAN YOU MAINTAIN BUTTERFATS AT GRASS? Look at your milk contract With an average national reduction of 0.4% and in some cases as much as 1% at turnout, if it pays you to maintain your butterfat levels, you need to consider feeding CS PLUS which is an exclusive product to GP Feeds. Aimed at improving butterfats, fertility, increasing milk yield as well as improving the condition score of your cows. It is a specially formulated fatty acid blend processed with a selected glucose preparation into a free flowing dust-free meal. It has been designed for mixing into compound feeds or home mix diets. The recommended usage rate is 300 grams per cow per day. However, levels can be increased for high performance dairy cows. The blend of protected and slow release fatty acids rich in C:16, has been put together to maximise synergistic effects on net energy yield and milk quality. The unsaturated: saturated ratio is close to 3:1. The glucose blend enhances liver function and hormonal, nervous and enzymic systems to increase overall animal performance. MAGNESIUM PRODUCTS As per last month's newsletter we have a number of magnesium products available, with something to suit all needs and situations. Hi Magnesium minerals Mag Chloride flakes Cal-mag (Agma) Roumag Aqua Anyone considering turning out should give us a call on 01948 661602. We have a number of offers available on the above products. SILAGE ADDITIVES Silage Making Tips - The Nine Basic Rules... ADD-F NON-CORROSIVE One of the best known and respected of all acid silage preservatives, Add-F, is now available in a non-corrosive formula from us, called Add-F NC (for non-corrosive). More... If you are interested in either Ecosyl or Add-F non-corrosive please contact Gareth at the office on 01948 661602. LOOKING TO MAKE YOUR SILAGE GO FURTHER If you are looking to help your silage go further why not consider pitting moist feeds with it. Here are GP Feeds we have something to suit all situations and needs. Product DM (%) ME MJ/KG DM CP (%) Fibre (%) Description Brewers Grains 24 11.7 24.5 17 Moist brewing co-product from barley. Suitable for all ruminants especially dairy cows. 4kg can replace 1kg of concentrate. Mashed Filter Grains 27 11.7 22.5 17 Moist brewing co-product from barley. Suitable for all ruminants especially dairy cows. 4kg can replace 1kg of concentrate. Supergrains 26 14 30 20 A palatable, moist feed comprising cooked cereal co-products from grain whisky manufacture. Not suitable for sheep Do's & Don'ts of pitting Grains with silage... For prices call the office on 01948 661602, as they are dependent on exact delivery address and load sizes. (All orders & prices are subject to availability) MINERAL REMINDER As with all raw materials at the moment prices are continuing to rise. This is also the case with minerals. Here at GP Feeds we still have some mineral tonnages left so it is worth giving us a call to book your mineral requirements before the prices rise in May. As with our compounds and blends our minerals are only of the finest quality. QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION Contact Gareth or Rachel (Office) 01948 661602 Fax 01948 871776
APRIL 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CAN YOU MAINTAIN BUTTERFATS AT GRASS?... MAGNESIUM PRODUCTS... SILAGE ADDITIVES... LOOKING TO MAKE YOUR SILAGE GO FURTHER... MINERAL REMINDER ... SPRING & SUMMER FEEDING Following on...
MAY 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: SILAGES & ECOSYL... COMBAT BUTTERFAT PROBLEMS AT SPRING GRASS WITH CS PLUS... LET US QUOTE FOR YOUR SPRING / SUMMER CUSTOM BLEND... DO'S & DON'TS OF PITTING GRAINS WITH SILAGE... AMINO PRO-TEK... DRY COWS... EXCEL PRE-CALVER ROLLS... SILAGE EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS COMING WINTER With very little silage left in stock it is very important that silage from this years grass is of the highest quality and palatability to ensure sufficient stocks are available for the coming winter. Consider the following questions and do they apply to you? Do you want palatable silage? Do you want good fermentation and little wastage along with stability in the clamp? Do you want your animals to eat it to their potential? Do you want lots of milk produced more cheaply? Do you want increased production without eating any more silage? Do you want to maintain good quality milk? Do you want confidence in you silage additive, if you use one? Do you want ease of mixing the additive on the day you want it, within minutes together with ease of application? If you answer YES to any of the above question you need to consider the ECOSYL PRODUCTS range of additives to suit all types of grass. Quality grass can often be assisted by a good additive and the one with the most independent feeding trails and the one that has stood the test of time is ECOSYL. ECOSYL 66 ( Cost £1.28 per tonne) DOUBLE ACTION ECOSYL ( Cost £2.12 per tonne ) COMBAT BUTTERFAT PROBLEMS AT SPRING GRASS WITH CS PLUS Our aptly named product (which maintains condition score) is a specially formulated fatty acid blend processed with a selected glucose preparation into a free flowing dust-free meal. CS PLUS has been designed for raising BUTTERFATS in particular, whilst improving milk yield, maintaining cow condition and helping with fertility. More >> LET US QUOTE FOR YOUR SPRING / SUMMER CUSTOM BLEND YOU TELL US WHAT YOU WANT OR ASK US TO BALANCE YOUR FORAGES FOR YOU We know that all farm situations are different and therefore 'one blend' will not fit into all farms: i.e. differing cow yields, types of forages, amounts of forages, forage quality, etc. Getting the right blend will improve performance in terms of yields, quality and cow health. A properly balanced blend can be worth up to 5 litres per cow. We will supply you a FIXED FORMULATION with ONLY QUALITY RAW MATERIALS to suit your individual situation. All of our blends are produced in a coarse blend form with accurate computerised weighing of all materials, which are mixed thoroughly in the mixer before being held in bulk bins. WE SUPPLY TIPPED OR BLOWN, 5 TONNES TO 29 TONNES, MINERALISED and MOLASSED or not! RING US TODAY ON 01948 661602 FOR A QUOTE OR ALTERNATIVELY FILL IN OUR BLEND CALCULATOR BREWERS GRAINS / SUPERGRAINS Are you looking to pit Brewers Grains or Supergrains with your silage? If so ring the office today on 01948 661602 to book your requirements. Do's & Don'ts of pitting Grains with silage AMINO PRO-TEK In order to maintain high yields in the Spring producers need to fine tune the overall ration, but this must be cost effective. One route that has worked well for many dairy farmers is to add Amino Pro-Tek to the diet. This is a sugar mineral complex that is non GM and fits in well to most feeding regimes. It works in the rumen and enables better use to be made of the protein in home grown forage, but especially in conjunction with high protein spring grass. We have in previous years seen improvements in milk yield of 1.8 to 2.5 litres per head per day in average and high yielding herds where Amino Pro-Tek has been included. Based on a 1.8 litre increase in yield and a milk price of 17p per litre, the return on the investment in Amino Pro-Tek is 4:1. Apart from increases in yield, it has also reduced blood ureas and improved fertility in some dairy herds. Amino Pro-Tek is a feed additive which improves milk and protein yields by making better use of protein in the rumen. If you are having a problem with milk quality or quantity give us a ring to discuss the merits of AMINO PRO-TEK, it works particularly well if you have high milk urea levels. Please ring the office on 01948 661602 to hear all about this "magic dust" as it is becoming known!! Remember high urea levels can also dramatically affect conception rate. DRY COWS Recently we have heard reports of several cases of milk fever and retained cleansings. This could be attributed to many causes, however the most likely insurance against this is to have an adequate dry cow management system. The importance of the dry cow period with regard to feeding and nutrition is vital. We have discussed at length in previous issues the need for a specialist dry cow ration with a high mineral and vitamin specification. We feel there are a lot of so called 'dry cow diets' on the market that do not give what the animal needs in terms of nutritional specification. RATION FAULTS: Trying to slim dry cows in the dry period Low quality forage Poor cow comfort 'Roughing' it approach Low vitamin and minerals Mouldy feeds One dry group Wrong diet formulation The use of milking cow minerals in a dry cow diet WHAT TO AIM FOR: Two groups of dry cows with the far off dry cows fed at least a minimum of a high specification mineral tub and some starchy forage as well as ad-lib straw. All cows and heifers to have at least 21 days on a transition diet. Cows should have a body condition score of between 2.5 to 3.0. Thinner cows should be on a transition diet for longer. Diets should contain similar forages to those fed post calving and either blend or EXCEL PRE CALVER ROLLS. A high specification mineral should be fed, our EXCEL DRY COW MINERALS / BUCKETS cover all your mineral and vitamin requirements. This transition diet should be formulated by a competent nutritionist to check it meets the modern cows requirement. If you need with any advice of the above, feel free to ring the office on 01948 661602. Remember comfort is paramount. Pay attention to these cows and mastitis, lameness and infertility will be reduced. EXCEL PRE-CALVER ROLLS (Oil 2½%, Protein 21%, Fibre 6.8%) DECLARATION TICKETS REMEMBER TO KEEP ON EYE ON THEM WITH THE EVER CHANGING SITUATION WITH RAW MATERIALS. ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU ARE PAYING FOR? REMEMBER YOU DO WITH GP FEEDS!! QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION Contact Gareth or Rachel (Office) 01948 661602 Fax 01948 871776 To receive...
MAY 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: SILAGES & ECOSYL... COMBAT BUTTERFAT PROBLEMS AT SPRING GRASS WITH CS PLUS... LET US QUOTE FOR YOUR SPRING / SUMMER CUSTOM BLEND... DO'S & DON'TS OF...