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MARCH 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: THINKING AHEAD... FATS... MAGNESIUM REMINDER... ADD-F NON-CORROSIVE - EARLY ORDER OFFER... YOUNGSTOCK... WATCH THOSE DECLARATION TICKETS!... EASTER ORDERS... TOP PRODUCTS FOR MARCH 2008... Are you ready to get maximum litres from forage. Although milk prices are significantly better than they were, the ongoing rise in the price of feed ingredients are eating into the profits. As we reported last month the current world wide situation with all feed ingredients seems to indicate continued price rises. If prices continue to rise at their current levels, serious thought will have to be given to even better utilisation of forages in an effort to produce milk, beef or lamb more economically. For example if you can reduce your average feed rate (kgs) per litre of milk produced by 0.02 kgs (e.g. from 0.32 to 0.30 kgs/litre), by increasing forage intake, you will save around £50 worth of milk value per cow in the herd. For a herd of 180 cows this would mean potential additional income of £9,000 per annum. Fine in principle you may think but these savings might not be as far out of reach as they seem. By paying attention to some key issues it is possible to make a real difference. These include: Regular and precise review of feed rationing / forage balancing / calibration of feeders Review how much is being fed to low yielders / stale cows Review management of dry cows Review cow comfort and health - especially overcrowding - comfy cows equals extra litres! Review TMR diets to avoid particle selection and maximise intake potential Along with these reviews, the management of your forage crops in the field and clamp is just as important. Consider the following: Choose the correct grass mixtures and maize varieties to suit your land. Review fertiliser applications to maximise yields. Consider harvesting at the best possible time and in the best possible conditions (be extra nice to your contractor if you have one!). Consider the use of silage additive to increase outputs of milk or beef (choosing the right one really can pay dividends!). Ensure best possible clamping of forages to minimise contamination and wastage. Ensure correct chop length of grass and maize to minimise soil contamination and maximise intakes. By taking a little bit of time to fine tune some of your farm management systems, you may well be able to reduce overall feed rates and utilise your forages better so leading to better profit margins. Some of the latest research into total farm costs from one of the leading agricultural bodies shows that the average total cost per litre of milk produced will have increased by almost 4p per litre in the year ending March 2008. Projected costs to March 2009 show a further increase over the next twelve months of over 3p a litre to an average of 28.39p per litre. It is fairly obvious that not only the price of milk must be maintained and increased to maintain margins, but more milk must be produced from your own forages to try to offset some of these cost increases. For further information please ring the office on 01948 661602. THINKING AHEAD It's that time of year when spring is just around the corner. As we are all aware spring grass is great for producing milk, full of nutrients and very palatable but it lacks digestible fibre. At best spring grass can only produce 25 litres of milk, any extra litres will only come of the cows body reserves resulting in: Loss of weight Poor health Poor fertility Here at GP Feeds we can help you to plan your spring and summer rations so that you get the best from your cows during this time. Feed costs as you are aware are already high - this looks set to continue for the time being. We recommend you look at contracting your spring and summer requirements sooner rather than later to get the best deal for you. Remember - at GP Feeds what you book at the beginning of a contract you get till the end. We don't change things unless you ask. We have many tried and tested rations, some of which remain the same as when they were created some years ago - we don't have fancy new names each season, we believe in our rations and believe in the continuity we provide. Remember - GP Feeds don't change things unless YOU ASK us to! 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 £30 this month, with more rises expected. Here at GP Feeds we have a number of fats available, details of which are below. We choose to sell only the best available on today's market. For up to date prices contact the office on 01948 661602. Special offer on CS+ - buy now before price rises and tonnages run out. 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 Ideal for use with spring grass 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 per cow per day Helps to improve butterfat levels Boosts fertility * Details as per manufacturers literature Call GP Feeds on 01948 661602 to place your orders today! MAGNESIUM REMINDER Are you considering turnout? It is worth reminding you that magnesium will be an important and necessary supplement. Remember dairy cows do not store magnesium, so it is important to start feeding higher levels around 10 days before turnout. This can be done in a variety of ways: Having higher levels incorporated into your compound feed or blend Change to high magnesium mineral Have your custom mineral magnesium level increased Add magnesium chloride to the water system Add Calcined Magnesite to the buffer ration The modern dairy cow will require the equivalent of at least 25 grams of pure magnesium (or 50 grams of Cal Mag). Here at GP Feeds we increase the levels of magnesium...
MARCH 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: THINKING AHEAD... FATS... MAGNESIUM REMINDER... ADD-F NON-CORROSIVE - EARLY ORDER OFFER... YOUNGSTOCK... WATCH THOSE DECLARATION TICKETS!... EASTER ORDERS... TOP PRODUCTS FOR MARCH 2008... Are you ready...
APRIL 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: SILAGES & ECOSYL... TAKE CAUTION WITH THIS YEARS SPRING TURNOUT... MAGNESIUM REMINDER... RAW MATERIALS REVIEW... LATEST NEWS RE CORN GLUTEN... KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR BUTTERFAT... LET US QUOTE FOR YOUR SPRING / SUMMER CUSTOM BLEND... IT CAN BE DONE! Congratulations to EW Nixon & Sons, of Upper Farm, Ridgewardine, Market Drayton, for their successes in the NMR herd competitions for SHROPSHIRE run in 2006 (sponsored by Genus), the results of which were announced this March. Ian & David who run the 240 cow pedigree 'Clockhill' herd were awarded in the large herds section 1st place - The Shrewsbury Livestock Auctioneers Perpetual Challenge based on an inspection and financial performance The Genus Champion Herd Perpetual Cup (winner of both the large and small herd competitions) 1st place in the highest yielding individual heifer production section 2nd place in the highest yielding individual cow production section Truly a remarkable achievement, with which GP Feeds are delighted to be closely associated in terms of supplying all the compound and blended feeds, with technical and nutritional work undertaken by Nick Sharp. The herd which is close to 10,000 litres per cow milk sold on twice a day milking, operates a system which is relatively simple, yet highly efficient. Indeed the factor which put Ian & David head and shoulders above other entrants, was their outstanding and quite exceptional financial performance in a difficult climate! So, given first class management, the right technical support, the correct nutritional products and adherence to the advice given it can be done! Can we do this for you? Phone the office to discuss your needs on 01948 661602. TAKE CAUTION WITH THIS YEARS SPRING TURNOUT Everyone is aware of the benefits that good, young, succulent spring grass can bring. The nutrient value during the spring is ideal for all grazing animals and provided care is taken over the possibilities of grass staggers and all the associated problems you should benefit with extra milk or liveweight gain. However, spring grass on a number of farms will not be the same as usual this year because of an unusual winter growth pattern. Due to a wet autumn last year, following drought conditions through the summer, cattle were housed for the winter early, leaving a lot of growth on the pastures. Since then we have had a very mild winter and the grass has not stopped growing being assisted by a lot of wet weather. This winter's grown grass could cause a lot of problems unless precautions are taken. Instead of having young lush succulent grass that promotes high intakes and can support high milk yields etc, some farms will have a more stemmy pasture with lower digestibility and palatability which will not support milk outputs the same. Another problem could also be yeasts and bacteria fermenting in the dead material in the bottom of the sward which would certainly affect yields and any silage cuts taken. As long as you realise that this winters grown grass has possibly not got the feed value as usual you can help the situation. Shortage of sugars and overall palatability will reduce milk yields, and the need for higher levels of supplementation this spring is paramount if yields are to be maintained. When this older type of grass has been grazed off normal spring feeding practices can be followed. Every farm situation will be different but overall caution is needed maybe more this spring than normal. If you need assistance with you on farm feeding this spring, give us a ring at the office on 01948 661602 where we will be only too happy to help. MAGNESIUM REMINDER Are you considering turnout? It is worth reminding you that magnesium will be an important and necessary supplement. Remember dairy cows do not store magnesium, so it is important to start feeding higher levels around 10 days before turnout. This can be done in a variety of ways: Having higher levels incorporated into your compound feed or blend Change to high magnesium mineral Have your custom mineral magnesium level increased Add magnesium chloride to the water system Add Calcined Magnesite to the buffer ration The modern dairy cow will require the equivalent of at least 25 grams of pure magnesium (or 50 grams of Cal Mag). Here at GP Feeds we have already increased the levels of magnesium in our compounds ready for the spring. So, speak to the office or your local agent to determine the best way to meet your cow's needs, we can customise your mineral products to any specific need, and remember that all of the above mentioned options are available through GP Feeds. RAW MATERIALS REVIEW As spring approaches the availability of feed materials for compounding are quickly diminishing and we are entering a potentially volatile technical market for the next six to eight weeks with very frothy prices. Will the froth be blown away? The GM issue has not been resolved regarding US Maize bi products. When the standing committee meet again, even if they accept the B10 gene, there are at least two new varieties being sown this spring that have not been accepted or reviewed. This means that we will likely have the same scenario as last year and the shippers will not ship early and carry material through the winter after the quality problems that arose last winter. This situation will put a greater reliance on Feed Wheat and Rapemeal and other home produced raw materials. The use of Palm Kernal Meal by the power stations has already driven the price up by over £20 per tonne and recent demand from the power stations has taken spot material off the market. We are now firmly entrenched in an energy led commodity market which is totally new to our concepts as feed traders, and the following factors must be considered when looking ahead at your buying. Are power stations likely to buy Wheatfeed to burn, if so at what price? How are the cereal crops growing? Particularly in Europe. Any crop failure or short fall and the Wheat price would rise very quickly. Rapemeal could be quite volatile, if there is good demand for its oil, meal may be plentiful, but should the oil price recede then the meal price will have to increase to bear the cost of seed to crush. There could be Distiller products from our EEC neighbours but these will probably be taken up by blenders and the niche markets for the farm trade. Soya has been the one product which has been, and is, consistently available. Beans are currently plentiful. However, another good crop is needed this season if there is to remain an adequate supply to meet increasing demand, even after taking into account the record forecast for...
APRIL 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: SILAGES & ECOSYL... TAKE CAUTION WITH THIS YEARS SPRING TURNOUT... MAGNESIUM REMINDER... RAW MATERIALS REVIEW... LATEST NEWS RE CORN GLUTEN... KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR BUTTERFAT......
FEBRUARY 08 NEWSLETTER
COMPOUND FEEDS AND BLENDS... CHECK YOUR FORAGE... FEED YOUR ANIMALS RIGHT... ECOSYL... ECOSYLER ULV APPLICATOR HAS A MAKEOVER... WET FEEDS... Market Update Turmoil in the world market! The blue eyed boys in the city should try the agricultural market and find out what the real world is like. Rising feed costs and shortages of just about everything paints a pretty gloomy picture for the short term. Shortages of phosphates has affected fertiliser prices, which has now moved onto the mineral market. For every 1% of phosphorous that you have in your mineral, the price could rise by £10 according to the mineral suppliers and all protected fats are affected by spiralling Palm Oil prices. So, you may think, why are we writing this doom and gloom. Well there is always an upside to GP Feeds. If you want to try us out on our protected fats and minerals please give us a call as we have forward bought well and can offer very competitive prices up to the end of April 2008. We have Sugarbeet below market price - call 01948 661602 to find out more. Sugarbeet may be non existent for the summer, but we have tonnage for February, March & April still available at a price below the current imported market price. All you have to do is ring 01948 661602 to see what we can offer you. We have heard lately of people trying to talk milk prices down! Why? As there is a shortage of milk both locally and worldwide, this seems short sighted at best! As an example: China currently contains 21% of the world's population with 30% of that population considered to be affluent. If every child belonging to this affluent population were provided with a glass of milk then the whole of the world milk production would be consumed on a daily basis! There is therefore, clearly an ongoing and sustainable market for the milk that our dairy farmers produce and we believe that far from the milk price coming down it should rise, as other on farm costs surely will. We want to help as many farmers as we can be in a position where they and their herd can take the maximum benefit from current market forces. Call us on 01948 661602 - it may be the most productive call you make this year! Compound Feeds and Blends Just lately we have had quite a few customers coming to GP Feeds because their previous suppliers had changed their formulations without consent (sometime quite dramatically). The original blend or cake these customers had booked was nothing like the products they had recently received and this was affecting the performance of the cows to a detrimental effect. Are your cows performing as well as they should? Has your ration changed without your knowledge? Remember to keep an eye on your declaration tickets, with the ever changing situation with raw materials - are you getting what you have asked and paid for? Not getting what you asked for - call GP Feeds today to rectify this! We stand by what we preach FIXED FORMULATIONS, NO SUBSTITUTIONS even in these volatile markets. We supply you what was agreed at the start of the winter and only change products when you ask us to. Why not give us a go? What do you have to lose? Give us a call today on 01948 661602 to discuss your requirements and together take your business forward. All we ask is - Do you have a big enough milk tank? Check Your Forage With the ever changing markets it is more important than ever to ensure that your animals are getting everything they require. Below are a few questions for you to consider - if you are experiencing any of these problems please give the office a call as we are confident that with our many years experience in all aspects of cow feeding and nutrition we can work with you to sort out the problem. Are your freshly calved cows peaking to your expectations? Is overall milk production satisfactory? Are your cows losing weight? Are they bulling correctly? Are the P.D. percentages correct? Is milk quality satisfactory? Are your cows eating sufficient silage? Are you experiencing cow health problems such as milk fever? Is the percentage of lame cows too high? Are your dry cows calving down as you would wish? Feed Your Animals Right Before silage stocks get low and your animals lose condition. A few points for you to think about: Have your silage analysed, then you can match compounds / blends to fit your needs. Don't compromise heifer growth rates - make sure you have a ration that maintains & improves condition, not to save forage stocks. Under-conditioned animals perform badly when they join the main herd - get it right from the start and save time and money later on. GP Feeds are here to work with you to achieve better results Dry Cows 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 DRY COW 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. Need advice with any of the above, feel free to ring the office on 01948 661602 Excel Pre-Calver Rolls... Ecosyl Book your Ecosyl requirements before prices are due to increase... Ecosyler ULV Applicator Has a Makeover Yorkshire based forage additive specialist Ecosyl Products has unveiled the new version of its popular Ecosyler ULV silage inoculant applicator ready for the 2008 silage season. A major design modification is the bringing together of the various components onto a predrilled, robust, lightweight, stainless steel frame, resulting in a smart new appearance and making it even easier to fit and maintain. All electrical and plumbing connections are via quick connectors with most of them already in place when the unit is delivered so fitting, either to the railing or to the body of...
FEBRUARY 08 NEWSLETTER
COMPOUND FEEDS AND BLENDS... CHECK YOUR FORAGE... FEED YOUR ANIMALS RIGHT... ECOSYL... ECOSYLER ULV APPLICATOR HAS A MAKEOVER... WET FEEDS... Market Update Turmoil in the world market! The blue eyed...
MARCH 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: ARE YOU SHORT OF FORAGE? WE STILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP SPRING / SUMMER FEEDING Springtime will soon be here again, a time when your natural instinct is to say "bye-bye" to your feed merchant for a few months and produce all your milk from grass. This of course will be fine for a week or two but the repercussions could be catastrophic! With milk prices where they are today, it is even more critical that you produce as much milk as economically possible without putting your cows under needless stress. Feeding silage, as a buffer feed (if you have any left), and perhaps incorporating a blend from GP Feeds will produce better milk quality and better cow health. Spring grass is a wonderful product for producing milk but it is lacking in one aspect, digestible fibre. It is green, full of nutrients and very palatable, but it is also full of water and high protein. The result of all this means it passes through the rumen very rapidly, in fact too quickly for all the nutrients to be absorbed and utilised to the full. Fresh spring grass can only produce 25 litres of milk, at best and the balance of each cows' production will come off her reserves unless you feed for it. As a result, a rapid loss of weight, loss of milk, infertility, poor milk quality and loss of income will occur. Of course you can drastically reduce your feed inputs in Spring, but it must be a planned, sensible operation that will help the cow to produce to her maximum, leading to more profit for you. If you need help planning your Spring / Summer rations we are here to help - call the office on 01948 661602. For those of you finishing a fixed price winter contract, you may find that this years Spring / Summer prices will rise. Remember we offer fixed prices and a fixed formulation of only quality raw materials - no fillers, GUARANTEED. With our new spring and summer compounds now in place we have ideal products to cover all aspects of quality milk production. Blends also available. Ring the office on 01948 661602 for further details. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE - WHAT IS THE ANSWER? The current Raw Material costs for all ingredients in compound feeds and blends for the immediate future look to be a lot firmer than in recent years. Please see table below. Table1: RAW MATERIAL PRICES EX DOCK / STORE / FARM Product Average Summer 2006 (May / Sept) £ Average Summer 2006 (May / Sept) £ + / - £ + / - % Hipro Soya 135 163 +26 +21 Rapemeal 77 99 +22 +28.5 Maize Gluten 78 115 +37 +47.5 Sugarbeet Pellets 105 120 +15 +11.5 Citrus Pellets 79 104 +25 +32 Sunflower Pellets 74 94 +20 +27 Soya Hulls 60 93 +33 +62 Palm Kernal 63 90 +27 +43 Wheatfeed 55 80 +25 +45.5 Maize Distillers 88 110 +22 +25 Wheat 77 95 +18 +23 Biscuitmeal 70 90 +20 +28.5 Average % Increase 33% With forage stocks low on many farms buffer feeding may be out of the question. Which means that milk production will have to rely on grass and parlour cake / blends. Diets will need to be formulated to lessen the impact of spring grass and its ongoing problems such as fertility, scouring, loss of body weight, low butterfats and grass staggers. Healthy cows will benefit from this type of feeding and healthy cows will help to reduce stress levels that are the onset of so many problems. So called 'cheaper' products such as Palm Kernal , Citrus. Sunflower. Wheatfeed and Soya Hulls, which all have a place in a balanced ration, are no longer 'cheap'. Having increased in price more than traditional raw materials, this is due to the demand of them being used as a fuel source to power stations. If you choose to buy blends made up of these cheaper raw materials then your feed bill will undoubtedly be less, but your cost per unit of nutritional value will be a great deal higher. We say again buy "QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION" Price increases in compound feeds and blends can be expected from all manufacturers of between £20 - £30 per tonne from (BUT NOT GP FEEDS!) March onwards, if you haven't already had to endure a price rise from your supplier, dependant on the type of contract (if any) you have had this winter. At GP Feeds we have spent many hours deliberating and formulating with our manufacturer, independent consultants and our own expertise, to launch a range of competitively priced spring and summer products to fulfil all the needs of the modern milking cow as well as intensively fed beef and lambs. To maintain our high standard and create a fixed formulation has been challenging with the constraints of the raw material situation today. We feel we have achieved this with our new range to give you the best value in the area along with the best service and technical input. Why not give us a ring to discuss our thoughts of why we have put these new innovations together and perhaps we may well be able to help with your own individual on farm situation. We at GP Feeds have bought very well for the winter and this coming summer, for which our customers can verify with no sharp increases at all this winter unlike most of our competitors. To take advantage of our competitively price new summer range you need to speak to the office on 01948 661602 or your local agent, we have limited tonnages available on our new range so booking early is advisable. Whether it be a compound or a blend we will have a product that will fit your feeding regime if not we will make you one! A cautionary note "Yes we harp on about fixed formulations", with the raw material market as it is, you will see your declaration ticket changing this season - but not with GP Feeds. So without you knowing your diet will change, which is of no nutritional benefit to you or your cows - "you have been warned!" Our new exciting spring and summer range whether compound or a blend will be a guaranteed fixed formulation, we look forward to talking to you. SHORT OF MAIZE SILAGE? One of our customers (and we guess many are in the same boat) is about to run out of maize silage. The cows are milking extremely well, and we do not want to lose any continuity of the diet. So we have introduced Supergrains and more Supagold Biscuitmeal to replace the maize and the chart...
MARCH 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: ARE YOU SHORT OF FORAGE? WE STILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP SPRING / SUMMER FEEDING Springtime will soon be here again, a time...
DECEMBER 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: YOUNGSTOCK... MEGALAC - SPECIAL OFFER... CHRISTMAS ORDERS... ECOSYL FOR YOUR GRASS SILAGE - DID YOU KNOW? You can buy 5 different types of Ecosyl for your grass Ecosyl 66 liquid - A 66 tonne treatment bottle to apply at 1.5 litres/tonne silage. Ecosyl 66 dry - In a 25 Kg bag for powder applicators, 66 tonnes/ bag. Ecosyl ULV (Ultra Low Volume) - To apply at 20 mls/tonne 'A fill lasts all day'. Ecosyl Double Action liquid (acid & innoculant) - to reduce heating & waste in drier grass silages. Ecosyl Double Action dry (acid & innoculant) - to treat the drier silages with a powder applicator. All are available through us on early order terms - Order now for delivery April/May2008. All 5 types are guaranteed to apply at least 1 Million bacteria per gramme of forage If you are using low volume application check out Ecosyl ULV, it has been the only product available for low volume work at 1 million bacteria per gram the competitors claim only 10% of this number. Before you buy any low volume applicator you have to see the Ecosyler, it is blockage free & versatile. You may be buying product applying 100,000 bacteria per gramme at a Million bacteria pergramme price Did you know Ecosyl was created in Cheshire? The bacteria used in Ecosyl is MTD1, isolated originally at the local ICI 'Dairy House Farm'. This bit of Cheshire is now used to make silage in over 20 countries. Ecosyl is one of very few silage products manufactured in the UK. Lets support our local strain from a British company. 15 totally independent, published dairy trials show an average gain of 1.2 Litres of milk /cow/day as a result of treating forage with MTD1. 9 fattening trials show 9% increase in daily carcass gain. This is a product we sell for Solid Performance not Possible Insurance. There is probably more published proof for Ecosyl than all the others put together. If you are planning to spend on a silage product spend on the tried and tested one. Ecosyl Products have won the 2007 Queens Award for Enterprise in support of Dairy Farmers globally. ECOSYL - EARLY ORDER CAMPAIGN... What more can we say, but 'How much do you need for April delivery 2008?' Call the office on 01948 661602 to place your order. 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 be an asset to your business...ensure that all aspects of growth patterns throughout the various stages of their young lives will be taken care of. YOUNGSTOCK - DO'S AND DON'TS... MEGALAC - SPECIAL OFFER Megalac special - pre-increase priced product left for December delivery only. Megalac prices along with most other fats are continuing to rise. Here at GP Feeds we still have some tonnage available at pre-increase pricing. Call the office to book your requirements before we run out of this advantageous price. Call Gareth on 01948 661602 today to place you order. CHRISTMAS ORDERS If you haven't placed your Christmas and New Year orders yet - don't delay phone the office today on 01948 661602 to get them booked in. Please be aware there will be: Limited deliveries on: Monday 24th December (Christmas Eve) Thursday 27th December Friday 28th December Saturday 29th December Monday 31st December No deliveries on: Sunday 23rd December Tuesday 25th December Wednesday 26th December Sunday 30th December Tuesday 1st January 2008 Normal deliveries will resume on Wednesday 2nd January 2008. THANK YOU We take this opportunity of thanking every one of you who has supported us with your trade over the past years. Without your support we would not be the force we are in the area. We wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
DECEMBER 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: YOUNGSTOCK... MEGALAC - SPECIAL OFFER... CHRISTMAS ORDERS... ECOSYL FOR YOUR GRASS SILAGE - DID YOU KNOW? You can buy 5 different types of Ecosyl for your...
FEBRUARY 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: ARE YOU SHORT OF FORAGE? WE STILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP MYCOTOXIN RISK ASSESMENT... MYCOSORB... SEL-PLEX IS BACK... LET US QUOTE FOR YOUR 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 DRY COWS 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 DRY COW 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. Need advice with any 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. ARE YOU SHORT OF FORAGE? WE STILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP RAW MATERIAL MARKET REVIEW Soya Meal has drifted back £6 or £7 off its high of two weeks ago. This is due to the excellent progress of the Soya crop in South America where harvest will commence in about six weeks time. Should the weather continue to benefit the crop there is no doubt a new record number of tonnes of Soya and Maize will be on the market. This will not necessarily lead to much cheaper prices as many other factors are about to influence prices and trigger fund buying which could move the market higher very quickly. Such as: If the USA plant more than 8 million acres of corn at the expense of Soyabeans If the USA has poor planting conditions or growing conditions for their Soya and Maize crop. If anything happens to push up the crude oil prices currently $20 off its high (if the USA's plan with its extra 20,000 soldiers does not succeed - who besides Bush thinks it will! What turmoil will be left behind if and when they pull out!) What ever happens we need big crops to satisfy demand with the vast expansion of ethanol plants coming into production throughout the world the need for energy is competing with the food market and prices could be very volatile indeed. So we have a complex situation where Soya Bean prices need to encourage the farmer to plant the crops to produce enough for the market. Once we have the crop is it to be used for energy or feed and if oil prices stay around $50 per barrel will the meal price have to increase to offset the price of oil? Rapemeal prices have firmed the past two weeks due to the large European Rapeseed crushers slowing down their crush due to massive stock of Rape Oil. Rape Oil commands over a £40 per tonne premium over Soya Oil (one reason for the premium is it needs less refining for bio diesel). But if crude oil prices continue to fall, bio diesel will not be as an attractive a proposition as when crude oil prices hit $75 a barrel. Maize Products from the USA are still restricted due to a zero tolerance of B10 throughout Europe. There has been a couple of shipments of gluten, which the shippers have been able to bring in to the UK but the premium for such goods is quite hefty and it begs the question what raw materials will be economical to ship to the UK. In the weeks up to turnout time for cattle there could be some very technical markets. Currently due to lack of demand many products in surplus are trading at between £5 and £20 below replacement, this is only short term, the day of reckoning beckons. Don't be short of product! 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!! FEBRUARY'S TOP 6 RECOMMENDATIONS: SUPREME HDF 18 NUTS Our best selling winter cake. Excellent source of proteins and energies from different types of quality raw materials. Competitively priced for today's market. MYCOSORB Cows not performing as well as they should? It could be Mycotoxins (remember they are invisible to the naked eye). Minimum order size 250kg. EXCEL DRY COW MINERALS / BUCKETS Contains all the essential ingredients the dry cow needs. Buckets available in 20kg & 100kg 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. GPF HEIFER NUTS An economically priced ration, formulated from only quality raw materials. Fixed prices are available through to April 2007. GPF 16 NUTS Economical 16% ration suitable for all types of stock. Made from only quality raw materials. 5t bulk £120/tonne - price fixed through to April 2007
FEBRUARY 07 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: ARE YOU SHORT OF FORAGE? WE STILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO HELP MYCOTOXIN RISK ASSESMENT... MYCOSORB... SEL-PLEX IS BACK... LET US QUOTE FOR YOUR...