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DRY COW MANAGEMENT
The importance of the dry cow period with regards to nutrition is vital. We feel that there are a lot of so called 'dry cow rations' on the market that do not give the animal what it needs in terms of good nutrition and the adequate vitamin and mineral levels. This is what we at GP FEEDS LTD put into our PRE CALVER ROLLS if feeding 2½ kgs per day: VITAMIN A IU/DAY 100,000 VITAMIN D IU/DAY 30,000 VITAMIN E IU/DAY 1,000 SELENIUM MG/DAY 4.00 PROTECTED COPPER YES PROTECTED ZINC YES YEAST YES PRAIRIE MEAL as bypass protein YES CHECK YOUR DECLARATION TICKET ON THE PRODUCT THAT YOU BUY, WE ARE ALMOST CERTAIN THAT IT WON'T CONTAIN THE ABOVE AND MOST PRODUCTS ARE RETAILING AT £230.00 / T OR MORE. Our EXCEL PRE-CALVER ROLLS provide adequate vitamins and minerals for today's cows. They contain a range of protein sources to meet DUP and amino acid requirements. Help to reduce metabolic problems at calving. Stimulates dry matter intakes and milk production post calving. Easy and economical to feed to all dry groups without the need for a mixer wagon. Recommended feed rate of 2.5kg per day for three weeks before calving across a range of forage types. Reduced levels of sodium and potassium to help reduce udder oedema Contains high levels of starch to condition the rumen and stimulate reproductive activity. Please telephone GP Feeds today on 01948 661602 for further details because you dairy herd needs your vote to win the election for first class health.
DRY COW MANAGEMENT
The importance of the dry cow period with regards to nutrition is vital. We feel that there are a lot of so called 'dry cow rations' on the market that...
What is a Fat?
Compare ours to one of the popular fats on the market today. See the difference and save £'s with ours. GOLDSTAR COMPARISON "POPULAR FAT PRILL" GOLDSTAR TOTAL FAT CONTENT 99% Minimum 99% Minimum ENERGY 34 MJ / Kg 39 MJ / Kg C16 PALMATIC ACID 85% Minimum 98% Minimum C18 STEARIC ACID 2% Minimum 2% Minimum FEED USAGE AFTER CALVING Up to 500 grams / cow / day 1 - 4 Weeks 300 - 400grams / cow / day 5 - 16 Weeks 400 - 500grams / cow / day COST £15.30 per Mega joule of energy £6.18 per 1% C16 £13.71 per Mega joule of energy £5.46 per 1% C16 TO COMPARE WITH GOLDSTAR, THIS "POPULAR FAT PRILL" WOULD HAVE TO SELL BELOW £460 / TONNE (CURRENTLY £520) * FOR AN ADDITIONAL COST OF ½P / COW / DAY YOU GET AN EXTRA 13% OF ENERGY AND C16 PALMATIC ACID WITH GOLDSTAR *
What is a Fat?
Compare ours to one of the popular fats on the market today. See the difference and save £'s with ours. GOLDSTAR COMPARISON "POPULAR FAT PRILL" GOLDSTAR TOTAL FAT CONTENT 99%...
JULY 05 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CS PLUS... The importance of Sugarbeet in summer diets... LUNCHTIME COURSES Keep your eye out for information about our courses that willbe run by our nutritionist in an area near you. The first course will be held on the2nd of AugustIn Bangor on Dee The course subject will be: REDUCING LAMENESS, MASTITIS AND INFERTILITY.THE ROLE OF DRY COW MANAGEMENT Should you wish to attend,Please give Sarah a call on : 01948 661602 GRASS SHORTAGE Grass growth has been significantly affected by the hap-hazard weather recently. Maize silage or Wholecrop will replace reduced grazing and it will help overcome low fibre levels and low butterfats. As the season progresses, the quality of grass declines both in energy and protein. Therefore increasing the protein levels slightly will offset any shortfalls. If there is a dietary shortage of effective rumen degradable protein, the rumen does not work properly, milk yield is depressed and blood and milk urea levels are low. If your milk test results show levels of milk urea above 0.035 they are too high and below 0.020 they are becoming too low, between these two figures you should be all right. Please ring the office or discuss with your agent if you think you should go to an 18% protein cake / blend. WINTER CONTRACTS We are currently busy putting contracts into place for the coming winter. We believe that raw materials will continue rising and commodities like Soya, Rape, Maize Gluten, Biscuitmeal need to be contracted now, either as individual products or as part of a blend. The majority of our blends are based on individual customers needs, with our coarse blends being formulated after discussion with the farmer and / or his consultant and then contracted for the winter, on a FIXED FORMULA basis. Please ring us if you are interested in prices for next winter we strongly recommend that this market needs to be looked at very soon. YOUNGSTOCK The foundation of any successful dairy herd is only as good as its youngstock. Within approximately two years of birth, your new calf will be producing a calf of her own. To maintain strong and healthy growth and for this heifer calf to reach correct bulling weights at the correct age, she needs to be grown quickly and fed properly. Good forage and good compounds or blends are paramount in this feeding programme if target weights are to be achieved. GP Feeds recognise that youngstock feeds are a very important part of dairy farming practice. Our quality controls, high standards and fixed formulations are the same as for all our other manufactured products. The company we use to manufacture the products to our specification, originated as calf rearers, so they do know the importance of high quality products. Our full range of youngstock feeds is shown on our 'Calf, Beef & Sheep' page along with feeding instructions. All are available in bulk, ½ tonne tote bags, 1 tonne tote bags or 25kg bags. For individual customers we can also make an individual youngstock blend. All blends can be mineralised and molassed if required and you can choose bulk blown or tipped. Ring for a quote. We are confident that our feeds are the best! FAT PRODUCTS Beware of cheap imitations. There are now numerous products on the market all claiming extra benefit with their use. Remember the old saying 'you don't get owt for nowt'. We recommend MEGALAC, DYNALAC, ENERGISER RP10, BERGAFAT F.100 and our own CS PLUS. For quotations and the full information on the above products please ring the office or your agent and we can hopefully help you through the minefield! MINERALS Various minerals are required for growth, bone formation, reproduction and many other body functions. Those that are required in fairly large amounts include sodium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and potassium. Those that are required in very small yet crucial amounts include iodine, copper, zinc, sulphur and selenium. Mineral content is affected by the type and quality of the feedstuff. Adding supplementary minerals to the ration is usually required to ensure that the proper amounts of these elements are available to the animal. The type of supplementary mineral mix required is determined by the feeds in the ration and the animals requirements. Deficiency symptoms can be poor growth, poor conception rates, brittle bones, muscle tremors, lameness and general poor condition, which will mean added cost (to you the farmer). On most of the farms that we visit, the minerals being supplied by other suppliers, are just NOT delivering the amount of mineral that the modern dairy cow requires. We have products that address this situation and it is important that you also talk to us about dry cow minerals. The dry period is the most crucial time for ensuring that the cow and unborn calf have the daily required intake of vitamins and minerals. This will affect the subsequent lactation and will determine whether the cow experiences feet problems in the weeks following calving.
JULY 05 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CS PLUS... The importance of Sugarbeet in summer diets... LUNCHTIME COURSES Keep your eye out for information about our courses that willbe run by our nutritionist...
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUGARBEET IN SUMMER DIETS
When one of your dairy cows is feeling unwell, some of the best feeds for tempting the appetite are hay and sugar beet. Sugar beet is also an excellent feed for a lactating dairy cow, to sustain her full of health and vigour. This is not an advert for 'the company' supplying the product, but an old fashioned reminder that sugar beet should be as much a part of the 21st century dairy cow's diet as it was when 'dad was a lad'. So, tell us, why is it missing from so many compound diets or is relegated to the bottom of the descending list of ingredients of your declaration ticket? Go on have a look and if it is not there, ring GP Feeds and we will discuss with you why it is so relevant for your dairy herd's daily diet. It is a quality product that should not only be at the top of the purchase requirement but also fixed in the formulation for the nutrition of your dairy herd. At this time of the year, can you imagine feeding grass without the compliment of sugar beet? It must almost be like having your strawberries without cream. The sugars in the feed are a wonderful compliment to those of grass. The health benefits are immense because the high levels of digestible fibre helps to promote stable rumen conditions. Did you know that nearly 90% of the fibre is digestible, this simply means more feed value to the cow and less muck deposited as a waste product. It does encourage the intake of less palatable feeds and it can improve milk quality. The quality of the protein in sugar beet is simply the best for your dairy cow. Much of it is rumen bypass protein and again compliments grass, which spreads the load of total protein supplied. Thus, encouraging lower milk ureas which in turn has a beneficial effect upon dairy herd fertility. Sugar beet, as our forefathers knew so well, is a must in any sensible dairy diet and that is why it figures highly in GP Feeds dairy diets and is an important part of our fixed formulation strategy. Let us provide your dairy herd with the opportunity to raise your performance to a new and enhanced level. With the added benefits of sugar beet in the diet, you will not be disappointed. Reference / Further Reading Molassed Sugar Beet Pulp...
THE IMPORTANCE OF SUGARBEET IN SUMMER DIETS
When one of your dairy cows is feeling unwell, some of the best feeds for tempting the appetite are hay and sugar beet. Sugar beet is also an excellent feed...
CALF REARING AND ITS LINK TO DRY COW MANAGEMENT
Colostrum management tips Colostrum of the right quality and quantity, given to the calf at the right time, is the cornerstone of success for any calf rearing enterprise. It supplies both essential nutrients and antibodies. A newly born calf has no protective antibodies to resist disease challenges and these can only be absorbed via colostrums. Poor health, low growth rates and high mortality are most often seen in calves that have received inadequate colostrum. The quality of the colostrum will also be dependant on how healthy the mother is, therefore it is so important to make sure that the cow has been fed correctly and looked after property during her dry period. Feed calves with quality colostrum Colostrum quality varies widely from cow to cow. Colostrum from cows in second or later lactations usually contains more antibodies to help protect against disease. These animals have been exposed to a wider range of pathogens and will therefore transfer a wider range of antibodies into their colostrums.Wherever possible, colostrums from mature cows should be stored and fed to calves born to heifers. When considering the use of a commercial substitute, ensure that the product has been independently tested and is proven to be successful. Quantity As a rule of thumb, a calf receiving at least 3 litres of good quality colostrum in the first 6 hours of life will have received sufficient antibodies. Remember, a calf requires approximately 20 minutes of continuous sucking to consume 3 litres of milk from the cow. At birth, the calf's gut is 'open' which means that it can absorb the large antibody molecules. Over the first 24 hours it closes to these molecules and absorption stops. Ideally therefore the first colostrum should be given to the calf within an hour of being born. Feeding colostrum for the first three days of life has been shown to encourage rapid gut development and lay a solid foundation for fast healthy growth. Colostrum can be stored in a refrigerator for up to a week before the antibody concentration starts to fall and it may be stored, frozen, for up to 1 year without serious loss of antibody.
CALF REARING AND ITS LINK TO DRY COW MANAGEMENT
Colostrum management tips Colostrum of the right quality and quantity, given to the calf at the right time, is the cornerstone of success for any calf rearing enterprise. It supplies...
JUNE 05 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CS PLUS... AMINO PRO-TEK... CALF REARING AND ITS LINK TO DRY COW MANAGEMENT... SOMATIC CELL COUNTS... WHY IS MILK SO IMPORTANT?... The least said about last month's weather, in general, the better. Heavy rain early in the month delayed the sowing of maize seed and also affected grass growth. Many dairy herds had to be brought indoors again because of ground conditions and therefore subsequent milk yields were affected. Let's hope that everyone managed to cope and that all crops affected are now either safely in the silage pits or in the ground. As we have said before what happens at this time of the year will affect next winters yield, quality and production in terms of milk, beef and lamb. VALUE FOR MONEY At a time when a lot of cows are dry or drying off, 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. Below are an example of some minerals and vitamins supplied by typical dry cow rolls on the market. We have compared these to our EXCEL DRY COW ROLLS STANDARD DRY COW ROLLS GP FEEDSEXCEL DRY COW ROLLS PRICE / TONNE £230.00 £230.00 VITAMIN A iu/day 50,000 100,000 VITAMIN D iu/day 20,000 30,000 VITAMIN E iu/day 320 1000 SELENIUM mg/day 2.0 4.0 PROTECTED COPPER NO YES PROTECTED ZINC NO YES YEAST NO YES PRAIRIE MEAL as bypass protein NO YES How do the products that you are buying compare? The same story applies to dry cow minerals, milking cow minerals and dry cow tubs. Check out your products against GP Feeds products. Give the office or Agents a call to check that your minerals are as good as they should be. CS Plus This is our new product, which we are very happy to launch. We have named it CS Plus because part of the job that it does: improve the cows 'condition score'...more>> AMINO PRO-TEK It has come to our notice that a National Feed Compounder has recently announced their new range of spring and summer rations. Amongst them is a product that contains the product AMINO PRO-TEK. We are pleased that they have taken notice of this product. We have been selling this product for 5 years now and are keen to inform you of the benefits that this product can offer you... more>> OUR SPRING / SUMMER RANGE As one of our customers told us recently "you're not the cheapest in the market but I always know the product will be the same excellent quality ALL of the time." Yet again proof that quality will always be best. A lot of our new business comes as a recommendation from a farmer friend, which we believe, is always the best recommendation. We know we are always 'going on' about FIXED FORMUALTION and FIXED PRICES but we firmly believe it is the only way to go if you want healthy and productive stock. Given the way the weather has behaved of late, energy for cows has been very critical and we are confident that the energy levels in all our spring and summer rations will meet the deficiencies this may cause. From a range of protein levels and a range of different types of energy sources we have a ration to suit every need. Dependant on the time of year and the quality of forage on offer all our rations are formulated to fit into the nutritional package needed to sustain quality milk production throughout the season. Please ring the office or your agent for a competitive quote on quality rations. BULK BIN DEAL A bulk bin can be purchased through us, credit free, over a two year loan. We can also consider farmers who may have such a deal at present but wish to buy their feed from us and in this case we would take on the loan agreement. For further details about the scheme ring the office on 01948 661602.
JUNE 05 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: CS PLUS... AMINO PRO-TEK... CALF REARING AND ITS LINK TO DRY COW MANAGEMENT... SOMATIC CELL COUNTS... WHY IS MILK SO IMPORTANT?... The least said about last...