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FARMERS TESTIMONIAL - Barton Farm, Malpas
It never ceases to amaze us as to how quickly time passes by and perhaps none more so than the last twenty years since the introduction of milk quotas, however in this particular passage we wish to reflect and share with you the story of the successful partnership we have developed over the last fourteen months with our customer David Humphreys of Barton Farm, Malpas. It seems like it was yesterday when we made contact with David in September 2002 with a telephone call. It was an interesting conversation as David was full of praise for our monthly newsletter, he enjoyed the simple format and found it informative and of benefit to his business. The next move was to go and see David and his dairy herd, to not only have an exchange of shared comment with regard to his business aspiration, but also have a look at the dairy environment and the cows. This organisation is that of a one man band managing 100 cows and followers with some managed relief milking coming to help in the operation. The whole system and success of this business has to revolve around simplicity, the herd calves down in a busy Autumn when grass is a lesser priority and the concentration is that of feeding the cows correctly in order to peak them well, post calving, maintain body condition and return them back into calf. Grass is important to this operation and full advantage is taken during the spring when an early turnout on good land enables a further flush of milk to deliver a full performance value. To manage this operation well demands a simple daily routine and so the winter programme is to supply grass silage to the cows through a combination of self fed and trough passage, dairy nuts are then fed according to yield in the parlour. Prior to GP Feeds arriving upon the scene, David’s concern was that the milk had dropped considerably and the milk protein percentage was also falling away, this was less than pleasing as the milk was going to a cheese manufacturer. Advice had been sought and David’s usual feed supplier thought that he should feed more compound. We thought differently and suggested that the feed rate was high enough but the raw material make up of his existing diet was not delivering sufficient fermentable energy to the cows. We analysed David’s grass silage and convinced him that our dairy ration HE Supreme 22 would deliver an improvement in milk yield and quality as well as an economic benefit to his business. We soon achieved a response in milk yield that was to present a 20% increase in daily production and a modest increase in milk protein. An average increase of 5 litres per cow was achieved within a week of going onto our feed. Our Supreme range of dairy feeds coupled with some sound advice has continued to deliver a significant improvement in the performance of David’s dairy herd whereby the increase in the dairy cow yield is in line with the genetic potential of the cows and has lifted the turnover value of his business to new height. We are now planning the next move forward with some additional changes to the style of feeding the cows but maintaining the theme of simplified management to make the best use of the time available to be in control of the overall operation. David Humphreys is pleased with the partnership with GP Feeds and the people representing the company. The feeds are of good physical quality and palatable, this together with the fixed formulations of the ration deliver the performance to his herd that surpasses all that has been achieved in the past. This is another success story that we are please to share with you via our newsletter. Could your business be the next one that GP Feeds shares in the success and delivers the necessary performance value that makes good news worth reporting. We are only a telephone call away.
FARMERS TESTIMONIAL - Barton Farm, Malpas
It never ceases to amaze us as to how quickly time passes by and perhaps none more so than the last twenty years since the introduction of milk quotas, however...
Mop up Protein at Turnout
REPRODUCED BY KIND PERMISSION OF DAIRY FARMER Many producers are failing to make the most of protein. Generally, only a third is used for milk production in the diet, the rest leaves the cow as waste. The situation gets worse at turnout, as Dr Simon Richards from Provimi's NuTec division explains. Recent drops in milk price have made us all focus even more on maximising milk from home grown forage. The success of this will depend on turning as much dietary protein as possible into milk and protein yield. Unfortunately, cows are not very efficient users of protein. Only 33% of the protein fed ends up in the milk. Of the remainder, only 10% is used for body maintenance whereas around 90% is wasted. The situation at turnout is even worse. We might be looking at a lovely sward of lush, green grass and have worked out a good grazing system, but its efficiency in producing milk and milk protein can be very poor. Conversion of dietary protein to milk production drops to less than 30%, with more waste protein in the system. This waste protein is converted to ammonia nitrogen and secreted as urea in the blood in order to detoxify the system. The result is high blood and milk urea concentrations. This not only wastes the protein from grass, but wastes energy as well, leaving less available for milk production. High levels of blood and milk urea have detrimental effects on fertility, with lower fertility rates and they also contribute to feet problems. Another consideration (now very topical) is pollution control and a drive to be more environmentally friendly. Cattle have been identified as large contributors to ammonia pollution: 80% of total nitrogen pollution in the UK comes from agriculture, with 53% of this from cattle. Waste protein in the dairy cow diets add to this. Turning dietary protein into milk relies on the work of the rumen bugs. Their job is to capture the protein and take it into the small intestine as microbial protein. From here it is digested and turned into milk. If there are too few rumen bugs or they are lacking in energy, they will not make full use of the protein. Likewise, if there is a sudden influx of protein, the system is overloaded and cannot cope so more protein escapes. To work best, the process relies on a steady release of protein and energy. Grazed grass has higher crude protein contents than other forage and compound feeds - normally between 22% and 30% - compared with grass silage at around 13%. This makes it a valuable source of cheap protein. However, this crude protein is very soluble in the rumen and the downturn in the efficiency of protein use in grazed grass occurs because there is too much protein for the bugs to cope with. Much of it 'escapes' before the microbial bugs attach. Blood and milk urea’s increase and more waste leaves the cow. Through our global research, work on improving rumen efficiency and boosting protein use has been going on for the past 10 years, and with success. It is possible to include products in the diet that will give a more gradual release of protein in the rumen, allowing more to be used for milk production. For instance, we have developed a product, Amino ProTek, which is a sugar mineral complex and works by specifically binding to the protein and also boosts the energy supply to rumen bugs. The result is that more protein is 'caught' and made available for milk production. Just as important, is the fact that waste protein is reduced so blood and milk urea’s are lowered. Reducing blood urea has been shown to have a positive effect on fertility and improving the well-being of the cow. From our trial work, we have seen an increase in protein used for milk production by over 10% when Amino ProTek is included. So if 3kg of protein is eaten per day (as in a typical winter diet), the milk protein yield will be 1.1kg rather than 1.0kg. At grass, with the grazing ration being less efficient, a cow will eat 4.5kg to 5.0kg of protein to yield 1.0kg milk protein, and the benefit of including the additive is even greater because it stops more dietary protein from being wasted. In trials, the product has been shown to increase milk yields by 2.0kg a day and milk protein by 11 7gl'day. Based on current milk prices, this is a 3:1 return on investment. As spring approaches, it is worth considering products that can boost protein use from grazed grass. It is important that these products have a proven track record in the UK and they must be cost-effective. The yield response to feeding Amino ProTek was clearly demonstrated by Keith Chesters, farms manager for dairy farmer and farmhouse cheesemaker Joseph Heler and Son in Cheshire. He used it in the butter feed diets throughout the grazing season. “It added in excess of two litres of milk per cow per day,” says Keith. “It was a very cost-effective diet for us.” The 320-cow herd averages 10,000 litres on twice a day milking. All the milk is used for cheese production, so an extra two litres/day of milk made a significant difference.
Mop up Protein at Turnout
REPRODUCED BY KIND PERMISSION OF DAIRY FARMER Many producers are failing to make the most of protein. Generally, only a third is used for milk production in the diet, the...
Preventing Magnesium imbalance
Preventing magnesium imbalance through supplementation is relatively simple and highly cost effective. However it must be planned and carried out with care and an understanding of the many factors involved in magnesium intake, availability and absorption as well, if clinical losses are to be avoided. Acute hypomagnesaemia, chronic hypomagnesaemia and milk fever are all classic systems of low blood magnesium levels brought on by sudden nutritional deficiency of the mineral. The cheapest and simplest way of being sure your stock obtains the magnesium it requires is by feeding it within a compound feed. High magnesium minerals, based on calcined magnesite, require spicing to ensure palatability and because intakes are likely to vary widely between individual animals free access provision is not recommended. Instead mineral mixes should be incorporated into home mixes or mixed in amongst palatable TMR diets as a buffer feed. Magnesium fortified feed blocks or liquids similarly suffer from the unpredictable and highly variable individual intakes. Cold wet weather and insufficient feed points will further add to intake difficulties. Medicated water supply is another option but remember “staggers” is of main risk in cold, wet weather when water intakes are at their lowest. Whichever method you choose to use start the treatment at least two weeks prior to turnout to get the stock used to the taste. Magnesium is a highly unpalatable mineral and stock will notice the different taste and we all know how fickle appetites can be in the spring. All of our dairy compounds will have higher levels of magnesium built into them well before turnout. Remember that a lot of magnesium can be bought for the cost of a dead animal. Please ring the office or your agent for prices and full details of all minerals and other magnesium supplements available.
Preventing Magnesium imbalance
Preventing magnesium imbalance through supplementation is relatively simple and highly cost effective. However it must be planned and carried out with care and an understanding of the many factors involved...
EXCEL range of dairy feed
As regular readers know already GP Feeds only deal in quality compounds and blends. This was enhanced in the spring of 2003 when we launched a top of the range spring version of our highly acclaimed EXCEL range of dairy feed. This diet took up 80% of our spring and summer sales and was so successful it forms the flagship of our spring and summer range for this year. Within the range will be a product to suit every need from low protein, high energy diets to top class highly digestible diets containing only the best ingredients. We continue our policy of using no fillers or strange products within our rations and we again give our GUARANTEE OF FIXED PRICES AND FIXED FORMULATIONS until September 2004. All our compounds have been carefully formulated with only top quality energy and protein sources being included so giving you very high energy products that only need to be fed in minimal amounts to balance your forage. Top quality and up to date nutrition has been used to produce what we feel is the highest quality range available giving the best value for money. Prices and contracts are now available please ring the office or your agent for details. It has long been established that highly digestible products such as Sugarbeet, Citrus and Soya Hulls are advantageous to stock during the spring by slowing down the rate of progress of forage through the rumen. This results in the best use of that forage and the best economic return. Another product over the past four years has also proved itself as an aid to higher milk production. This product, called AMINO PRO-TEK, is used to utilise all the excess protein in the cows rumen and converts it to extra yield and milk protein. A self explanatory sheet is attached for your attention but if you would like further details on how to get the best out of your cows intakes please ring the office.
EXCEL range of dairy feed
As regular readers know already GP Feeds only deal in quality compounds and blends. This was enhanced in the spring of 2003 when we launched a top of the range...
Fertility and conception rates
There has been many reports of the decline in fertility and conception rates of less that 50% are commonplace. The finger of blame is often pointed at the Holstein breed, high milk yields and many other factors. There are plenty of Holstein herds achieving high yields who still have good fertility as can be seen by Leighton Farm's figures. As stated many farmers know the current conception rate but how many know the submission rate? (The percentage of cows served in a 3 week period who are eligible for service). Improving conception rate is important but it is difficult and has less effect on cows pregnant than improving submission rate via heat detection. Average fertility 50% Conception Rate.50% Heat Detection. Improved Conception Rate To 60%. Heat Detection 50%Improved Conception Rate To 60%. Conception Rate 50%. Heat Detection Improvement To 75%. Days to 1st service 100 100 79 % Cows pregnant at 100 days 50 60 (2 cycles)74 % Cows pregnant at 121 days 63 72 83 % Cows pregnant at 100 days 71 80 94 How do you improve heat detection? The cow must be cycling to observe heat and there are many factors, which affect this. But a lot of heats are not seen. How many cows presented to the vet as "not seen bulling" are cycling normally? Watching for heats is boring and not sexy for the watcher but it is the best way to improve heat detection. Three times a day for 20 minutes a time done by someone who knows the signs of heat and has records available. Don't assume all staff know the signs of heat. Records of heat and conception rates are vital if fertility performance is to be improved. Shown overleaf is a decision making chart on fertility showing some of the problem areas, which can highlight where improvements can be made. For example Body Condition Score. If cows Body condition is poor then score is 1. If it is average then score 5 and score 9 if cows are in good body condition. Join up all the dots and you will be able to identify weaknesses (low scores). The next stage is to produce an action plan to improve this, GP Feeds can help work with you and your vet to improve fertility performance.
Fertility and conception rates
There has been many reports of the decline in fertility and conception rates of less that 50% are commonplace. The finger of blame is often pointed at the Holstein breed,...
CASE STUDY / TESTIMONIAL - Goodwin family
The Goodwin family entrusted GP Feeds with the dairy cow nutrition and what a turn around we have seen. We took the herd off the Atkins diet, which was to feed large amounts of high protein cake at each milking. Our recommendation was to use a high energy custom made TMR blend which was formulated to complement and balance home grown forages. The blend is made up from Sugarbeet, Brazilian Soya, Rapemeal, Wheat, Processed B Maize, Supagold Biscuitmeal, Palm Kernel, Barley, Sopralin, Megalac and Molasses which gave us a total energy of 13.7 ME/KG DM. This blend is made available to the cows 24 hours a day, and at milking times a small amount of HE Supreme 20 Nuts, containing Wheat, Brazilian Soya, Scottish Wheat Distillers, Rapemeal, Maize Gluten, Sugarbeet, Supagold Biscuitmeal, Processed B Maize, Molasses, Hi Spec Dairy Mineral, Megalac and Fat Blend is fed to the cows on a step system.On average an extra £25,000 A YEAR has been made for the past 3 years (Milk Minder figures). Milk output has improved from 7,217 litres per cow to 9,130 litres per cow. Butterfat and milk protein has been maintained whilst the conception rate has increased at 1st serving from 55% to 69%. This improvement in conception rates has been particularly noticeable since moving into the new shed 3 months ago. The results shown are a direct result of our company policy of a FIXED FORMULATION diet NO SUBSTITUTIONS and practical nutritional advice.Consistency is the key says Andrew "Each load whether it be blend or compound is exactly the same as the last. We used to have cases of dietary upset from other companies using least cost formulation programming. I can honestly say that this hasn't happened with GP Feeds. It is amazing to think that these are the same cows as 3 years ago. I didn't realise the potential in them, just by changing my feeding system and now feeding them properly with the right raw materials, the figures speak for themselves! I am pleased to be working alongside GP Feeds, we are moving onwards and upwards now." Future targets are: 10,000 litre average per cow Increase butterfat Reduce the days to first serving, by improved detection thus lowering the calving index. Expand the herd up to 400 cows in the next few years. If you would like to know more about how we can enhance your business please don't be shy, give us a ring on 01948 661602 or e-mail us on admin@gpfeeds.co.uk. We can put together a feed plan for your farm that will give you the performance the Goodwin family would be proud of.
CASE STUDY / TESTIMONIAL - Goodwin family
The Goodwin family entrusted GP Feeds with the dairy cow nutrition and what a turn around we have seen. We took the herd off the Atkins diet, which was to...