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JANUARY 09 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: MYCOTOXINS... FATS... CS PLUS... DAIRYMASTER 18 NUTS... CUSTOM BLENDS - ONE OF OUR SPECIALITIES... COARSE CALF 16 MIXTURE... WE CAN ALSO SUPPLY... STOCKFEEDS We still have the following products available. Prices for all these products are subject to delivery areas, so please call the office on 01948 661602 for up to date prices. Available in 20t and 29t loads tipped. Stockfeed Potatoes (Stone free & clean) Grown for human food consumption, with excess and substandard potatoes sold as stockfeed. When available they make an ideal supplement to forage. Contains good energy and excellent starch levels. The protein level is 10 -11%, with half of this being in the form of non-protein nitrogen compounds. Potatoes are a poor source of minerals. Fodderbeet (Stone free & clean) Can produce more dry matter / acre than cereal grains. A sugar rich energy feed for ruminants but the composition can vary. Soil contamination must be avoided to prevent digestive upsets as should excessive feeding. The digestive upsets are due to excessive sugar in the rumen and / or mineral imbalance. Chopping enhances intakes and ruminants relish the root due to its succulence and sugar content. Pressed Sugar Beet Pulp A palatable forage and partial concentrate extender. Ideal for ruminants, but not pigs and poultry. With a typical DM of 20 > 30% this product is a useful energy feed for dairy cows, beef cattle and sheep. Ideal for use in complete feeds or for use as a midday feed. This buffer feed and moist concentrate is a high energy succulent to supplement silage when supplies are limited or the quality poor. Pressed Pulp improves the energy density of rations based on straw and hay. In complete diet systems, its high energy density and physical nature enhance the quality of the mix. Feeding: Pressed Sugar Beet Pulp can be fed to most farm livestock in a wide range of feeding situations. Whether used as part of a total mixed ration (TMR), as a sole concentrate feed or as a forage replacer, care should be taken to ensure a good long fibre source is present and that the minerals are correctly balanced, particularly for phosphorus, which tends to be short on sugar beet products. Dairy Cows - up to 20 kg per head per day. Beef Cattle - up to 20 kg per head per day Sheep - up to 3 kg per head per day can be used for ewes and fattening lambs MYCOTOXINS Are you experiencing problems? It could well be Mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are produced naturally from all types of mould, there are hundreds of different known mycotoxins. Mycotoxins affect animals is a variety of ways and since there are many types, identifying and diagnosing is often very difficult. Common effects of mycotoxins Variable intakes Inconsistant milk yields Scouring Acidosis-type symptoms Impaired immune function Poor rumen function Bloody faeces Lethargy Reduced fertility Swollen ankles / teat swelling Muscles tremors Unsettled cows General poor performance without any clear explanation Conditions for mycotoxin production Mould is highly adaptable and will develop on any growing or stored feedstuffs in a wide variety of conditions. Mould produce mycotoxins under a wide range of conditions and therefore, the challenge should be considered ever-present: Plant stress - soil infertility, insect damage, extremes of temperature or moisture. Harvest stress - late harvest, crop too dry, slow clamp filling. Storage stress - wet grain, poor clamp consolidation, poor fermentation. Feed-out problems - poor hygiene, spoilage at face, poor face management. Control or eradication of toxin's is not as easy task, but a product that can help is Mycosorb - a natural feed supplements based on the inner cell walls from specifically selected yeast. How does it work - when mycosorb is fed, mycotoxins present in the gut of the animal are absorbed by the yeast sugars and are excreted with the faeces, thereby maintain the health of the animal. Mycosorb has been extensively trialled and is effective against the vast majority of known problem-causing mycotoxins. Response - mycosorb becomes effective as soon as fed and animal responses are typically seen from 3 days to 3 weeks after inclusion, depending on the type and severity of the mycotoxin challenge. Feeding - can be fed as part of a TMR or direct into the trough. To be fed at 100g per head per day for the first 7 days, then reduce to 50g per head per day thereafter. FATS - MEGALAC, THE TRUE McCOY! IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO PRODUCE MORE LITRES - MEGALAC IS THE PRODUCT FOR YOU! CS PLUS - EXCLUSIVE TO GP FEEDS YOU WON'T FIND THIS PRODUCT ANYWHERE ELSE! ARE YOU LOOKING TO GIVE YOUR COWS SOME MUCH NEEDED CONDITION - IF SO YOU NEED THIS PRODUCT. New lower prices available for both products as of 5th january 2009. For competitive prices on both products give us a call on 01948 661602. DAIRYMASTER 18 NUTS Formulated to compliment this seasons forages As with all our products only the finest quality ingredients are used. Fixed formulation & Fixed price Also available in 20%, 22% and blend form. Competitively priced in this current financial climate. For further details please contact us on 01948 661602 CUSTOM BLENDS - ONE OF OUR SPECIALITIES "GIVE YOUR COWS THE CHANCE TO PERFORM TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY" Fixed formulations & Fixed prices Made from only the finest quality ingredients (including hipro soya, maize, scottish wheat distillers, sugarbeet to name but a few) To discuss your requirements please contact us on 01948 661602 COARSE CALF 16 MIXTURE ‘SMELLS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU TO EAT!’ Made from only the finest quality ingredients (including flaked maize, flaked peas and sopralin to name just a few) Give your calves the best start this product is used successfully by many buying group members For more information please give us a call on 01948 661602 WE CAN ALSO SUPPLY Full compliment of straights Minerals Yeasts Brewers grains Supergrains Milk powders Silage additives Full nutritional support If what you are looking for isn’t listed doesn’t mean we can’t supply it give us a call, you might just be pleasantly surprised. QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION Contact Gareth or Rachel (Office) 01948 661602 Fax 01948 871776
JANUARY 09 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: MYCOTOXINS... FATS... CS PLUS... DAIRYMASTER 18 NUTS... CUSTOM BLENDS - ONE OF OUR SPECIALITIES... COARSE CALF 16 MIXTURE... WE CAN ALSO SUPPLY... STOCKFEEDS We still have...
DECEMBER 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: STOCKFEEDS... FOLLOW OUR LEAD FOR 2009... CHRISTMAS ORDERS... New Products With the price of milk now averaging over 26p/litre, every litre you produce is now well worth sending to your milk buyer. This may seem an obvious statement but we suggest that some whole milk is being used on farm that could earn you more profit. On dairy farms where traditional calf rearing takes place we believe a fair percentage are being reared on whole milk. This could be for a number of accountable reasons but the bottom line is that you could rear your calves on a reputable milk replacer, instead of whole milk, cheaper and with a quicker growth rate. Rearing replacement heifers a few years ago was cheaper on whole milk because of the low price being given for milk against the relatively high cost of a milk replacer. This has now changed and the cost of milk replacers can be below half the cost of whole milk. Most manufacturers of milk replacer have a range of once or twice a day feeding, bucket or machine feeding and for specific growth rates. We supply and recommend the VOLAC range of milk powders with its three main products: VOLAC BLOSSOM EASIMIX / FREEFLOW VOLAC ENNERLAC INSTANT / FREEFLOW VOLAC HEIFERLAC INSTANT TYPICAL EQUIVALENT COSTS LITRE - MILK REPLACER (Mixed@100gms/litre water) LITRE - WHOLE MILK SAVING PER DAY 11.8 pence 26.00 pence 14.2 pence Example: 200 cow herd rearing 50 replacements per annum, weaning @ 5 weeks and traditionally feeding 4½ litres of whole milk per day would save £1120 per year (over £22 per calf). For more information on VOLAC cost effective milk replacers please call the office on 01948 661602. STOCKFEEDS We still have the following products available. Prices for all these products are subject to delivery areas, so please call the office on 01948 661602 for up to date prices. Available in 20t and 29t loads tipped. Stockfeed Potatoes (Stone free & clean) Grown for human food consumption, with excess and substandard potatoes sold as stockfeed. When available they make an ideal supplement to forage. Contains good energy and excellent starch levels. The protein level is 10 -11%, with half of this being in the form of non-protein nitrogen compounds. Potatoes are a poor source of minerals. Storage / Processing If storing outside, try to prevent frost damage by clamping or covering with straw. Fodderbeet (Stone free & clean) Can produce more dry matter / acre than cereal grains. A sugar rich energy feed for ruminants but the composition can vary. Soil contamination must be avoided to prevent digestive upsets as should excessive feeding. The digestive upsets are due to excessive sugar in the rumen and / or mineral imbalance. Chopping enhances intakes and ruminants relish the root due to its succulence and sugar content. Storage / Processing If storing outside, try to prevent frost damage by clamping or covering with straw. Pressed Sugar Beet Pulp A palatable forage and partial concentrate extender. Ideal for ruminants, but not pigs and poultry. With a typical DM of 20 > 30% this product is a useful energy feed for dairy cows, beef cattle and sheep. Ideal for use in complete feeds or for use as a midday feed. This buffer feed and moist concentrate is a high energy succulent to supplement silage when supplies are limited or the quality poor. Pressed Pulp improves the energy density of rations based on straw and hay. In complete diet systems, its high energy density and physical nature enhance the quality of the mix. Feeding Pressed Sugar Beet Pulp can be fed to most farm livestock in a wide range of feeding situations. Whether used as part of a total mixed ration (TMR), as a sole concentrate feed or as a forage replacer, care should be taken to ensure a good long fibre source is present and that the minerals are correctly balanced, particularly for phosphorus, which tends to be short on sugar beet products. Dairy Cows - up to 20 kg per head per day. Beef Cattle - up to 20 kg per head per day Sheep - up to 3 kg per head per day can be used for ewes and fattening lambs. Storage / Processing Ensure all air and water is excluded when ensiling to successfully store the product. Ring GP Feeds today on 01948 661602 to place your orders FOLLOW OUR LEAD FOR 2009 In an industry dogged recently by very unpredictable extremes of weather and costs rising ever faster than the return for what is produced on farm, you may be surprised to learn that we are attracting more new buyers for Ecosyl and Ecocorn than ever before - our sales in 2008 more than Doubled So why are these products so successful in a sceptical market? A clear and effective product range covering the range of your requirements, with each being supported by proof and in most cases being the market leader at a realistic prices The Ecosyl Product Range is manufactured exclusively in the UK and delivered to over 20 countries worldwide. Ecosyl Products Ltd was awarded The Queens Award for Industry in 2007 in recognition of its role in assisting dairy farmers to improve efficiency. Ecosyl is the only silage inoculant in the world with milk production improvement claims supported by 15 totally independent full scale trials. Ecosyl is the only product Guaranteed on the label to apply 1 million bacteria per gram of forage treated. Ecosyl ultra low volume formulation is the only ULV product declared to apply at 1 million/gramme. Their ULV applicator The Ecosyler was developed in partnership with Claas and has proved to be the First Choice of contractors The Double Action Range for dry grass and wholecrop/maize contains the food preservative Potassium Sorbate to reduce heating. Double Action Ecosyl and Double Action Ecocorn have received acclaim from both Kingshay and the Maize Growers Association, for keeping silages cooler for longer. So if you are an additive user, planning to spend for 2009, why not follow our lead and buy guaranteed quality and a product proven beyond doubt to produce more milk or meat. If you don't usually buy an additive, let us show you the evidence behind the products. With forage for 2009 set to be worth nearly double what it cost this year, the return for treating with Ecosyl or Ecocorn has never been higher - so pick up that phone and give us a call on 01948 661602 to discuss your requirements. CHRISTMAS ORDERS If you haven't already placed you Christmas and New Year orders with us, don't delay call the office today on 01948 661602 Please be aware there will be: Limited deliveries on: Wednesday 24th December (Christmas Eve) Monday 29th December...
DECEMBER 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: STOCKFEEDS... FOLLOW OUR LEAD FOR 2009... CHRISTMAS ORDERS... New Products With the price of milk now averaging over 26p/litre, every litre you produce is now well...
BREWERS GRAINS / SUPERGRAINS - Do's & Don'ts of...
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 Do: Use a concrete base and sides Clean the silo and surrounding area before use Control or collect effluent Compact to produce a firm mass with restricted air movement Seal sides and top to prevent air ingress Weight the top sheet with a layer of bales Use opened clamps at a suitable rate Routinely clean up the face and remove any soiled material from surrounding area Don't: Use poorly drained areas Leave residues from a previous clamp to contaminate new material Ignore effluent Underestimate the losses associated with poor compaction Take a short-sighted view of sheeting requirements Weight the top unevenly and produce air pockets Rely on a loose sheet to prevent aerobic spoilage Forget the importance of feed hygiene
BREWERS GRAINS / SUPERGRAINS - Do's & Don'ts of...
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...
OCTOBER 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: FEED YOUR ANIMALS RIGHT... NEW STAFF... MINERALS... DOUBLE ACTION ECOCORN... TO PROTECT YOUR MAIZE WE RECOMMEND - CLAMPFILM... YOUNGSTOCK... New Products We have two new rations for you this winter Credit Cruncher 18% Nuts A ration as it name suggests, a new product to help everyone in these uncertain times. But you can be reassured that we stand by our philosophy of FIXED FORMULATIONS - no substitutions. Credit Cruncher will fit into everyone's feeding regime, taking full advantage of the cereal market but at the same time offering a balanced approach. Dairy Master 18% Nuts A brand new product for this year. Formulated in conjunction with this year's forage analysis, a balanced diet, using quality ingredients to promote herd health. Again taking full advantage of the cereal market and GP Feeds GUARANTEED FIXED FORMULATIONS - a winning combination. Dairy Master 18 contains, Hipro Soya, Rapemeal, Supagold Biscuitmeal, Wheat along with a Hi Specification Dairy Mineral, to name just a few of the quality ingredients. Both products are very competitively priced, please call the office for prices, discounts available depending on load size, delivery area and payment terms. Both products are also available in 20%, 22% and blend form. Feed Your Animals Right 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 - have a look at our youngstock range on page 4. Here at GP Feeds we have rations and prices to suit all needs. Ring the office on 01948 661602 for more details. James Lightfoot We welcome James Lightfoot to our sales team. James is a Cheshire lad born and bred, having been brought up on a dairy & beef farm in Burton near Tarporley. So having a practical on farm upbringing, James proceeded to Harper Adams and for his endeavours, finished with a honours degree in Agriculture. Within that degree he spent 12 months at Liverpool's University Dairy farm, a 200 cow herd producing 10,000 litres per cow, this again gave James a more practical insight into rationing high performance dairy cows. James for all his young years brings a wealth of practical and scientific experience to our industry and we believe he will be a real asset to the farming community and you will be seeing him very shortly. Minerals As with all raw materials at the moment prices are still volatile. This is also the case with minerals. Here at GP Feeds we still have some mineral tonnages left at advantageous prices so it is worth giving us a call to book your mineral requirements. We also specialise in custom minerals, so please give us a call and let us quote you for your custom mineral. As with our compounds and blends our minerals are only of the finest quality. DOUBLE ACTION ECOCORN Description: Maize silage additive, containing Lactobacillus plantarum strain MTD/1 inoculant and potassium sorbate, a feed and food approved preservative. Application: Available for liquid or dry application, each can or bag treating 50 tonnes of forage. Liquid - one can is mixed in 100 litres and applied at 2 litres/tonne. Dry - apply at 400 grams/tonne forage. Benefits: Due to their susceptibility to aerobic spoilage, good clamp management is essential with maize. This, along with a suitable additive, should ensure success. Conventional silage additives are designed to improve fermentation and will not deal with aerobic spoilage. In fact, they may actually make it worse as the better a silage ferments, the more likely it is to heat up on exposure to air at feedout. With Double Action Ecocorn you have reduced aerobic spoilage from potassium sorbate, a chemical preservative effective against a wide range of yeasts and moulds, the microorganisms that cause aerobic spoilage. In addition, you have improved fermentation and animal performance from the well proven MTD/1 silage inoculant, as in Ecosyl - all in a single, easy-use pack. Ring the office on 01948 661602 to place your order today To protect your Maize we recommend - Clampfilm CLAMPFILM is a low cost tough 40 micron sheet with very low oxygen permeability, it is laid directly onto the silage which sucks it down to create a secure seal Click here for more info... 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. 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 here at GP Feeds we have a range of products, whether it be a quality coarse calf mix to get a good foundation for replacement stock, maybe a heifer rearing nut or even an economical ration to keep them up to standard ready for exporting, we have something to suit all your needs. 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 MIX Extremely palatable mixture fed ad lib from 2 days to 10 or 12 weeks of age. Contains: Barley, Linseed, Sugarbeet, Hipro Soya, Flaked Peas, Flakes Maize, Oatfeed, Sopralin, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins. SUPERGRO HEIFER REARING 20 NUTS A specialist heifer replacement product to be fed from 10 or 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, Maize, Hipro Soya, Sugarbeet, Citrus, Biscuitmeal, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend. GPF HEIFER NUTS Popular and cost effective alternative to our Supergro Heifer Rearing 20 Nuts, still providing excellent results and uniform growth. This product is suitable for all types of youngstock. Contains: Soya Hulls, Rapemeal, Wheat, Wheatfeed, Palm Kernal, Sunflower, Sugarbeet, Molasses, Biscuitmeal, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend. GPF BEEF 16 NUTS Although primarily aimed at the beef market, the mineral pack can be change to suit the type of youngstock. Contains: Wheat, Wheatfeed, Palm Kernal, Soya Hulls, Sunflower, Rapemeal, Sugarbeet, Biscuitmeal, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend. As...
OCTOBER 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: FEED YOUR ANIMALS RIGHT... NEW STAFF... MINERALS... DOUBLE ACTION ECOCORN... TO PROTECT YOUR MAIZE WE RECOMMEND - CLAMPFILM... YOUNGSTOCK... New Products We have two new rations...
SEPTEMBER 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: DOUBLE ACTION ECOCORN... MARKET REPORT... YOU REALLY CAN SAVE MONEY AND GET EXTRA LITRES WITH GP FEEDS!... STOP PRESS - MOLASSES... WINTER CAKE REQUIREMENTS If you've not already done so, now is the time to start thinking about your winter diets. Here at GP Feeds we have been busy sourcing raw materials for our winter blends and compounds. It is always a good idea to get your silage tested so that you can match it with the best products to feed your animals. If you need help with this we can help - ring the office and we will arrange for someone to test your silage and check out your diet requirements. We have the following rations you may like to consider: GPF 18 & 20 Nuts - with a high energy content, sourced from a variety of quality raw materials along with readily available and slow release starch. A good economical ration typically fed to herds yielding 5 - 7,000 litres Supreme 18 & 20 Nuts - high in energy and is an ideal compliment to good quality silage. Typically fed to herds yielding 7 - 8,000 litres. Supreme HDF 18 & 20 Nuts - high energy rations with 25% starch & sugars. With quality high digestible fibre providing a buffer effect in the rumen. Improves and maintains milk constituents. Typically fed to herds yielding 8,000 litres. Excel 18 & 20 Nuts - as its name suggests it is designed to help high genetic merit cows produce lots of milk. Ultra high energy with 'old fashioned' ingredients. Typically fed to herds yielding in excess of 8,000 litres. All the above cakes are available in blend form. For more details and contract prices fixed through to April 2009 contact the office on 01948 661602, and remember all our products have FIXED FORMULATIONS - nothing changes unless YOU ask us! DOUBLE ACTION ECOCORN Description: Maize silage additive, containing Lactobacillus plantarum strain MTD/1 inoculant and potassium sorbate, a feed and food approved preservative. Application: Available for liquid or dry application, each can or bag treating 50 tonnes of forage. Liquid - one can is mixed in 100 litres and applied at 2 litres/tonne. Dry - apply at 400 grams/tonne forage. Benefits: Due to their susceptibility to aerobic spoilage, good clamp management is essential with maize. This, along with a suitable additive, should ensure success. Conventional silage additives are designed to improve fermentation and will not deal with aerobic spoilage. In fact, they may actually make it worse as the better a silage ferments, the more likely it is to heat up on exposure to air at feedout. With Double Action Ecocorn you have reduced aerobic spoilage from potassium sorbate, a chemical preservative effective against a wide range of yeasts and moulds, the microorganisms that cause aerobic spoilage. In addition, you have improved fermentation and animal performance from the well proven MTD/1 silage inoculant, as in Ecosyl - all in a single, easy-use pack. MARKET REPORT Soya: It looks like we have seen the bottom of the market for a while. Prices are firming most days, and the £ against the US Dollar does not help the situation losing 20 cents in the most month. We suggest some cover is taken, so you are not left exposed to this very volatile market. Rape: We think this looks a good buy now. Especially when compared to Soya. Quite a lot of tonnage is now being bought for the winter and would suggest some cover be taken for this product. Distillers: US Distillers now look like they are available for the winter limited tonnage only. We have EU Imported and Scottish Wheat Distillers available for the winter, EU Imported Distillers looks like the best buy at present. Ring the office for up to date prices as they vary greatly between all Distillers products. Sugarbeet: New crop prices now out, Sugarbeet is trading anywhere between £40 - £70 up against Wheat. For an accurate price, please ring the office with area and load sizes. Citrus / Soya Hulls: These two products should now have serious consideration for you winter diet, Citrus now trading £20/t and Soya Hulls £30/t cheaper than Sugarbeet. We cannot see these products staying at these prices for the winter. We would suggest you book your requirements now. YOU REALLY CAN SAVE MONEY AND GET EXTRA LITRES WITH GP FEEDS! Have you looked at your dry cow management lately? Is it something that you take great care over or do you think your dry cows will be ok with restricted grazing, some straw and a bit of whatever is available just to keep them quiet? Difficult calving, retained cleansings and milk fever are costing you money - not only in vet bills but also in lack of optimum performance once that cow comes into the parlour. During the last six weeks of pregnancy, there is a tremendous surge of growth in the calf and it will take everything that it needs regardless and with the dry cow experiencing restricted intake, it's imperative that she gets the nutrients, vitamins and minerals she needs in a small package. The solution has to be a good quality dry cow roll that is palatable and does the job well. GP Feeds provide a dry cow roll that is proven in the field - EXCEL PRE CALVER ROLLS. One of our customers, Julian Bowers from Ellesmere in Shropshire, has been using our dry cow rolls now for over twelve months and is very pleased with the results. He says 'Dry cow management is vitally important to us as we believe if we get that right at the start, our cows will perform very well throughout their lactation and this is proving to be the case feeding dry cow rolls from GP Feeds. Previously we had used a decad system which proved to be complicated and time consuming with no better results at the end of the day. The dry cow rolls that GP Feeds provide are a very simple management tool. I feed once a day at a rate of 2.5kgs/head/day, putting the rolls in front of the dry cows and watch them eat up. These dry cow rolls are doing a good job. They are very palatable and our dry cows have had easy calving, no retained cleansings or milk fever. I'm very pleased with the product - it's cost effective, does exactly what it says it will and we will continue to use it.' GP Feeds EXCEL PRE CALVER ROLLS contains quality energy sources to meet the cows' specific nutritional requirements in the dry period providing higher energy levels compared to other dry cow rolls. They also contain carefully selected, specific proteins providing a wide range of amino acids essential during the...
SEPTEMBER 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: DOUBLE ACTION ECOCORN... MARKET REPORT... YOU REALLY CAN SAVE MONEY AND GET EXTRA LITRES WITH GP FEEDS!... STOP PRESS - MOLASSES... WINTER CAKE REQUIREMENTS If you've...
AUGUST 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: THIS YEARS GRASS SILAGE - EARLY SEASON AVERAGES 2008 - 09... PREPARE NOW FOR WINTER DAIRY PRODUCTION... IF YOU ARE HAVING FERTILITY PROBLEMS... WINTER FEED It is important that you begin to look at what you may require through the winter months. As the saying goes 'the early bird catches the worm' and for many who had booked summer contracts, these are due to come to and end. So give us a call on 01948 661602 and let us quote you for your winter feed. We provide excellent service and with our predictive order system we give you a call - so running out is not an issue as it was for some of you on our competitors feeds last winter. We don't need to baffle you into quirky new fangled products - our ranges have been proven to give excellent results year after year - so why change them when they work! As with all our feeds we have a full complement of calf / youngstock feeds, along with fats and minerals to get the best from your animals from start to finish. Don't forget we have: Fixed prices Fixed formulation Friendly reliable service Practical farm advice from well respected nutritionists Products that do the job they are designed for So if you are looking for the above from your feed supplier you NEED to pick up the phone and speak to us. THIS YEARS GRASS SILAGE - EARLY SEASON AVERAGES 2008 - 09 Over 600 first cut clamp silages have now been analysed. Despite the very different weather conditions in spring and early summer 2008 compared to 2007, the average results are remarkably similar between years. Interestingly the main cutting date was one week later this year than last, during which time many 'good looking crops' will have matured with a negative impact on digestibility and hence energy. Dry matter, D value, ME and Intake Potential are almost exactly the same as last season, both on average and range of result. A winter ration for 35 litres based on ad libitum grass silage will require 11 kg per day of a quality concentrate. Whilst the average crude protein content between years is the same at around 13%, the minimum to maximum range is lower in 2008 (7.0% - 17.7% in 2008 vs 8.8% - 18.2% in 2007), possibly reflecting reduced fertiliser application. Vitamin E is critical for its actions as an anti-oxidant, in immunity, fighting mastitis and somatic cell counts, fertility (not least through retained cleansings and metritis) and muscle integrity. Following the development of the vitamin E prediction last year, we can see that this years' average is slightly lower at 35.2mg/kg. This would mean that in a simple ration of 10kg DM grass silage, 4kg of blend and 8kg compound feed containing 100 mg vitamin E/kg, the vitamin E content of the farm mineral fed at 100g per head per day would need to be 5000mg/kg in order to meet the requirement of 1690mg/head/day for a 650kg cow. In summary, when rationing based on this season's early grass results, particular attention must be paid to total energy supply, rumen energy supply, by-pass protein and overall protein balance to optimize performance, rumen health and prevent acidosis. With the averages being remarkably similar and the struggle to get cows to milk to potential associated with 2007, careful rationing this year is going to be vital to maintain yields and profitability. Let us take a silage sample and formulate the correct diet to get the best from your animals, especially now as a litre of milk could be worth 30p or more! PREPARE NOW FOR WINTER DAIRY PRODUCTION (Reproduced by kind permission of Frank Wright) Milk production for the 2008-09 quota year is already falling behind targets. Cumulative milk production to June is some 117 million litres behind last year (3492.2 vs 3609.4 million litres) albeit with higher butter fat (3.97 vs 3.94%). UK quota has not been filled since before 2004-05: Attention to adequate feeding of cows at grass is critical to optimize profitable summer milk production whilst preparing the cow for winter. Over the previous two winters many dairy cows have failed to perform to expectation, both in terms of milk production and fertility. This was especially the case in cows calving before Christmas. Much of the performance issues were associated with excessive loss of body condition resulting from over optimistic expectations of milk production from grazing and therefore insufficient supplementary summer feeding at grass. Alarm bells are ringing once again for the forthcoming winter as the FWTNI milk yield from grazing service shows that the average monthly milk production from grass this year is the same as 2006 and 2007. For July, milk from grazing averages approximately M+10 litres. Clearly, to avoid the problems experienced in previous winters, attention to feeding at grass should start now. This is particularly important as milk production potential from grazing declines quickly in August and September. Supplementary feeding will boost dairy performance and profitability in the immediate and longer term. The requirement for feeding at grazing in August is seen in the following table. The potential milk from grazing in August 2007 is balanced with an 11ME silage buffer feed (where appropriate within appetite restrictions) and concentrate to yield, allowing for body weight change. 'Target feeding' is realistic approach to meeting requirements whilst 'typical feeding' is a restricted concentrate feeding approach used on many farms with cows at grass. In the latter case the figures for forage intake are considered optimistic: The calculated figures show three key points: Milk from grazing with adequate (target) concentrate feeding rates is profitable; the margin over concentrates (assuming a milk price of only 25 p/l and a concentrate price of £220 per tonne) is £6.11 and £4.93 per cow per day at 35 and 25 litres respectively. Underfeeding cows at grass has serious consequences on cow body condition. With restricted (typical) concentrate feeding at grass, cows will lose 1.5kg per day in early lactation (target -0.5 kg/d) and lose 0.25 kg/day in later lactation (when 0.25 kg/d weight gain is the target). The longer term effects of underfeeding cows at grass are lower milk production and reduced fertility. Clearly, it makes no sense whatsoever to underfeed cows at grass. The result is a significant loss in profitability. It is important to know the potential of milk from grass on every farm rather than rely on averages. The main influencing factors are the quantity of available grass, its dry matter content and grazing time. The ME of grazed grass varies little between years or indeed from May to the end of September. Graphs comparing weekly milk from grazing and nutrient content for 2008 and 2007 are given below. The FWTNI Milk...
AUGUST 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: THIS YEARS GRASS SILAGE - EARLY SEASON AVERAGES 2008 - 09... PREPARE NOW FOR WINTER DAIRY PRODUCTION... IF YOU ARE HAVING FERTILITY PROBLEMS... WINTER FEED It...