News
JULY 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: WASTE NOT WANT NOT... CUT SILAGE WASTE - USE CLAMPFILM... MINERAL REMINDER... RAT BAITS... STOP PRESS... GOING INTO YEAR 10 We believed at the beginning that you 'only get out what you put in' and to follow the route of least cost formulations at any cost was not the correct way forward. As a result of this we have our own range of bespoked compound feeds, blends, minerals and of course CS PLUS which is high in C16's to boost energy, fertility and overall health of your herd. All of these products have our unique guarantee of FIXED FORMULATION and FIXED PRICE for contractual periods. We pride ourselves that formulations never alter unless something unforeseeable happens, if this ever did, we would notify you before you take delivery. Our heartfelt thanks go out to our suppliers of these products for supporting us since the start. We firmly believe that these reasons are the foundation of why we have so few delivery problems or palatability issues. Having said that we recall in the very early days; on a hot August day in 1999 when at 1pm the phone rang, from a customer who was not best pleased that his 12 tonne bulk load of dairy nuts had all been blown into one 3 tonne compartment in his home made bin above the parlour! As this bin was divided into four 3 tonne compartments, each served individually by a homemade moveable box, it was fairly obvious the reason why our customer was unhappy! We could have buried our heads in the sand and hoped the problem would go away or we could get it sorted. Obviously we had to get it sorted, so that is why a few hours later two hot, sweaty and tired people (namely Gareth and one of the mill workers) emerged from the loft looking as though they had just done a twelve hour shift in the mines! The loft was spotless and all the nuts were in the correct compartment but had we pacified the farmer? 10 years on that customer is still trading with us and we still laugh about what went on that day. Customer service is extremely important to us and will remain to be one of our top priorities for the future. Many amusing and traumatic things have happened that have helped us through some difficult periods but they have also cemented our relationships within the farming community. Here are just a few of them: The day Gareth fell down an open grid on a farm yard and came out covered in slurry up to his arm pits. How the rest of the staff wished they could have been there to see it or even better if someone could have got it on camera! The dark days of a blocked loo in the office. The fond memories of paddling around Nantwich Show ground on numerous occasions up to our knees in mud (It still didn't stop us getting first prize in the small show stand category for 4 successive years). The morning when we found the office had been broken into. The enjoyment of sponsoring some very successful and amusing Gentlemen's Evening at Delamere. The satisfaction of having excellent farmer support at a number of Farm Open Days we have held. There must be more but enough is enough! We pride ourselves that all our staff have almost been with us since the beginning which in itself we feel helps customer relation. All of us at GP Feeds would like to thank all of those customers who have used our products and services and have entrusted their business with us over the years. For those of you who receive this monthly newsletter and have not dealt with us - WHY NOT? We are only a telephone call away so what do you have to lose? Why not give us a try and see if we can make a positive difference on your farm as we have done so for many others over the past happy and eventful 10 years. 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 (Oil 3½%, Protein 16%, Fibre 6.8%) 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 (Oil 4.2%, Protein 20%, Fibre 9.9%) 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 (Oil 4%, Protein 18%, Fibre 14%) 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 (Oil 4%, Protein 16%, Fibre 13%) Although primarily aimed at the beef market, the mineral pack can be change to suit the type of youngstock you are raising. Contains: Wheat, Wheatfeed, Palm Kernal, Soya Hulls, Sunflower, Rapemeal, Sugarbeet, Biscuitmeal, Molasses, Minerals and Vitamins and Fat Blend As with all our feeds the ingredients have been carefully chosen for digestibility, with well balanced starch and sugars and quality protein sources, along with FIXED FORMULATIONS. Phone the office today on 01948 661602 to discuss your Youngstock needs. WASTE NOT WANT NOT What value will you be...
JULY 08 NEWSLETTER
This months linked article's: WASTE NOT WANT NOT... CUT SILAGE WASTE - USE CLAMPFILM... MINERAL REMINDER... RAT BAITS... STOP PRESS... GOING INTO YEAR 10 We believed at the beginning that...
KENTAURUS - Ultra-early Maize wins NIAB Variety...
"NIAB's Variety Cup is awarded to the breeder of the most promising new variety from the entire spectrum of horticultural, ornamental and agricultural crops," says NIAB's Simon Kerr. "The winning variety has to demonstrate potential merit for making a major contribution to sustained crop productivity through improved quality, disease resistance and grower return or to have achieved a high level of sustained quality performance." Recent winners include the onion Vision in 2009, Pearl winter barley in 2008, Fuego spring bean in 2007 and Crusader white clover in 2006. NIAB forage maize specialist Don Pendergast explained that Kentaurus stood out because of its excellent balance of yield, early maturity and quality. "Kentaurus provides growers with very high starch yield and relatively high metabolisable energy yield with dry matters some 5% above equivalent early maturing varieties," he said. "Such qualities are of value to growers in favourable and less-favourable sites as it allows for an early start to harvest." According to KWS UK maize specialist, John Burgess, Kentaurus could rewrite the UK maize growing map, setting the standard for all forage maize varieties going forward. "Despite being one of the earliest maize varieties ever seen, Kentaurus matches the yield of significantly later varieties," he said. "This includes a DL trial yield performance almost on a par with the control variety Nescio which is 6-7 Maturity Classes later than Kentaurus. As a result, UK growers will be able to use Kentaurus with confidence to grow high yields of forage maize in less favourable areas and sites. "It is already being successfully grown commercially in Sweden, which is on the same latitude as Glasgow, so we would expect Kentaurus to push the limits of maize growing to new regions," said Mr Burgess. He also pointed out that on more favourable sites, Kentaurus could be sown and harvested early providing stockmen with a chance to feed maize sooner than normal, even in the autumn. "Alternatively, some will look to sow it after a first cut grass silage safe in the knowledge that it will still mature in time, providing two valuable forage crops off the same piece of land. Those finishing beef will also benefit from Kentaurus' exceptionally high starch content, ensuring faster liveweight gains than most other varieties. "It is this flexibility and yield security which clearly sets it apart, providing growers with a one of the lowest cost per tonne DM yields ever seen," he said. Accepting the trophy, KWS maize breeder Dr Matthias Landbeck said that he was honoured that Kentaurus had been awarded the NIAB Variety Cup. "The variety reflects some of the recent advances we have made in forage maize breeding over the last decade. "Early varieties should give extra confidence to growers in marginal areas looking to lay down starch to maximise feed values in stock rations. Kentaurus gives growers an opportunity to gain from fully mature ensiled forage in the clamp earlier than normal and establish a following crop in good time," said Mr Landbeck.
KENTAURUS - Ultra-early Maize wins NIAB Variety...
"NIAB's Variety Cup is awarded to the breeder of the most promising new variety from the entire spectrum of horticultural, ornamental and agricultural crops," says NIAB's Simon Kerr. "The winning...
IS IT WORTH CHASING BUTTERFATS AT GRASS?
The cows go out and butterfats plummet. It's a picture repeated across the country every year. But is it worth doing anything to maintain butterfats, and if so what? David Woodcock, Technical Business Manager with Optivite considers the options. As ever at this time of year, thoughts turn to what should be done, if anything, to boost butterfat levels at grazing. Nationally we usually see a 0.4% fall in butterfat levels. In some herds the decline can be as much as 1%. There is no doubt that butterfat is increasingly becoming a problem area for those in the EU responsible for managing the overall milk market. Globally butterfat prices continue to fall on the commodity markets. However many UK milk contracts still include both bonuses and deductions dependent on butterfat levels. Dairy farmers looking to maximise returns from their contract must keep a close eye on butterfats. The first stage in deciding whether it would make sense to try and maintain fats at grass is to understand the terms of your milk contract. If the contract will reward high butterfats or penalise low levels, then it is worth considering what the options are to maintain or increase levels. If there is no milk price advantage, then don't incur extra costs chasing something you won't get paid for. If it makes sense to take nutritional action to influence butterfats, the next stage is to look at what has happened historically on your farm. What are fat levels at turnout and by how much do they usually fall? What are fat percentages now and how do they compare to previous years? It may be that fat levels are higher than usual now and even if you experience a typical grazing depression you will still exceed the deduction threshold. Once you understand the extent of the possible problem it is time to consider what action can be taken. There are two crucial points that must be remembered. The first is that approximately half of a cow's milk fat production comes from her being able to convert the end products of rumen fermentation into milk fat. The remainder of the butterfat produced comes from fats fed in the diet, or from the mobilisation of body reserves. The second vital point to remember is that feeding dietary supplements will have little effect if the basic rumen fermentation is incorrect. Therefore the starting point to achieve higher fats at turnout is the rumen. To achieve high levels of fat production, the diet needs to encourage a fermentation, which results in high levels of acetic, and butyric acid, which are the precursors for milk fat. This in turns requires a diet high in structural fibre and low in sugars. This is exactly the reverse of what we find in spring grazing. The other problem is that the fermentation encouraged by high grass intakes can lead to an acidic rumen, which can further inhibit fibre digestion. If you want to increase grazing butterfats the first stage must be to ensure an adequate supply of structural fibre to help control rumen pH and increase the supply of butterfat precursors.Check the fibre levels in all supplementary feeds and consider changing to a HDF concentrate or feeding beet pulp. The other option is to hold cows back on a winter ration for part of the day. Bear in mind that any significant supplementary feeding will reduce grazing intakes and you may need to tighten stocking rates. The other way to boost fat production is to increase the supply of fat fed in the diet but care needs to be taken to feed the right sort of fat because different fats have different effects in the cow. Some can create an oil slick in the rumen, which reduces fibre digestion and dry matter intakes. Fats based on calcium soaps are shown to be effective in raising milk yield but not fat percent. The best fats for improving milk fat contain a high proportion of palmitic acid (C16 fats), which is readily utilised by the cow and efficiently diverted to the udder. In the right circumstances it will pay to feed for increased fats at grazing but make sure you will be paid for the effort. If you have done your sums, then consider the following products, and to help you we have put a comparison table at the end to show typical costs per day of feeding various fats. CS PLUS Goldstar C16 COMPARISON CHART
IS IT WORTH CHASING BUTTERFATS AT GRASS?
The cows go out and butterfats plummet. It's a picture repeated across the country every year. But is it worth doing anything to maintain butterfats, and if so what? David...
Organic selenium
Selenium yeast, produced by fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a selenium-rich media, is a recognized source of organic food-form selenium. In this process, virtually all of the selenium structurally substitutes for sulfur in the amino acid methionine thus forming selenomethionine via the same pathways and enzymes that are used to form sulfur-containing methionine. Owing to its similarity to S-containing methionine, selenomethionine is taken up nonspecifically and becomes part of yeast protein. It is this metabolic route that makes selenium yeast valuable in animal and human nutrition, since it offers the same organic form of selenium produced by food-chain autotrophs (i.e., most plants and certain blue-green algae). Human health applications Selenium is physiologically essential and may also offer a protective effect against several degenerative diseases. The organic form of selenium provided by selenium yeast has been shown to differ in bioavailability and metabolism compared with inorganic (e.g., selenate, selenite) forms of dietary selenium. Dietary supplementation using selenium yeast has been associated with increased ability to counteract oxidative stress. Furthermore, selenium yeast has been used in a wide range of studies aimed at examining the importance of selenium status in the incidence and progression of a variety of infectious and degenerative diseases. Animal feed Selenium supplementation in yeast form has been shown to have beneficial effects in many species, especially on animal immune status, growth and reproduction. The consequent improvements in productivity can be of economic benefit to livestock producers for many reasons, including greater overall efficiency of feedstuff use. Selenium yeast supplementation of food-animal diets has an added nutritional benefit to human consumers of food-animal products. Dietary selenomethionine-containing plant or yeast protein can be also stored nonspecifically in animal protein, which can result in nutritionally useful selenium content in meat, milk, and eggs. Consequently, strategies to supplement animal feed with selenium yeast have led to the development of selenium-rich functional foods, including selenium-enriched eggs and meats for human consumption. Sel-Plex has achieved EU authorisation for use in all diets, your animals can enjoy the health and performance benefits of organic selenium supplementation through GP Feeds minerals.
Organic selenium
Selenium yeast, produced by fermenting Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a selenium-rich media, is a recognized source of organic food-form selenium. In this process, virtually all of the selenium structurally substitutes for...
THE DANGERS OF MYCOTOXINS IN STRAW RATIONS & BE...
The threat posed by mycotoxins to beef and dairy cattle performance is increasingly understood by the modern producer. There is however a common misconception surrounding potential sources of mycotoxins that livestock are exposed to. Many producers believe that these sources are mainly contaminated grains and the threat posed by contaminated straw and straw bedding is often overlooked. Mycotoxin concentrations in straw vary considerably and can often be higher than the associated cereal grains from the same crop. Optivite believe straw consumption should be accounted for within the total feed intake when considering the overall threat posed by mycotoxins. Straw is commonly used in dairy/beef rations for a number of reasons: Reducing the nutrient density of diets to prevent over-conditioning. This strategy is also used with dry and transition cows A small inclusion of straw is often incorporated into lactating dairy cow diets, ensuring adequate fibre levels to stimulate rumination thus preventing acidosis To soak up moisture when wet ingredients such as distillers grains are used Due to straw's low potassium content, it is also used in the formulation of low potassium diets formulated to prevent milk fever in transition dairy cows Silage quality is likely to heavily influence the levels of straw used in the diet. The nutrient quality of silage can vary greatly between seasons and indeed clamps. Analysis of silage in the UK has highlighted the nutritional variance between 2012 and 2013 crops. Significant increases in starch of 6.9% were detected with levels rising from 27.6% to 34.5% while neutral detergent fibre (NDF) levels showed a decrease of 5.6% from 50.7% to 45.1% (Farmers Weekly, 1st November 2013). As a result of this analysis it is clear that fibre will need to be included in the TMR, with straw likely to be the primary choice of producers. Straw is commonly used for bedding beef cattle and whilst use amongst dairy herds is decreasing, it remains a common sight. Cattle that are fed below appetitie or lack stimulation will often consume significant quantaties of bedding as a matter of course. Clearly straw plays an important role in the overall production process, we therefore believe that feeding contaminated straw and straw bedding could pose a significant mycotoxin challenge and should therefore be considered as a high risk factor. The effect of mycotoxins on animal performance varies according to the level and type of toxins present. We know that they are seldom present in isolation and the synergistic effects of mycotoxins and their impact on animal health and performance are only begining to be understood. General symptoms associated with mycotoxins include; reduced food consumption, reduced nutrient utilisation and reduced milk yield as well as increased somatic cell counts, cellular death and altered reproduction. To date there has been very limited data available which shows the levels of mycotoxins in straw, Optivite therefore wanted to confirm the risks by screening straw samples for mycotoxins. The samples tested were clean/bright straw taken from the 2013 harvest with no visible signs of moulds. Our findings below proved surprising, highlighting the real danger present. Mycotoxins found in wheat straw, October 2013: Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Average EU Guidance levels; complete feeding stuffs for Dairy EU Guidance levels; complete feeding stuffs for Cattle T2 (ppb) 25 33 47 35 No Max No Max Aflatoxin (ppb) 4.9 3 4.4 4.1 0.02 MPL* No Max DON (ppb) 6,200 5,800 3,900 5,300 0.5 5 Ochratoxin A (ppb) 10 20 27 19 0.25 No Max Zearelenone (ppb) <50 <50 134 44.67 0.5 No Max *MPL: Maximum Permitted Level From the table above, it is important to note the significant range in mycotoxin levels detected, all of which exceed EU guidance levels above which symptoms of mycotoxicosis would be expected to occur. Adding such material to the total ration or, if bedding is being consumed by the cow, will add to the overall loading of mycotoxins present in the diet. Not all mycotoxin binders are the same! The use of a mycotoxin binder is the most effective method to control the mycotoxin threat. It is important to understand that not all binders are the same. Certain binders are successful at binding only a limited range of mycotoxins and we know that mycotoxins are seldom present in isolation. It is therefore imperative to select a broad spectrum binder with proven success. Ultrabond provides the broadest binding capacity of any product currently available on the market. Backed by years of research and proven success it is the natural choice for effective mycotoxin Reference / Further Reading Ultrabond - The hidden risk in home grown forage from Mycotoxins... Mycotoxins - General symptoms of mycotoxicosis... Reducing Mycotoxin... UK observation/testimonial Ultrabond...
THE DANGERS OF MYCOTOXINS IN STRAW RATIONS & BE...
The threat posed by mycotoxins to beef and dairy cattle performance is increasingly understood by the modern producer. There is however a common misconception surrounding potential sources of mycotoxins that...
C16'S - WHAT ARE THEY?
There is growing awareness of the use of specialist fats to boost or maintain butterfat production. So what are C16'S and how do they work? Oils and fats (simple definition is whether they are liquid or solid at room temperature) are present in all feedstuffs at varying levels. They are made up of varying combinations of different fatty acids. Think of proteins in various forms, such as skin, hair, meat, hoof etc as being different because of the varied components of amino acids like Methionine, Lysine, etc. Butterfat is made up of different fatty acids, some are known as short chained fatty acids and these are synthesised from the fermentation of forages in the rumen, an example is C4. Longer chained fatty acids have to come from the diet i.e. the cow cannot make them without the raw material being in the diet. These include C16 fatty acid also known as Palmitic Acid. Milk fat contains approximately 34% C16 so shows its importance in butterfat production. This fatty acid has the ability to bypass the rumen and be absorbed by the mammary gland. Other fatty acids in the feedstuffs are affected in the rumen and become saturated by rumen bacteria. An example of this are the fats found in grazed grass. These are altered by the rumen and produce lower butterfats. These are thought to reduce butterfat at turnout more than the lack of fibre in the grass. PRODUCTS WITH C16 There are products on the market high in desirable fat C16 and evidence suggests they can improve butterfat. GP Feeds are now marketing a new product called CS Plus , which whilst containing a minimum of 85% Palmitic acid C16 also contains additional glucose and a slow release base to reduce body weight loss. The evidence from the trial work nationally shows a typical improvement of +0.3% butterfat and increased yield. C16 COMPARISON CHART CS PLUS GOLD STAR OMEGA GOLD (+ SALMON OIL) BERGAFAT F100 ENERGIZER RP10 TOTAL FAT CONTENT % 50 99 99 99 99 ME (MJ) 27 39 27 38 34 C16 % (palmatic acid) min 75 98 82 85 85 FEED RATE (Grams) 300 - 500 300 - 500 300 300 - 500 350 - 500 COST PER TONNE * £450 £550 £500 £525 £550 COST PER 1% C16 £6.00 £5.61 £6.10 £6.18 £6.47 COST PER MJ £16.16 £14.1 £18.51 £13.82 £16.14 COSTS PER DAY AT: 200GMS 9.00p 11.00p 10.00p 10.50p 11.00p 300GMS 13.50p 16.50p 15.00p 15.75p 16.50p 400GMS 18.00p 22.00p 20.00p 21.00p 22.00p 500GMS 22.50p 27.50p 25.00p 26.25p 27.50p LOWEST RECOMMENDED FEED RATE (AS PER SUPPLIERS LITERATURE) 13.50p 16.50p 15.00p 15.75p 19.25p * All prices (Jun 06) are only guides - dependant on exact delivery address and load size. We appreciate there is a lot of information here and maintaining correct butterfat levels can be a complex issue. If you find any of the above information confusing then please ring the office, where we will gladly advise you or arrange a farm visit if you would prefer. Reference / Further Reading CS Plus... Goldstar...
C16'S - WHAT ARE THEY?
There is growing awareness of the use of specialist fats to boost or maintain butterfat production. So what are C16'S and how do they work? Oils and fats (simple definition...