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
|
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.