GP Feeds Ltd - Quality Products for Quality Production...

DOES QUALITY PAY?

As you are well aware the price of feedstuffs continues to rise and is causing concern on farms. One way to react to this is to go for cheaper ingredients in compounds or blends. If you remember in an earlier GP News (May 2003) we showed that the additional milk yield response needed to pay for extra quality was very small. For example, if feeding 8kgs per day of feed costing £20 per tonne more that the additional cost per day is 16p. This equates to less than a litre of milk per day. Is this good sales talk or does it work out in reality?

In May, Tony & Sheila Savil from Calverhall, (winner of NFU Millennium Farmers competition for Shropshire) liked the look of Excel 16 Nuts even though they were £16 per tonne more than their current concentrate. They recognised that the extra cost was because of high quality raw materials.

Did it pay off?

  • Since May the Savil's have achieved an extra margin over purchased feed per month averaging £800 on a 70 cow herd. This is regardless of any milk price increase.
  • Milk yields per cow per day have been up to 5 litres higher than last year with no buffer feed fed.
  • One cow achieved over 50 litres per day on an official reading. The first time Mr Savil has had a cow achieve this.
  • Milk quality was maintained despite the increased yield and a poor summer for composition. Current milk quality 4.37% butterfat and 3.53% protein. This is especially important as they supply Joseph Heler's who pay a premium for milk quality.
  • Rolling average yield up by 800 litres to over 7000 litres per cow on a simple production system.
  • Cow condition maintained with strong bulling behaviour.

Since May Tony & Shelia have improved margin over purchase feeds for the herd by almost £4000. Over a twelve month period this will equate to almost £10,000.

The Savil's have now moved to Excel 18 nuts which is only £5 per tonne more expensive even taking account of the recent price increase.

DOES QUALITY PAY - YOU BET IT DOES!

Ring us today, as we know we can enhance your business 01948 661602.

Home I News Archive I Site Map I Contacts

GP Feeds Ltd.
Company Reg. No: 3758489          © All rights reserved.

Web Design by Netnous