This months linked article's:

• WINTER FEEDING...
• YEAST...
• DON'T MISS A TRICK - TREAT...
• TEXT US...
• SAVE TIME - SAVE MONEY!...
• ARE YOU GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR MIXER WAGON?

Winter Feeding

If you are thinking of using Hi-Pro Soya or Brazilian Soya then you won't get much change out £300.00 per tonne. Even when you use Rape and Soya in a 50:50 mix its well over £200.00 per tonne. Oh! and that is just to get to your farm, never mind the storing, handling, mixing, energy bills etc after its been delivered.

Let us put this thought to you, if you have a molasses tank and are planning on using molasses this winter in your diet, think about using Tate & Lyle Nutrimaize 46.

On a one to one replacement of a Rape/Soya mix by using Tate and Lyle Nutrimaize 46 saves you around £50/tonne. (Rape @ £150/t, Soya @ £290/t (combined £220/t), Tate and Lyle Nutrimaize 46 £168/t)

Tate & Lyle Nutrimaize 46 is a high protein liquid feed based on pure cane molasses and bonded urea. Suitable as a major dietary protein source to balance maize silage and other low protein forages and feeds.

Not only ideal as a maize balancer but can be used in diets based on whole crop wheat. The high nutrient density of Tate and Lyle Nutrimaize 46 is designed to make it perfect for very high yielding dairy cows. This allows sufficient nutrients to be supplied in a relatively small volume.

Tate and Lyle's unique process of bonding together molecules of sugar and urea gives a phased release of energy and protein sources for rumen microbes to utilise. Tate and Lyle Nutrimaize 46 can be used for types of livestock, dairy, beef and sheep.

Tate and Lyle Nutrimaize 28 and Nutrimaize 40 are also available and supplied through GP Feeds.

Whatever type of molasses you are using, we will not be beaten on price for the equivalent product. Don't delay call us today!

YEAST

Yeast is proving to be very valuable on many dairy and beef farms again this year. Yeast is designed to maintain a healthy rumen, aid fibre digestion, improve liveweight gains along with food conversion.

Yeast is helps to raise the overall rumen PH (reducing the risk of acidosis) and increase fibre-digesting bacteria - helping many farmers to get the most from their silage.

Yeasts work effectively in both dairy and beef animals by:

• Reducing digestive disorders
• Improves feed efficiency
• Drives dry matter intake
• Increases milk yield
• Improves weight gain

We have a product that is used at ½ the usual rate, feeding at 25 grams per head per day reducing your bill by half! So call the office on 01948 661602 for more information.

DON'T MISS A TRICK - TREAT

Is significant reduction of heating, energy loss and waste, best achieved by treating maize with a bacterial additive or is a chemical preservative more likely to produce a reliable, consistent result???

The independent work including recent research from MGA and Kingshay shows that chemical preservative treatments, keep the silage cooler for longer and the effects are more consistent than bacterial treatments. Now make your choice!!!

Ecocorn is based on the most commonly used chemical food preservative Potassium Sorbate.

As you consider your options weather to us Ecocorn or not, there are 2 facts to take on board.

1. The Typical Dry Matter Loss from the maize silage process (from field to cow) is recognised as being at least 20%. These losses at 32% Dry Matter can be represented as follows

2. Recent figures put the value of maize in a ration at around £100/tonne of Dry Matter

SO HOW CAN YOU SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THESE LOSSES?

• Fill clamp with long ramp in thin layers
• Roll continuously… no dual wheels
• Only lengthen chop under 30% DM
• With a late crop, chop under 1cm
• Fill in one day or sheet at night
• Apply Ecocorn with a focus on the top half
• Use double top and enveloped side sheet
• Use New Clamp Film under the black plastic
• Top weight must be consistant

Ecocorn Treatment … The Facts and Figures from Independent Trials

• You can reduce typical Energy Losses from £90 down to £45/acre so saving £45 /acre
• You can increase Milk Yield By £90/acre (assuming: 8t/acre:25p/L:50/50maize,grass)
• Cost of treatment £26/acre so a 5:1 return after product cost can be achieved

So give us a call on 01948 661602 for Ecocorn, Clampfilm or just for good advice.

TEXT US

Moving forward in this technological age, you can now can text us on our dedicated text line if you need an urgent price on something.

Simply just text us the details such as:

• Product
• Load size
• Tipped or blown
• Delivery period (such as spot or month(s))
• Your address details - for delivery purposes

Then we will gladly text you back with a price, saving you the hassle of locating a piece of paper to write it down on - especially if you are busy out and about on the farm.

Our text number is: 07969 808188

Don't forget you can also get in touch with us through our website www.gpfeeds.co.uk, e-mail us directly on admin@gpfeeds.co.uk or if you want a chat on 01948 661602.

SAVE TIME - SAVE MONEY!

Taking the hassle out of calf rearing and putting you in control, the benefits of computerised calf feeding are obvious. The systems are specifically designed to feed and manage group housed calves on an individual basis. Entering the feeding pen, the calf is identified automatically and is provided with the quantity of milk that is allowed appropriate to its age and the time of day. The systems are geared to rear up to 100 calves at a time and can, depending on which system you choose, accommodate both milk powder and whole milk thus fitting easily into your farm management system.

On farm trials have shown conclusively that calves reared on this system benefit from a managed and consistent feeding curve, significantly reducing digestive upsets early on and encouraging solid feed intake and good rumen development. Nutritional scours are virtually eliminated and consistent growth is achieved with no checks at weaning. Any calves not feeding as they should are highlighted on the daily alarm list therefore allowing you to pick up early any problems that may occur.

These computerised systems are reassuringly easy to use and come with a dedicated customer support system from Volac. If you are interested and require further information and/or a farm visit from a Volac specialists to discuss the matter further, please call us now on 01948 661602.

ARE YOU GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR MIXER WAGON?

What makes an ideal dairy ration?

For optimum dairy performance, the ideal dairy ration need to have the correct balance and density of nutrient (including energy, protein, minerals and vitamins) which can be consumed in the available appetite of the cow. It must be presented in a suitably attractive physical form to achieve the target intake whilst maintaining peak rumen health.

Remember a good ration is one where the cow eats the same diet as that formulated by your nutritionist.

What is the ideal physical make-up of the ration?

The ideal ration must be:

• Well mixed
• Difficult for the cows to sort after feed out
• Have a target physically effective fibre (peNDF) of 16% in the total ration
• Have the ideal total ration particle size profile based on the Penn State sieve of typically:
  • 20% large particles
  • 35% medium particles
  • 30% short particles
  • 15% fine material

In practice very few farms fully achieve these targets.

What happens if the physical make-up of the ration is not correct?

Research has shown that 85% of farm mixed dairy rations are poorly mixed and / or sorted by cows after feed out.

This means that only 15% of dairy rations are consumed by the cows as it was formulated by the nutritionist. This can significantly impact on dairy cow performance and health, including reduced feed intake, increased rumen acidosis, lower milk production and or poorer quality, reduced fertility and increased lameness.

Simply put - less return on investment from the dairy herd.

What determines ration quality?

Every farm, mixer wagon and ration is different. Factors affecting the quality of farm mixing include:

1. Mixer wagon type, age and service history
2. Operator training and experience
3. Total ration composition
4. Forage type, chop length and physical and analytical quality
5. Order of filling the mixer wagon
6. Mixing time

Factors affecting the ability of cows to sort the ration after feed out include:

1. Particle size profile of the mixed ration - long chopped, light material such as straw can be easily picked out.
2. Dry matter content of the mix - moist mixtures better bind ingredients
3. Ration composition
4. Quality of mixing - well mixed rations are more difficult to sort

Alternatively you could speak to us about making a blend for you using our precision blending plant as mentioned in last months' newsletter...

QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR QUALITY PRODUCTION

Contact

Gareth or Rachel (Office)
01948 661602 Fax 01948 871776

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