This months linked article's:
RATION OF THE MONTH - EXCEL DRY COW ROLLS...
- Does your current supplier really care about your business, do they inform you of changes to your ration or do they just change it without telling you?
- Do you know what you are feeding - do you know the inclusion levels by percentages in your feed and minerals?
Unless you are dealing with GP Feeds we would say the answer is no.
Mr Farmer, we challenge you:
For the first 5 dairy farmer to ring us and once you have had a consultation with one of our nutritionists, if we do not improve your business within 1 month (if we are more expensive than your current supplier) we will refund the difference. Although we won't be looking for any remuneration from you when we do improve your business.
We lay down the gauntlet - do you want to pick it up?
From recent results silage are so indifferent, Maize is low in protein, some Wholecrop is low in starch, which is not actually the case when fed. We have seen Grass silage vary from 10 - 14% protein from within the same clamp. To get the best returns from you modern dairy cow your diet has to be balanced correctly, some suppliers say they can do it - WE CAN AND HAVE PROVEN WE CAN with our Products, Staff and knowledge to get the maximum returns for you.
DRY COW RATION FAULTS:
- Trying to slim dry cows in the dry period
- Low quality forage
- Poor cow comfort
- 'Roughing' it approach
- Low vitamin and minerals
- Mouldy feeds
- One dry group
- Wrong diet formulation
- The use of milking cow minerals in a dry
- Cow diet
How did you score?
WHAT TO AIM FOR:
Two groups of dry cows with the far off dry cows fed at least a minimum of a high specification mineral tub and some starchy forage as well as ad-lib straw. All cows and heifers to have at least 21 days on a transition diet. Cows should have a body condition score of between 2.5 to 3.0. Thinner cows should be on a transition diet for longer.
Diets should contain similar forages to those fed post calving and either blend or EXCEL DRY COW ROLLS. A high specification mineral should be fed. Our EXCEL DRY COW MINERAL covers all your mineral and vitamin requirements.
This transition diet should be formulated by a competent nutritionist to check it meets the modern cows requirement.
Remember comfort is paramount. Would you let a pregnant woman sleep on a concrete floor? Pay attention to these cows and mastitis, lameness and infertility will be reduced. Pay back is 2ppl!
CHRISTMAS ORDERS
Although we don't want to wish time away! We must remind you that Christmas orders will need to be in by TUESDAY 6TH DECEMBER TO GUARANTEE DELIVERIES OVER CHRISTMAS AND UP TO FRIDAY 6TH JANUARY 2006.
Obviously we will be in touch with each of you to discuss your requirement before that date.
MINERALS
Minerals don't always get the attention they deserve. Yet they are something that affects all farmers and their stock.
We are increasingly being asked to advise about vitamin and mineral inclusion rates and we are finding that some diets offered by many feed Companies, are incorrectly balanced for vitamins and minerals.
Here are a few questions for you to consider:
- Does your current diet supplier supply adequate vitamins and minerals for the modern high yielding dairy cow?
- Do you include additional minerals in blends fed to dairy cows?
- What are the adequate vitamin and mineral levels?
- Does your present mineral meet all the cow's requirements?
Over the last few years it has become more important to feed adequate minerals and vitamins because:
- The increase in the use of blends means that the mineral and vitamins in concentrate cannot deliver the cows requirement.
- Higher milk yield mean higher mineral and vitamins are required.
- A wider range of home grown feeds being used could be short of minerals of have a detrimental effect (e.g. selenium and copper)
- A dramatic decline in cow fertility.
- Increasing evidence of the role or minerals and vitamins in animal health.
GP FEEDS HAS A RANGE OF PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AND WILL BE PLEASED TO ADVISE.
We specialise in making a customised minerals, to complement what you are feeding to your stock already.
Our agents will look at what is currently going into your feeds and what your individual herds requirement are, then we can then formulate a unique Mineral / Vitamin package just for your farm.
BLENDS
New for this winter, we have produced two new protein blends, a 24% and a 26%. Both of these blends will complement Maize and Wholecrop silages. They are very competitively priced for the winter, but we only have limited tonnages available. Please ring the office on 01948 661602 or your sales agent for further details.
Winter blend 24%
3.5% Oil
24% Protein
8.5% Fibre
5.3% Ash
13.3 ME Mj/kg
Some of the raw materials in the ration are: Brazilian Soya is the highest inclusion at 16%, (not in descending order) Rapemeal, Sugarbeet, Supagold Biscuitmeal and Wheat
Winter blend 26%
3.5% Oil
26% Protein
8.6% Fibre
5.2% Ash
13.3 ME Mj/kg
Some of the raw materials in the ration are: Brazilian Soya is the highest inclusion at 20%, (not in descending order) Rapemeal, Sugarbeet, Processed B Maize and Citrus.