Smart Dairy Nutrition can top up rations
A package of Smart Dairy Nutrition compound feeds, blends and minerals for dairy farmers from BOCM PAULS offers cows a mixed ration topped up with concentrate in the parlour.
These feeds have been uniquely designed to complement feeding at the barrier with feeding in the parlour and will improve Feed To Milk (F2M) – BOCM PAULS’ measure of feed efficiency. This will satisfy the animals’ key nutrient requirements, preventing over-supply and nutrient wastage, ultimately saving costs.
In many Partial Mixed Ration (PMR) systems farmers are supplying nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and trace elements at the barrier, and then also in the compound feed, says Nick Berni, BOCM PAULS ruminant product manager.
“The challenge for most dairy farmers is feeding a herd of cows that vary greatly in their energy status, days in milk, lactation number and pregnancy status. The benefit of this Smart Dairy Nutrition approach is that it enables farmers to feed a basal ration topped up with feed in the parlour according to individual cow needs. As a result, this would generate on-farm savings whilst being environmentally friendly. With increased pressure to use nutrients more efficiently in feeding, manure and slurry management and with the impact of milk price volatility, it is now more important than ever to optimise the use of these valuable resources.”
The new Smart Dairy Nutrition concept consists of a compound feed range called MilkTec, a blend range called BlendTec and a mineral range known as MinTec. The compound range is made up of two categories – a starch-based range to drive milk production where rumen health is not limiting, and a digestible fibre range where rumen health requires more support to ensure it is functioning at its most efficient level.
BOCM PAULS has the ability to monitor a herd’s rumen health on a regular basis through the Visiolac milk testing and analysis service. This provides an “inside look” at the herd’s rumen function, and clearly identifies any limitations in rumen efficiency. The BOCM PAULS nutritionist can then suggest an approach, either through feeding or management practices to mitigate such limitations.
The philosophy behind the Smart Dairy Nutrition concept is that the PMR mix of forages and blends (BlendTec) provide balanced nutrients to support M+ level for the group average milk yield (eg M+25 litres). The new MilkTec compounds then provide precise nutrient delivery for every litre of milk in addition to that, through the parlour, robot or out of parlour feeding. BlendTec blends can also be another delivery mechanism for other effective feed ingredients such as RapePlus, Lintec, and Levucell, while MinTec will provide a similar precise role for vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
“Smart Dairy Nutrition is specifically targeted towards PMR feeding systems, and ensures that individual cows receive the appropriate levels of nutrients from the mixer wagon and the parlour feed combined,” adds Mr Berni. “By doing this we will improve nutrient utilisation on-farm and reduce wastage, which leads to greater feed efficiency (F2M), and results in more milk being produced per kilo of feed, for less environmental impact.
“It’s a new approach to PMR feeding, and one that delivers the full package in a more precise, flexible and smarter way.”
Livestock 2012
For more new products due to be on show at the Livestock 2012 show see our dedicated page.