What’s On 2015
INTRODUCE LOW COST CEREALS TO CUT RATION COSTS
There may be little festive cheer
predispose cows to acidosis, which is
protein source. This
around for dairy farmers operating in
obviously highly counter-productive.”
improves rumen
a falling milk price environment, but
Mr Graham says the answer lies in
many producers could cut feed costs by better dietary balance and taking
function, as well as
helping to reduce
between 15p and 40p per cow per day
advantage of alkalising feed ingredients the requirement for
by tweaking current winter rations.
to allow more cereals to be fed. “The
high protein feed
“An average 100-cow herd could quite
alkaline systems we have developed
ingredients like
easily make an extra £1,200 a month
over many years allow milk producers
soya and rape meal.
by replacing 3-5kg of proprietary blend
with straight cereals at the moment.
That’s well worth chasing,” says
nutritionist Malcolm Graham from
FiveF Alka Limited.
Mr Graham says that some of the
factors driving down milk returns have
also put downward pressure on cereal
prices – so much so that dairy farmers
have a great opportunity to capitalise.
to now feed up to 8kg of wheat to
high performance dairy cows, leaving
plenty of scope for typical farms to use
more cereals. It’s achieved simply by
replacing some dietary protein with an
ammonia-releasing protein source that
reduces the base acid load of the diet.”
FiveF Alka says its alkalising approach
also kickstarts a virtuous chain of events
that will improve animal performance
Alkagrain can be
made quickly on
farm using boughtin cereals during
the winter – it
does not require
specialist storage,”
Mr Graham says.
“Cereals are a very high quality, high
energy feed and full of starch to aid
milk production, but do come with a
cautionary flag attached. If a diet is
unbalanced, feeding high levels can
Further information
from:
Malcolm Graham
and health.
“We can ensure excess acids in the diet of FiveF
Tel: 07989 985937
are quickly turned into ammonium salts, OR VISIT THE
which are then metabolised as an highly FIVEF WEBSITE:
www.fivefllp.com
effective rumen degradable energy and