Dairy producers are being urged to focus on feed efficiencies to meet performance targets and reduce their carbon footprint in line with new milk contracts.
“The inclusion of UK co-products in ruminant rations can be used strategically, to help boost feed efficiency and improve performance, profitability and sustainability,” says Charlotte Ward, Trident Feeds ruminant technical manager.
“For example, sugar beet feed, generated from the production of sugar, has been shown through globally recognised methodology, to carry a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to soya hulls derived from South American soya.”
Trident sugar beet feed has been available to UK livestock farmers since the 1920s, and the company states it is the most effective source of digestible fibre-based energy available for ruminants.
“British-grown, and non-GM, Trident sugar beet feed provides a balanced source of ‘rumen friendly’ energy, helping to maintain or increase milk production, without increasing the risk of acidosis,” says Charlotte.
“This digestible fibre also provides the building blocks for milk fat synthesis, increasing value, and an improved carbon footprint, per litre of milk.”
As it is highly palatable, sugar beet drives feed intakes, with slowly fermentable energy which helps bugger against digestive upsets. It also contains high levels of beneficial feed components to improve rumen function.
“Pectins are unique carbohydrates, from plant cell walls that ferment as rapidly as starch in the rumen, but produce the same acetate, a milk fat precursor, that comes from digestible fibre,” Charlotte adds.
According to Trident, most concentrate feeds contain less than 3% pectins, while digestible fibre feeds contain much higher levels, estimated to be around 35% for sugar beet feed, 24-26% for soya hulls and 15% for citrus pulp pellets.
Pectins are also self-regulating, so the fermentation process slows if the rumen pH falls.
“This boosts the buffering effects usually only associated with digestible fibre, and is a big part of the reason why feeds like sugar beet feed regularly outperform others, which on paper, have a much higher digestible fibre content,” says Charlotte.
Sugar beet derived feed could also be financially beneficial, according to Mark Mills, commercial manager.
“With sugar beet feed now available on a par with processed cereals, and a considerable reduction in 2023 prices, this represents good value for a more rumen friendly energy source from digestible fibre, rather than starchy cereals.”