UFAC-UK has launched a new partial soybean meal replacement for dairy herds, said to improve yields, feed conversion efficiency and reduce the reliance on imported soya by a third.
“The role of protein nutrition in dairy animals in the UK is increasingly coming into focus in terms of feed efficiency and environmental impact, particularly with pressure to reduce nitrous oxide emissions and to cut carbon footprints on imported soya,” said David Turnbull, UFAC-UK national sales manager.
“We have been looking at how lowering the level of dietary protein, through amino acid balancing and precision feeding, can improve dairy cow performance, while also helping to protect the environment.”
Following the launch of envirolac, cholymet offers a balanced combination of amino acids of choline which can improve milk production efficiency while also reducing the environmental impact.
“Protein supplies the essential amino acids to the cow for health, growth, reproduction and milk production,” said Mr Turnbull. “While choline interacts with methionine in various metabolic functions that influence cow health and productivity.“
Farm studies
Commercial farm studies have been undertaken by the company, to reduce the amount of soybean meal being fed, while also looking at cow health, performance and profitability.
The first was held in a controlled environment on a 190-head herd of high-yield cows. A third of the soybean meal in the total mixed ration was replaced with cholymet and prairie meal, reducing the total crude protein by 1%.
It was used on cattle from 21 days before calving to 50 days post-calve, with data taken at 7-100 days in milk.
“The cows fed the reduced soybean meal diet with cholymet yielded an extra 3.37kg/milk/day, with an additional 0.17% butterfat and 0.14% protein,” explained Mike Chown, UFAC-UK ruminant technical manager.
“Cows showed an increase in feed utilisation when fed on cholymet, with increased milk yield and total milk solids, despite no difference in dry matter intake.”
Protein captured by the cows reached 31%, an improvement of 8% on the UK average. Mr Chown added: “The potential financial benefit to UK dairy producers of partly replacing soybean meal with cholymet plus prairie meal, based on extra milk yield at £0.37/l, is £1.25 per cow per day.* That represents a 3.78:1 Return on Investment.”
A separate study backed up the economic results. Extra milk income per cow increased by £167.69 against a total cost per cow of £35.86, with feeding times and data collection remaining the same.
For more information go to www.ufacuk.com
