The perfect feed
for the highest possible yield in milk and meat production
Providing the animals with the proper feed is pivotal to achieving first-rate quality and a profitable yield both in the dairy and fed cattle sectors. The animals have an enormous need for nutrients and other feed components on account of their complex gastrointestinal system. Feeding the animals in a way that is tailored perfectly to their needs guarantees a stock of healthy and lively animals that are much less susceptible to contracting diseases or infections. However, these high standards come at a price. For one, the cost of the feed makes up the largest portion of the running expenses in both sectors.
The question as to which feed is best for the animals cannot be answered in general terms. While there are countless recommendations on the best feed, these recommendations are revised regularly to reflect the latest state of research. The budget each business has at their disposal is another decisive factor for the decision as to which types of feed will be used.
The following is a list of the most commonly used materials that is intended to give you a brief, yet fairly detailed overview of the wide variety of available feed materials:
Maize silage:
Maize silage is made from the entire maize plant and serves as one of the most important roughage feeds for ruminants with a high milk yield. This feed provides particularly nutritious energy that is stored in the starch of the crushed maize kennels and is also very rich in crude fiber. This makes maize silage the ideal feed for achieving the highest milk yields and best fattening results. The quality of the feed is at risk of becoming affected in temperatures above 15 degrees centigrade due to the increased activity of microbacteria. To eliminate this risk, formidable compression during baling is needed to attain perfect preservation and exceptional feed quality.
Grass silage:
Grass silage is the most important roughage feed for ruminants. Ideally, the feed is composed of true grasses, herbs and clover. Species of grass that are high in sugar guarantee a thorough fermentation process.
When processing grasses high in crude fiber, you need to ensure the highest possible compression density in order to achieve the desired result.
TMR - Total Mixed Ration:
A TMR is made up of a balanced mix of roughage feed and concentrate feed. Dry matter portion and energy content are perfectly attuned. TM rations have a decidedly positive effect on the milk yield and the health of the animals. TMRs are prepared for storage by mixing already fermented silages and ensiling these batches again.
CCM:
CCM (Corn Cob Mix) is an outstanding high-energy feed that consists of the cob and the kennels of the maize cob. It is used for feeding pigs, cattle or other ruminants. CCM silage provides highly concentrated energy thanks to the added starch and offers an exceptional price-performance ratio when compared to conventional concentrate feed. Since this feed retains more of its texture than other feeds thanks to the crushing of the kennels, it is easier for the animals to consume. Thanks to their compact shape, bales of CCM silage are perfect to handle and exceptionally well-suited to be fed in small quantities as well.
Lucerne silage (alfalfa):
Apart from maize silage, alfalfa silage is one of the most important components in the roughage fed to cattle. High feed consumption and a particularly good structure value have their share in the significant milk yield of the cattle. Apart from guaranteeing high yields, growing alfalfa also improves the quality of the soil. However, as it is low in sugar, alfalfa is difficult to preserve using conventional methods.
When you form the material into round bales, it is imperative that you provide for a rapid exclusion of air and the perfect rate of compression.
Sugar beet silage:
Silages made from sugar beet pulp are distinguished by their extremely high energy content. They are easy to digest and very palatable. This silage is an ideal supplement to grass silage as it has a negative ruminal nitrogen balance, thus offsetting the protein balance in the rumen. Pressed pulp silages are very low in lactic acid and, consequently, contain little acid overall. It is, therefore, vital for the quality of the silage that it be processed cleanly while still warm and at a high rate of compression.
Grain GPS:
Whole crop silages are usually made from barley, wheat or triticale. Their cultivation guarantees high yields and has many benefits when it comes to crop farming. However, grain contains only a very low portion of energy and is difficult to ensilage using conventional methods.
Rapid exclusion of air and a high rate of compression are two factors that are of prime importance during bale production.
Opt for Göweil products to achieve the highest possible feed quality
Both the round baler G-1 F125 and the entire selection of wrapping equipment engineered by Göweil are dependable partners when it comes to achieving the highest possible silage quality.
Another machine that deserves special mention in this context is theLT-Master – the FINEST baler-wrapper combination for round bales. This machine makes it a cinch to convert such varied materials as maize, CCM, alfalfa, sugar beet pulp, grain, mixed feed and even materials suitable for industrial applications such as wood chips and garbage into perfectly compressed and wrapped round bales.
The advantages offered by the baler-wrapper combination LT-Master with its efficient ensiling process are immediately apparent:
- Perfect preservation and exceptional feed quality thanks to formidable compression during baling
- Exceptionally rapid air exclusion thanks to an optimized baling-wrapping process
- Perfectly clean production work flow and, consequently, no contamination of the feed
- No risk of secondary fermentation or post-heating
- The result are perfectly compressed and wrapped round bales of first-rate quality, which are not only easy to store and handle but also ideal for use in smaller farming businesses.
If you would like to learn more on this subject, your personal contact will be happy to assist you:
