Harbro Advertorial

Simmental Cattle Deserve Stockman’s Choice

Jill Hunter – Harbro Beef & Sheep Nutritionist

Simmental cattle breeders are well known for their expert stockmanship and ability to turn out exceptional stock for both shows and sales.

As an industry, we have a responsibility to ensure breeding animals are well managed and supported nutritionally to produce animals fit for purpose and able to pass genetics into both pedigree and commercial herds.

At Harbro, we believe we also have a responsibility to play our part in efficient and sustainable livestock production. This includes pedigree cattle, across all breeds.

We believe there are four factors, which should be considered when deciding what to feed your animals:

1. Health. If animals aren’t healthy, we cannot expect them to perform and maximise their genetic potential 2. Immunity. Without a robust immune system, animals cannot fight infection or repair damaged tissues 3. Fertility. Arguably the most important factor. Both male and females must be fed in a way to ensure the breed is known for being fertile and prolific. Also important to ensure herds are profitable 4. Longevity. Rearing replacements is costly, therefore animals on your home farm or sold to other producers need to live a full life and be allowed to pass on their genetics

We recently launched Stockman’s Choice, which is our new and exciting range of pedigree cattle feeds, designed to enhance the four factors listed above. It has been developed by combining years of dedication and experience in the pedigree world with the latest technologies and innovations. We also consulted with our nutritional partners, including Glasgow Vet School to ensure a holistic view was taken across the range of feed and to make sure our advice is relevant. The pedigree team at Harbro is highly experienced and we work closely with customers across the UK to ensure practical and nutritional advice helps customers to meet their goals.

What makes Stockman’s Choice different?

Stockman’s Choice has been formulated using a carefully selected range of sustainably sourced, quality raw materials with key additives included to promote feed efficiency, health and performance.

Rumitech is a Carbon Trust assured additive which increases feed conversion ratio whilst increasing lean tissue growth in comparison to fat, including less scrotal fat. A trial carried out with young bulls fed Rumitech, showed an increase in eye muscle area, while reducing fat depth by 12%.

With a keen focus on health and immunity, we chose to include Rumi Defence, an exciting new additive which has antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. It enhances immunity and improves the function of vital organs such as the liver, which is undoubtedly under pressure with the levels of performance expected of these animals. A recent on-farm trial showed cattle fed Rumi Defence gained an

Greencap Kane

additional 320g/head/day in the last 20 days of the finishing period. This has the potential to seriously crank up the dial on pedigree stock performance, when you’re looking for additional performance and condition, ahead of shows and sales.

Maxammon inclusion means the pH and protein level of the cereal have been increased, allowing higher cereal inclusion more safely and reducing the requirement for additional protein supplementation.

With a number of top producers now feeding Stockman’s Choice, we believe we have the ideal feeding regime to complement the world leading Simmental Cattle herds throughout the UK.

Colin Inglis runs a 25 cow herd at Aberdour and moved onto the Stockman’s Choice range in the summer of 2020, feeding the concentrate blend and then the crunch on the run up to the October sales. Colin remarked that he was very happy with how the bulls had transitioned on to the feed and that it gave them a great shine and good coverage ahead of sale day. 18 month old Greencap Kane made 9,000gns at the Stirling Bull Sales.

In addition to the Stockman’s Choice range for show and sale animals, we also have a range of commercial feeds and supplements to support your main herd. Suckler cows are the foundation of your business and its worthwhile investing in them to ensure you have as many live and vigorous calves born, with as few issues as possible.

Here’s wishing Simmental breeders all the very best for 2021. We hope to see you at shows and sales very soon.