ForFarmers UK: Youngstock and beef blends

Blended Feeds Youngstock & Beef

Contents 2

Introduction

3

Feed 2 Meat

4

Youngstock Nutrition

5

Beef Nutrition - Grower

6

Beef Nutrition - Finisher

7

BlendMix

8

Custom Blends

9

Features - Levucell Titan

11

Features - NutritionPlus

13

Features - Minerals

14

Beef Useful Facts

15

Contacts

16

Raw Material Guide

1

Introduction ForFarmers Blended Feeds division is a key part of the company’s total feed business approach, supplying nutritional solutions for all livestock enterprises.

Blend manufacturing sites are strategically located throughout the UK, allowing us to supply a wide range of customers on a regional basis.

The Blended Feeds name is now recognised as a trusted and reliable brand. We offer a full range of coarse blends and meals, produced from a wide variety of raw materials, available in bulk blown or full artic tipped loads. These products are available with or without minerals as well as unique feed additives, to enhance performance. In addition to our standard product range, we have the ability to formulate tailor made blends specific to your own requirements.

Our manufacturing process is supported by ForFarmers R&D Department and the group’s extensive knowledge of the raw material market. ForFarmers Blended Feeds products are able to meet the needs of our customers in today’s ever changing market.

All our blends are supported by a network of experienced traders and field based account managers who can offer comprehensive technical, nutritional and market advice to customers and prospects.

2

Feed 2 Meat Beef farmers will face a number of challenges that will affect profitability; volatile input costs, forage quality and availability and animal performance. Improving feed efficiency is one way to offset volatile input costs and increase profitability.

Feed 2 Meat (F2M) is ForFarmers measure of beef feed efficiency. =

Liveweight Gain (kg) Dry Matter Intake (kg)

The Benefits of improving Feed Efficiency • Reduced cost of production - improved feed utilisation - younger animals • Reduced days to slaughter - 307 days industry average

• Improved daily liveweight gain - 1.12kg industry average • Increased margin - 0.01 F2M increase = +15-20p/ head/day

Younger, Faster More Efficient Beef

The table above highlights the average performance parameters of different cattle systems. Younger animals have greatest potential to convert feed into growth.

This is why finishing animals younger and faster is more efficient and profitable.

3

Youngstock Nutrition Calves being reared for beef herd replacements, or intensive and semi intensive beef production, represent a valuable source of future income and fully justify special care and attention in the rearing stages.

1

Improved calf growth pre-weaning is linked to reduced mortality, better health and increased liveweight gains post weaning. Successful calf rearing involves: • high growth rates 750-800 g/day • reduced incidence of scours • reduced incidence of pneumonia • good rumen development • five critical calf rearing elements

Colostrum Management 5

2

Environment & Housing

Milk Feeding

4

3

Health Management

Nutrition & Weaning

Calf rearing nutrition can be split into two distinct areas. Pre-weaning (6-8 weeks), which comprises Calf Milk Replacer (CMR) and starter concentrate. Post-weaning (>8 weeks), which comprises starter/rearer concentrate and forage. Maximising growth rates and rapid rumen development are essential for stress free weaning and the transition from the rearing phase into the growing phase.

Calf & Heifer Rearing Nutrition Guidelines Energy (MJ/kg DM)

Crude Protein (%DM)

Starch & Sugar (%DM)

Forage (% DMI)

Target DLWG (kg/day)

Calf Starter* starter*

>12.0

18-20

20

30

>0.75

Calf CalfRearer rearer

11.0-12.0

16-18

20

50

0.75

* A good quality CMR with a high level of dairy ingredients should be fed with calf starter (protein minimum 23% and oil minimum 18%). In order to achieve target growth rates up to 6 litres of CMR should be fed in two/three bucket feeds per day or via a computerised feeder. CMR should also be fed at a concentration of 15% (150 grams of CMR with 850 ml of warm water).

4

Beef Nutrition - Grower The beef growing phase is a period of continuous steady growth, lasting up to 15 months. Developing height and length of body frame is the aim in this period.

Grower rations should be: • high in fibre • high in protein • supplemented with vitamins, minerals and trace elements • moderate energy density High levels of starch are not recommended in this period as this can lead to unwanted fat deposition, especially in small-medium framed, ‘easy fleshed’ cattle (early maturing) and heifers. Some ‘easy fleshed’ growing cattle can stay on this ration until finish to avoid getting over fat while underweight. Target feed to breed, sex and maturity

Beef Grower Nutrition Guidelines

5

Beef Nutrition - Finisher The beef finishing phase is a a short sharp period of maximum weight gain to allow well-grown animals to maximise meat yield and optimise fat cover.

Finisher rations should be: • High in starch • low in protein • supplemented with vitamins, minerals and trace elements • high energy density Rapid liveweight gain requires feeding high energy cereal based feeds. High starch levels can promote fast weight gains and more efficient feed conversion, particularly in the larger framed, more difficult to flesh animals. The key to profitable finishing is feed efficiency - F2M. Adequate quantities of structural fibre (0.5– 1.5 kg) are essential.

Cereal

Silage

Grazing

High energy

High energy

High energy

(starch)

(starch)

(starch)

Low Protein

Low Protein

Low Protein

Improve rumen health

Improve forage digestibility

Limit excess protein

Beef Finisher Nutrition Guidelines

6

The main focus is finishing beef animals younger and faster.

Different finishing systems face different challenges which need to be considered when formulating rations.

BlendMix Youngstock and Beef Blend Solutions: BlendMix Beef Blends Blended Feeds own specifications to be fed as part of a home mix or TMR diet.

BlendMix Primegrade + Levucell

BlendMix Supergrade

K09100

K09101

Target use

Intenstive finisher

Crude Protein (%)

BlendMix Growergrain

BlendMix Super Rearer

Semi-intenstive (forage) finisher

Grower

Rearer

14

14

16

18

Starch (%)

35

20

13

13

Sugar (%)

5

6

6

6

K09102

K09103

7

Custom Blends Youngstock and Beef Blend Solutions: Custom Blends ForFarmers Blended Feeds have the ability to manufacture farm and customer specific blends from a wide variety of raw materials and feed additives to balance forages or existing feeds. This can be done by batch or least cost blend formulation.

ForFarmers Blended Feeds carry a wide variety of raw materials for custom blends.

ForFarmers Blended Feeds also have a number of specialist raw materials, Nutrition Plus and feed additives, Levucell Titan. is a rumen, specific live yeast which improves rumen health and performance in beef cattle.

is an extracted rapeseed meal which has undergone a unique treatment process to protect and enhance protein availability.

is rolled wheat which has undergone a unique treatment process to protect and enhance starch availability.

is a specific variety of linseed, high in Omega-3 fatty acids, that has been thermo extruded to produce a unique feed for beef which is similar in quality to spring grass.

8

Features Levucell TITAN is a rumen, specific live yeast. This feed additive is unique to ForFarmers and has a number of features which improve rumen health and performance in beef cattle.

Levucell TITAN reduces:

Levucell TITAN increases starch utilisation and increases lactic acid utilising bacteria in the rumen

- Rumen lactic acid levels - Risk of low rumen pH

This helps to maintain a constant rumen pH. High starch and sugar intensive beef diets benefit from Levucell TITAN 6.2

Levucell TITAN Control

6.0 pH

- Rumen & liver damage

5.8 5.6 5.4 5.2 -1 1 Feeding

2

3

4

6

8

Hours after feeding

Maximise Rumen Health

Levucell TITAN can increase DLWG by up to 178 grams/day Healthy rumen papillae

Damaged rumen papillae

9

Features Levucell TITAN is a rumen, specific live yeast. This feed additive is unique to ForFarmers and has a number of features which benefit fibre digestion and performance in beef cattle.

Levucell TITAN increases: - Enzyme activity - Fibre digesting bacteria activity - Forage surface area The result is more energy available to the rumen microbes for microbial protein production.

This, in turn, increases performance (DLWG) from forage. High forage diets benefit from Levucell TITAN Levucell TITAN improves beef performance 700

+13%

Weight (kg)

600

+7%

500

• Growing - accelerated rumen development - improved feed utilisation

400 300 200

• Housing and diet transition - less nutritional stress

+15%

100 0

Rearing

Growing

Finishing Control

• Finishing - reduced risk of acidosis - improved rumen health

Levucell TITAN can increase DLWG by up to 178 grams/day

10

Features NutritionPlus is a range of products designed to offer innovation in a volatile raw material market. Each of the Nutrition Plus products is available as part of a Blended Feeds custom product. is an extracted rapeseed meal which has undergone a unique treatment process to protect and enhance protein availability.

Key Features High in energy - 12.1 MJ/kg DM High in crude protein - 34% Rich in by-pass protein (DUP) Valuable source of methionine UK non-GM sourced

Advantages Promotes high levels of DLWG Supports muscle growth Partially replace Soya Complements Distillers grains Cost effective

is rolled wheat which has undergone a unique treatment process to protect and enhance starch availability.

Key Features High in energy - 13.6 MJ/kg DM Rich in starch - 67% High in by-pass starch Low in protein - 10.1% High in available phosphorus

Advantages Increased DLWG Controlled rumen fermentation Replacement for maize based products

11

Features NutritionPlus products are unique to ForFarmers Blended Feeds and are the result of the company’s extensive R&D activities. Lintec is the most recent NutritionPlus product and is used successfully in dairy and beef diets to improve performance is a specific variety of linseed, high in Omega-3 fatty acids, that has been thermo extruded to produce a unique feed for Beef which is similar in quality to spring grass.

Key Features High in energy - 17.9 MJ/kg DM Rich in oil - 25% Omega 3 fatty acid content High in protein - 18% High it3

Advantages Increased DLWG Increased feed efficiency Better fertility Balance low Omega 3 level in feed

Ad Lib Beef Trial Results 112 Charolais cattle, fed ab lib concentrate (with and without Lintec) plus barley straw. Trial period: 154 days, finishing at 16 – 19 months and 700kg.

Control Diet

Lintec Diet

154 days

154 days

Total LWG in period (kg)

241

255

14kg

LWG per day (kg)

1.56

1.65

+0.09kg/day

Carcase Weight Gain (kg)

144

153

9kg

Feed Period Intake (kg/day)

11.1

9.5

-1.6kg/day

Trial Feeding Period

12

Lintec Advantage

Features - Minerals Supplying the correct amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements is important for optimum production health and fertility. Deficiency or excess can reduce performance and seriously affect animal health. ForFarmers Blended Feeds can manufacture fully mineralised blends to ensure that daily requirements are achieved.

Vitamins Vitamins Vitamins Vitamins Key Activity Key Activity Key Activity Key Activity

→ Vitamin A → Vitamin A → Vitamin A → Growth Vitamin A & development

Minerals Minerals Minerals Minerals Key Activity Key Activity Key Activity Key Activity

→ → → →

Tissue&maintenance Growth development Growth development Tissue& Growth &maintenance development Tissue maintenance Tissue maintenance

Calcium Calcium Calcium Bone growth Calcium

Muscle function Bone growth Bone growth Milk production Muscle function Bone growth Muscle function Milk production Muscle function Milk production Milk production

Trace elements → Cobalt Trace elements → Cobalt Trace elements → Trace elements →VitaminCobalt Cobalt B12 production Key Activity EnergyB12 metabolism Vitamin production Key Activity Vitamin B12 production Energy metabolism Vitamin B12 production Key Activity Key Activity Energy metabolism Energy metabolism

Trace elements → Manganese Trace elements → Manganese Trace elements → Manganese Trace elements → Bone Manganese formation Key Activity Muscle Bonedevelopment formation Key Activity Bonedevelopment formation Muscle Bone formation Key Activity Key Activity Muscle development Muscle development

Vitamin D3 Vitamin D3 Vitamin D3 Vitamin D3 Calcium & phosphorus absorption Calcium & phosphorus Calcium & phosphorus absorption Calcium & phosphorus absorption absorption

Phosphorus Phosphorus Phosphorus Bone growth Phosphorus

Fertility Bone growth Bone growth Energy Metabolism Fertility Bone growth Fertility Energy Metabolism Fertility Energy Metabolism Energy Metabolism

Copper Copper Copper Enzymes Copper

BloodEnzymes haemoglobin Fertility BloodEnzymes haemoglobin Enzymes Blood Fertility haemoglobin Blood haemoglobin Fertility Fertility

Selenium Selenium Selenium Selenium Anti-oxidant immunity Anti-oxidant Anti-oxidant immunity Anti-oxidant immunity immunity

Vitamin E Vitamin E Vitamin E Vitamin E Antioxidant activity Immune response Antioxidant activity Antioxidant activity Immune response Antioxidant activity Immune response Immune response

Magnesium Magnesium Magnesium Bone growth Magnesium

Muscle & nerve Bone growth Bone growth function Muscle & nerve Bone growth Muscle & nerve function Muscle & nerve function function

Iodine Iodine Iodine Growth hormone Iodine Fertility Growth hormone Growth hormone Muscle function Fertility Growth hormone Fertility Muscle function Fertility Muscle function Muscle function

Zinc Zinc Zinc Zinc Immunity

Keratin formation Immunity Immunity Keratin formation Immunity Keratin formation Keratin formation

13

Beef Useful Facts Feed Rates Cattle at grass  0.5 kg/100 kg LW Cattle on silage  1.0 kg/100 kg LW Bulls  1.0 kg/month of age Bulls (straw)  0.2 kg/100 kg LW

Energy & DMI Maintenance DLWG DMI

= 11 MJ/100kg Live weight = 47 MJ/kg Live weight = 2.5% of Live weight

Protein Concentrate Mixing Guide

14

Protein Levels Growing cattle Finishing cattle Bulls

 16% DM  14% DM  16% DM ≤ 9 months  14% DM > 9 months

F2M (kg gain/kg DM) 3 month Calf  0.27 12 month Bull  0.12 18 month steer  0.089 24 month steer  0.075

Contacts ForFarmers Blended Feeds are strategically located across Scotland, England and Wales.

Contacts: Brydekirk 01576 300202 Glasson 01524 752475 Whitchurch 0845 6030571 Carmarthen, Avonmouth & Exeter 08456 717839 Or contact your local account manager for more details.

15

Raw Material Guide

16

email: info.uk@forfarmers.eu Web: www.forfarmers.co.uk