ForFarmers UK: Youngstock and beef blends

Blended FeedsYoungstock & Beef

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Contents

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Introduction

Feed 2 Meat

Youngstock Nutrition

Beef Nutrition - Grower

Beef Nutrition - Finisher

BlendMix

Custom Blends

Features - Levucell Titan

Features - NutritionPlus

Features - Minerals

Beef Useful Facts

Contacts

Raw Material Guide

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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.

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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

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.

• 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

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ColostrumManagement

MilkFeeding

Nutrition & Weaning

HealthManagement

Environment& Housing

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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.

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

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

* 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).

Energy

(MJ/kg DM)

Crude Protein (%DM)

Starch &

Sugar (%DM)

Forage (% DMI)

Target

DLWG (kg/day)

Calf starter* >12.0 18-20 20

20

30 >0.75

Calf rearer 11.0-12.0 16-18 50 0.75

Calf Starter*

Calf Rearer

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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 un-wanted 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

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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.

The main focus is finishing beef animals younger and faster. Different finishing systems face different challenges which need to be considered when formulating rations.

Beef Finisher Nutrition Guidelines

Cereal Silage Grazing

High energy

(starch)

Low Protein

High energy

(starch)

Low Protein

High energy

(starch)

Low Protein

Improve rumen health

Improve forage digestibility

Limit excess protein

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BlendMix

Youngstock and Beef Blend Solutions:

BlendMix Beef BlendsBlended Feeds own specifications to be fed as part of a home mix or TMR diet.

BlendMixPrimegrade +

LevucellK09100

BlendMixSupergrade

K09101

BlendMixGrowergrain

K09102

BlendMixSuper Rearer

K09103

Target use Intenstivefinisher

Semi-intenstive(forage) finisher Grower Rearer

Crude Protein(%) 14 14 16 18

Starch (%) 35 20 13 13

Sugar(%) 5 6 6 6

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Custom Blends

Youngstock and Beef Blend Solutions:

Custom BlendsForFarmers 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.

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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 increases starch utilisationand increases lactic acid utilising bacteria inthe rumen

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

Maximise Rumen Health

Levucell TITAN reduces:

- Rumen lactic acid levels

- Risk of low rumen pH

- Rumen & liver damage

Feeding

5.2

6.0

5.8

5.6

5.4

6.2

-1 1 2 3 4 6 8 Hours after feeding

Levucell TITANControl

pH

Feeding

5.2

6.0

5.8

5.6

5.4

6.2

-1 1 2 3 4 6 8 Hours after feeding

Levucell TITANControl

pH

Healthy rumen papillae Damaged rumen papillae

Levucell TITANcan increase

DLWG by up to178 grams/day

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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

• Growing - accelerated rumen development - improved feed utilisation

• Housing and diet transition- less nutritional stress

• Finishing - reduced risk of acidosis - improved rumen health

Levucell TITAN canincrease DLWG by up to

178 grams/day

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Rearing Growing Finishing

+15%

+7%

+13%

Wei

ght (

kg)

Control

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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.

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

Key Features Advantages

High in energy - 12.1 MJ/kg DM Promotes high levels of DLWG

High in crude protein - 34% Supports muscle growth

Rich in by-pass protein (DUP) Partially replace Soya

Valuable source of methionine Complements Distillers grains

UK non-GM sourced Cost effective


High in energy - 13.6 MJ/kg DM Increased DLWG

Rich in starch - 67% Controlled rumen fermentation

High in by-pass starch Replacement for maize based products

Low in protein - 10.1%

High in available phosphorus

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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.

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.


High in energy - 17.9 MJ/kg DM Increased DLWG

Rich in oil - 25% Increased feed efficiency

Omega 3 fatty acid content Better fertility

High in protein - 18% Balance low Omega 3 level in feed

High it3

Control Diet Lintec Diet Lintec Advantage

Trial Feeding Period 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

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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.

Vitamin A Vitamin D3 Vitamin E

Key Activity Growth & development Tissue maintenance

Calcium & phosphorusabsorption

Antioxidant activity Immune response

Calcium Phosphorus Magnesium

Key ActivityBone growth

Muscle function Milk production

Bone growthFertility

Energy Metabolism

Bone growth Muscle & nerve

function

Cobalt Copper Iodine

Key Activity Vitamin B12 production Energy metabolism

EnzymesBlood haemoglobin

Fertility

Growth hormone Fertility

Muscle function

Manganese Selenium Zinc

Key Activity Bone formation Muscle development

Anti-oxidantimmunity

Immunity Keratin formation

Vitamins →

Minerals →

Trace elements →

Trace elements →









Energy Metabolism


function




Fertility


Muscle function





Vitamins →

Minerals →

Trace elements →

Trace elements →









Energy Metabolism


function




Fertility


Muscle function





Vitamins →

Minerals →

Trace elements →

Trace elements →









Energy Metabolism


function




Fertility


Muscle function





Vitamins →

Minerals →

Trace elements →

Trace elements →

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Beef Useful Facts

Protein Concentrate Mixing Guide

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 ageBulls (straw) 0.2 kg/100 kg LW

Energy & DMI

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

Protein Levels

Growing cattle 16% DM Finishing cattle 14% DMBulls 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 0.08924 month steer 0.075

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Contacts

ForFarmers Blended Feeds arestrategically located acrossScotland, England and Wales.

Contacts:

Brydekirk01576 300202

Glasson01524 752475

Whitchurch0845 6030571

Carmarthen, Avonmouth & Exeter08456 717839

Or contact your local account manager for more details.

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Raw Material Guide

email: [email protected]: www.forfarmers.co.uk

Documents

ForFarmers UK: Youngstock and beef blends