As harvest 2021 draws to a close, on-farm stocks of forage and maize look reassuringly healthy.
To complement these homegrown staples and round off your ration, think about adding co-product feeds to the mix.
They're so much more than just forage extenders.
With winter approaching, it's time to set out your feed regime.
Whichever livestock you have, in whatever system, getting the balance right - and ensuring the ration is enthusiastically received - is key to achieving your performance goals.
Homegrown forage is likely to be the bedrock of your feeding system, but it needs a boost to hit required levels of quality protein, fermentable fibre, starch, sugar and oils.
Where you might usually turn to concentrates, think instead about co-products.
You might be surprised by their value and versatility.
A lot of people think that co-products such as brewer's grains, potato products or citrus pulp are fed as a replacement or extender for forage.
Actually, they should be considered as an equivalent to concentrates.
As well as delivering equivalent nutrition to dry blends and compounds, they have several key benefits:
• Palatability: moist co-products can be integrated into any mix and are observed to be more tempting than dry concentrates. Their variety, flavour and appealing aroma help to drive forage intake. To achieve optimum dry matter levels while boosting nutrition levels, moist co-products can be added to blends instead of water.
• Rumen efficiency: co-products foster ideal rumen conditions and increase efficient fermentation. The yeast in Seagold Syrup, for example, stimulates rumen microbes.
• Storage: where concentrates need under-cover indoor or bin storage, moist co-products can be simply ensiled in the yard and sheeted over.
• Sustainability: in most cases, co-products have a significantly lower carbon footprint than other bought-in feeds. Many Duynie feeds offer nutritional profiles similar to more expensive, less sustainable dry products.
• Value for money: based on nutrient value, contribution to the ration and unit cost, co-product moist feeds typically offer the best value.
• Consistency and balance: every mouthful of every batch is the same, discouraging picky eating.
• Nutrition: co-products benefit the digestive process at the same time as delivering crucial nutrients. Highquality bypass protein (DUP) and fermentable energy sources are vital for supporting productivity and overall health. Quickly available sugars and starches, fibrous slow-release energy sources and quality rumen and bypass protein can all be found within the range of feeds Duynie has to offer.
When you're formulating a forage-based ration, gauging the true value of what you're feeding is all-important.
Duynie co-products come with up-to-date nutritional analyses, meaning you can confidently make the ideal choice to balance the values of your homegrown forage.
Taking all the benefits from these co-products Duynie have created a moist blend range which is delivered in one easy-to-store, balanced feed.
With a range of blends available to suit any system, Duynie feeds are cost-effective replacements for traditional dry compounds whatever you grow and however you farm.
If you want to maximise intakes of your homegrown forage, adding appealing and nutritious co-product feeds is the easy way forward.
