AAG Shur-Gain Ontario

Fall 2010
Spring
2011
Freecopy
copy
Free
!
Reports: Cnossen Holsteins, Cnossome Holsteins and Milglen Farms
Andrew Hunt
Ruminant Business Manager
Shur-Gain Central Region
Shur-Gain’s
New Heifer Program
The Power of Research Within your Reach
Our focus at Shur-Gain is to make your herd more profitable, healthy
and efficient. We continue to challenge ourselves to look for areas
of opportunity where we can make a difference to both yourself
and the animals you work with. Around the world our global research
team is focusing on quantitative nutrition, functional nutrition
and on-farm management tools to help you achieve your goals.
Quantitative nutrition focuses on ensuring we are meeting the calf
or cows needs accurately and not over or under feeding. Under
or over feeding can stress your animals and cost you in terms
of performance, health and ultimately the bottom line.
Functional nutrition relates to products or nutrients that impact
the health of your animals. An example of this would be increasing
vitamin E levels past the cow’s requirements to help combat
a mastitis issues. The requirement for vitamin E has not changed,
but increasing this nutrient improves the cows ability to combat
infection. These areas of focus are important, but equally important
is making sure we execute these appropriately at the farm level
and that we have the products and programs to help you.
Milk cows and dry cows often get the most attention, but this edition
of At A Glance focuses extensively on calves and heifers. Great calf and
heifer programs can impact your herd significantly from both a health
and economic standpoint, but recent research from around the world
indicates a further future benefit from having a great calf and heifer
program, more milk!
IN THIS ISSUE
Your comments
are always welcome!
2
Send them to Andrew Hunt
By mail:
600 James Street South
St. Marys (Ontario) N4X 1C7
By e-mail: [email protected]
By fax:
519 349-2675
“We now know that the first
two months of a calf’s life is
critical to optimizing future milk
production performance.”
We now know that the first two months of a calf’s life is critical
to optimizing future milk production performance. Simply put,
the higher the plane of nutrition in this time period the more milk
potential the animal will have when she enters the milking line.
OPTIVIA Calf and Heifer Program
We believe so strongly in this research that we have dedicated
the last several months to an exhaustive scientific review as well
as conducting numerous experiments at our research facility in
Burford, Ontario to create the OPTIVIA calf and heifer program.
OPTIVIA combines everything we have learned into new products and
programs to help you optimize the growth and health of your calves
and heifers. The ultimate goal of OPTIVIA is to allow these animals
to express their true potential when they enter your milking herd.
2
Editorial
3
OPTIVIA’S Milk replacers:
6
9
Rising Commodity Prices. Shur-Gain is
12 Ready to Take On the Challenge With You
Cnossen Holsteins - Double Farm Report
for an Optimized Future Performance 14
Intensified Milk Replacer:
16 Cnossome Holsteins - Double Farm Report
a Profitable Choice!
18 Milglen Farms Ltd.
Calf Starter: the Other Important
Feedstuff for Proper Calf Growth
20 OPTIVIA
and Development!
Douglas F. Waterman, Ph.D.
Director, Dairy Technology Application
Nutreco Canada Agresearch
OPTIVIA’S
Milk Replacers:
for an Optimized
Future Performance
Effect of Feeding Isocaloric Amounts of 22:20
CP:Fat and 28:15 CP:Fat Milk Replacers on Growth
Under Identical Management – data of Tikofsky et al.
300
(136.36)
246
(111.82)
250
(113.64)
200
(90.91)
150
(68.18)
226
(102.73)
172
159.2 (78.18)
(72.36)
Weaning
weight
Courtesy of Mike VanAmburgh
Remarkable Results
The concept of “Intensified” Milk Replacer was introduced to the
industry in the late 1990’s by Dr. Mike VanAmburgh. He showed that
calves would consume significantly higher amounts of dry matter
from milk than was recommended and that they would gain more
weight, be taller and have more lean tissue growth. Tikofsky
et al. 2001 showed that calves raised on a 28:15 versus a 22:20 milk
replacer gained 13 lb (5.9 kg) and 20 lb (9.07 kg) more weight by
weaning and the end of the transition period (Figure 1).
Figure 1
Weight, lb (kg)
How you feed and manage your herd replacements during
the first 56 days of life has a significant impact on first lactation
milk yield and this extra milk potential should carry through
to subsequent lactations!
Transition
weight
22:20
28:15
3
Optimized Milk Performance
However, did these animals maintain the advantage in growth and,
more importantly, produce more milk? We now know that they indeed
did produce more milk and the research now indicates that they
produced approximately 1800 lb (818.18 kg) more milk in the first
lactation. A summary of seven trials that compared cows raised
conventional vs intensified milk replacer programs reported the milk
yield advantage ranged from 1000 to 3000 lb (454.55 to 1363.64 kg)
(Table 1). Figure 2 illustrates the benefit of higher average daily
gains from birth to breeding on lactation milk yield.
Table 1
Study
Additional first-lactation milk
Foldager and Krohn (1994)
3,092
Bar-Peled et al. (1998)
998
Foldager et al. (1997)
1,143
Ballard et al. (2005)
1,543
at 200 days in milk
Rincker et al. (2006)
1,100
based on projected 305d milk
Moallem et al. (2006)
2,500
Drackley et al. (2007)
1,841
The DCHA Gold Standards
The DCHA Gold Standards are available via the DCHA website
(calfandheifer.org). They provide an excellent overview of goals your
herd replacement program should achieve, such as colostrum
management, growth rates, mortality, morbidity, housing and
nutrition. One key point made within the Gold Standards is that
we need to supply these animals a higher plane of nutrition then
is commonly being practiced, especially during periods of cold stress.
OPTIVIA Milk Replacers:
For the OPTIVIA Program we developed two different milk replacers.
The 22-18 (protein-fat %) is our “High Performance” product. It was
designed to provide adequate protein and energy to support lean
tissue growth and a gain of around 1 lb (454 g) per day. The
“Advantage” product is a 26-16 (protein-fat %). This product was
developed to support 1.75 to 2.0 lb (600-900 g) of gain per day. The
protein to fat ratio and feeding rates were based on the metabolizable
energy (ME) and apparent digestible protein (ADP) requirements for
the targeted ADG and intake (adapted from Davis and Drackley, 1998).
This is Why in Our New
We Recommend:
Hoards Dairyman January 2011
Figure 2
Milk
Temperature
Quantity
High Performance
13 °C and 21 °C
(55 °F and 70 °F)
600 g
(1.5 lb)
0 °C ( 32 °F)
900 g (2 lb)
13 °C and 21 °C
(55 °F and 70 °F)
900 g
(2 lb)
0 °C ( 32 °F)
1,200 g (2.5 lb)
y = 8240.6x + 1348
R² = 0.27622
25,000
(11,363.64)
20,000
(9,090.91)
15,000
(6,818.18)
10,000
(4,545.45)
1 (0.46)
1.5 (0.68)
2 (0.91)
2.5 (1.14)
3 (1.36)
Average daily gain, lb/d (kg/d)
Significant Weight Gain
Based on work from Cornell, higher rates of gain resulted in more milk
and 22% of the variation typically observed in first lactation yield
can be explained by pre-weaning growth rate! “Intensified” milk
replacer programs may cost more to implement upfront, but are more
profitable from the standpoint of lifetime profitability.
OPTIVIA Program: An Important Innovation
With these facts in mind, Shur-Gain is introducing OPTIVIA - A new
Herd Replacement Program. OPTIVIA incorporates the latest
science based around the “Intensified Concept” and the Dairy Calf
and Heifer Association (DCHA) “Gold Standards” in regards to the milk
replacer products, calf starters and management. In this article we will
outline the improvements we have made to the milk replacer product
line, while starters will be addressed in a subsequent article.
4
Advantage
*For temperatures below 0 °C ( 32 °F), a thirds feeding is recommended!
Courtesy of Mike VanAmburgh
Milk yield, lb/yr (kg/yr)
First Lactation Milk Yield vs ADG Birth-Breeding
40,000
(18,181.82)
35,000
(15,909.09)
30,000
(13,636,36)
OPTIVIA Program
For the times of the year when the environmental temperature drops
below 32 °F (0 °C), preliminary research would suggest that calves
can not maintain a target growth rate of 2 lb (0.9 kg) at the above
recommended feeding rates. At these extremely low temperatures
it is highly recommended that a third feeding be provided if you want
to continue growing your herd replacement. In addition, research has
clearly shown that a higher caloric intake will have a positive impact
on the animal’s immune function.
100% Milk Protein
The key to formulating a high quality milk replacer is to start with
the right ingredients. The best sources of protein and carbohydrates
are from milk ingredients (whey, whey protein concentrate, skim milk,
delactosed whey, casein, lactose). These ingredients are highly
digestible and provide lactose which is an excellent source
of carbohydrate to a young digestive system. Calves raised on milk
replacers formulated with All Milk proteins consistently out perform
those raised with alternate proteins. Tomkins et al. (1994) reported
a trial that compared milk replacers formulated with varying amounts
of alternative proteins and at different percentages to an all milk
formula. Calves fed the all milk milk replacer gained significantly
more weight in days 1-14, recorded lower mortality and lower morbidity
(Figure 3).
Figure 3
Results: Calves Included in Analyses
30
Number of Calves
30
29
28
28
27
27
26
25
24
Another feature of the O PTIVIA Advantage milk replacers is
the addition of supplemental Amino Acids (lysine and methionine).
The purpose of including additional lysine and methionine was to
achieve levels similar to those present in whole milk. Hill et al. (2008),
reported higher ADG days 1-28 for a 26% CP milk replacer with supplemental amino acids (AA) compared to a 28% CP milk replacer
with or without supplemental AA. The overall benefit is that less total
protein is being fed so the calf is more efficient and it is more economical for the producer.
Figure 5
Amino Acids Reduce the CP Required in a Milk Replacer
2
SPC
3
4
Wheat
5
6
Plasma
7
8
Milk
A typical alternative protein milk replacer will save $5-10 per bag, but
if you loose one calf or more, have higher morbidity and/or lower
growth rates, the alternate protein will not be more economical. Make
sure your milk replacer contains only milk ingredients!
Next to lowering mortality and morbidity the success of your calf
program will be measured by how well they grow. The growth goal
should be that the calves will double birth weight by 56 days. This can
be achieved by providing more total nutrients as mentioned above. You
can enhance your chance of success by also providing the highest
quality milk replacer possible.
Mildly Acidified Milk Replacer
for Optimized Results
Another feature incorporated into OPTIVIA milk replacers is mild
acidification. Mild acidification was chosen over full acidification
because the primary goal was to reduce the time the pH of the
abomassum was elevated versus complete preservation of the milk
replacer. Text books have shown that the bacteria that cause scours do
not grow well below a pH of 4.5. A calf’s abomassum is generally
around a pH of 3, but when sweet milk replacer is fed the pH increases
to 6-7 which is optimal for many bacteria (see Figure 4). By mildly
acidifying the milk replacer you lower the amount of time that the gut
pH is above 4.5 thus reducing the optimal time for the bacteria to grow.
Mild acidification will not reduce DMI and will not require additional
mixing to prevent separation. Another benefit which can not be
overlooked is that you do not have to handle dangerous acids yourself,
as we have blended it directly into the OPTIVIA milk replacer line.
1.2
(0.55)
No AA
w/ AA
17% fat MR fed at 1.5 lb (0.68 kg) per day
1.0
(0.45)
Adapted from Hill et al. (2008)
1
Gain, lb/day (kg/day) (0-28 days)
20
0.8
(0.36)
0.6
(0.27)
24
26
% Crude Protein
28
Please Read the Milk Replacer Tag!
Other milk replacers may list supplemental lysine and methionine
on their tag, but this may not necessarily mean extra amino acids
or protein. Synthetics can be added just to meet a targeted crude
protein. This method simply replaces some of the milk protein
ingredients in the formula with synthetic amino acids, which lowers
the overall amino acid balance and potentially makes it less expensive
compared to a product with just all milk protein.
It is always important to read the milk replacer tag to make sure you
are comparing equivalent products. Look at more than just the protein,
fat and mineral levels. Check the ingredient listing and make sure
the product is made with all milk ingredients and don’t be afraid to ask
your nutritionist to explain any differences.
Figure 4
Milk Acidification Reduces Scour Producing Bacterial
Growth in the Stomach
6
x x xx
xxx x x
Period of
no bacterial
growth
xxx
xx
xx
xx
2
xx xx x
4
Period during
which bacterial
growth could occur
x x x x xx
xxxx x x
x
xx x x
pH
Feeding
xx x
x x x xx
Time
O PTIVIA milk replacers are formulated too
supply highly digestible sources of nutrients
that will support higher rates of gain, support
lower mortality and morbidity by
• Using all milk proteins
• Being mildly acidified
• Containing supplemental amino acids
• Providing a higher plane of nutrition
• Adopting DCHA Gold Standards
5
Douglas F. Waterman, Ph.D.
Director, Dairy Technology Application
Nutreco Canada Agresearch
Fred Lundy,
y, M. Sc.
Dairy Sales Advisor
Shur-Gain Central Region
Intensified
Growth Program:
a Profitable Choice!
BEWARE OF FALSE PERCEPTIONS
Rather than label a calf raising program as “conventional” or “intensified”, we should be focused on what the calf requires to grow efficiently
and through these increased efficiencies we may get a healthier
animal of proper size and weight that potentially gets into the milking
stream at an earlier age and produces milk to her genetic potential.
This is a win-win... raising heifers that will make more milk and have
a lower mortality and morbidity rate. In addition. calving at a younger
age means that less replacements will be required to maintain your
herd size or allow for greater internal herd growth if you are in fact
growing your herd.
YOU CAN CALCULATE IT: INTENSIFIED GROWTH PROGRAM
IS PROFITABLE
Dr. Galligan illustrates in Figure 1 the time required for a heifer to cover
her raising costs... basically how long before she is profitable.
We all know that a heifer isn’t considered “profitable” until the amount
of money she generates (milk in the bulk tank) is greater than
the amount of money invested (feed, medicine, vet costs, etc.). The
average heifer will be 40 months of age and into her second lactation
before she starts becoming profitable.
6
Figure1
Animal Age Versus Dollars Spent or Gained per Month
5,000
250
4,000
200
3,000
150
2,000
100
1,000
50
0
0
-50
-1,000
-100
-150
-2,000
0
10
Daily
20
30
40
Cow age
50
60
70
Cumulative
Chart courtesy of David T. Galligan, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Total dollars
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER:
THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT
So how does lowering the AFC impact her profitability? With the
current cost of raising a heifer from birth to calving ranging from
$1600-1800 the sooner an animal is introduced into her lactation the
sooner she can start paying you back. In addition, the younger she
calves the more productive days she will potentially have or in other
words the greater her productive life will be, assuming the same age of
leaving the herd. Dr. Alex Bach at the 2010 Shur-Gain Seminar reported
that the younger a heifer calves, as long as she is at least 22 months
old, the greater the probability of her completing her first lactation
compared to older heifers.
Dollars per month
For years now, you as producers have heard the debate between
conventional and intensified calf programs. Some disregard the
intensified program because the initial input costs were greater due to
increased milk replacer powder being consumed. Others might say,
“What difference does AFC (Age at First Calving) make, as long as she
makes it into the milking stream at some point in her life-time.”
Perhaps we (nutritionists and producers) have been thinking about
this the wrong way.
BENEFITS ON CALVING AGE AND HERD REPLACEMENT
AND ABOVE ALL: INCREASED MILK PERFORMANCE!
Another important point to take into consideration when assessing
AFC is the impact it can have on the number herd replacements
needed to maintain your herd size. Table 1 illustrates the impact on
the number of herd replacements required per 100 cows based
on cull rate and AFC. As you would expect as the cull rate increases it
will require more replacements to maintain the herd, but for every
month that the AFC is above 22 months the farm will need 1.0 to
1.5 more heifers per 100 cows, depending on the specific cull rate.
So there are three direct benefits of lowering the AFC to 22 months...
higher probability to complete the first lactation, less herd
replacements to maintain the current herd size and a higher number
of productive days. Dr. Overton illustrates the potential income
that can be generated with an intensified program versus a conventional program by comparing input costs and the extra income from
milk (Table 2). In addition, you could add another $1600-1800
in savings for every animal not raised by simply lowering your AFC.
As mentioned in an earlier article, Dr. Van Amburgh has been an
advocate for intensified growth programs and a summary of data
suggests that an intensified growth program increases milk production in a heifer’s first lactation by as much as 1800 lb (818.18 kg)
and this extra production should continue into future lactations.
At $18 milk, that equals an additional $324 in milk income for that first
lactation alone. Leonel Leal summarized numerous papers on intensified milk replacer programs in a recent literature review and some of
the data is listed in Table 3. The literature supports significantly higher
ADG at weaning for 9 of the trials listed for an average increase
of 160 g/c/d (0.35 lb/c/d). That is 19.8 lb (9 kg).
Table 1
Number of Replacement Heifers Required
for 100 Dairy Cows
Age at 1st Calving
Herd Cull Rate %
22
24
26
28
30
20
40
44
48
51
55
25
50
55
60
65
69
30
61
66
72
77
83
35
71
77
83
88
93
40
82
88
94
100
106
45
92
97
102
107
112
Table 2
Based on the Assumptions Used in this Model:
Net Results: (Intensive vs Conventional)
Feed costs
$74.29
Labor costs
$(14.66)
Health/ vet med
$(14.65)
Interest cost
$(15.50)
Reproductive culls
Seven of the 11 trials recorded AFC with 4 reporting less days
to calving for heifers raised on an intensified program compared
to conventional. The differences were not significant but calves raised
on the intensified program were numerically younger at first calving.
In addition, the first lactation milk yields were significantly higher for
6 of the 11 trials while all the trials reported numerically higher milk
yields (+1077 lb or 488 kg) for heifers raised intensively.
HEALTHY HEIFERS WILL COVER THEIR RAISING COST,
AND EVEN MORE!
While at the Shur-Gain Seminar this fall, Dr. Van Amburgh detailed the
importance of adequate nutrition for the first few days of the new-born
calves’ life. Calves are born with only 3 to 4% body fat, much lower than
other animals. If calves do not consume enough calories to meet their
maintenance requirements, they will begin to use body fat. With such
little fat reserves, they will ultimately begin to use body protein as an
energy source, and this has substantial long term delays in growth
and leads to a weakened immunity system. Calves that have a weaken
immune systems are more prone to sickness which can slow or inhibit
growth, delay AFC, or die. These so called “poor performers” may make
it to calving but a high percentage fail to complete the lactation.
Animals that don’t make it to calving (die or culled) or don’t complete
their first lactation are never able to cover their raising costs, thus
loosing the producer money.
$(7.45)
Other costs
$(20.36)
Total “dead calf” costs
$(21.49)
Net Result (Savings):
$(19.81)
• Add in value of additional milk - $170 – and the advantage for Intensive Rearing ˜$190
Mike Overton, AABP 2010 courtesy of Mike VanAburgh
7
Table 3
Reference
Ballard et al.
(2005)
Bar-Peled et al.
(1997)
Davis Rincker
et al. (2006)
Drackley et al.
(2007) (1)
Drackley et al.
(2007) (2)
Moallem et al.
(2006)
Morrison et al.
(2009)
Morrison et al.
(2010)
Raeth-Knight
et al. (2009)
Shamay et al.
(2005)
Terre et al.
(2009)
Liquid feed Starter feed
composition, composition,
%CP : %CF
%CP : %CF
Liquid feed
intake,
kg/DM day
Total DMI,
kg/day
27:20 vs 27:15
−
−
−
−
−
−NS
6,803 vs 6,014*
23:15 vs ...:...3
16:...
−
−
61.9 vs 73.4
0.56 vs 0.85**
700 vs 669*
9,171 vs 9,624†
22:22 vs 31:16
20:... vs 24:...
0.45 vs 0.68
−
−
−
... vs −17*
− NS
22:20 vs 28:20
−
−
−
−
0.56 vs 0.69**
762 vs 795NS
9,226 vs
10,555**
22:20 vs 28:20
−
−
−
−
0.59 vs 0.67†
720 vs 729NS
8,778 vs 9,119**
24:13 vs 26:293
18:...
1.19 vs 1.09**
1.36 vs 1.27**
82.7 vs 85.8
0.73 vs 0.81**
751 vs 745†
23:... vs 30:...
22:2
0.6 vs 1.2
−
66.3 vs 73,2**
0.45 vs 0.54**
−
23:16 vs 26:17
23:2
0.463 vs 1.1**
−
69.5 vs 75.4†
0.47 vs 0.61**
723 vs 729NS
20:20 vs 28:18
20:3 vs 25:3
0.49 vs 0.91*
0.93 vs 1.13*
64.0 vs 73.7
0.56 vs 0.79*
744.5 vs 717*
23:12 vs 27:293
18:...
0.45 vs 0.99*
1.1 vs 1.21*
69.5 vs 84.0
0.59 vs 0.88*
700 vs 684NS
25:19
21:4
0.41 vs 0.9**
1.20 vs 1.19 NS
55.9 vs 60.7
0.8 vs 0.9*
−NS
9,272 vs
10,340*
3,967 vs
4,041NS
6,508 vs
6,267NS
12,962 vs
13,680NS
10,784 vs
12,104*
9,888 vs
10,512NS
1 Weaning occurred between 42 and 56 days of age.
2 305-day production, but for Ballard et al. (2005) 200 DIM (days in milk)
and Morrison et al. (2009) 160 DIM.
3 Wholemilk.
† P < 0.10; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; NS No significant;
FIN
FINALY,
HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS
YYOU
OU SHOULD ASK TO YOURSELF:
Reg
Regardless
of what type of calf raising program
yyouu are using the most important questions
yo
t answer are these: 1.) am I meeting the
to
nnutritional requirement of the calf, 2.) am I
nu
m
meeting those requirements under times of
eenvironmental stress, 3.) am I maximizing
m
my milk income profit by having heifers
ccalve in a timely manner at an appropriate
we
size and weight,
and 4) have I provided her every
opportunity to cover her raising costs?
Now it’s your turn to decide what feed strategy you want.
Your Shur-Gain Dairy Nutrition Advisor is there to help you find
the right plan based on your needs and objectives.
8
BW around
ADG until
Age at first
First
weaning1, kg weaning, kg calving, day lactation milk
prod.2, kg
Brian Tarr
Ruminant Nutritionist
Shur-Gain Central Region
*HSM:[HY[LY!
[OL6[OLY0TWVY[HU[
-LLKZ[\MMMVY7YVWLY*HSM
.YV^[OHUK+L]LSVWTLU[
In the previous article we discussed the importance of feeding your calves a higher plane of nutrition.
Calves raised on an intensified program, grew faster, were healthier, calved earlier and produced more milk
in their first lactation. However, to grow a calf correctly and economically a calf starter must also be fed along
with the milk replacer.
From Milk Replacer to Dry Calf Starter
Figure 1
Figure 2
The calf is totally dependent on the protein and energy supplied by
milk replacer for the first 14 to 21 days of age. At this point in time the
calf will require more nutrients than the milk replacer or milk alone can
supply. To correct for this you must feed more milk replacer or dry calf
starter. Starter is much more economical and it is necessary for the
development of the rumen. Adequate calf starter intake is essential
for volatile fatty acid production, particularly butyrate, which enables
early rumen development and enables the calf to be transitioned off
of milk (Figure 1 and 2).
Only Milk
Milk and dry starter
When Should we Offer Dry Calf Starter?
As early as 5 days of age calves should be offered calf starter and free
choice water. The most important factor for the successful feeding of
the pre-weaned calf is the early acceptance and high intake of the calf
starter ration. There are many factors that affect the calf starter intake
but the two main factors are free-choice water and a starter that
is palatable. Kertz (1984) conducted a trial that showed calves
consumed significantly more dry starter and recorded higher average
daily gains (ADG) when they had access to free choice water
compared to no water (Graph 1, page 10).
9
Graph 1
*HS]LZ5LLK>H[LY
400
(0.88)
300
(0.66)
Source: Kertz, et al., JDS, 1984
Gain / Intake, g (lb)
500
(1.1)
200
(0.44)
100
(0.22)
0
ADG
Blue is ad lib water
Intake
Red no water
Trials and Studies on Ingredients for Palatability
Palatability generally means the feed “tastes good” but in the context
of the calf that may be more difficult to define. Several researchers
have examined different ingredients for palatability to calves. Quigley,
for example, suggests that soybeans and molasses improve palatability, soybean meal and corn don’t appear to have any effect either
way, while canola meal, and urea will reduce palatability. Some
ingredients, such as fats and bicarbonate may enhance palatability
at low inclusion rates but depress intake at higher inclusion levels.
Work reported by Montoro et al. (2010) in a preference trial showed
that wheat was highly palatable while gluten feed was not. Choosing
the best ingredients is important, but equally important can be
the inclusion level of these ingredients.
products for appearance and “smell”, the calf starter that we deemed
to be best based on these visual criteria, was not the one the calves
ate the most of!
OPTIVIA Textured Calf Starters,
for Optimized Palatability and Intake
The Shur-Gain 22% Express Textured Calf Starter out performed the
other textured products on trial based on early acceptance and overall
intake by the calves. These studies have been used to further refine
our calf starter formulations and we are confident that the ingredients
selected and inclusion levels used in the OPTIVIA rations optimize
the palatability for the young calf and thus ensure maximum intake.
Textured vs Pelleted Calf Starters
Shur-Gain has conducted several trials looking at ingredient palatability and followed these up with preference trials to determine which
feeds the calves actually prefer or would consume first given a choice.
The preference trials conducted at our Nutreco Research facilities
demonstrated a wide range of preference by the calves for several
products on the market today. We brought in calf starter products
manufactured across the company as well as the best competitive
products on the market to evaluate the preference and acceptance by
new born calves. Interestingly, when our group examined all the
10
Both textured and pelleted calf starters are fed to pre-weaned calves
and they both can provide equivalent nutrients. However, numerous
research trials have demonstrated that feeding textured starters
helps prevent parakeratosis (keratin build up on the papillae) in
the developing rumen. Keratin build up on the papillae permanently
reduces their ability to absorb nutrients. Both textured and pelleted
forms of calf starter produce the Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) necessary
for rumen development but textured starters provide the scratch
or abrasiveness that prevents the build up of keratin on the papillae.
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Palatability or what we perceive as “taste” can also be enhanced in a
number of ways, including flavours and sweeteners. The simplest of these
and most common is molasses. Calves and other small ruminants show a distinct
preference for starter rations that have molasses added “on the outside” of
the feed. The research reviewed indicates that 4 to 5% molasses is ideal.
It is not entirely clear if this is simply enhanced palatability or if there
is an olfactory role as well. To gain the highest intakes, Shur-Gain has
developed a special flavour enhancement that will only be available
with O PTIVIA Calf Starters. This flavour enhancer when combined
with our carefully selected ingredients led to a significant
improvement in intake.
Keratinization can be partially mitigated in pelleted calf starter
formulations by supplementing the starter with chopped straw or hay.
Recent studies reported by Dr. Alex Bach from Spain showed that
feeding straw along with pelleted calf starter rations provided
sufficient “scratch” to help reduce parakeratosis. However, the straw
intake should not exceed 10% of the total daily feed intake. The advantage of a pelleted starter is it can be stored in bulk bins and attracts
fewer flies in the summer compared to textured feeds with molasses.
Optimum Protein Level
When selecting a calf starter which crude protein level is best?
In reality the crude protein level should not matter - the key parameter
is the amount (grams/lb) of protein consumed. The most important
factor in optimizing protein consumption is intake. More palatable calf
starters promote higher intake and supply more total nutrients.
Key Points
for a Good Start
High calf starter intake is the most important
factor determining the success and outcome
of the calf feeding program (higher growth
rates and better health). There have been
many studies looking at nutritional
composition of the diet in an effort to find
the optimal diet for growing calves efficiently andd costt
effectively. This is likely more difficult to determine than it appears
as it is confounded by palatability and intake. In addition, cold and
heat stress have important effects on the nutritional requirements
of calves, as do the environmental conditions that they are raised
in. We need to feed well balanced, highly nutritious diets to calves
that can be easily adjusted to suit the prevailing conditions.
11
Dave Crossan
Dairy Nutrition Advisor
& Automatic Milking System Specialist
Shur-Gain Central Region
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As variable corn and soybean prices have reached new highs in recent
years and quota purchases have become more difficult, dairy producers
are rethinking how they feed their cattle. To reduce the costs of purchasing energy and protein, dairymen are striving to produce high quality
forages and are working with nutrition advisors to utilize a variety
of ingredient sources available today.
The main goal of dairy nutrition is to match the nutrients provided by
feed ingredients to the nutrient requirements of the cows to optimize
cow health and production, maximize forages in the ration, improve cost
efficiency, and meet the individual needs of the dairy farms. Older
feeding strategies such as utilizing one or two commodity sources on
farm are no longer cost effective. This strategy worked well from a cost
perspective when commodity prices were low and over feeding
them was not an issue. Over feeding any product causes three issues:
1. Increased cost;
2. Valuable rumen space is lost to accommodate the overfeeding and leads to higher percent concentrate diets;
3. Wasted nutrients with a negative impact on the environment.
12
On a regular basis our Dairy Nutrition Advisors are hearing the
following question, “What can I do to minimize cost, while maximizing
production and cow health”? To answer this question we need
to focus on efficiency and to maximize efficiency we need to examine
a circular interaction between three different areas, the rumen, ration
balancing and manufacturing.
The rumen is truly amazing to us and is an extremely complex eco
system that works with the rest of the cow to allow these animals
to produce increasingly larger amounts of milk. A rumen that
is optimized provides numerous benefits to the cow and ultimately
to the producer. With high producing cows we are always working
to maximize the amount of nutrients we can get the cow to eat while
maintaining a healthy forage based diet. To free up valuable space, you
must feed to the basic requirements of the cow and must minimize
over feeding as much as possible.
This moves us into discussing the importance of the ration balancing
tool that is being utilized to design your high performance ration.
Different ration balancing tools have different capabilities in terms
of the level of nutrients they can balance for. As an example, many
older ration balancing tools such as Spartan, are only capable
of balancing to the crude protein level, other newer tools are able
to balance to a finer level of detail, but only a few including NEWTON
are able to balance to the amino acid level. In fact, Shur-Gain has been
able to balance for amino acids for numerous years and this is in part
due to the fact that we have intensively researched this area of
nutrition for decades and over that time have been able to develop
our models to this intricate level. Why does this matter? It matters
because we are able to meet the requirements of the cow while
minimizing waste and space at the rumen level and this allows us to
utilize more of your home grown forages and feed the rumen protozoa,
bacteria and fungi as efficiently as possible.
Another feature of NEWTON that helps with efficiency is its ability
to incorporate the digestibility of your home grown forages and truly
account for the nutrients the cow is going to gain from those forages.
Many older models are not capable of doing this at all and a few new
models can be manipulated to do this to a certain degree via NDF-d.
However, NEWTON is the only model that can incorporate whole plant
digestibility.
The last feature of ration balancing efficiency is the utilization of rumen
modifiers and incorporating their benefits into the ration. Rumen
modifiers such as Rumensin or Levucell Yeast change the rumen
environment which ultimately changes the outputs of the rumen. Many
models simply formulate a ration and then add the rumen modifier on
top of the created formula. NEWTON has the capability to incorporate
the benefit of the rumen modifier in the formulation process and this
can have a dramatic impact on the ration created.
The last aspect of improving efficiency is manufacturing and or
on-farm ingredient selection. It is in your best interest as a producer
to work with a company that has a large number of available
ingredients. Remember, cows do not have an ingredient requirement
but a nutrient requirement, so the more ingredients there are available,
the more cost effective the final product is. Quality control and
assurance is also critical in this aspect. Do the nutrient numbers in the
ingredient database match the specs of the ingredients in the bin?
Shur-Gain analyzes all incoming ingredients and frequently updates
our database to ensure that your animals are receiving exactly what
they need.
How much does ingredient selection save you? Each option below
is balanced to the same cow definition to provide the same level of
nutrient density. All three options were balanced for a herd producing
an average of 36 l/cow/day at 3.7% butterfat and 3.2% milk protein.
The same ingredient pricing was used in all three scenarios. The only
difference between these three scenarios was the selection
of ingredients used in each option.
Option #1:
This option utilized the full selection of ingredients
available from the Shur-Gain Mill.
• Cost for Option 1 was $3.49/cow/day.
Option #2:
This option utilized the full selection of ingredients
available from the Shur-Gain Mill except animal
proteins and tallow. By removing the animal protein
options, the cost to balance for the same cow
parameters as in Option 1, above, increased.
• Cost for Option 2 was $3.66/cow/day
(+$0.17/cow/day over Option #1).
Option #3:
This option utilized the typical ingredient selection
from a more traditional small mill. The cost to balance
for the same cow parameters as in Option #1
and #2, above, increased.
• Cost for Option 3 was $4.04/cow/day
(+ $0.55/cow/day over Option #1,
and +$0.38/cow/day over Option #2).
As you can see the savings and gains inn
efficiency from simply working with the
number of ingredients is substantial. Add
this to the other opportunities discussed and
the savings become even more substantial
without compromising health or production.
Speak with your Shur-Gain Nutrition Advisor
to evaluate the opportunities for your
operation and how you can improve
efficiency and your bottom line.
13
AT A GLANCE, SPRING 2011
Cnossen Holsteins & Cnossome Holsteins:
two generations of
passionate producers!
Special:
DOUBLE FARM
REPORT
(See the next page)
Cnossen Holsteins: Where it all Began...
Rudy and Hinke Cnossen have always dreamed about creating a
strong family dairy farming operation. These strong family values
and goals have led to the creation of two impressive Southern
Ontario dairy farms that continue to excel in production.
Farming in the Netherlands
Rudy Cnossen had his start on a small family farm on a 400 acre island
near Heeg in the Netherlands. This small agricultural island supported
13 families with a variety of mixed farming operations. Recognizing
the limitations of the small island farm and the need to expand, the
Cnossen family moved to Parrega, where Rudy farmed with his father
and brother for 10 years on a 35 hectare farm. Rudy married Hinke in
1979 and started a family. The children soon arrived – Symen, Harry,
Gerrie and Janny! Rudy and his brother took over the family farm and
formed a partnership in 1987.
Their Dream
But Rudy and Hinke still had a dream of owning their own dairy
operation and developing a farm that would support their family. Rudy
and his brother decided to dissolve the partnership to allow this dream
to prosper. Rudy and Hinke moved the family to a 70 acre farm near
Gronigen, built a new freestall and started milking 35 cows.
As the family grew, Rudy and Hinke recognized that another move
might be inevitable so that the family could build an operation that was
positioned for the future. In 1998 Symen worked in PEI, Canada on a
pure-bred Holstein operation with Dutch roots. Symen was intrigued
by Canadian genetics and this two month sabbatical on a Canadian
dairy farm was great way to study genetics and get a flavour for
Canadian dairy farming. It also planted an idea for Rudy and Hinke –
what about moving to Canada?
Moving to Canada
Rudy and Harry made the first foray into the Canadian marketplace
in the fall of 2000 with a 10 day “holiday” in which they looked at
14 potential dairy operations! Two weeks later, the whole family came
over to make a key decision – which farm best suited their dreams and
goals? The Cnossen family had found a picturesque farm perched on
a hill at the edge of Elora in Wellington County that seemed perfect!
The dairy barn, a former free-stall operation, needed some work but
the family was excited about the possibilities and what the future
would bring. They purchased a small tie-stall herd from Sunderland
and started milking 35 cows in December 2000.
14
14
Always in Evolution
The Cnossens’ made numerous improvements to the operation over
the next few years gradually building the herd to a 100-milking cow
operation. The rapid growth in herd size strained the capacity
of the older barn. The Cnossens’ needed to make a decision to expand
the facility. A new 82 stall freestall that included large straw pens
for dry cows was attached to the older building in 2008 to give the
operation more room and potential for expansion.
A Family Business
The remarkable story behind the Cnossen dairy operation is the strong
family work ethics and the ability to maximize both production
and profitability from their operation. Both Symen and Harry worked
off the farm on freestall operations owned by close neighbours.
Symen and Harry worked at both operations to allow the home farm
to prosper during the expansion phase. Harry comments that “this
was a great experience for Symen and me. It allowed us to experience
different ideas and work ethics; making us more independent, there
and on the home farm”.
Part of the growth of the Cnossen family throughout the last 40 years
was the dream of building a sustainable and profitable family operation.
This dream has also become the dream of both Symen and Harry and
their families. Symen and his wife Andrea (ne:Tschudi) have purchased
a productive tie-stall operation in Perth County near the town of Brunner
while Harry and his wife, Hanneke (ne: Bouwman) and Rudy and his
wife Hinke continue to operate Cnossen Holsteins. Harry met Hanneke
in 2004 on the Bouwman dairy farm just north of Guelph. Hanneke
and her family immigrated from Holland to Guelph, Ontario in 1999.
Sharing the Same Passion
Harry and Rudy, who currently operate Cnossen Holsteins, both love
what they are doing! They enjoy working with the dairy cows and
recognize that a high production herd can be a highly profitable herd.
Harry comments that “there is a great deal of satisfaction working
with the cows and seeing improvements in the dairy herd. My number
one goal is maximize both milk production and profitability.”
Great Performance
Cnossen Holsteins’ DHIA information has the herd producing
38-40 litres of milk/cow/day (2x milking) at approximately 4% MF
and 3.2% MP. This high production herd has extremely high milk value
at over $8000 value for 305 days. The herd ration consists of haylage,
corn silage, wet brewers’ grains, chopped straw and a custom
complete feed formulated on Shur-Gain’s innovative NEWTON
program. The complete feed is manufactured at the Nieuwland’s
Elora Mill.
Cnossen Holsteins
The Cnossen Family: standing left to right - Harry and Rudy and seated left to right - Hanneke, Ruben, Ronella, Hinke.
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Farm profile:
Cnossen Holsteins, Elora, Ontario
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Owners: Rudy and Hinke Anna Cnossen,
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Harry and Hanneke Cnossen
Average herd size: 220
Cows in milk: 110
Production average: 38-40 litres milk/cow/day (2x milking)
Average annual components: 4% MF − 3.2% MP
BCA: 254-263-249
Herd classification: 17 VG, 57 GP and 31 G
Types of crops: Haylage, corn silage, wet brewers’ grains
and chopped straw
Available land: 200 acres owned and 30 rented
Centre of Excellence: Nieuwlands Elora Mill
Dairy Nutrition Advisor: Colin MacMillan
ere
The Future
Rudy Cnossen has always dreamed about being a farmer – it’s in his
blood! He has seen tremendous change over the last 40 years in dairy
farming and big changes in his family! He is now a grandfather with
six grandchildren that keeps him quite busy. He has always looked
to the future with his dairy operation and his family. Rudy took a
calculated risk when he moved to Canada – it was a challenging
experience with a new language, a new country and a new farming
operation. Rudy is thrilled to be the catalyst for a new generation
of dairy farmers!
“Rudy Cnossen
has always
dreamed about
being a farmer it’s in his blood.”
iff
The Cnossens’ are constantly making improvements and modifications on their dairy operation to improve cow comfort, performance
and ultimately profitability. A recent change was a move to a new
TMR mixer. The Cnossens’ carefully evaluated a number of mixers but
settled on a paddle mixer that has made improvements in dry matter
intake. The paddle mixer has helped to reduce particle size and
prevent sorting plus the TMR mix is “fluffier”. This has improved dry
matter intake (DMI) by over 1 kg of intake.
15
15
AT A GLANCE, SPRING 2011
Cnossen Holsteins & Cnossome Holsteins:
Special:
two generations of
passionate producers!
DOUBLE FARM
REPORT
Cnossome Holsteins: the Pursuit of a Dream
Symen and Andrea Cnossen first met at Cnossens Holsteins
when Andrea was a sales trainee with Shur-Gain in 2002. Andrea
remembers Symen on this first meeting as a quiet, young man
with a big smile! Their paths didn’t cross again until five years
later when they decided that they were meant for each other!
The Next Generation
Both Andrea and Symen have a similar love for dairy cows and
for farming! Andrea (ne:Tschudi) arrived in Mitchell, Ontario from
Switzerland in 1992 with her family. Her father, Joe Tschudi, with
her brother Thomas run a very successful dairy operation in Mitchell.
Andrea developed a deep affection for dairy farming from her parent’s
operation in Mitchell. Andrea comments that “I have always loved the
idea of farming – I love the lifestyle and running our own business.
The long hours and hard work are rewarding especially when the dairy
cows improve in production and the operation is successful.”
Strong Partnership
Andrea developed a keen sense of nutrition and management from
her career with Shur-Gain – plus a love for good cows. This closely
matches with Symen’s ideals for genetics and cow management. Symen
comments that “I love everything about farming. It’s all of the
little things such as the smell of the 1st cut haylage that makes
it worthwhile. Every season is new and different – I definitely get
a kick out of dairy farming!”
Living their Dream
Symen and Andrea had a dream to develop their own dairy operation
much like the dream that Rudy and Hinke had to develop Cnossen
Holsteins and the family farm. Symen and Andrea purchased a 65 cow
tie-stall operation in Perth County to allow them the opportunity
to produce quality Holsteins with high production and type characteristics – Cnossome Holsteins was born!
16
16
About the Farm Performance...
Symen currently works for a genetic company, GenerVations, while
farming with Andrea full-time. The dairy herd is currently at 35 milking
cows with production between 37-38 litres/cow/day. They have a definite goal of maximizing the output from the barn and would like to see
all the stalls full in the future as the herd expands. This well-balanced
dairy herd is currently fed haylage, corn silage, dry hay, HM Corn,
wet brewers’ grains, chopped straw and a custom dairy supplement
that is formulated on Shur-Gain’s innovative NEWTON program.
The BCA for milk has moved from 214 points when they started
to 244 points currently – a great start to a tremendous operation!
Their Goals for the Future
Symen comments that “Andrea and my goals are very similar – we
would like to develop the herd genetically so that we can maximize
production on the current dairy operation.” Symen and Andrea find
that the management decisions on such things as forage quality and
genetics are similar to the home farms in Elora and Mitchell. The
tie-stall facility works very well with their current lifestyle and allows
them to focus on individual cow needs and development.
The future is looking bright for Cnossome Holsteins as they continue
to develop their dairy herd with the support and encouragement
from their families.
Cnossome Holsteins
Andrea, Symen, Ella and Ben.
iff
ere
Farm profile:
Cnossome Holsteins, Brunner, Ontario
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h ur- G ain
Owners: Symen and Andrea Cnossen
Herd size: 80
Cows in milk: 35
Production average: 37-38 litres milk/cow/day (2x milking)
Average annual components: 4% MF − 3.2% MP
BCA: 244-236-238
Herd classification: 9 VG, 26 GP and 5 G
Types of crops: Haylage, corn silage, wet brewers’ grains,
HMC, hay and chopped straw
Available land: 100 acres owned and 100 rented
Centre of Excellence: Nieuwlands Elora Mill
Dairy Nutrition Advisor: Colin MacMillan
nce
“Symen and Andrea had a dream to develop
their own dairy operation much like the dream
that Rudy and Hinke Anna had to develop
Cnossen Holsteins and the family farm.”
People Devoted to Their Profession
“Excellent managers, forward thinkers and success driven are just a few words I would use to describe
these two exceptional farm families. They love what they do and it shows in the results they achieve.
Working with both Cnossen operations is certainly rewarding and a privilege.”
Colin MacMillan, Dairy Nutrition Advisor
17
AT A GLANCE, SPRING 2011
Milglen Farms Ltd.
A Successful Family Operated Business
Milglen Farms is a family dairy operation located in St. Marys,
Ontario. The owner, Linda Mills, and her son Jeff look after all
aspects of the business, along with the help of Linda’s other
children, Mandy, Melissa, and Jamie. Together they care for
a herd of 68 Holsteins, 60 of which are in milk. The Mills are very
proud of their ability to run the business as a family.
Basic Assets
The farm sits on 400 acres of land, which are used to grow corn, hay,
wheat, edible beans, and soybeans. The Mills have a quota of 60 kg and
would like to purchase more. The herd’s current BCA is 227-234-223
with an average of 32 litres at 3.88% butterfat and 3.24% protein. Their
cows include 13 VG, 42 GP and 10 G. These are the basic assets that
fuel the accomplishments of Milglen Farms.
A Focus on Growth
The Mills have focused their energy on growth for the last few years.
To achieve their goals, they decided to build a new barn with a robotic
milking system. This would give them the ability to increase production
as well as the flexibility to grow their business without the need
for additional labour.
The Transition to the New Barn
In July 2009, the new double alley free stall barn was ready,
complete with a new Lely A3 milking robot and a Lely Calm Calf Feeder.
The entire herd was moved there from the old 60-cow tie stall barn. “The
transition was easier than anticipated,” Jeff was happy to report. “Most
of the cows were going through the robot within the first two weeks.”
As for the calf feeder, not only is it helpful for feeding, but it is also great
for weaning the calves and ensuring that their nutritional requirements
are met right from the start.
Using the Right Feed – The Key to Success
To prepare adequately for the move to the new barn, the Mills started
feeding their herd 19% Pro-Biotic pellets while the animals were still
housed in the old tie stall barn. This made the cows more comfortable
with the robot because they were already familiar with the feed when
they moved on to the automatic milking system. The cows are fed
a NEWTON designed TMR averaging a total of 3.4 kg of 19% Pro-Botic
pellet per cow per day. “Using the right feed at the right time was
clearly one of the keys to our success,” asserts Jeff.
18
Lely A3 milking robot.
Lely Calm Calf Feeder.
Proud of Their Achievements
With an average of 2.6 milkings per day, a milk speed of 2.7 litres/min
and only 3 cows to push up every day, the Mills family is very
satisfied with the results they have obtained since the cows have
moved to the new facilities. The herd’s BCA has also been consistanly
increasing. All this, together with working as a tightly knit team
on troubleshooting, improving artificial insemination and feeding,
and maintaining the technology on the farm is a great source of pride
for the Mills.
Gearing Up for Further Growth
Now that the right structures have been put in place, the Mills family
would like to gear up for further growth by purchasing more quota. This
has been an objective for some time. As the future of Milglen Farms
clearly hinges on growth, the Mills would like nothing better than to be
able to fill their barn to capacity.
A Knowledgeable Partner
The Mills moved their herd from a regular tie-stall barn to an
ultramodern robotic free-stall facility in July of 2009. Since then
Jeff has worked with Shur-Gain Dairy Nutrition Advisor Mark Ross
in reviewing information that is provided by the Lely software, based
on Shur-Gain’s AMS “know-how”. As far as feeding the herd is
concerned, Stephen Hutton and the Hitching Post team have been a
valued supplier and an integral part of Milglen farms. They look forward
to working with the Mills family for many years to come.
Milglen Farms Ltd.
Jeff , Linda, Jamie, Melissa and Mandy.
ere
nce
“To achieve their goals,
they decided to build a new barn
with a robotic milking system.”
iff
Farm profile:
Th
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Milglen Farms Ltd., St. Marys, Ontario
eS
h ur- G ain
Owners: Linda Mills and her son Jeff
Herd size: 68-cow
Cows in milk: 60
Production average: 32 litre/cow/day
Average annual components: 3.88% BF − 3.24% P
BCA: 227-234-223
Herd classification: 13 VG, 42 GP and 10 G
Types of crops: corn, hay, wheat, edible beans and soybeans
Available land: 400 acres
Centre of Excellence: The Hitching Post
Dairy Nutrition Advisor: Mark Ross
A Great Example of Motivation
“It’s a privilege to work with motivated people who do everything they can to get the best out of their herd
and do so with great respect for the animals they make a living from.”
Mark Ross, Dairy Nutrition Advisor
19
Give it a try and measure
is Shur-Gain’s brand new program for heifer
development. It includes highly palatable products, from milk
replacer through to growth supplements because the proper
development of your heifers starts at birth and
is critical for their future dairy performance.
Based on the science of NEWTON, O PTIVIA facilitates nutrient
intake for health and optimum growth with no waste.
O PTIVIA enables heifers to calve and begin producing milk more
quickly, at the right weight and height and optimizes peak milk.
THE POWER OF RESEARCH WITHIN YOUR REACH
SGO110148
O PTIVIA
the difference.