Many UK dairy farmers could boost significantly their use of highly cost-effective home-grown cereals in cow diets thanks to a range of versatile ‘alkalising’ feed options.
FiveF Alka is now able to offer every milk producer in the country a bespoke alkalised feed solution designed to help them make the most of what they can grow on their own farm.
“Many farm users of our alkalising technology are now feeding 20-40% more of their home-grown feed materials, cutting feed costs whilst also increasing milk output and improving longer-term profit factors such as cow energy status and fertility,” said FiveF Alka general manager Rob Smith at Dairy-Tech (Wednesday 6th February 2019).
To complement the alkalising technology developed over the last 30 years allowing farmers to make their own Alkalage, Alkagrain and Alkastraw, the company is also now helping partner feed companies to make a range of innovative new Alka feeds.
“A great example of this co-operation is new Alkafibre. This new product is a joint development between HJ Lea Oakes and FiveF Alka, which can be distributed nationally. Alkafibre is made from oatfeed pellets, a feed ingredient perceived to be of low nutritional value. However, the alkalisation process improves the rumen degradability of this fibre, adds valuable protein and makes it highly alkaline, making it a very cost-effective alternative to more conventional ration fibre sources such as beet pulp and soya hulls,” Mr Smith said.
