Supplements

Although pasture is generally the lowest cost feed available to grazing animals, it can vary greatly in nutrient content in terms of energy, protein, minerals and trace elements. Nutrient deficiencies can significantly reduce livestock performance in terms of growth rate, fertility and milk production.

Providing stock with an appropriate supplement can make up for the deficiencies in the pasture allowing animals to get more from the feed available, lift productivity and so improve financial performance. A supplement will result in more paddock feed being consumed with the paddock being grazed further and more evenly. In contrast, a feed the animals consume in preference to the paddock feed (a substitute) will often result in less of the paddock feed being consumed.

A supplement is only useful when there is feed in the paddock and so supplements are best placed in with the stock early in the season. Dry feed supplements should be put out as soon as it starts to dry off, so as to maintain rumen activity and accustom stock to the supplement before the dry season starts. When there is plenty of green feed available the use of mineral supplements that aid digestion and provide a source of supplementary minerals is recommended.

Supplements should be moved away from water points once intake is established. This can lead to stock being encouraged away from the water points to graze earlier in the day, graze out pastures better and reduce selective grazing. In addition, this allows greater control of supplement intake asplacing supplements close to water points can lead to excessive intakes.

A comprehensive range of supplements is also available to complement the pelleted dairy feeds. The range includes Barastoc Blocks, Rumevite Blocks, and Rumetrace intra-ruminal capsules and pills.

Heifer Block

Dairy Block