Carbon-friendly dairy nut protects grazing cow health and the environment

A newly-formulated dairy nut is helping dairy farmers to improve their carbon footprint while also strengthening herd health and performance in the second grazing rotation.

Cow intakes of quality grass are high in spring; as herds graze the second and third rotation in May and into June, appropriate supplementation is needed to avoid health issues, advises Paddy McCarthy, a nutritionist with Roches Feeds.

He recommends feeding up to 4kg of Roches Feeds’ new 12% protein Carbon Catcher, an in-parlour feed produced without imported protein and incorporating a residue-free rumen enhancer manufactured in Ireland.

This product has been specifically formulated for dairy cows grazing lush second-rotation grass, says Paddy.

“The challenge to the cow in terms of herd health and her ability to digest this top-class grass will be eased by feeding up to 4kg/cow/day of this dairy nut,” stated Paddy.

Improve carbon footprint

With pressure mounting on dairy farms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, this nut allows dairy farmers to make some easy strides to improve their carbon footprint because the raw materials have been selected to reduce the carbon production associated with transport.

The ingredients are only sourced from the UK, Ireland and some parts of the EU.

“The starch comes from native barley and EU beet pulp and this supplies fermentable energy to the rumen to allow rumen bugs to trap the protein and nitrogen coming from grass and efficiently convert it to microbial protein,” Paddy explains.

“This can then be used for milk and milk protein synthesis, reducing nitrogen excretion to the environment.”

For good rumen function, the feed additive Panatec Rumen Proof and nutritionally improved straw (NIS) are incorporated.

These provide protection at a time in the grass-growing cycle when sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) can be an issue in many herds.

SARA reduces milk yield and can have a negative impact on milk solids, increase lameness and bodyweight loss and, as a consequence, reduce herd fertility.

Rumen Proof from Mayo Healthcare is an additive specially designed and proven to prevent SARA, says Paddy.

“This is immensely positive from a cow health point of view and also reduces ruminal emissions to the environment. We have added Rumen Proof to this diet to complete the package,’’ he says.

Rumen Proof, which in this case is fed in encapsulated form but can also be added directly to feed, is also shown to increase milk yield and milk protein.

NIS as a source of fibre in Carbon Catcher buffers the rumen and, importantly, gives a good rumen mat to help control rumen flow rate; this allows the rumen bugs time to trap energy and protein from grass.

“This will reduce scouring and leave firmer dung patches,” says Paddy. “The aim is to reduce urinary nitrogen excretion by increasing faecal or dung nitrogen and thus help the environment.”

Carbon Catcher is the first diet of its kind for grazing cows that does not contain imported sources of protein and, as such, is the lowest carbon footprint nut on the market.

“The use of native cereals and beans are a big advantage in this regard,” says Paddy. “Our supply of NIS from Sundown Products in England gives us a sustainable source of non-fermentable fibre with a low carbon footprint.”

Carbon Catcher allows dairy farmers to feed energy-rich high protein grass while balancing the health of the cow and the environment, Paddy adds.

“Grass and cereals are very good carbon sequesters and farmers are very good at growing them in an environmentally friendly manner. By feeding Carbon Catcher at this time of year, we can help keep the carbon cycle on dairy farms very efficient.”