Blossom Easymix, a milk formula for calves produced by Volac Milk Replacers Ireland Ltd, “works like a dream” according to a Co. Meath-based calf-to-beef farmer.
Michael Dunne, who runs his 90ac farm alongside son Ciarán in Kilbride, just outside Trim (“and 20ac leased”), is delighted with the reliability that Blossom Easymix provides for his calves.
“Blossom Easymix does a fantastic job for us”, said Michael, who is supplied with the milk formula by Drummonds in Navan.
“We’ve been using it for the past seven or eight years and no issues have arisen at all during the calves’ transition from whole milk to milk powder.
“Every batch of calves we’ve bought have settled into the powder immediately and that’s a credit to the quality of the product that Volac Milk Replacers produces and that Drummond’s in turn supplies us with,” he added.
Michael, who bought the farm in 1988, also works on a part-time basis off-farm while Ciarán has a full-time role away from the yard.
Managing the farm
“We manage the farm well between the two of us, while my daughter Karen looks after the tech and paperwork end of the job.
“In an overall sense, we’ve been hugely helped by the consistency and the quality that Blossom Easymix provides,” he said.
“It really helps the calves to settle in, in little to no time and that’s a huge bonus. We’ve no scours and that makes life easier on the calves and a good deal more straightforward for myself and Ciarán.
“There is also great consolation for us knowing that if and when a potential issue or problem arises, we know that both Tomás O’Reilly of Volac Milk Replacers and Drummonds are only ever a phone call away and it’s great to know we have such excellent back-up support to avail of whenever we need it,” Michael said.
Commenting on his company’s relationship with the Dunnes, Tomás O’Reilly, business manager with Volac Milk Replacers Ltd, stated:
“I’m delighted to have worked alongside Michael and Ciarán over the last number of years; they do a fantastic job in rearing calves from calf-to-beef and I’m equally delighted that Blossom Easymix has performed so well for them and continues to do so.”
Guaranteeing ‘tried and trusted performance’, Blossom Easymix has a high content of Immunopro, a unique concentrated whey protein base material packed with amino acids, fats, sugars and immunoglobulins, which aids in the growth and development of healthy calves.
It’s ideal in ad lib systems requiring an instant mixing powder.
Michael and Ciarán buy their calves in two batches (of 50 to 60 approximately) each September and February.
“We buy them from a nearby farmer for two reasons. Firstly, because of the trust we have in terms of who supplies us and how well the calves are looked after prior to us buying them and secondly for disease prevention reasons: the shorter journey places less stress on the calves when travelling between farms,” Michael said.
“It’s a very consistent product,” he added.
“Once the calves arrive on the farm, we place them in covered hutches as an additional disease prevention measure.
“They’re also administered with IBR and RSP vaccines to further protect the health of each animal,” he said.
The Dunnes also buy bulls and heifers, mostly Aberdeen Angus and Whiteheads and using the leader follower system, younger stock get to graze ahead of older stock and are moved every two to three days.
“This works brilliantly for us,” Michael stressed.
Heifers are finished at the Dunne farm between 16 and 20 months while bullocks are finished between the ages of 18 and 24 months.
“Consistency is key when you’re looking after calves,” said Michael, who also grows spring barley “for straw and for grain to feed the cattle”.
“Blossom Easymix has provided us with that from day one with successive years of calves and I couldn’t recommend it more highly as a milk replacer,” he added.
