Don’t let forage variability impact herd performance

On most dairy and beef farms there is huge variability in forage through the winter months as a result of variability within a silage clamp, changes between clamps or, in the case of maize silage, changes in starch digestibility within a clamp over time.

This situation is made worse where farmers clamp second or third cut silage on top of first cut.

This inconsistency in forage has a significant impact on the nutritional composition of the ration presented to cows. As well as negatively impacting on milk production, this variability can promote wide fluctuations in rumen pH leading to rumen upset (technically termed sub acute rumen acidosis or SARA), which results in lower feed intakes culminating in reduced milk production and poorer fertility in dairy cows, and reduced live weight gains in beef cattle.

Thankfully, there is a solution. Adding Actisaf live yeast to the diet will:

Minimise lost production during diet changes  
Minimise dips in performance due to forage variability  
Stabilise rumen pH and reduce the risk of acidosis  
Improve feed utilisation and give more milk from forage

Actisaf can be added to your compound feed by your local feed mill or can be purchased as a farm pack, which can easily be mixed into TMR rations on farm.