2016-06-03 |
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New Website Highlights Feed Cost Saving Potential
Surging interest in alkalising home-grown cereals to make low cost, high starch cattle diets has led to the launch of a new information-based website.
With UK dairy and beef producers currently exploring every option to reduce bought-in feed bills, alkasystems specialist FiveF Alka Limited has revamped its on-line presence to include an information centre geared to helping farmers capitalise on its innovative technology.
Malcolm Graham says the new FiveF website will help farmers make the most of highly cost effective DIY Alka feeds such as Alkagrain.
“During these challenging times it’s reassuring to know that Alkagrain, for example, can now be made this season for the lowest price in 10 years – at about £125 per tonne; a saving of at least £40 per tonne over equivalent purchased feeds,” says Malcolm Graham from FiveF Alka.
“Our new website has been developed to help cattle farmers unlock these tangible feed cost savings by making their own Alka feeds and its pages are packed with information resources and ‘how to’ video content.”
According to Mr Graham, alkalised diets can help increased ruminant feed intake by between 5-10% when fed at effective levels. “This increase allows the diet to either be more powerful – to create higher performance – or contain a higher proportion of forage to reduce bought-in feed costs,” he says.
“Even in a low milk price environment, this increase in dry matter intake would deliver about 2-2.5 litres from feed grown on your own farm, worth £150-£180 per cow. For a beef finisher, this increased feed intake is worth £30-£40 per head over a 100-day growing period at current prices,” he says.
