Business Central July 2021

Complete animal nutrition with Sollus With production sites in both North and South Islands, Sollus Nutrition has developed a compelling reputation for product quality, innovation and service to its customers nationwide. Constant innovation means that solutions for problems such as facial eczema, milk fever and lameness have been addressed in ways never before seen in New Zealand. Sollus supplies a range of micronutrient supplements that aim to complement the requirements of dairy cows. Following extensive analysis and research into the diets of dairy cows in New Zealand Sollus has developed packages for animals producing 400, 500 and 600 Milk Solids (MS) per lactation. Analysis has shown that, depending on production levels, diets often have similar de iciencies. Sollus is able to provide cost e ective micronutrients by manufacturing them in large amounts. As a service package Sollus provides advice along with its micronutrients, allowing customers to gain the most out of the pasture they provide to their cows. “Tranzsol is a signi icant discovery for pasture fed dairy cattle,” says Dr Joe McGrath, Sollus’s Head Nutritionist. “It’s a critical tool for allowing dairy farmers to formulate diets that minimise the impact of milk fever in their operation.” Many New Zealand dairy farmers have found that as they increase milk production much of the increase in income is lost in poor animal health and decreases in fertility. Sollus aims to provide a road map for farmers to have increased milk and healthy cows at the same time. “Our typical customers are those looking for e icient production systems. Our de inition of e iciency takes into account the core areas of sustainability and pro itability. To achieve this cows must be considered a productive unit along with a hectare of land. Therefore, cows need to be highly productive.” Sollus’s research has shown that the ideal production rate for cows in New Zealand, when undertaking a triple bottom line analysis, is 95 120% of MS per unit of body weight; typically 400 650 MS/cow per year. “The actual amount will depend on the farm, the cow and the system,” explains Joe. “As a result the core customers of Sollus are progressive dairy farmers looking to achieve similar objectives while having healthy, strong cows. Waka Dairies is a classic Sollus customer —they’re innovative, highly productive and as a result have a very low carbon/nutrient footprint for every kilogram of milk solids produced.” Sollus was able to help Waka Dairies reduce animal health issues while continuing to increase milk production. As part of the service Sollus was able to extend information gained from overseas on how to utilise their wintering barn for best e ect. The Sollus team is made up of highly experienced dairy operators who have amassed signi icant knowledge around practical feeding systems for cows, backed by an experienced nutritionist and product supply chain second to none in quality and reliability. As Sollus’s Head Nutritionist Joe brings international experience with an applied technique for optimum production of milk from grass. His research experience extends to the role of Vitamin D in maintaining calcium and phosphorus status.