| 99 Early nutrition has a major impact Andrew Dowling says calf meal is a valuable tool for helping young animals reach their potential. Karen Phelps For farmers rearing calves early nutrition has a major impact on future animal performance. Andrew Dowling, part of the animal production team at PGG Wrightson says calf meal is a valuable tool for helping young animals reach their potential. “The quicker you can grow an animal when it’s young the more robust it becomes. This also helps reduce problems linked to illness and weather stress,” says Andrew. “At this stage, when farmers are rearing calves, they are in control of much of the calves’ diet and can have a big impact on their health and the farm’s profitability so it’s a great time to invest in nutrition.” He says that, as calf meal is a key source of energy for young animals helping develop the rumen and supporting growth rates before calves are fully able to utilise pasture effectively. “We stop meal feeding too young in New Zealand, often at 100kg, but a calf doesn’t have enough rumen capacity to process the grass and clover to maximise its growth rates. A calf should be fed meal up to 120kg to maximise growth rates.” Quality is a key consideration when selecting calf feed products. PGG Wrightson works with a wide network of suppliers and regularly reviews products to ensure they meet the needs of farmers across different regions. The company supplies a range of calf meal brands and products, including meals and pellets, with formulations designed around important nutritional requirements. These include quality starch sources to provide energy and promote rumen development, coccidiostats to help control coccidiosis, and added vitamins and minerals to support calf development. Andrew says regional differences are also important when selecting products. “There are regional formulations because what suits one area may not necessarily suit another,” he explains. PGG Wrightson also focuses on leveraging local partnerships to benefit both farmers and the wider region. One example is Sgt Dan’s Amino Pro Calf Pellets, a locally manufactured Southland product supplied by PGG Wrightson. The product includes high-quality protein meals, added essential amino acids, New Zealand-grown grains for starch, vitamins A, D and E, and minerals designed to support immunity, skeletal development and lifetime productivity. “It’s an example of a local product, working with local feedmills,” says Andrew. “It helps Southland grain growers, dairy farmers and others, so we have RURAL SERVICES » PGG Wrightson Ltd - Christchurch: Stockfeed many linkages to link the supply chain together as much as we can. Local supplies are important as freight can be a considerable cost and this helps keep this cost down.” PGG Wrightson also supplies the equipment farmers need to make calf feeding easier including trailers, troughs and cleaning products. With a nationwide network of Rural Supplies stores, technical specialists and customer service teams, PGG Wrightson supports farmers across New Zealand with advice and products for livestock, pasture and general farm requirements. Its technical “By bringing together nutrition knowledge, supplier relationships and practical on-farm support, PGG Wrightson aims to help farmers give calves the best possible start and build healthier, more productive animals for the future.” 0800 SGTDAN (748326) Gorton Street, GORE Ph: 208 3965 E: admin@sgtdan.co.nz representatives work alongside farmers to provide guidance on feed and nutrition options, animal health and strategies to improve productivity. “By bringing together nutrition knowledge, supplier relationships and practical on-farm support, PGG Wrightson aims to help farmers give calves the best possible start and build healthier, more productive animals for the future.”
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