NZ Dairy Summer 2020

36 | nz dairy Feedworks is changing the Agriculture Industry. We take pride in our ability to introduce new technologies, see their development through research, market investigation, commercialisation and finally a valuable profitable outcome for our customers. , , , . Feedworks are proud to support PGG Wrightson. www.feedworks.co.nz PO Box 530, New Plymouth 0800 584 569 FEEDSAFENZ » PGG Wrightson C ustomers of PGG Wrightson Grain’s range of feed products can have confidence the company is manufacturing to the highest standards in the industry from its two FeedSafeNZ Accredited sites. PGG Wrightson Grain manufactures Gusto feed products exclusively for PGG Wrightson Rural Sup- plies retail stores and also manufacture other feed products for a range of customers such as livestock producers and feed manufacturers. PGG Wrightson Grain has been a FeedSafeNZ Accredited manufacturer since 2015 when Feed- SafeNZ was first introduced. Through two Feed- SafeNZ Accredited sites PGG Wrightson Grain can guarantee the quality of the animal feed coming out of these facilities, with FeedSafeNZ auditing busi- ness manufacturing processes yearly. PGG Wrightson Grain general manager Brent Syc- amore says it is important for customers to know the company is manufacturing through accredited sites, giving them confidence in the products being supplied. “PGG Wrightson Grain offers domestically grown grain which is fully traceable and GMO-free,” Brent says.“We trace from the seed that grows the crop, through to crop diaries kept by the farmers who grow for us, so we know all of the fertiliser and sprays that have been on the product. When it’s de- livered to us it gets tested for quality standards, and then we manufacture under FeedSafeNZ standards to achieve a high quality product.” Grain based feed products can be readily and successfully integrated into the diet of dairy cows, following some feeding guidelines, offering both nu- For every one kilogram of grain fed, the demand for pasture is reduced. This is a valuable way to lift average pasture covers across the farm at critical times, including during early and late lactation. Feed products made to the highest standards Kelly Deeks tritional and management benefits to dairy farmers. Grain provides cows with additional dry matter (DM) when the quantity or quality of pasture or other feed is limited, such as poor pasture growth due to drought or cool weather, or if access to pasture is limited due to wet conditions underfoot. Feeding grain causes some substitution, so for every one kilogram of grain fed, the demand for pasture is reduced. This is a valuable way to lift average pasture covers across the farm at critical times, including during early and late lactation. For pasture fed cows, grain can complement the nutritional profile of most New Zealand pastures. Pastures often contain high concentrations of crude protein and low concentrations of readily ferment- able carbohydrates like starch and water-soluble carbohydrates. Grain contains low concentrations of crude protein and high concentrations of starch to nutritionally balance a pasture-based diet. Grains can increase daily intake of energy to better match the energy demands of lactating dairy cows during early to peak lactation, so grain-based stock feed can reduce the extent and duration of loss of body condition after calving. Cows in late lactation will tend to gain body condition in response to grain feeding, allowing younger and thinner cows to milk on for longer in late lactation. Feeding grain can potentially improve reproduc- tive performance of cows by encouraging better body condition score at calving and lessening the extent of body condition loss after calving. Both outcomes may contribute to a better 6-week in calf rate with more cows getting in calf to artificial insemination, and a more condensed calving spread the following season.