How best to feed this autumn

I wrote last August about the choice of proteins available for supplementing diets for milking cows and growing cattle. This year, as last year the protein prices in the spring did not fall as low as desirable so producers often delayed purchase. Since then the price of soyabean meal in particular has rocketed with summer prices at over £210 and although it has fallen back, next winters prices are likely to be £25 - £35 more than last year. Many will still be waiting to buy though it is not certain that price will become better.

In addition to being high, the soya prices remain volatile with considerable swings often occurring over a few days. The reasons for the fluctuations have been multiple, with some of the early concerns, often relating to the South American crop, appearing of less importance. The more recent declines reflect the good weather in the US for planting together with some interchange between maize and soya cropping. In addition, funds selling off long positions has helped. With China taking so much soya, rumour of deals being cancelled, or increased buying is certainly enough to influence the forward prices. So, the combined effect of China’s influence, the weather, dollar exchange and before long another crop estimate, will keep prices moving. I suggest that although the current hipro soya price is around £175/ tonne for Nov – April, I would be keen to take cover for a substantial amount of the total requirement.

This high price of soya, together with the high cereal prices has had its affect on all other protein sources, blends and compounds. For this reason looking to change to less expensive sources of protein maybe a false economy.

Rapeseed is likely to continue to provide a potential saving over the cost of soya, but its lower energy content (12.0 vs. 13.5 MJ/kg DM) needs to be borne in mind. I would anticipate that on farms that have had 50/50 soya/rape or 65/35 soya/rape will move to 35/65 soya/rape, or even further. Where the cut off point comes will vary, but with herds at 8500 - 9000 litres, I would certainly maintain a minimum of 1.25 - 1.5kg soya (or equivalent as prairie meal, soypass or sopralin, though these are unlikely to save costs).

Rapepro (heat treated rapeseed meal) is promoted as an alternative (high DUP) protein source to soya. Protein content will be slightly lower than rape at 36.7% (DM basis). The protection can increase DUP levels, but cannot change the overall amount of protein supplied.

The comparative figures for the nutritional value of soya and rape are given below.

	Energy MJ/kgDM	Protein % DM	DUP g/kgDM	ERDP g/kg DM
Hi-pro soya	13.5	54.7	203	300
Braz soya	13.5	49	183	272
Rapeseed	12	38.3	112	235

With the Brazilian soya at £170/tonne, rapeseed will provide a worthwhile alternative up to £125/ tonne, accepting some of the limitations expressed above, and the need for an increased amount of rape + soya overall. Where feeds with a higher proportion of degradable protein (ERDP) are used, ensure that the rumen is well supplied with energy substrates (sugar, starch and fibre). This is essential if degradable protein is to be well utilised. Heavy dependence on dietary fat is likely to justify greater soya inclusion.

Urea - Feed grade urea can be included at a low level if the energy supply is good. Typically 100 – 150 grams can be included so long as the pre-mixing and mixing with forages is good, which can reduce the cost of the diet. Liquid feeds may contain urea, bonded urea or natural protein sources. Whether they represent good value for money will often depend on the cost of molasses, but they must be judged on the basis of what nutrients individual products supply, and in particular their dry matter content.

Moving from straights to blends or compounds has been sensible and appropriate for a number of farms in relation to saving time, despite increased cost. With higher protein costs there will be some attractive prices offered for blends in particular. Find out what the blend contains before making a decision, and be certain that you understand what the feed names refer to. If in doubt, first consider what the cost would be of having your straights as a blend.

The decision on which protein feeds you buy must reflect not only the mix and quality of forages and other feeds that you have grown on the farm, but also your herd yield, milk contract and herd fertility. Some guidance to the adequacy of protein supply to the herd can be obtained from the milk urea levels. This is a relatively crude measure, but if your figures are running higher than 0.035 % there may be scope to reduce input of protein, - or possibly boost the energy supply. (Nationally there are too many herds exceeding these figures, particularly in the summer.) When looking for economies in protein supply, not only should the forage protein level be checked regularly, but also those feeding large amounts of cereal should also question the protein content. Dietary protein is an important stimulant of forage intakes and it would be very undesirable to allow the protein supply to fall below that required. However, there is obviously a direct cost implication of supplying more than necessary and a possible additional risk to fertility through oversupply.

Drawing up a list of the most desirable and economical protein feeds might seem a good idea but in practice this is difficult, especially now as so much of the value of that feed depends on the diet in which it is fed and the level of production. It is inappropriate to judge protein supplements without reference to the diet, and ideally farmers with their nutritionists should look at the place of a new feed in existing diets.

The following feeds are alternatives to soya and rape, and could provide part of the dietary protein. Protein content (as fed) given in brackets: - maize gluten meal or prairie meal (60%), groundnut (47.5%), linseed (35%), cotton (34%), lupin (31%), sunflower (29%), various distillers grains (23-29%), beans (23%), peas (22%), maize gluten feed (19%), palm kernel (15%), brewers grains (6.8 % but 25.4% in DM).

The future price position of imported proteins is difficult to predict, but with tremendous world demand for soya and increased freight charges, it may be more costly than we would wish. Those farms with high use of maize and wholecrops should consider whether there is scope for increased protein supply closer to home. High protein forages and lupins as seed are two examples which will be appropriate to some. If they can be grown successfully at reasonable cost these and others will reduce the need for purchased feed.

Whichever protein feeds are selected must be on the basis of their benefit in the whole diet, being compatible with production requirements against the milk contract. All feeds have their good and poorer aspects, and it is important that practicalities of use as well as nutritional value are considered. This may mean continuing to feed the more expensive sources, but feed less and make the forage work harder.

If uncertain please ring and discuss.

SOURCING PROTEIN