ROC-Ration Options for Consultants

The new ROC: Ration Options for Consultants program allows producers to save money by taking high-cost ingredients out of rations without jeopardizing performance.



Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition is pleased to introduce ROC: Ration Options for Consultants™, a new program designed to help nutritionists and dairy producers replace high-cost commodities without compromising production. Working with the Milk Specialties Dairy Technical Services team, consultants can lower ration costs by cutting out high-priced feeds, such as corn and cottonseed, and replacing their nutritional value with alternative ingredients.

"With corn rallying to all-time highs near $8 a bushel, plus talks of cottonseed prices reaching $500 per ton, many dairy producers are looking to cut back on costs where is makes sense," says Jim Loften, Ph. D., Director of Technical Services, Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition. "We've developed a program that looks at the nutrients that cows need, rather than the ingredients. With energy being the most costly nutrient based on current feed prices, we can help identify alternatives that will provide a savings without giving up nutritional value or performance."

Using the ROC program, the Milk Specialties Dairy Technical Services team recently reworked a ration for a 1,200-cow dairy. "We replaced whole cottonseed with Energy Booster 100 and a few other more cost-effective ingredients and saved the producer $276 per day. This adds up to over $100,000/year in savings without sacrificing production. The cows will receive the same levels of crude protein and net energy, and see no decrease in dry matter intake," notes Loften.

"Because Energy Booster products contain rumen-inert fat in the form of saturated, free fatty acids, nutritionists can be flexible and add more to the ration without jeopardizing dry matter intake," adds Dr. Loften. "Nutritionists know that Energy Booster works. We're just making the product work even harder to help dairy producers save on ration costs and maintain - or even increase - production."

This new program works hand in hand with the recent launch of the third Energy Booster product, Energy Booster Mag™, an energy dense, rumen-inert fat supplement with dietary magnesium and a higher melting point that improves handling in warm climates and auger conveyance systems. Along with Energy Booster 100® and Energy Booster H™, new Energy Booster Mag can help dairy producers increase milk production and milk components, improve body condition and enhance reproduction. "With three Energy Booster products and the new ROC program, Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition is excited to help consultants build on their expertise, plus save their clients' money. We think there is a very good chance they may even add to the milk check," says Loften.

Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition offers a comprehensive line of milk replacers, ration supplements and rumen-inert fats, and is one of the largest manufacturers of milk ingredients in the world. Milk Specialties Global Animal Nutrition uses a combination of leading-edge research, precision processes and industry expertise to deliver consistently superior products. To learn more, visit MilkSpecialtiesGlobal.com.

09.30.2011