As the experts within the industry advance their understanding of the nutritional needs of a dairy cow, it has become widely recognised that maize silage provides a low cost source of energy (in the form of starch and fibre) which complements pasture feeding for most of the year. This has led to the demand for high specification advanced feed system to allow for the wider use of more reasonally priced supplements such as maize silage, as all farmers are aware that improving the nutrition of their dairy cows leads directly to not only improving herd health, but to a much improved milk solids pay out.
Increasing intense interest in the complete supply chain management from farm gate to end user for those primary producers of agri-products being exported, has meant that when famers and co-opts are converting or upgrading their farms, they are paying much closer attention to the credentials of the grain storage facility they are considering. This is because it is now widely recognised as paramount to always protect the integrity of the grain; from storage, handling, conditioning and finally to consumption.
Grain roller milling is the traditional method of preparing cereals and fodder for on-farm consumption by livestock. Dairy Cattle cannot digest the whole grain and feeding it unmilled results in most of the grain being lost in the dung. Grinding grain allows almost complete digestion, however if it is ground too fine cows will refuse to eat it.
Cows have a limited ability to chew small cereal grain, with apparent digestibility of 14.4% for whole grain and 93% for rolled grain. Our Grain Roller Mill rolls the grain to a high standard, producing a large surface area for ease of digestion. If the grain is not rolled sufficiently or is hammer milled a large portion will pass through undigested.
Getting the right sized grain which appeals to cows is critical as it is well known in dairy circles that crushed forage has a positive effect on their digestive process and leads to an increase in the protein content of the milk. Also, because the adhesive affect of crushed forage in the respiratory tract is considerably less than that of fine, ground cereals, it results in improved animal comfort and well-being. This knowledge has driven the increase in the popularity of using crushed grain feed as a mainstay and go-to feed choice for more and more dairy operations.
Our grain roller mills roll the grain which reduces the particle size of the grains, this has been proven to be more easily digested by cows than what hammer mill feed production methods provide. In fact the farmers which use our grain roller mill are quite vocal in their belief that it is the best value for money grain roller mill available in New Zealand.
Learn more about our Roller Mills & Feed Systems, or get in touch with us to talk about your grain roller mill needs today.
