NewsletterLatest News

Issue 9

Hy-Sil results’ presentationOn the 1st of October, the organisations behind the Hy-Sil project - Micron Bio-Systems, AB Vista, Mole Valley Farmers, University of Bristol, Duchy College and University of Nottingham, organised a short seminar at the Bath & West Showground’s theatre.In the seminar, they presented some interesting and in some cases, concerning results and gave guidelines on how to get the most out of your homegrown forage this winter.

Mr Cox. “The next step will be to work with the farmers and vets to identify the actual impact of such feed contamination on dairy cows’ performance, and then open it up to more national study.”

“The key message is to know what you’re feeding. Gone are the days of simple nutritional analysis; you have to test for mycotoxins and bacteria within your ration. Don’t wait until you have a drop in production - these results show how vital it is to test your forage and TMR before it turns into a serious problem.”

Initial Findings• 89% maize silage samples

tested positive for mycotoxins• 71% of TMR’s tested positive

for mycotoxins• 4/6 Wholecrop silage samples

tested positive for mycotoxins

2014 Silage research projectDairy farmers are potentially risking their cows’ health, fertility and production by inadvertently feeding rations containing mycotoxins and bacteria, according to new research.

In the first study of its kind, a collaborative research group called Hy-Sil, led by Dr Mike Wilkinson of Nottingham University and partnered by Bristol University, Duchy College and commercial partners Micron Bio-Systems, Mole Valley Farmers and AB Vista examined silage and ration samples taken from 50 farms across South West England and found that 78% of the maize and TMR samples contained mycotoxin presence.

The research team tested farmers’ grass and maize silage, wholecrop and total mixed rations. “This is only the first phase of the Hy-Sil project,” says

High(>500ppb)

Medium(250-500ppb)

Low(<250ppb)

Maize silage

TMR

56%

20%

24%

19%

39%

42%Farms where the samples were taken

Product Trials

Advance Legume trial 2014- first resultsThe objective of this trial was to demonstrate that application of Advance Legume Silage Inoculant results in a more rapid drop in pH as a result of higher number Lactobacillus spp. present during ensiling of an alfalfa crop.

The trial was conducted in the Charente region in France in May 2014. Freshly chopped alfalfa was either

treated with water (Control) or Advance Legume Silage Inoculant (Treated).

ResultsNaturally occurring levels of LAB in the fresh alfalfa crop were low and the ME was 10.12.

Advance Legume contains two forms of lactic acid bacteria and stimulants to support their activity.

• Figures 1 & 2 demonstrates the benefits of this twin strain mix of lactic acid bacteria on fermentation.

• No pH drop was observed in the control over 20 days whereas the Advance treated alfalfa was below pH 5 within 3 days.

• The LAB counts support the fact this improvement in pH was a result of a boost to LAB populations with Advance.

Four steps to Advance1. Advance formulations contain a two strain mix, proprietary to Micron, comprising of a Pediococcus which dominates the upper pH range together with a Lactobacillus to drive the pH drop to completion.

2. Advance products contain Lactobacillus brevis which produces acetic acid to retard

the growth of spoilage yeasts and moulds to give greater stability to silage crops and the TMR rations that they comprise.

3. Micron’s R & D program has identified new and more effective enzymes for use in silage inoculants. These breakthrough enzyme formulations have shown significant increases in the digestibility of treated forages with improvements of up to 20%.

This has been achieved because these enzymes are effectively able to separate the carbohydrate from the lignin in the fibre,

which fully translates into animal performance data.

4. Freeze dried bacteria are present in a dormant state in silage inoculants and can be slow to become active when added to silage. Advance inoculants contain specific components which stimulate the bacteria to ensure maximum activity once rehydrated.

For more information on Advance Silage Inoculants or other Micron products, please go to our website:www.micronbio-systems.co.uk

SILAGE INOCULANTS

LegumeAdvance

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

pH

Day

Control

Treated

Fig 1: Average pH of Advance & Control alfalfa during 20 days

Fig 2: Average LAB counts of Advance & Control alfalfa during 27 days

1.00E+00

1.00E+01

1.00E+02

1.00E+03

1.00E+04

1.00E+05

1.00E+06

1.00E+07

1.00E+08

1.00E+09

1.00E+10

1.00E+11

Lact

ic A

cid

bact

eria

CFU

/g

Time From Treatment (Hours)

Control

Treated

completely cured. Many farms will put up a transition pile or bag to feed while the main silo or bunker is being filled. Regardless of the reasons, this green silage can be unstable and problematic; causing milk production losses and digestive upsets.

Once the silage is deemed cured and stable, samples are taken for nutritional analysis and new rations are formulated and fed. The art of feeding cows is being able to adjust the ration created on paper into a ration that is producing milk on the farm. This can only be done by listening to the cows. This adjustment period may take a significant amount of time and result in lost production.

From one year to the next, the conditions under which the crops grow will differ. The amount and types of mycotoxins produced each year will also vary. It is typically not until we feed the new crop that the signs of contamination become apparent. Mycotoxins can cause a host of problems and at the very least can extend the time required for animals to adjust to new crop forages.

Over the PondFall Feeding ChallengesAutumn is officially here and the fall corn silage harvest is well underway if not complete in some areas. As inventories of forage are replenished, a new set of challenges present themselves. A little planning and “microbial management” can help smooth out the bumpy road of transition.

Three of the most common new crop feeding challenges are;

• Feeding corn silage that has not completely cured

• Adjusting to new forage nutrient profiles

• Potential for a new mix of mycotoxins

There are many reasons why an operation might find the need to feed new crop silage before it is

Taking steps to reduce the effects these challenges may have on animals begins at a microbial level. An animal with a stable rumen and a healthy intestinal tract is capable of adapting to changes quickly and efficiently. Using quality Direct Fed Microbial products, such as Bio-Boost and Booster Pack, before and during periods of stress and change ensure an efficient transition onto new feed. Shielding animals from mycotoxins with Ultrasorb will reduce the risk that animals will develop mycotoxicosis and increase their ability to handle feed changes. Keeping the TMR fresh with Profresh promotes feed intake and retains nutrient quality.

Recognizing when and how to employ a microbial strategy keeps cows producing and healthy. Before long, the silage will be stable, cows will be transitioned and winter will be around the corner.

For more information on the Micron tools and strategies for a healthier cattle go to our website:www.micronbio-systems.com

by Micron Bio-Systems Inc.

More News

September 30th - October 4th - World Dairy Expo (WI, USA)

October 1st - The Bath & West Dairy Show (Shepton Mallet)

November 11th-14th - Eurotier (Hannover)

November 19th - Agriscot (Edinburgh)

December 11th - The Royal Ulster Winter Fair (Belfast)

Upcoming events

BFF Business Park, Bath RoadBridgwater, TA6 4NZ, UK

Tel: 01278 427272 - Fax: 01278 427273info@micronbio-systems.co.uk

New member on our technical team!

Emma Higgie studied Biological Sciences at the University of the West of England, Bristol and graduated this July with a First Class hons degree. She has previously worked two summer seasons abroad in France for Eurocamp and at OneScientific (a microbiology lab in Bristol) as a laboratory assistant during her time at uni. Her role at Micron is to assist the technical department either in the lab or preparing reports. In her spare time she enjoys going to the beach and attempting to surf, playing hockey for her local team (Minehead Ladies 1st) and baking.

UK Dairy DayThe first UK Dairy Day at Telford was a resounding success with over 3,000 visitors to the expo and over 100 top quality dairy livestock on display.

They also visited a broiler farm and Rushywood Farm, a dairy farm managed by Neil Baker.They finished their trip with a day out in London enjoying England’s most famous landmarks.

The Dairy ShowThis one day event has become one of the most important dates in the dairy farmer’s calendar, combining a comprehensive trade show with an exhibition of top quality dairy cattle.Micron is pleased to announce it is the main sponsor for the country’s only national dairy specialist event, the Dairy Show, which takes place on Wednesday October 1st at the Bath and West Showground.Micron is delighted to be involved in this exciting year of change, supporting the team’s endeavours to increase the number of trade stands, educational seminars and showing classes.

We were pleased to combine with New Breed UK on the stand and would like to thank Richard, Mark and the team for their kind invitation and it was great to meet so many satisfied customers through out the micron range and new potential customers .

Much discussion was held on the day about current milk pricing and winter feed challenges and the need to confront potential challenges before they impact on milk production and how quality forage production can really drive feed efficiency and herd profitability.

UFAC Egypt visits MicronUFAC Egypt is a Micron distributor partner based in Cairo, Egypt. They visited Micron on the second week of September for a training session on various Micron products.