As production levels continue to rise throughout the world, the need for top quality feed ingredients has never been more important. It is essential that the animal can derive the maximum amount of the correct nutrients, in the right balance, to ensure production levels are maintained. Further, the form in which the nutrients are supplied can have a large impact on availability, absorption and utilisation within the body.
Improving protein quality in forages
Globally, forage makes up the major portion of ruminant diets. Making the best use of forages in the diet can lead to significant feed cost savings. During the conversion of fresh forage to silage, proteolysis (enzymatic breakdown of protein) naturally occurs, leading to a loss of True Protein (bound amino acids). Numerous studies have found that feeding ruminants silage with a higher True Protein content increased production (more milk / liveweight gain) more than feeding silage with a lower True Protein content - even though the total Crude Protein content of the diets was similar. The amount of True Protein lost in the ensiling process can be significantly reduced by using tools to speed up the rate of acidification and pH drop in the silage.
Enhancing forage utilisation
Forage is the least expensive on-farm source of feed for ruminants. Good quality forage contains nutrients that are highly digestible and available to the animal. Forages by nature, however, contain high levels of both oxygen and fibre. Feeding a live yeast is the most common natural technique used to maintain fibre digestion and reduce oxygen levels in the rumen. Producers must choose a yeast strain that is proven to utilise oxygen, and also to stimulate fibre digesting bacteria. The strain should also stimulate lactic acid-utilising bacteria, to maintain pH balance and minimise acidity in the rumen.
Reduction in feed quality
Forages, like grains, can be infected by mycotoxin producing fungi. The primary toxin producing fungi found in forages include Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus. These fungi can produce several toxins of great concern such as DON,
T-2 toxin, zearalenone and aflatoxin. Ruminant’s diets rely greatly on forages and forages must be considered as potential contributor to mycotoxin exposure. Many mycotoxins found in forages are produced in the field before processing. However storage contamination, especially during ensiling of these forages, may produce several mycotoxins. Proper management of field crops and storage facilities are important in reducing mycotoxin contamination. However, because of the combination of factors required for mould growth and mycotoxin production, mycotoxin contamination is inevitable.