'Perfect match: protein-rich grass silage and fodder beets'

'Balance' is the magic word for a good rumen function. Now that a lot of protein-rich grass has gone into the silage, energy often appears to be the limiting factor for good protein efficiency.

''If a cow consumes too little energy, the liver will convert microbial protein into energy. And you don't actually want that, because the cow can otherwise convert microbial protein into milk protein. That's why fodder beets are a 'perfect match' here. They bring protein and energy back into balance," says product specialist Henry Westerink of Berg Fourage.

Energy that is gradually released in the rumen
The first harvest will start soon fodder beets weather. A number of livestock farmers take care of the cultivation themselves, but the majority is freshly traded by parties such as Berg Fourage. The big advantage of fodder beets is that they consist of easily digestible carbohydrates (= energy) that are gradually released in the rumen and that they contain a lot of sodium. This allows you to feed large quantities of it without any adverse effect on rumen function. And in the case of a protein-rich grass silage, it actually helps to bring the rumen back into balance.

Increasing interest in fodder beets
Westerink is seeing increasing interest from dairy farmers. ''You just notice that the cows like to eat it. The total feed intake increases, the cow can use protein and energy better, which quickly results in an increase in milk content. Especially because the risk of rumen acidification is very small, feeding a large amount of beets is not a problem. With the pursuit of more protein from our own country, this often fits very well."

Feed fresh or ensiled
Thanks to permanent cultivation agreements, Berg Fourage supplies fresh fodder beets throughout the stable season, both conventional and organic. ''There are many farmers to whom we will soon bring new shipments on a regular basis. We prefer to make those agreements now, so that we can be sure that we can deliver fresh until March," says Westerink. In addition to fresh feeding, more and more livestock farmers are also starting to consume fodder beets. ''As long as you use a good moisture absorber such as spelled pellets, the beets will retain their quality. The big advantage of eating fodder beets is that you can include it in your dairy cattle ration all year round."

Want to know more about feeding fodder beets?
The foraging specialists of Mountain Fourage would be happy to tell you more about the possibilities and costs of feeding fodder beets. Call 0341-768222 or email sales@bergfourage.nl