Star Alka Dairy Nut Dairy Cow Feed Range
Star Fuels Alka Nuts is a very specialised kind of dairy cow feed that uses a substance called Home n’Dry to treat grain and as a result, the concentrate has a higher pH than typical feed. The nutrient balance for dairy cows is optimised by this method, according to tests the creation of rumen-friendly high performance diets is made possible by the validation of our study.
Alka – Benefits of Grazing Your Cows
For today’s modern dairy cow profitable milk production from grass demands a healthy rumen. Nutrients must be balanced, water must be available, but vitally, the rumen environment needs to be correct.
Over the years our grass varieties have become lower in NDF and higher in oils. This change has benefits in terms of nutrient supply. However this has been shown to cause disruption to the rumen function.
Dairy farmers utilising spring grass have reported a reduction in butter fats caused by lower rumen pH and high oil contents of grass leading to lower milk prices.
High starch & sugar Alka diets will benefit the optimisation of high quality, high protein grass swards to their maximum efficiency.
These higher starch alka diets energise the rumen micro flora thus enabling utilisation of the available grass protein. This will produce more milk and reduce milk urea levels. The alka diet helps alleviate the health/fertility concerns on high quality swards.
What is an Alka Diet?
Star Fuels Alka Nuts is a very specialised form of dairy cow feed using a unique cereal treatment product called Home n’Dry. This creates a concentrate with a higher pH than standard feed.
Trials have shown this process to optimise the nutrient balance for dairy cows. Validation of our research allows for formulation of rumen friendly high performance diets.
Because the risk of acidosis is greatly reduced it allows us to use up to twice the starch & sugar levels of standard concentrates.
SARA (sub-acute ruminal acidosis) is where a below optimum pH ideally 6.2 to 7.2 causes this problem. The result is a reduction in performance from the cow as the rumen microflora production is interrupted.
A strong indication of this would be bubbles in cow dung.
If ordinary concentrates, circa pH 6.1, are fed with high quality low fibre grass swards it will create an increase in acid loading making rumen acidity worse. However, using a high pH Alka feed circa (pH 8.3) which is C. 300 times more alkaline will help to neutralise the acidic rumen.
Sara will also lead to a drop in butterfat as the rumen production of acetate slows down. This fatty acid is the main building block for milk butterfat. Food passage through the digestive system will speed up, thus other key nutrients and important trace elements which drive milk protein and yields are also lost.
Key Message
Rumen pH stability – keeps cows profitable – feed them Alka Feed range today
High starch Alka diets (UFL 0.96 or above) will also shorten the time cows spend in early lactation in Negative Energy Balance considerably. Cows which struggle to get to positive energy run the risk of ketosis, lower immunity, poorer fertility, reduced production, and increased veterinary costs and time.
Star Fuels Alka range is available in 14%, 16% & 18% protein. Nuts are formulated with high cereal inclusions & digestible fibre resources. A summer specification of minerals & vitamins is included.
Star Alka Dairy Cow Feed 18%
Typical Analysis
- Starch > 34%
- Protein > 18%
- ME > 11.35%
- pH > >7
- UFL > 0.96
> Top quality 18% protein nut formulated for high yielding autumn and spring calving dairy cows
> High energy content to meet the requirement of the early lactation cow on both grass and silage.
> Alkaline pH provides a buffer to improve rumen function which will maximise milk output whilst keeping cow body condition score intact allowing the cow to go back to calf
Star Alka Dairy Cow Feed 16%
Typical Analysis
- Starch > 32%
- Protein > 16%
- ME > 11.25%
- pH > >7
- UFL > 0.95
> High quality, high energy 16% protein nut based on top quality native cereals
> High alkaline fermentable cereal energy diet ideal for transition from indoor diets to grass diets
> Fully balanced with the correct amount of minerals, vitamins and trace elements for cow fertility
Star Alka Dairy 14%
Typical Analysis
- Starch > 32%
- Protein > 14%
- ME > 11.25%
- pH > >7
- UFL > 0.95
> Star Alka Dairy 14% protein nut is an alkaline fermentable energy based diet ideal to balance lush grass which is rich in protein.
> Tailored to maximise milk output whilst keeping the cows body condition score correct.
> Contains a full mineralised package.