New Blending Plant Increases Feed Choice For Dairy Farmers
11/11/05

Leading animal feed supplier NWF Agriculture Ltd has opened a new feed blending unit at Penrith. The blending facility will increase the range of feeds available to dairy farmers in the area, as well as providing increased delivery flexibility for the NWF range of dairy compound feeds.

Announcing the opening of the new unit, NWF Agriculture Managing Director David Warrington believes the plant will play a significant role in the supply of cost-effective rations on dairy farms. “With margins under considerable pressure, dairy farmers are constantly looking to increase production and reduce costs per litre. Feed is still the major cost of dairy farming and an area where prudent buying is essential to ensure optimal nutrition at a sensible price.

“Over the last six years we have seen a tremendous increase in the demand for blended feeds which offer farmers a way to tailor purchased feeds to their particular circumstances, and we currently produce around 70,000 tonnes per annum from our plant in Cheshire. This new blending plant will give farmers in the North of England access to a range of exceptional, traceable blended feeds.”

The plant, with an annual capacity of 20,000 tonnes, will be able to supply bespoke blends based on a wide range of ingredients in load sizes from 4-30 tonnes. In addition to the formulation of blends, the new unit will act as a distribution point for compound feeds produced at the NWF mill at Wardle, Cheshire which is the largest ruminant compound mill in the UK with an annual output of 250,000 tonnes.

“Moving compounds around the country is an expensive and complex business,” Mr Warrington explains. “By making use of the storage capacity at the Penrith site we will be able to move 30 tonne loads to a central point before breaking this down into smaller farm deliveries.

“This has major advantages for both the farmer and ourselves. Farmers will be able to order a mixed load of compounds and blends from a single supplier and receive it all on the one delivery. For our part, we can expand the availability of NWF compound feeds in the area without the investment in a new mill, while saving on distribution costs.”

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