2017-05-24 |
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Barenbrug Launches New Forage Mixture for Dairy and Sheep
Grass has to be the first priority for feeding livestock efficiently – but forage crops can be a valuable addition to a farmers’ toolkit – helping to meet changing feed and energy requirements throughout the year.
That’s one of the messages that the Barenbrug UK team is giving to farmers at Grassland & Muck.
Barenbrug BarFinisher
Mhairi
Dawson, R&D Manager, at Barenbrug
UK, said:
“Farmers looking
to boost animal performance using forage crops have a range of options.
They can choose individual brassica, lucerne and forage herb products,
which each have their individual merits. Or, they could opt for a
specialist forage crop mixture – which can be good for filling the
gaps that can naturally occur in the grazing platform as grass quality
decreases as the seasons change.”
During Grassland & Muck, Barenbrug is launching a number of new grass products including its latest forage mixture – BarFinisher. A specialist blend of chicory, white clover, red clover and plantain, Bar Finisher produces a leafy, high quality feed from spring to autumn that is highly palatable and, importantly, can recover quickly after grazing. Supporting high live weight gains, Bar Finisher can be used as a six-month or two-year crop – depending on the farm system and / or grassland management approach.
Each individual element of Bar Finisher fulfils a special function. The clover in the mixture provides nitrogen to feed the crop and also fill the space not occupied by herbs. The red clover component, alongside the herbs, provides a high quality feed throughout dry periods, helping to reduce risk in summer. While the chicory has anthelmintic properties that can help get rid of parasites. Overall, this combination creates a mixture with a high mineral content, rich in zinc, potassium and copper.
