Beef producers could finish their cattle quicker and more efficiently after trials showed significant benefits from using a new feed in finishing rations.
ProFinisher, produced by agricultural supplies business Carr’s Billington, has been proven to boost daily liveweight gain by up to 6%, resulting in cattle being finished earlier on less feed.
Recent trials showed an improvement in daily liveweight gain by 0.1kg, with feed conversion efficiency increasing by 0.11 and cattle boasting an overall 19kg increase in total liveweight.
This delivers a financial benefit for farmers due to less feed being required, and also delivers environmental gains as the cattle are being finished on less inputs, the firm said.
ProFinisher contains a blend of 100% natural plant-based essential oils, which work to improve the energy efficiency of the digestive tract in ruminants.
Manufactured for Carr’s Billington by Techna, the company’s GB technical sales manager, Jamie-Leigh Douglas, explained how the product works.
“It increases the amount of propionate – a volatile fatty acid – in the rumen, which is really important for improving energy utilisation from the feed the cattle are eating," she said.
“It also works in the hind gut by increasing the crypt depth of the villi, ensuring better absorption of nutrients.”
Another benefit of the feed is the inclusion of specific coatings on the natural oils for targeted release within the rumen and hindgut – ensuring it is effective where it needs to be.
Jessica Bertram, Carr’s Billington’s feed sales specialist, believes these two modes of action, alongside the coatings on the oils, are key to ProFinisher’s success, and the wider success of a beef enterprise.
She said: “By ensuring cattle make better use of the energy and nutrients in their diet, they will gain weight more quickly – something which is key to the success of a profitable and efficient finishing enterprise.”
