Dairy farmers’ number one priority is high milk production. One way to boost milk production is to feed fermented feeds such as silage.
The quality of dairy meals in the market has deteriorated, becoming poorer and more expensive. There are two ways that farmers can boost milk production: formulating their Dairy meal and fermenting it.
Check Out This: How to make quality own quality dairy meal at Home
Fermented feeds contain beneficial bacteria easily digested and absorbed, boosting milk production. Before any feed is absorbed in a cow, it gets fermented and later absorbed.
To ferment dairy meal, you need 5 Liters of livestock microbes, one bag of maize germ, and one bag of dairy meal.
Steps to Follow when Fermenting Dairy Meal
Dilute 3 litres of livestock microbes with 18 litres of water.
Add 2kg of maize germ to the diluted solution.
Ferment the mixture in an airtight, tight container for seven days.
After fermentation:
Mix 3 litres of the fermented solution into the dairy meal. Turn it thoroughly to form a uniform mixture without crumbs.
Hold the mixture in an airtight container for 24 hours.
Before feeding, check if it’s well fermented. If fermentation is complete, the dairy meal should be cold.
If the storage is airtight, then the mixture will not ferment.
How to Feed Fermented Dairy Meal
The amount of feeding is based on milk production. Feed 2kg to cows producing 5 litres and below. An additional increment of 2 liters adds 1 kilogram of fermented dairy meal.
When feeding cows, maintain 50% forage,30% concentrate, and 20% water and mineral salts. Feeding excess concentrate can cause acidosis.
The only cows that can increase milk production.
The expected boost in milk production will only happen in dairy cows between 1-6 months from calving—the first lactating stage. Lactating cows, seven months old from calving down, rarely indicate milk increase regardless of quantity and feed quality.
About Post Author
Leave a Reply