Partner Insight: Reducing feed costs by up to 50%

Making ends meet in any business in an era of ever-increasing costs of production is never easy but bringing the Harbro Super Bruiser service to mill home-grown cereals, has helped Northamptonshire-based beef and arable farmer, Harry Brown reduce feed costs by up to 50%.

Harry manages some 1700 acres of predominantly arable land at Potcote Farm, near Towcester, growing wheat, barley and spring beans.  In the past, the bulk of the cereals were sold for milling and distilling; however, with limited demand for oats and barley in recent years, he has fed most of the crop to weaned calves which are taken through the winter and sold the following spring.

"We run 200 Salers here and bull them with a Hereford to calve in the spring, with the resultant calves sold as yearlings." said Harry.

"In the past, we would have fed the weaned calves on silage and a standard beef nut, but with oats and barley proving difficult to sell, we've been using our own cereals to make a home-grown feed, which is when Harbro's Super Bruiser service is used. It can work out up to 50% cheaper depending on the value of the feeds used at the time, compared to an equivalent bought-in ration." he pointed out.

Harry added that more use of home-grown oats has been used over the past year, when the value of the crop has slipped to £130 per tonne compared to £160-£170 normally.

"It all depends on the value of the individual feeds you have on farm as to how much you can save. We have mixed our own rations before, but when the Harbro machine comes into bruise, it is so much more efficient, when it can bruise/mix 30-40 tonnes an hour."

And by relying on the feed company to devise various rations for the age of the cattle and production required, the diet can be tweaked accordingly to creep feed calves, weaned cattle and yearlings.

"We don't creep feed the calves until the end of July/beginning of August, depending on grass availability. At this stage, we mix a feed made up of mostly oats and beans with molasses added for palatability. Once the calves are weaned, we increase the percentage of barley in the ration and provide ad-lib grass silage taken from two cuts per year.

To hear more from Harbro on our products/services as well regular nutritional advice from our expert team, simply click the link below:

Learn More

"We have fed the calves grass silage and maize alongside a beef nut over the winter in the past, but we have found that they do just as well and they're just as healthy when they're fed a home-grown ration." said Harry.

"Super bruising is a very efficient way of utilising the arable crops you have on farm, compared to a traditional mixing/bruising machine. We use it to mix our beans, barley and oats, but you don't have to use those three crops. It can be used on cereals with a bought-in protein, or whatever is of good value at the time."

He added: "We've relied on Harbro's Super Bruiser for a couple of years now, and I would have to say the machine is extremely efficient. It goes at a phenomenal speed and therefore is only needed every four or five weeks during the autumn and winter months."

Since changing the system, cattle performance has not been impacted, however the reduction in costs has been the big win for the farm. With costs of production soaring in all agricultural sectors, and no control over ex-farm prices, reducing feed costs by relying more on home-grown cereals and using the Harbro Super Bruiser has not only improved efficiency but has helped ensure the long-term future of the business.

Visit our website: https://www.harbro.co.uk/mobile-mill-mix/

Call our Mobile Mill & Mix Team 01888 545400

Or scan the QR code to find your local Harbro Specialist