Ms Keep says farmers facing forage shortages, or where quality is lower than expected, could consider liquid feeds as a way of balancing ration dry matter, improving the energy content, and making forage more palatable.

“Choosing the correct liquid co-products can provide an effective option to supplement forage shortfalls and boost ration palatability,” she says. “Most liquid co-products have good nutritional content, but it’s important to look at dry matter.

Loch Lomond Gold, for example, has a high dry matter of over 32%, which makes it a useful feed option. Energy also tends to be good at about 14 MJ ME/kg DM and protein around 33%, making it a good buffer feed. Farmers just need to be aware of liquid products with a dry matter of 20% or less, as these contain a lot of water, meaning you need to feed much more to deliver enough energy.”

Duynie has availability of high energy protein liquid feeds from sources across the North of England and Scotland and can help farmers new to liquid feeding transition by providing a silo free of charge.

However, Ms Keep warns that before making any nutritional changes, farmers must work with their nutritionist to understand the farm’s forage situation and the most cost-effective way to maintain production through the winter months.

“Assessing forage stocks now and planning how to fill any gaps will help avoid sudden ration changes later in the season,” she says. “With beef and milk prices remaining favourable, farmers don’t want to compromise on yield or milk quality—or worse, reduce stock numbers—when cost-effective feed solutions are available to help stretch forage and maintain production.”

• Increasing ration nutrient density and palatability, driving higher intakes and improved performance
• Contributing to higher milk protein levels through their high energy content
• Supporting improved daily liveweight gains in beef cattle
• High digestibility and yeast enrichment
• Coating the mix to reduce sorting
• Availability all year round