High producing cows require sufficient dietary energy to perform to their genetic potential. Yet corn and fat prices can be volatile with many unpredictable factors impacting cost and availability. Such feedstuffs prices may be beyond control, but cows can get more energy out of their rations, which lowers feed costs.

Last year, Micronutrients, a Nutreco company, brought a new solution to the dairy industry — Renergy™.

More propionate produced in the rumen

Propionate produced in the rumen is a key source of energy for dairy cows. Renergy is a blend of organic acids that adjusts rumen fermentation to increase propionate production from the ration.

Getting more energy from propionate in the rumen increases production efficiency and opens the way to two strategies to meet the challenge of volatile dietary energy costs:

• Reducing feed costs by using Renergy, thus replacing expensive, energy-dense ingredients including supplemental fat

• Increasing ECM (energy corrected milk) by feeding Renergy with the existing diet, thus increasing cost-efficiency

With the prices of supplemental fat products ranging $0.80-1.00 per pound, dairy producers and their feed suppliers need a proven approach to keep production up and costs down. Renergy supports high dairy performance while reducing the amount of supplemental fat and starch in the ration and reducing overall ration costs.

Reducing supplemental fat
Reducing supplemental fat by a half pound per head per day using Renergy in a corn silage based ration.

Looking ahead to summer heat, it’s important to note that research indicates that Renergy can help maintain milk production, fat yield, and protein yield despite forage changes and heat stress (high temperature-humidity index).

For more information, visit Renergy at Micronutrients and contact Mark Harris, who is Micronutrients Ruminant Business Manager (mobile 417-893-8780).