As farming has evolved the nutrients and minerals we provide to livestock have had to improve as we address the demands of higher performing herds and flocks.
Nutrition is complex and just understanding the mineral content alone can be daunting. Each farm is different and the history of the farm, as well as the type of pasture, forage, supplementary feed, the mineral status of the animals and soil type, should be taken into consideration when deciding on a mineral regime for the herd. Once the mineral status of a farm is established the question then moves to how to best supplement the herd – ensuring correct dosage rates and avoiding waste to maximise return and minimise environmental impact.
TERRA NutriTECH is at the forefront of precision automated mineral supplementation to maximise livestock health, fertility and productive capacity and has a system for each farming method. In a grazing situation liquid minerals fed through the water system allow farmers to utilise more grass without the need for supplementary feed, boluses or mineral licks.
In TMR herds the TERRA NutriTECH controller dispenses minerals directly on to the feed mix using the ‘Nutriboom’ to ensure even mixing throughout the feed. In both cases the system is automated – reducing labour, ensuring precise control and eliminating waste.
Minerals on Farm
Animals face many challenges – infection, disease, parasites and the weather. In addition to housing, correct administration of the right type and amount of nutrients and supplements helps keep livestock healthy, breeding efficiently and profitable.
It is important to note that many farmlands are lacking in important trace minerals such as iodine, zinc, copper, cobalt and selenium and this is manifested in reduced levels in the grass and forage produced from those areas. This is further complicated by weather which can have an influence on mineral uptake in growing crops so analysis of grass and each cut of silage is important for understanding the level of supplementation required.
The range of outcomes from mineral deficiency is huge but includes, in dairy & beef cattle, milk fevers, hypomagnesemia, higher empty rates, longer calving intervals, reduced yield and a loss of revenue for your farm. These all lead to a reduced return on your investment and increased costs.
Administering Minerals on Farm
There are a number of methods of getting minerals into cattle – powdered minerals can be dusted on silage or fed through TMR, mineral boluses can be administered for slow release in the rumen, mineral licks and buckets can be placed in pens or fields or mineralised feed can be fed as part of the overall nutritional plan. Each strategy has its pros and cons but they all either involve repetitive tasks or significant cost and share a lack of precision.
Mineral buckets placed outdoors near grazing areas are open to the elements and damage from livestock. It’s also difficult to discern if the entire herd is receiving the right amount of nutrients.
Mineralised concentrate feed can be variable in consistency or some finer minerals can fall to the bottom of troughs or onto the ground meaning your herd is not receiving the correct amount or dosage of minerals.
Dusting minerals requires you to add the minerals to your feed face each day but is open to the vagaries of the weather – wind and rain can lead to inaccurate distribution and sorting by the animals when feeding. It is also very labour intensive and time consuming.
Adding mineral packs to TMR requires repetitive tasks and can lead to clumping and uneven distribution throughout the feed mix – again leading to sorting.
Each of these approaches to mineral supplementation requires quite a large investment of time and effort on the farmers part. In addition to the possibility of over or undersupplying livestock farmyards must also deal with the safe storage and supply of powdered minerals. This takes up valuable farmyard storage space and has the potential of being spoiled or damaged by damp or during handling.
With modern, efficient, and simple methods of mineral administration, you can eliminate these issues.
Terra NutriTECH Liquid Mineral Solution
TERRA NutriTECH has been in the farming industry for many years – originally as farmers and for the past 8 years as suppliers of quality minerals and supplements to Irish farms.
The TERRA NutriTECH administers nutrition through the use of liquid minerals diluted in a direct water supply or sprayed on TMR during mixing.
By following a careful process of testing, observation, and the use of precision equipment TERRA NutriTECH provides herds with the correct type and amount of minerals at the exact dosing rate. Be it for calving, general health maintenance or growth, we create mineral mix solutions that target your livestock in the most appropriate way possible.
We believe that science, technology and software when used correctly, create huge advantages for your livestock and farm in general.
Why choosing liquid minerals is better for your livestock
BlendBio
By analysing your herd health the TERRA NutriTECH team provide you with optimum premix mineral solutions that target specific areas of your herd’s needs including fertility, weight gain, metabolism, and milk production.
We evaluate results of soil fertility, water, herd mineral history, blood and forage analysis (feed & silage) to give an accurate indication of what your herd requires.
Our trademarked BlendBio process allows us to create liquid mineral blends in optimised combinations that can be efficiently absorbed by ruminants.
OPIS Controller
TERRA NutriTECH combines the latest hardware and software to offer you full control, access, and information regarding your livestock’s mineral nutrition plan.
The OPIS controller is designed to be easily set up, automatically deliver precise dosage levels of minerals regardless of daily water consumption. This ensures accurate delivery to your animal’s water supply or TMR feed. The OPIS Controller eliminates waste and frees up time meaning you do not have to manually handle powdered minerals, licks or boluses.
Terra NutriTECH App
The TERRA NutriTECH App is an all in one controller and report system. You can adjust rates, adjust herd numbers, track water and mineral consumption and receive leak alerts. In addition, the system monitors stock levels on farm ensuring you never run out.
What Our System Does
- This fully automated system reduces time spent on site, eliminates waste, prevents the over or undersupply of minerals.
- Costs associated with storage are no longer a major concern as our containers can be sited outdoors.
- Our liquid solutions ensure correct dosing in grams per head/per day for your herd regardless of how much water is consumed.
- For those who prefer administration through a feed, we have developed a precise TMR method which adds liquid blends to your feed through the ‘Nutriboom’ – designed to evenly apply minerals across the TMR during mixing.
Terra NutriTECH benefits:
- Provides peace of mind, saves time and money
- Automated dosing reduces labour requirements
- Transparent mineral dosing ensures all animals receive the correct volume of minerals
- Better herd health, maintaining healthy animals
- Eliminates waste helping cut costs
- No hidden charges or added extras
- Versatile – Can be fitted to any water piping system or TMR
- Minimal space required due to the OPIS Controller’s attractive compact product design
INVEST IN YOUR HERD TODAY!
Please call Ronan on 087 708 6714 or email [email protected] to find out how using the TERRA NutriTECH Automated Mineral Dosing System can help your farm.