"Short straw is more palatable and the cows now eat all of the ration"

When out to grass, traditionally butterfats crash but by adding chopped straw to the ration we have seen butterfats at over 4% in the summer and in the winter up to 4.3%. Also, the proteins have stayed stable at 3.3% in the summer and 3.6% in the winter.

Key benefits of feeding a ration consisting of pre-processed straw:

• The diet is more open and palatable
• Less or no sorting occurs, resulting in a complete diet being fed
• No over-processing, reduced mixing time
• The added straw helps to stabilise the pH levels in the stomach
• Better energy balance is achieved after calving, meaning improved health during the transition period 
• Adding straw to the diet can aid rumination and avoid acidosis
• Helps to maintain butterfats during spring/summer grazing
• If you feed silage, adding straw helps to reduce the potassium levels, which can be beneficial during calving
• The additional fibre helps to retain the food in the stomach for longer