Crystalyx confirms sponsorship

Crystalyx has confirmed its sponsorship of the Pedigree Calf Fair @ Beef NI Expo. 

In addition, the company’s representative David Morgan will be providing a seminar presentation at the event. Unlocking the real potential of forage will be the overarching theme of his presentation. 

“When grass and silage are plentiful, the feeding of extra energy as concentrates to growing cattle and sheep may be uneconomic,” he explained.

“Forage dry matter intakes can be depressed and replaced with the concentrates such that any increase in total energy intake will be relatively small. What is needed is a supplementary feed which complements and balances the grass, rather than replacing it.

Visitors attending the one-day event at the Balmoral showgrounds in Belfast will be told that supplementing grazed grass and silage with Crystalyx can significantly and economically improve animal performance, where beef cattle are concerned.

Independent trial work carried out at Newcastle University has shown that Crystalyx increases the rate of forage digestion by rumen bacteria (by up to 10%). This stimulates grass intakes due to a reduced gut fill effect, increasing grass intake rather than replacing it.

And that’s not all! Crystalyx also increases forage digestibility (D value), so animals actually get more energy out of what they eat. These benefits continue throughout the grazing season, as long as forage supplies remain plentiful. Even autumn grass D value was improved by feeding Crystalyx, by an average of 6.8% - and increasing D value by 6 units effectively increases forage energy content by 1MJ/kg dry matter.

A trial undertaken at Aberystwyth University with 240kg growing heifers on late summer/autumn grass, showed that free access to Crystalyx Cattle Booster increased daily liveweight gains by 27% over control heifers (809g/d for Crystalyx vs 633g/d for controls). Crystalyx intakes averaged 108g/heifer/day.

“Crystalyx provides all the minerals, trace elements and vitamins needed to balance grass, which is essential for optimum animal performance and health,” said David Morgan

“But the rumen bugs also need minerals to help them digest the grass and the little and often trickle feeding system supplied by Crystalyx is an ideal method of ensuring this.

“Crystalyx also provides a concentrated source of sugar. This is important to help maintain rumen digestive efficiency.

“The reality is that Crystalyx products have improved the performance of grazing animals and the profitability of livestock farmers on four continents.