Dairy farmer Metzger-Petersen of the Backensholz farm on his experiences with ProtiSpar ÖVO

Providing a dairy cow with the right amount of protein according to her performance is no small matter, especially on an organic farm. The biggest challenge here is the high cost and the often fluctuating quality and availability of protein carriers. Furthermore, a dairy cow with a high milk yield is very sensitive to protein over or undersupply of feed. With ProtiSpar^ÖVO we can reduce the absolute amount of protein feed while ensuring a lower burden on the anima’s liver through lower urea levels in the milk. All this is done at a constant performance level. With the first use of ProtiSpar^ÖVO, we simultaneously reduced the amount of protein in the feed. The product showed a good effect right from the start. Urea levels in the milk remained stable, as did the daily performance of the cows. Since we were able to determine this very positive effect on our farm, we have been using ProtiSparÖVO for several years in order to optimise feed costs and to achieve better dairy cow health. Click here to visit the farm - www.backensholz.de/en/

And this is how ProtiSpar works in the feed

The adapted protein supply of our dairy cows is a challenge for many organic dairy farms. In addition, market prices for protein feeds are very high and availability is sometimes difficult. Therefore, the efficiency of protein utilisation should be closely examined so that every gram of protein fed is utisised in the best possible way by the cow.

Cows’ protein supply in focus

The reduction of protein breakdown in the rumen holds the greatest potential for optimisation. The rumen bacteria break down the feed protein into its parts and then reassemble them into “bacterial protein”. So much for the theory…, but among these bacteria, some break down feed amino acids wastefully at a rapid rate and decompose them into ammonia. This extra ammonia must then be “detoxified” by the cow in the liver and then excreted in the urine. This is a significant loss of protein for the cow, which also places a burden on the metabolism, health and the environment.

How does VILOFOSS ProtiSpar^ÖVO work?

Certain natural plant components, e.g. some essential oils, have an effect precisely on this protein breakdown and the conversion in the rumen. The scientifically researched and patented mixture of essential oils, VILOFOSS® ProtiSpar^ÖVO, can “slow down” protein or amino acid degradation in the rumen in such a way that on the one hand, more valuable feed amino acids are retained for the cow and, on the other hand, less ammonia is produced in the rumen. This is easier on the metabolism and reduces the burden on the liver. At the same time, less ammonia is released into the environment.

Up to 50 cents profit per cow each day with ProtiSpar

Economically it is essential to reduce protein losses and to utilise more of the fed protein: 0.5 kg of protein feed (e.g. rapeseed cake) per cow each day can be saved with at least the same milk yield and milk components. However, in rations where protein supply is already very scarce, it is recommended to feed the essential oils - VILOFOSS® ProtiSpar®^ÖVO - on top and thereby improve protein utilisation. An increase in milk yield of up to 2 kg per cow can be expected each day. ProtiSpar^ÖVO repres ents costs of only 6 cents per cow daily, thus yielding a benefit of 30 to 50 cents per cow each day (saving of protein feed, or additional milk yield).

Confirmed in tests and field reports

This approach has convinced several independent German research institutions (LVZ Futterkamp, University of Wageningen, CAH Dronten, and LAZBW Aulendorf). Also many organic dairy farmers have been using ProtiSpar^ÖVO for years. This enables them to produce milk more cost-effectively and also to reduce the burden on the cow and the environment.