Megalac is a rumen-protected fat, combining natural plant oil (palm fatty acids) with calcium.

Typical Analysis

Calculated ME = 33.25 MJ/kg DM

The calcium protects the fatty acids, preventing them from breaking down in the rumen and enabling them to pass intact to the acidic (pH 2.5) lower gut for digestion. The combination of rumen protection, high digestibility in the lower gut and high efficiency of energy use explain Megalac’s high Net Energy of Lactation (NEL) value. Rumen protection also allows higher levels of energy to be fed without disrupting the rumen, whilst reducing the risk of acidosis.

Manufactured in the UK, Megalac meets all European feed safety regulations and quality standards.

Product benefits

• Improved milk yield
• Improved body condition score
• Improved fertility

No other feed ingredient provides more energy for milk production than Megalac.

A proportion of the energy from any feed is lost in faeces, urine and gas (methane). Inefficiencies in the use of the energy in feeds causes further losses, as heat. It’s the energy remaining from total energy intake after these losses - net energy – that is used for maintenance and production purposes. Different feeds lose different amounts of energy.

Trial work by Drackley (1999) showed Megalac to be highly digestible (96%), while studies at the United States Department of Agriculture (1991) showed Megalac to have the highest measured NEL value (6.52 Mcal/kg DM) of any feed ingredient tested, meaning that very little energy is "lost".

Why feed Megalac?

Energy Losses

Energy is extremely important post calving when peak milk production coincides with low feed intake. This means there is a fine balance to be found between intake, milk production, live weight and body condition. Feeding Megalac helps to meet the energy demands of high yielding dairy cows.

Work at Myerscough College showed that cows fed 600g of Megalac per day maintained higher body condition scores at turnout to spring grass than those fed a lower energy diet (Goodman et al, 2003).

Megalac Increases Milk Yield

Trial work on farms and at universities and research centres over the last twenty-five years has proven Megalac to increase milk yield, with 18 studies showing an average increase of 2.3 litres per cow per day.

Work at the University of Reading with high yielding dairy cows reported major yield increases over the first 17 weeks of lactation when Megalac was included in the diet.

Megalac Improves Fertility

A cow will on average be in the herd for just over 3 lactations (Milk Development Council, 2000). Most culling decisions are down to poor fertility or reproductive problems.

With the daily cost of failing to get a cow back in calf estimated at £3 (Beever, 2004), the impact on performance and profitability is clear.

Cows that do not consume enough energy will lose too much body weight and may not get back in calf, or take longer to return to oestrus.

A recent trial at the University of Edinburgh (2005) recorded a 23.6% increase in 100 day in-calf rate when Megalac was included in the diet.

Davies (1992) reported that feeding cows Megalac reduced both the calving to first service interval, and the number of days from calving to conception.

Features and Benefits

Increases milk yield	+2.3 litres/cow/day
Improves fertility	+23.6% 100 day in-calf rate
Decreases risk of acidosis	0.38 rumen pH improvement
Useful for manipulating milk quality	Contact us to discuss how Megalac can be used to improve fat and protein yields

Financial Benefits

Average milk production benefit	2.3 litres/cow/day
Total value of milk @ 25p per litre	£0.575/cow/day
Cost of Megalac fed	£0.26/cow/day
Milk yield return (over 30 days)	£9.45/cow
Benefits from improved fertility	£24/cow
Net return (over 120 days)	£61.80/cow

Feeding Systems and Rates

Aim to include 0.5 to 0.75kg/cow/day of Megalac in the post-calving ration. Gradually incorporate Megalac into the ration over a few days to help acclimatise the cow/heifer to the new ingredient.

When feeding Megalac pre-partum, introduce it gradually over the last 3 weeks of pregnancy, while ensuring the mineral balance is correct as Megalac contains 9% calcium.

Megalac for Sheep

Megalac is also suitable for feeding to ewes where it can play a key role in improving ewe milk quality, improving lamb performance from twins and triplets, improving reproductive performance and reducing the risk of twin lamb disease.

More details on feeding Megalac to ewes can be found under the sheep section.

Availability

Megalac is available in 25kg bags, mini-bulk and bulk. It can be fed via total mixed rations and home mixes, and is included in many dairy blends and compounds.

Ring free on 0800 919808, or contact your Volac Business Manager for further information and details of your local stockist.


Megalac is a registered trademark of Volac International Limited

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