Simple and effective:

Vitalise animal nutrition is a no brainer for dairy farmers

Jon and Hayley Dampney explain how making the switch to pelletised animal nutrition seven years ago has saved them time and stress ever since.

“Down cows waste time, and dusting is inefficient. If you want to save time during the busiest periods of the season, then Vitalise is a no brainer”

Jon and Hayley Dampney are peak milking 1080 cows on a system 3-4 farm in the heart of Mid-Canterbury, just inland from Ashburton. They’ve been using Vitalise on farm for seven years as the main source of animal nutrition for their herd, and Jon swears that it is the only way to go.

Vitalise is a pelletised supplement created by CP Lime Solutions, a company specialising in Calcium Carbonate based nutrition and fertiliser. From humble beginnings, born after advice and requests from farmers themselves, Vitalise can include any nutrients, starting with just Calcium through to Magnesium, Trace Elements, Rumenox and much more. The pellets are created through a unique process which results in a product that can be added to any in-shed feed system, and is 100% utilisable by the dairy cow. The Dampney’s started using Vitalise’s CalMag blend after having milk fever issues from the beginning of spring, despite dusting and supplementing minerals through the water.

“As soon as I heard that it was pelletised I knew we were onto a winner. It just fits right in with our grain blends, the cows just eat it along with everything else; it’s simple and effective.”

An increasing number of down cows were costing them valuable time, and Jon thought there simply must be a more efficient way. After hearing about Vitalise through their farm consultant, he said he has never looked back. Now, they don’t dust at all, and have seen next to no issues with milk fever since the moment they started using Vitalise. What’s more, they say that they have saved several hours of time for them and staff by not dusting, fixing gear or filling and cleaning the dosatron.

They feed Vitalise through a one tonne mineral dispenser installed beside their silo, and say that it is an easy way to ensure that their cows are receiving minerals daily along with their feed. Knowing that every cow is getting her allocated amount of minerals every day is invaluable, Jon explains. He feeds Vitalise all year round as he believes it is extremely important to keep their calcium and magnesium topped up at all times of the season, especially for those higher producing cows.

Trial work shows a change in pH to an average of 0.2 per 250kg/Ha. Thanks to its accurate and concentrated form you’ll use a lot less than traditional Ag Lime. You’ll see results within 6 to 12 weeks and Optimise will continue working for as long as your soil type and farming conditions allow.

“When you’re milking cows you have to replace the nutrients that you are removing, every dairy farmer knows that” Jon reiterates. “How you choose to do that is obviously up to you, but why wouldn’t you want to do it the most efficient and easiest way?”

Because Vitalise comes in a pelletised form there is zero waste, and it is 100% utilisable, unlike powdered nutrients or water supplements. The cow is receiving everything that she needs throughout the season, and because of this there are no issues with deficiencies come spring time. As Jon says, it reduces stress and takes away the element of the unknown.