A series of Crystalyx funded trials, carried out at a number of renowned international research centres, have confirmed the absolute priority for dairy farmers to meet the nutritional needs of their animals – in full - from conception through to the end of what should be a long and productive ‘working life’.

This work has also confirmed that such an approach will deliver for dairy farming businesses, across all measurable metrics of sustainability: production related and environmental.

Caltech technical director Dr Cliff Lister takes up the story:

“The research clearly shows that if the growth of heifers is stalled at any stage in their development, up to the first 100 days post calving, the end result will be a sustained and cumulative impact in their ability to produce milk on a sustainable basis over a long number of lactations.

“Beyond, this the trials have highlighted the need to meet the specific nutritional needs of the transition cow and those animals during the first 100 days of their new lactation.”

The trials were undertaken to verify the benefits that a range of bespoke nutritional solutions, specifically developed by Crystalyx, can offer dairy farmers on a consistent basis.

The new products were officially launched at the UK Dairy Day event, that took place in Telford on Wednesday, 15^th September.  

Cliff Lister again:

“It has been long accepted that there are key pinch points in the growth of dairy heifers. The same principle holds when it comes to the successful management of cows, pre calving, and for the first 100 days of their lactation.

“Mistakes made at these junctures will impair the growth of heifers or, in the case of cows in milk, will take an entire lactation to rectify.”

The research commissioned by Caltech was undertaken at a number of UK centres, including Aberystwyth, plus the University of Parma in Italy and the University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland.

“Trial work was also carried out in New Zealand and Germany,” Cliff Lister confirmed.

“By taking this approach, we have been able to build up an extremely comprehensive body of research and trial results, confirming that it is possible to use bespoke nutritional programmes in order to secure significantly improved levels of performance at all stages of a dairy animal’s life.”  

Two of the most significant findings that jump out from the results of the Caltech research programme relate to the significant reductions that can be achieved in the levels of greenhouse gas produced by growing heifers and the impact that dry cow management has on subsequent fertility levels.

Cliff Lister explained:

“Again, bespoke nutritional programmes will drive this change. The new Crystalyx dairy range has been specifically developed to meet this need. Moreover, the products have been independently verified as new solutions in allowing dairy farmers throughout the UK and Ireland to develop their businesses on a wholly sustainable basis.”

The new Crystalyx dairy range comprises the following products: Calf 100; Easy Breather; Heifer 730; Heifer Garlyx Grazer; Transition Dry Cow and Transition 100.