http://www.microfeeder.com/ ::MicroFeeder:: - feeders for free choice supplementation of cattle, horses and sheep on grass and in loose housing systems en http://www.microfeeder.com/images/mflogo_small.png http://www.microfeeder.com/ <img src="http://www.microfeeder.com/images/album/album/thumbs/microfeeder_1003.jpg" style="float: left" >BasisFeeder is especially ideal for sheep, and for cattle herds where the animals have large horns. The minerals are in the BasisFeeder protected from precipitation and dung, etc. by a rubber cover, which the animals simply pushes up the head while eating. BasisFeeder is under the rubber cover divided in three compartments of 17 liter, equivalent to, for example three times 40 kg granulated minerals, and it allows to offer different mineral types at once. The three compartments are also perfect for placing mineral buckets up to a diameter of 30 cm (bottom). BasisFeeder is significantly cheaper than other mineral feeders, and it fits well into the landscape! http://microfeeder.com/ukbasisfeeder.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 25 apr 2012 08:00:00 GMT <img src="images/EU_Organic_Logo_Colour_rgb_small.jpg" style="float: left" >Organic milk is considered the most successful organic product, and the number of organic farmed animals in EU shows annual growth rates of more than 6%. Mineral supplementation during grazing is equally important for organic farmed animals, and an increasing number of organic mineral supplements on the market is composed in accordance with EU's organic farming implementation regulation (889/2008/EU). http://microfeeder.com/news/organic_farming_and_free_choice_mineral_supplementation_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 17 jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT <img src="http://www.microfeeder.com/images/enagro_microfeeder_xmas_card_2011_xsmall.jpg" style="float: left" >We can look back at a good year, where we despite financial crisis again see an increasing demand for our mineral feeders for free-choice supplementation of minerals, and where we invested in further improvements of our storage facilities. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Click to see our animated Christmas card. http://www.enagro.eu/xmas2011/ hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 23 dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT <img src="http://www.microfeeder.com/images/DSC00589.jpg" style="float: left" >The families Jost and Iseli at Hof Neuholz in Jegenstorf near Bern has since 2003 used a MineralRocker for giving their dairy cows free access to extra mineral supplements during grazing at night. news/swiss_dairy_cows_free-choice_minerals_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 02 sep 2011 08:00:00 GMT <img src="http://www.microfeeder.com/images/album/album/thumbs/microfeeder_62.jpg" style="float: left" >Frank Pedersen, Riisgaard, Kjellerup says: My neighbour complained about the look of the homemade tubs I had standing on the field and asked me to remove that waste. After a talk with Linds we got instead MineralRockers to http://fb.me/Z6gjgpot hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 18 maj 2011 08:00:00 GMT <img src="images/239_2_icon_facebook3.jpg" style="float: left" >Let us here in midst of a cold winter remind ourselves of the nice, warm summertime and the special cosy atmosphere on a warm summer-meadow with grazing heifers. The grass will in a few weeks time start growing again! I think there are many, who would like to share free-choice mineral supplementation experiences with others, and I have therefore made a Facebook page for this. Click the link to join the page! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Free-choice-mineral-supplementation/154950391185007 hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 23 jan 2011 08:00:00 GMT <img src="images/enagro_microfeeder_xmas_card_2010_xsmall.jpg" style="float: left" >We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011. Click on the link to see an animated version of our Christmas card. http://www.enagro.eu/xmas2010 hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 19 dec 2010 08:00:00 GMT A gain of 1 kg requires 150 grams of minerals included in the blood and deposited in the body, which normally requires an intake of 300 grams of minerals. Minerals content of the grass - most pronounced for trace elements - are inadequate and unreliable. Practice shows that access to granulated minerals in a mineral feeder gives an optimal intake of minerals. Animals offered molasses minerals in buckets and trays, takes less than half as many minerals. news/insufficient_intake_of_molassed_minerals_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 13 apr 2010 08:00:00 GMT Despite an unusually cold winter in Europe, we have to realise, though, that we go towards lighter times, and that it is time to plan mineral supplementation in the coming season. We are ready from our side, with our unique mineral feeders that are better than ever, with new product cards, and with distribution channels adjusted to the current market situation. ukdescri.asp#Product_cards hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 17 jan 2010 08:00:00 GMT We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2010. Click on the link to see an animated version of our Christmas Card. http://www.enagro.eu/xmas/xmas_09.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 22 dec 2009 08:00:00 GMT More than 4,000 MineralRockers have been sold in Norway during the last 8 years, and they are therefore often spotted among the many grazing cattle and sheep in the Norwegian landscape. The great success is not at least because sales advisers of the major farm supply organisations like Norsk Mineralnæring, Felleskjøpet, Fiskå Mølle AS, and Norgesfôr now recommend farmers to supplement their grazing livestock with minerals, and here under to use the MicroFeeder concept for that. There were eight years ago almost no tradition for supplementation of grazing livestock in Norway, but the MicroFeeder concept has convinced the Norwegian livestock farmers, among other because the feeders gives a good protection against rainwater - and rain is a predominant weather type in the Western Norway! news/norwegian_microfeeder_weather_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 04 okt 2009 08:00:00 GMT EUs politicians and consumers want to be able to drink milk without 'getting a bad taste in the mouth', but not that farmers are 'awarded' with a worsened production economy when they let their livestock graze. The Nitrates Directive is a good regulation, but it must be administered in a way so that it does not oppose grazing, and so that the practical enforcement is similar from one EU member state to another. news/grazing_legislation_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 11 aug 2009 08:00:00 GMT We have made a new and improved version of the MineralCalculator. You can use this little interactive tool to calculate the necessary supplementation of cattle and sheep with macro minerals and trace elements during grazing. By combining this with the prices and the actual formulation of the mineral feeds on the market, you can calculate how much mineral feed the animals need to eat, and how much it costs. The MicroFeeder concept is usually the cheapest alternative! uknormer.asp#mineralkalkulator hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 19 mar 2009 08:00:00 GMT Physiologically optimal livestock production systems are typically the most expensive, but it is vice versa in this case! Offering granulated minerals in a mineral feeder has proven to be far the most cost efficient news/low_cost_supplementation_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 26 feb 2009 08:00:00 GMT We can look back at a good year, where the new bottom with cast iron was very well received. We have also moved our store to a new address, celebrated 10 years anniversary, and changed our company name. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Click to see our Christmas card. http://www.enagro.eu/xmas/xmas_08.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) lø, 20 dec 2008 08:00:00 GMT The MicroFeeder company changed per 4 September 2008 its name to enAgro, which apart from supplement feeders also deals with for instance development of farm management software. MicroFeeder continues as a an activity under enAgro. Kindly note, that our eMail address as of today has changed - see below. http://www.microfeeder.com/ukcompany.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 10 nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT We could on 11 May celebrate that it was 10 years since we established MicroFeeder and launched a 2-year innovation project to develop a feeder for free choice supplementation of grazing livestock. http://www.microfeeder.com/ukhistorie.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 03 jul 2008 08:00:00 GMT It is possible to mount a loop on the top of the mineral feeder to ease moving of it by help of a front loader or alike. We have updated our Instruction for Use with the method after inspiration from our English dealer. http://www.microfeeder.com/ukinstruction.asp#handling hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) lø, 19 apr 2008 08:00:00 GMT Grazing is natural for cattle and has traditionally been a basic production practice in order to ensure healthy and productive cattle. There was earlier no need to legislate about grazing to ensure the welfare of cattle. However, technological development and the general globalisation have caused rapid structural developments in the dairy herd size. The larger dairy herds tend to invest in production systems with zero grazing. This development is clearly conflicting with both milk consumers' interests and with the EU policies, which is more and more focused on animal welfare and preservation of the permanent pastures. A comparison of animal welfare legislation in five EU countries shows that two of them - Sweden and Austria - already have found reason to set demands to ensure use of grazing for dairy cows and dairy cattle. German legislation prescribes grazing in case the dairy cows do not have access to a runyard. Legislation on welfare of dairy cows is being prepared in Denmark, and it is on beforehand expected that it will introduce some minimum demands to the dairy cows possibility to get exercise. news/grazing_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 21 feb 2008 08:00:00 GMT It is just now season for elaboration of fertiliser plans. It has since EU approved the marketing of selenium-enriched fertilisers been relevant to consider whether this is a good way to deal with the selenium needs of the livestock. news/selenium_enriched_fertilisers_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 09 jan 2008 08:00:00 GMT The polled trait is highly appreciated in modern cattle farming as it saves money for the farmer and makes the handling of the livestock more safe. Hornet animals do not fit into modern production systems! Having recognised that, a group of Danish Blonde dAquitaine breeders took the initiative to develop the polled trait in their breed and they are now ready with polled breeding material of high value. Mineral feeders are also best used by animals without long horns, and although animals with small horns easily can use a mineral feeder, then the durability will suffer under it. MicroFeeder supports therefore any initiative to develop the polled trait. news/polledblonde_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 01 aug 2007 08:00:00 GMT We have elaborated a new short instruction for use in eight languages, which are sent as a part of the assembly set that follows each mineral supplement feeder. ukdescri.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 02 jul 2007 08:00:00 GMT EUs approval of organic selenium as a fodder-additive as well as the possibility to buy selenium-enriched fertilisers has created much attention among farmers and agricultural advisers. Continued supplementation of the fodder with inorganic selenium is the cheapest way to fulfil the animals' selenium needs, and sufficient in most situations. Regulated use of inorganic selenium can happen in a safe way concerning the environment as well as animals' and human beings' health. Use of organic selenium may be a means to raise the selenium status of animals in the last period of the pregnancy where one otherwise has had problems with this, as the bio-availability is 5-20 % higher than for inorganic selenium. It can, if the legislation prevents more than 20 ppm selenium in mineral mixtures, be of interest to use organic selenium for other animal types as well. Advantages and drawbacks to fertilisation with selenium-enriched fertilisers seems to be insufficiently clarified, and there may possibly be negative effects from this on the environment as well as on human beings' and animals' health. The method is also ineffective and uneconomical and can for the present not be recommended. news/selen_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 maj 2007 08:00:00 GMT The content of E-vitamin in the cows feed ration is critical in the weeks before and after calving due to the importance of E-vitamin for the immune status and the fertility, both for the cow and for the newborn calf. E-vitamin consists of 8 different chemical forms of which only one (RRR-a-tocopherol) is the natural form found in plant material, while other forms are synthetic. Newer scientific research with dry cows has revealed, that the bioavailability is far higher for the natural form of E-vitamin from plants. Only 12.5% of the synthetically produced E-vitamin is on the natural form. Our recommendations concerning mineral supplements for grazing dry cows are still, that they do not need supplementation with E-vitamin because grass contains large amounts of natural E-vitamin. news/evitamin_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 01 jan 2007 08:00:00 GMT Société Coopérative Agricole de la Meuse, SCAM, is a farmer cooperative based in the french speaking Wallonie in the Eastern part of Belgium. SCAM is one of the major actors on the market in Wallonie concerning trade of supplement feeds. Wallonie is characterised by a high livestock density - grazing plays a very important role in the feeding of the majority of the cattle. The dominat breed is the famous Belgian Blue with a very high productivity. Optimal supplementation with mineral feeds to the grazing cattle is an important issue, not at least because the Belgian Blue is sensible to selenium deficits, combined with the fact, that the Belgian feed legislation only allow a content of 20 ppm of selenium in mineral supplements. SCAM started on this background to offer the free access minerals concept to their farmer clients a year ago - see the linked article, which is only availble in French language. The results are very successful - Product Manager, Mr Jean Marc Bourguignon says: "Our farmers are very happy for the new concept with the MineralRocker and our new CRISTALLINE PÂTURE 10/5 mineral supplement. The concept is a major reason for a doubling of our turnover of minerals this Summer. scam_article.pdf hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 sep 2006 08:00:00 GMT A comparison based on data from 14 cattle herds with 1,096 cattle shows that grazing heifers and beef cows gets 2.4, respectively 2.2, times more minerals if they are offered granulated minerals (or loose licks) in a mineral feeder rather than molassed minerals (or mineral blocks) in buckets or bowls. It is supposed that the difference is due to the difficulty for the cattle to get sufficient amounts of minerals through licking, combined with farmers restricted administration of the expensive molassed minerals. The consumption of granulated minerals in the observed herds were at an acceptable level in relation to the envisaged intake of minerals. Molassed minerals in buckets or bowls can in general not comply with grazing cattle's requirement for mineral supplementation. news/insufficient_intake_of_molassed_minerals_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 01 mar 2006 08:00:00 GMT Molassed mineral licks (in bowls or buckets) are expensive alternatives to granulated minerals. They contain normally around 50% molasses and other organic feed materials, and only half of the content is minerals. Half content of minerals and double price means that it is 4 times as expensive to use molassed mineral licks as to use granulated minerals. The investment in a MineralRocker would for most herds be returned in the form of saved mineral supplement costs after just 2-4 months, compared to the use of molassed mineral licks. You can see for yourself by making a calculation with MineralCalculator. Practical trials have proven that supplementation with granulated minerals - apart from the direct economic advantages - also gives considerable improvements in daily gain and reproduction traits. Read more at our new product cards. ukdescri.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 nov 2005 08:00:00 GMT EUs reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) decouples production premiums, gives more emphasis to the enforcement of community legislation on animal welfare and food safety, and introduces Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) standards. We will on this background see more food quality programmes, where the food industry offers consumers declaration of used production systems from field to table. Grazing stands strong in consumers perceptions of natural production methods, favouring animal welfare and food safety. Grazing is furthermore a strong weapon in the fight to bring the decline of biodiversity around the World to an end. news/eu_cap_2003_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) lø, 01 okt 2005 08:00:00 GMT MineralCalculator is meant for for online calculation of mineral norms for grazing livestock and determination of the most suitable mineral feed, and can now also be used for dry dairy cows. It is for dry dairy cows possible to edit and delete mineral feeds which you yourself have registered in the database because the use of it requires login. uknormer.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 01 sep 2005 08:00:00 GMT It is a common practice in many countries to let dried up dairy cows graze until 2-3 weeks before calving due to labour and feed economy. Supplementation with minerals happens in this case easiest and cheapest by use of mineral feeders with granulated minerals. The formulation of free choice mineral supplements for dry dairy cows is largely a question of covering the norms, as it is recognised that the content of minerals in the grass always is too low and furthermore totally unreliable. Dry dairy cows should not be supplemented with Ca as their norm for Ca is very low, and also because supplementation of Ca to dry dairy cows is suspected to increase the risk of milk fever. Acid-training of dry cows is maybe without effect and should under all circumstances first happen in the close-up period 2-3 weeks before expected calving. Free choice mineral supplements for dry diary cows do not need to be enriched with vitamins as grazing cattle have ADE vitamins in abundance. news/goldko_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 01 aug 2005 08:00:00 GMT The tariff number is the basis for the customs handling by import, and decides whether import tax have to be paid. The tariff number is also used for statistical purposes. ukdescri.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 jul 2005 08:00:00 GMT EU has with Regulation 1334 of 25 July 2003 reduced the permitted levels of the trace elements (micro minerals) Iron, Cobalt, Cupper, Manganese and Zinc, in complete feedingstuffs, or for the amount supplemented to the livestock otherwise on a daily basis. The wider objective of the Regulation is to cease the increasing contamination of soils with the mentioned trace elements in especially high-density livestock areas of EU. The article analyse both the immediate consequences and the longer term effects. news/EEC_1334_2003_comments_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 01 jun 2005 08:00:00 GMT Success with a mineral feeder requires the use of free choice mineral supplements, who among other are characterised by being granulated, consisting of around one third salt (important for the regulation of the intake), neither to have vitamins of flavours added, have a high content of magnesia and trace elements, and be produced from honest raw materials without deviating taste and with a good availability of the minerals. It is unfortunately not all feed suppliers, who have free choice mineral supplements in their standard assortment, but most of them would be willing to deliver mineral mixes after the farmers recipe, notably without extra price if the order is above 500 kg. In case your feed supplier does not have free choice mineral supplements in their assortment, then ask them to make a production for you in accordance with our recommendations. Free choice mineral supplements could be mixed on the farm from another standard granulated mineral supplement and fodder salt, but this is normally not advisable as the level of other minerals (than sodium) and trace elements in this way would be thinned out. news/salt_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 01 maj 2005 08:00:00 GMT Salt is serving two purposes in the free choice mineral supplements (also called loose licks), namely to provide the animals with sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl), and further to regulate the intake of the mineral supplement. We recommend a content of 12.5 % Na in free choice mineral supplements, corresponding to app. 32 % salt. The price of salt per kilo is less than one third of other components in mineral supplements. Price and quality is often related, but salt is in this case simply the reason why free choice mineral supplements are cheaper than other mineral supplements. ukrecommend.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 apr 2005 08:00:00 GMT Optimal growth, reproduction and health with maximal use of grazing is a main pre-requisite for a good production economy and acceptable productivities in modern sheep production. However, the level of minerals in the grass is in general varying a lot, and - for especially some of the trace elements - with certainty always too low. Professional sheep breeding implies therefore supplementary feeding with minerals during grazing. The experiences from commercial sale and practical tests in 2004 of MineralRockers for sheep are very satisfactory and meets our expectations; we had the wish to develop a model for sheep, which - apart from the normal good functions - secure the lambs can access the minerals when they reach a size of 25 kg, where the grass becomes a more dominant part of the feeding, and further the feeder must hinder the lambs to climb into the feeder and make the minerals dirty. We will on basis of the practical tests make the eating hole a bit larger in the future, here under place the bottom of the hole around 5 cm lower in order to ease the access to the minerals. The practical tests in Denmark led to the development of an alternative model, which in the main consists of the top mounted with a fodder bowl and a handle. This construction has functioned well on deep litter in a herd with autumn born lambs. We have, in order to meet anyone's wishes to use such an model opened for the sale of tops, which then can be mounted with fodder bowl and a handle. news/experience_sheep_model_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 feb 2005 08:00:00 GMT Although New Zealand enjoys a worldwide reputation for its agricultural industry it looks with European eyes like the potentials are far from being utilised; the milk production per dairy cow is in the range of 3,100 litres per year, the lamb production is around 18 kg per sheep, and the beef production only around 65 kg per cattle per year although around half of the cattle are of beef breeds! Obvious reasons for the extreme low productivity might be that the general practice in New Zealand is to produce with a marginal use of inputs; there is little impartial nutrition advisory service and they don't use minerals on a regularly basis. Therefore, if you wish to study mineral deficiency symptoms and diseases in practice, then New Zealand is the ideal place! It seems like quite few in New Zealand respects that the livestock actual have dietary requirements for minerals, and that minerals (especially trace minerals) should be supplemented on a daily basis in order to prevent deficiencies. news/newzealand_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) lø, 01 jan 2005 08:00:00 GMT Vitamins is a class of essential nutrients that cannot be synthesized (either at all or in sufficient quantities) by a given organism and must be taken (in trace quantities) with feed for that organism's continued good health. Monogastric animals require that 13 different vitamins are supplemented with the feed. Ruminants kept on stable has especially a need to be supplemented with A, D and E vitamins, although high yielding dairy cows in some circumstances reacts positive on supplementation with other vitamins as well. ukvitamins.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 01 nov 2004 08:00:00 GMT The newly developed French PEPS system is based on a radical way to consider phosphorus norms and phosphorus supplementation, and provides environmental and economic perspectives for the use of phosphorus in the ruminal nutrition. MicroFeeder supports in general, i.e. for all macro and trace elements, the implementation in practice and in legislation of norms expressed in terms of bio-available or available minerals, and - if necessary - supplemented with norms for rumen-available minerals. news/phosphor_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 okt 2004 08:00:00 GMT Mineral feeding should be based on science rather than on magic and myth, cf. our earlier article on chelated minerals. Science builds on the use of well defined parameters; read here the definition of Bio-availability, Availability and Absorption efficiency, which also explains the difference on needs and norms. ukdefinitions.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 01 sep 2004 08:00:00 GMT Based on a theoretical analysis of different methods for mineral supplementation of grazing dairy heifers it can for instance be concluded that: a) The economic losses are calculated to EURO 175 per produced heifer if they dont get mineral supplementation while grazing. B) Free access to granulated minerals in a mineral feeder is the optimal method for supplementation of grazing cattle with minerals, physiologically as well as economically. news/mineral_supplementation_methods_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 01 aug 2004 08:00:00 GMT Mineral supplements containing chelated minerals are typically at least 50-100% more expensive than conventional mineral supplements, but recognized scientific institutions or journals have so far not been able to document unambiguous evidence of benefits on the production, reproduction or health of livestock fed with chelated minerals. Livestock production should be based on professionalism and impartial scientific work, and a legal framework that sets the standards for declaration and evaluation of feed material. Trustworthy marketing of chelated minerals would require the definition of parameters that could describe the claimed qualities of chelated minerals, and which could be measured and proven by easily accessible laboratory analyses. news/chelates_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 01 jul 2004 08:00:00 GMT It is generally recommended to offer cows in high yielding herds additional high-value mineral supplements after free choice the first 100 days after calving, for instance to ensure their supply with sulfur, zinc, E-vitamin and other trace elements and vitamins. It can under certain circumstances be recommended this high-value mineral supplement contains dietetic buffers, and that it is adjusted to avoid typical negative effects of additional buffer. news/buffer_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 jun 2004 08:00:00 GMT The Danish company Vitfoss has developed a granulated mineral supplement, VM Hestemix Græs, especially for grazing horses and meant to be offered by free choice in a MineralRocker. Granulated minerals are typically several times cheaper than other mineral types for horses, and the use of such a free choice mineral is also labor saving as compared to other methods. news/hestemix_uk.asp hlj@vitfoss.dk (Hans L. Jepsen) lø, 01 maj 2004 08:00:00 GMT 'When the talk is about mineral supplementation of sheep, then it is first of all the grazing sheep that should be considered. Sheep are normally grazing marginalized areas with atypical soil qualities, and the mineral content in the grass is therefore in general low, but in any case untrustworthy. It is on this background recommended to supplement grazing sheep with roughly half their need for macro minerals plus their entire need for micro minerals - with exception for iron and cupper. Mineral supplementation costs only EURO 0.04 per day for sheep with suckling lambs if you use granulated mineral supplements.' news/normin_article_2004_uk.asp dag@normin.no (Dag Henning Edvardsen) to, 01 apr 2004 08:00:00 GMT Now where the grazing season is coming closer there is a good reason to refresh the remarkable article from December 2001, which on basis of registrations on 261 heifers in Vildmoserne in Denmark concludes, that the immediate advantage of correct mineral supplementation is a 30% improvement in the daily gain. news/vildmosen_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 01 mar 2004 08:00:00 GMT The MineralCalculator for grazing livestock offers the possibility to calculate cattle and sheep's need for macro and trace elements, and furthermore to see how your mineral supplement fits to these needs, and how expensive it would be to comply with the norms using specific mineral supplements. uknormer.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 01 feb 2004 08:00:00 GMT It is now possible to get a special sheep-model of the MineralRocker. The sheep-model has an eating-hole, which is around 75% smaller than the eating hole in the model for cattle and horses. Practical use have proofed the sheep-models function with adult sheep. Further practical tests shall verify our assumptions, that the sheep-model can minimize the problem with lambs laying in it. news/sheep_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) lø, 01 nov 2003 08:00:00 GMT "It was normal for us earlier only to offer minerals to horses in training, the stallions, and for those "who needed it", and we only gave them minerals in limited periods. We have of course all the time been aware, that this wasn't an ideal practice, but it was an impossible task for us to give more than 150 horses minerals individually every day." Betina Grønbek Rasmussen from the stud farm Lille Nørregård near Ringe in Denmark has now got hold of mineral feeders so the horses can eat all the minerals they need. news/icelander_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Betina Grønbek Rasmussen) on, 01 okt 2003 08:00:00 GMT Cattle has a physiological ability to regulate the intake of the not especially well - but neither bad-tasting, cheap granulated minerals in accordance with their needs, just like we drink water when we feel thirst. This natural behaviour is taken into consideration in the development of the Mineral-Vicke, which Lactamin has marketed since 2002. Ulf Gunterberg, Hulegården in Knätte near Ulricehamn, is one of Lactamins customers. news/swedish_simmentaler_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 01 sep 2003 08:00:00 GMT There are around 6.1 billion people in the World or 35% more than 30 years ago. The number of cattle has in the same period increased with 22% to around 1.3 billion head, while the number of horses and sheep are fairly stable at around 60 million and 1 billion respectively. Looking at Western Europe alone the number of sheep has increased substantially in the observed period since 1972, while the number of cattle has declined. news/livestock_trends_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 aug 2003 08:00:00 GMT European Patent Office (EPO) has granted patent number 1102529 to MicroFeeders mineral supplement feeder. The patent is so far in force in all designated EPO member states. The feeder is on beforehand patented in Denmark. ukawards.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 jul 2003 08:00:00 GMT Dairy farmer Lars Søby bought recently 3 MineralRockers from his feed supplier SAF in Øster Højst. Vitfoss and enAgro has thereby sold 5,000 mineral feeders in Denmark. press_release_april_2003_UK.PDF hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 01 maj 2003 08:00:00 GMT Technical Manager in AS Norsk Mineralnæring, Mr. Dag Henning Edvardsen, has written more articles about supplementation of grazing cattle with VitaMineral® Beite by use of MineralRockers in Norway. The method has since the market introduction in 2002 been a great success in Norway. Dag Henning Edvardsen emphasizes in this article (in Norwegian), which were published in the agricultural magazine 'Norgesfôr avisen' (1/2003), that 200 cattle died last year due to acute heart attack following mineral deficiencies; homemade solutions for administration of granulated minerals has so far been the best attempt to solve the problems, but the homemade mineral feeders and troughs has not been solid enough and has not been able to protect the minerals against contamination with rainwater and manure. news/normin_article_uk.asp dag@normin.no (Dag Henning Edvardsen) ti, 01 apr 2003 08:00:00 GMT Mineral supplementation of grazing animals is one of the most important management factors for optimal herd economy, as it influences on production, reproduction and health. Our own trials and investigations suggests the daily gain is affected by up to 30% and the economic losses EURO 175 per produced heifer if they dont get minerals while grazing. We have on this background formulated an idea for a speciality for students, as the subject calls for a thorough, scientifically based documentation. KVL_projectdescription.PDF hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) lø, 01 mar 2003 08:00:00 GMT Practice from Switzerland shows, that the feeders also are applicable for dairy cows in loose housing systems. Use of the feeder saves time compared to other ways of mineral supplementation, and will furthermore ensure the cows free access to necessary amounts of mineral supplements; the individual cows' needs for minerals vary considerable during the lactation and is normally reverse proportional to the intake of roughage. news/swiss_dairy_cows_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 01 jan 2003 08:00:00 GMT Calcium is the most widespread mineral in the animal body, and the mineral which the body has the biggest need for. Grass would under "normal circumstances" contain enough calcium to cover the physiological needs of the animals. However, a practical trial in "Vildmoserne" discovered that "normal circumstances" not always appear, and that grass minerals therefore should contain calcium as a cheap guarantee that the needs of the animals are covered. ukimportant.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 01 dec 2002 08:00:00 GMT This monthly wisdom is a document, which contains specific terms in English, German, Danish and French, which EU uses for categorizing of feedstuffs. It will be noticed, that the recommended mineral feedingstuff for use in the Mineral Rocker belongs to the sub-group of complementary feedingstuffs which is a sub-group of compound feedingstuffs, which is again a sub-group of feedingstuffs / feedstuffs. Another sub-group of complementary feedingstuffs is molassed feedingstuffs. Mineral buckets' could be claimed to belong to this category if they contain more than 13% sugar. Mineral pellets with a high content of wheat bran, molasses, dried sugar beet pulp etc. Belongs to complementary feedingstuffs if it has less than 40% of crude ash. We can therefore conclude, that different mineral supplements for grazing animals belong to different categories of feedstuffs - it appear the category of feedstuffs they belong to can be chosen accidentally and subjectively - and are thus considered by the control bodies of the EU member states to be used, marketed and labelled in different ways. feeds_terminology.PDF hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 nov 2002 08:00:00 GMT Council Directive 79/373/EEC and its many amendments regulates marketing of minerals and other feedstuffs. The Directive decides, that: a) Marketed feedingstuffs shall be sold with a labelled declaration (levels of analytical constituents having a direct effect on the quality of the feedingstuffs should be declared); b) Member States must make suitable control arrangements; c) Deviations between declared and controlled content may only deviate within specified limits; and d) Member States also retain the right to authorize producers to provide further information. http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/other/l12037b_en.htm hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 okt 2002 08:00:00 GMT Success with use of a mineral feeder require that the correct mineral types are used; we have up-dated and specified our guidance on the issue. ukrecommend.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) sø, 01 sep 2002 08:00:00 GMT The article presents a comparative analysis of different methods for supplementation of grazing dairy heifers with minerals under Danish conditions. It is among other concluded, that losses of EURO 175 per produced dairy heifer is expected in so far they are not given supplementary minerals while grazing; unfortunately it is estimated, that no less than each second flock of grazing cattle (especially grazing dairy heifers) are without access to supplementary minerals. news/mineral_supplementation_methods_uk.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 01 aug 2002 08:00:00 GMT A practical trial conducted by Blekinge-Kronobergs Husdjurstjänst in 1991 confirms the Danish trial from 2001: The daily gain is improved when heifers have free access to granulated minerals. The Swedish trial registered an increase of 109 gram in the daily gain per 100 gram intake of minerals, while the same figure was 131 gram in the Danish trial. The smaller effect in the Swedish trial is probably due to the fact that the control group had free access to mineral blocks. The Swedish trial included also registration of fertility parameters in the succeeding winter period; number of inseminations per pregnancy for yearlings and number of empty days for first calvers was remarkably lower for heifers, which had free access to granulated minerals in the preceding grazing period. swedish_trial_uk.PDF hlf@enagro.eu (Björn Sederblad) lø, 01 jun 2002 08:00:00 GMT MineralRockers were actually developed for cattle, but horse breeders have discovered that it is very useful for horses as well. Blue Hors is one of the foremost leading stud farms in Denmark with more than 100 stallions, and Karsten Pedersen write about their experience with use of mineral feeders for horses: 'Blue Hors has in the grazing season 2001 used a MineralRocker for supplementation of the young horses with granulated minerals. The feeder did fully meet our expectations; it was earlier a problem to find a good method for supplementation of grazing horses with minerals, as the minerals easily are wasted or damaged by bad weather. We don't have these problems anymore as the mineral feeder provides a good protection of the minerals against the weather, and as the horses can't roll over the feeder. The horses have willingly used the feeder, and it has proved to be so solid, that they haven't manage to damage it.' ukwisdom.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) fr, 01 mar 2002 08:00:00 GMT Grazing dairy cows have in a practical trial eaten 59 gram of minerals per cow per day in addition to 270 gram of minerals per cow per day, which they were given on stable according to a balanced feed ration. The supplementary intake of minerals made the heat more distinct, subjectively evaluated. The positive effect on the heat is probably due to the fact, that dairy cows typically comes into a negative energy balance in a period within the first 6-20 weeks after calving, as the feed intake in this period often does not correspond the yield. The negative energy balance has no effect on the milk yield, but it can be critical for the fertility, which is especially dependent on a sufficient and daily intake of trace elements. Another trial shows furthermore, that it is risky to rely on standard analyses for the content of minerals in grass, especially if grass constitutes a major part of the ration. On basis of the trial we can suggest to offer grazing dairy cows supplementary minerals in mineral feeders. uk_torstedlund_trial_cows.PDF pel@vitfoss.dk (Henning Lyngsø FOGED, Per LARSEN, Frank Skov HANSEN og Egon ANDERSEN) fr, 01 feb 2002 08:00:00 GMT Mineral supplements are normally mixed from various sources of inorganic mineral salts. K. C. Olson and Chad Hale from University of Missouri writes in this article that is selection of mineral sources there should be given consideration to the relative bioavailability of the minerals, as well as to the mineral concentration, the taste and the price. http://www.muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/ansci/g02081.htm hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ti, 01 jan 2002 08:00:00 GMT Vitfoss, dlg and enAgro has jointly described the experiences from offering mineral supplements to heifers in great and Small Vildmose in Northern Jutland in Denmark: There was found 30% higher daily gain when heifers were offered granulated minerals from a mineral feeder in comparison to a control group which were not offered minerals. It is further concluded, that it is risky to rely on standard analyses for mineral content of grasses as not even the needs for ca, P and S were fulfilled although the heifers took 100 gram per day each of an offered mineral supplement. news/vildmosen_uk.asp pel@vitfoss.dk (Henning Lyngsø Foged, Per Larsen, og Lars C. Nielsen) lø, 01 dec 2001 08:00:00 GMT enAgro has 8 years experience in development and sale of mineral supplementing feeders of the self righting type. The feeders were originally developed with cattle in mind, in specific grazing beef cattle and heifers of dairy breed. We are, on basis of the mentioned 8 years experience, able to conclude, that the feeders are more broadly applicable, and we have therefore added a section about this matter in the technical description. We will in the coming months provide more information about experience with the use of the Mineral Rocker for horses, dairy cows and sheep. ukdescri.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) to, 01 nov 2001 08:00:00 GMT We have received the following letter from cattle farmer T. K., Foulum in Denmark: 'I use the mineral feeder for a flock of dairy heifers. I had earlier the problem, that the feeder was pushed out of the fence by the heifers as the grass field is sloping where I want to place the feeder near the gate and the water. I have now found an ideal solution to the problem; I simply tie the feeder with a chain and chain pole. The solution is 100% perfect for me: When I first tied the feeder I feared the chain pole would be slit up after few days, but as the chain is dragged parallel with the soil surface this is apparently not happening. The mineral feeder is now always standing with the opening facing downhill as cattle prefer to eat with their head facing up-hill; this gives an even better protection against contamination with rainwater. The self raising effect is not disturbed by the tying.' We have found the idea so good, that we have found reason to revise our long Instruction for Use. ukinstruction.asp hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) ma, 01 okt 2001 08:00:00 GMT The Mineral Rocker have during the Summer 1999 undergone a functionality test made by Prüfstelle für Landmaschinen under DLG. DLG is an abbreviation for Deutsche Landwirtschafts Gesellschaft e.V. (- the German Farmers Unions). The test have included a) a practical test in 10 herds; b) various laboratory tests, among other in order to investigate how robust it is; and c) a survey amongst German farmers that have bought it in 1999 - 22 cattle farmers who all together have bought 49 Mineral Rockers have filled in a questionnaire. aving successfully completed the DLG test the Mineral Rocker is awarded the right to wear the label 'DLG Anerkannt' in the next five years. http://www.dlg-test.de/pbdocs/4859.pdf hlf@enagro.eu (Henning Lyngsø Foged) on, 01 mar 2000 08:00:00 GMT