Heden Jersey has with success redistributed 25% of the mineral supplements from the basic feed ration (TMR / compact feeding) to the Pitstop^PLUS system for precision supplementation. The herd of about 150 Jersey dairy cows were previously given a sack of 27 kg of farm minerals from Vilomix via the compact TMR, but this has now been reduced to a daily sack of 20 kg.

By moving mineral supplements from the TMR to the Pitstop^PLUS system, it is achieved that cows in the critical period around calving gets minerals and vitamins as well as feed additives in correspondence with their needs. At Heden Jersey, the cows get access to extra mineral supplements via the Pitstop^PLUS system from 3 weeks before the expected calving date and up to 3 months after calving, ie. in the period during which the cows' feed intake is below their needs.

Ib Damgaard Andersen, Heden Jersey says: “It makes good sense for us to move mineral supplements kilo by kilo from the TMR to the Pitstop^PLUS system for precision mineral supplementation. The redistribution benefits the cows during the critical period of the lactation. We have a high health status and a good reproduction in the herd, and I have no doubt that Pitstop^PLUS contributes to this. ”

In this connection, please keep in mind that the feedstuffs in the TMR / basic feed ration in many cases contains a large part of the minerals and vitamins the cows need, and that the purpose of mineral supplementation alone is to close the gap between the natural content in feedstuffs and the cows' needs. Therefore, in many cases, a large part of the mineral supplements in the TMR / basic feed ration can be moved to the critical period where the supplements benefit the production, reproduction and health of the dairy cows, rather than ending in the dung. Of course, you should not move more mineral supplements than the cows in mid and end lactation needs.

During the critical period, the cows on Heden Jersey are now offered up to 150 grams of mineral supplement per cow per day via the Pitstop^PLUS system. The minerals are Pitstop Multi from Vilomix, which are specifically developed for the purpose with an extra good taste and flowability.

It is the experience that the Pitstop^PLUS concept works best if it gives the cows access to at least 100 grams of extra mineral supplements per cow per day, and is set so that the cows that may receive extra supplements have "Success" in triggering a dose by each visit, as their natural behavior is to visit the feeders 3-4 times a day.

We have updated our Pitstop^PLUS product card with the changed recommendations.