Optigen Improves Performance And Profitability
Research by Alltech, has looked at the effects of dietary Optigen on beef cattle performance and feeding costs. The results show that Optigen improves performance and profitability.
18 July 2011
1 minute read
Method
In a Portuguese study 49 Charolais x Limousin beef cattle were split into two treatment groups. The first group was a control group, with 25 animals, with an average initial body weight of 252.4 kg.
The second group, 24 animals, were give Optigen, and had an average initial body weight of 250.8 kg.
All cattle were fed wheat straw and a compound feed with or without Optigen at 4kg/t of feed.
Body weight (at the start and the end of the trial) were measured, as well as compound feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ration.
Results
The results showed that optigen increased average dairy gain by 80 grams per animal per day, with reduced feed consumption (7.64 vs 7.95 kg of compound feed per animal per day), thus improving feed conversion ratios.
Improved performance with Optigen was reflected in a net gain of 21.4 €/animal. On a farm with 1000 fattening animals, that gain represents, per fattening period, an increased profitability of 21400 €.
The cost-benefit ratio for Optigen was 1:4. Ie. for each &euro 1 invested, Optigen inclusion return a &euro 4 gain.
Conclusion
Optigen® inclusion in beef cattle diet improved performance and increased profitability, with a cost-benefit ratio of 1:4.
