All livestock producers are looking for that formula for success. Our friends at Alltech believe that success is most likely attained when farmers and ranchers apply good environmental practices that boost their economical gains. At the recent Alltech Global Dairy & Beef Conference in Deauville, France, Chuck talked with Kevin Tuck, Managing Director of Alltech Technology Center, Ireland about Alltech’s new program and formula they believe will bring success to dairy and beef producers: E=P+S.
“Efficiency (E) gives you profitability (P) plus sustainability (S),” Tuck said, adding that they offer a dedicated Alltech person who would go into a beef or dairy operation and discuss the producer’s goals, plans and desires, and compare that with their performance data, and make recommendations to show any individual farmer what they could expect to get in performance if they implemented Alltech’s recommendations before they spend anything. “So we can show them with a high degree of predictability upfront what’s going to happen in terms of profit.”
In addition, the E=P+S program shows producers the direct link between their profits and lowering their carbon footprint. “There’s a direct link between more efficient, therefore more profitable, and the amount of reduction of your carbon footprint.”
Tuck cited one example of monitoring the amount of gas released during the digestion of feed gives producers good data on how well that feed is nourishing the animal and turning that feed into milk and beef, making sustainability more than just a fancy word politicians throw around, but a true indicator of how profitable a producers will be.
“Efficiency gives you profit and sustainability at the same time. If more nutrients are going into the animal, there’s going to be less waste – less going off into the air as carbon, less going into manure, which becomes nitrogen oxide, which contributes to global warming,” Tuck explained.
The data show just how much E=P+S could boost a bottom line. Tuck points to their numbers that show about $300 more in profit for each dairy animal and about $60 increased profit on beef animals, while reducing the carbon footprint by 7 to 8 percent using E=P+S. Another key, he says, is individualizing the program for each farm, and not telling producers how to do it.
“Every situation is different, and the dreams and goals of one farmers is very different than another. We have to stop lecturing farmers on what they should be doing and ask them what they want to do and match the program to it.”
You can listen to all of Chuck’s conversation with Kevin here: Interview with Kevin Tuck, Alltech