The 2015 World Dairy Expo served as the formal launch for BSF-18, the newly developed calf starter acting as the latest addition to the comprehensive Vita Plus Corporation calf nutrition program.
Noah Litherland, PhD, technical specialist for Vita Plus, sat down with AgWired at the event to discuss this innovative new product. His takeaway focused on the three major benefits found in the profile of BSF-18: Consistency, quality, and an incredibly controlled nutritional balance.
“We also decided to put together some technology to really minimize fines in the calf starter, because the research and literature shows that higher fines levels reduces starter grain intake,” Litherland said.
The ingredient profile contains whole corn as well as an extruded, kibbled corn, developed by an innovative heat and pressure processing technology that yields a high quality, digestible, palatable source of corn with a very low level of fines. The starch profile is balanced with higher levels of fiber via cottonseed hull pellets, known for successfully stimulating rumen development as calves grow.
Initial research has shown increases of approximately 12 pounds in total gain, and approximately 26 pounds in starter grain intake over 56 days for calves started on BSF-18 compared to another high quality starter.
BSF-18 is a new member of the Vita Plus Calf Nutrition Program, part of Vita Plus Corporation’s commitment to improving the industry and the lives of their customers. The program focuses on education and management, and includes a full lineup of milk replacers, calf starters, electrolytes and other additives, health, and nutrition products.
“Healthy calves are the foundation of the herd,” says Litherland, “If we can grow healthier calves more quickly, then we can really help the profitability of the dairy industry.”
Listen to my interview with Noah here:
Interview with Noah Litherland, PhD, Vita Plus Corporation
View and download photos from the event here: 2015 World Dairy Expo Photo Album
