Please note that the Ayr Mill will be closed on the following days over Christmas & New Year:x

Christmas:
Close 2pm Friday 23rd December, re-opening 8am Wednesday 28th December 2011.

New Year:
Close 2pm Friday 30th December, re-opening 8am Wednesday 4th January 2012.

Please make sure all orders are placed by the following dates:
Wednesday 7th December for deliveries to be made before Christmas.
Wednesday 14th December for deliveries to be made early January.

Thank you for your business this year.  We hope you have a very Merry Christmas & a prosperous New Year.

THE pre-lambing / pre-calving product with Safmannan formulated for your livestock.

• Includes Safmannan – the actual MOS trialled to show improved colostrum quality in Scottish ewes
• Vitamin E incorporated at optimum level to improve lamb survival
• Excellent energy source from sugars, starch and protected fat
• Magnesium and phosphorus to aid in the reduction of milk fever
• High levels of both selenium and Vitamin E for quality colostrum and optimum calf vitality
• Promotes easier calving and vigorous, healthy calves

MEGASTART is available in both 25kg & 80kg sizes.

Contact your local Scotmin Representative for further information or call our Customer Service Team on 01292 280909.

Order from either the Beef Biosprint or FM Dairy Mineral range and receive FREE SCOTMIN products.

Buy 1 Tonne and receive 1.2kg tub Start em Right (worth £30)

Buy 2 Tonnes and receive 1.2kg tub Start em Right + any 2.5L Power Drench (combined value £120)

Buy 5 Tonnes and receive ? ? Give us a call to find out – 01292 280909

To place your order call: 01292 280909 or email: admin@scotmin.com.
Offer available for a limited period only

The following promotions on ALL Powerdrench products are valid from 8th June – 8th July 2011:

Buy 3 Get 1 Free

Buy 5 Get 2 Free

Buy 9 Get 4 Free

Please contact your local Scotmin representative for more information or telephone   (01292) 280909 .

Please click the link below to find out how you can receive £50*off your next Scotmin purchase.

(*Subject to terms and conditions)

SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2011

Grass staggers, or hypomagnesaemia, in ruminants can be both expensive and fatal.  Stock will be turned out in the coming months to fast-growing spring pasture low in magnesium, low in fibre and high in moisture content.  Combined with a reduced intake of supplementary feed, magnesium intake is reduced.  This is compounded by magnesium absorption in the animals’ gut being compromised by high fertiliser use, particularly when potassium is added.  Blood magnesium levels are further reduced by stress creating a challenging situation.

Although most common in lactating livestock, staggers can occur in any grazing stock during the spring grazing season, with the risk period lasting between three and ten weeks.  As magnesium cannot be stored in the body, clinical hypomagnesaemia will occur when the losses of magnesium through the milk exceed the dietary intake allowing blood levels to fall below a critical level.  Classic symptoms include nervousness, twitching, stiffness, staggering and collapse, although some cows show no signs other than reduced milk yield.

The most practical and effective way of preventing the reoccurrence of grass staggers is to provide supplementary magnesium through dietary management either by way of a bolus or dietetic feed e.g. cobs, high magnesium cake, liquid feeds and mineral feeding stuffs.  Although none of these options are a guarantee on their own, the risk can be reduced further by feeding in conjunction with readily available energy and long fibre.

One popular way of feeding supplemental magnesium is via a palatable molasses mineral lick like Megalix Quattro Mag.  Combining four sources of magnesium including AGMA calcined magnesite, magnesium phosphate, magnesium chloride and magnesium sulphate Quattro mag is ideal for free choice feeding in the spring grazing period.  Regarded by many as the best on the market, independent work at Glasgow University Veterinary School have shown AGMA to have superior bioavailability of magnesium, highest rumen solubility and the most consistent product quality.  Quattro mag is a convenient means of supplying 24 hour access to magnesium for livestock and typically cost 12.8p per head per day.

Contact your local Scotmin Representative for details of special offers on selected Magnesium products.

Please note that the Ayr Mill will be closed on the following days over Christmas & New Year:

Christmas:
Close 2pm Friday 23rd December, re-opening 8am Wednesday 28th December 2011.

New Year:
Close 2pm Friday 30th December, re-opening 8am Wednesday 4th January 2012.

Please make sure all orders are placed by the following dates:
Wednesday 7th December for deliveries to be made before Christmas.
Wednesday 14th December for deliveries to be made early January.

Thank you for your business this year.  We hope you have a very Merry Christmas & a prosperous New Year.

With some reluctance and due to issues of supply, Scotmin Nutrition will be dropping its non-GM status toward the end of November, joining the majority of UK feed manufacturers in using GM soya bean meal.

We are aware some of our customers are members of the Scotbeef/Marks and Spencers Farm Assurance scheme which requires non-GM feed materials for finishing livestock.  We will be catering for the needs of these customers.

For more information please contact your local Scotmin representative.

A good summer, a bad summer, good silage, bad silage.
Typical of what I am hearing across the UK. However the fact is that forage crops are variable in quality and stability. The net result is that we are seeing moulding and heating in grass, wholecrop and maize silages. Unfortunately this can lead to issues with Mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are toxic chemicals formed by moulds and fungal species on crops and pose a potential threat to animal health. Over 350 Mycotoxins have already been catalogued so the issue of reducing their effect is a difficult one. Forages and cereals can be the biggest culprits.

Mycotoxins are known to cause a diverse range of toxic effects due to their varying chemical structure. They have been linked to cancer, immuno-suppression, mutagenicity, oestrogenic, gastrointestinal, urogenital, vascular, kidney and nervous disorders.

In ruminants symptoms indicating that you may have a Mycotoxin issue are as follows:
• Reduced feed intake
• Reduced reproductive performance
• Reduced milk production
• Swollen legs
• Swollen or sore teats
• Poor coat condition and colour
• Scouring

Fortunately solutions are relatively straightforward with an array of Mycotoxin binders available. At Scotmin we have looked at various products but the research work has shown Biobind to be the most effective.

Biobind combiness 6 different raw materials to ‘mop up’ the main Mycotoxins that can be found in ruminant feeds, especially forages and cereals.
Common mycotoxins moped up by Biobind include the following:
• Fumonisin B1
• Zearalenone
• Aflatoxins
• Vomitoxin
• Ochratoxin

Biobind operates at different pH levels therefore working in both the rumen (pH 6) and in the gastro-intestinal tract (pH3). All proven by Milan University research.

Boost the Rumen
After Mycotoxin issues I often find animals take a little while to recover . However I have several instances where boosting the rumen with Biosprint live yeast has helped recovery.  Alternatively a drench of multivitamins in the form of Powerdrench has shown remarkable success.

Be Safe, Be sure
In difficult times for dairy farmers it is vital that milk production is maximised profitably. Any challenge to the cow affects efficient production and consequent profitability. The strategic use of products such as Biobind, Biosprint and Power Drench can have significant impact and ensure returns are maximised.

NOW THERE’S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT…

Neil Dale (Commercial Director)
Scotmin Nutrition Ltd.

Visit our stand at Agriscot, 17th November 2010 (Stand: 91), Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston to claim your FREE Calf Re-hydration Formula Sample.

Almost two thirds of calf mortality is caused by scour which is not only upsetting but also very costly.  Our Start’em Right, Calf Re-hydration Formula is an electrolyte supplement containing minerals, trace elements, carbohydrates and amino acids to combat the effects of dehydration caused by scour, through improved water absorption, water retention and reduced acidosis.

For further information on this product, please click here to contact us.