Experiences HK Holsteins: “Higher milk yield without the hassle…”

“We don’t get all the dry matter in the cow, but the higher milk yield is there …”
Sjoerd van der Helm

340

dairy cows

170

young stock

185

hectares of land

11,000

kg of milk per cow per year

HK Holsteins likes to be at the forefront of new developments and has big ambitions. Sjoerd van der Helm wants higher milk yield and solids, in a responsible manner, based on consistency and easy management. Getting more Energy out of your silage is essential for this. Courtesy of Quality Calf, we spoke to Sjoerd van der Helm about his experiences with pHom Norway.

Why did HK Holsteins start pHom Norway?

Sjoerd van der Helm says: “Throughout the year, we used 200 g of sodium bicarbonate per animal daily to support the rumen. However, this is produced chemically and is not very appealing. Quality Calf told me about a 100% natural and sustainable alternative produced in Norway. That seemed worth trying. We were the first in the Netherlands to start pHom Norway in December 2022.”

How do you guys use the product?

Sjoerd van der Helm continues, “We add pHom Norway daily in the feed wagon. We started with 3 oz pHom Norway per cow daily, and now that the cows are going outside, we give 3.5 oz. We no longer use sodium bicarbonate. We like that. The feeling should be good if you scoop it into the TMR.”

What effects and benefits do you see?

At HK Holsteins, they are big proponents of Rest, Purity, and Consistency. With the Lely app, Sjoerd signals any change and keeps a sharp eye on his “daily rates”, and so too with pHom Norway.

“We demand a lot from our dairy cows, which need much energy. Before we started pHom Norway, we were at 33 kg of milk with 4.2% fat and 3.5% protein. We are now at 36 kg and equal solids without major adjustments, so we have more kilos. Nothing crazy is happening; our results are stable, the manure looks nice, and we see fewer hoof problems. It’s just running nicely. We are not getting all the dry matter in the cows, but the higher milk yield is there,” says Sjoerd van der Helm.

What is your experience now that the cows are going outside?

Sjoerd van der Helm is enthusiastic: “I had expected that switching from sodium bicarbonate to pHom Norway would cause less rumination activity, but it has remained the same. Usually, the feeding time decreases when the cows go outside, but that is not the case now. Also, the manure quality looks good.

We now feed 3.5 oz pHom Norway per cow daily. We started with wheat and kept the winter ration the same, except our cows are now outside on pasture. So there is much speed in the ration, and our cows continue to run well and give good milk.”

Why do you continue to use the product?

Sjoerd van der Helm explains, “It’s just running nicely, without any fuss. We also see the urea coming down. We started at 16 with the sodium bicarbonate, and now we are around 12, even with the cows going outside.”

Would you recommend pHom Norway to your colleagues?

Sjoerd van der Helm answers spontaneously: “Yes, directly. What would I advise my neighbor? Throw out those chemical rumen buffers. I support this. The product is natural and good.”