The quantity of milk produced from roughage-based feeds is critical to maximising the financial return from dairying. One of the most important things affecting milk production is the lignification of plant cell wall material – this is because lignification has a significant influence on the ruminal passage rate. In spite of more expensive concentrate feed prices the new mode of action of Pioneer® Brand 11CFT allows a fresh approach to increase milk production from roughage feeds and to maximize the milk yield of dairy cows.

Visible success and improvement in milk production economics
Pioneer® Brand 11CFT combines the benefits of existing inoculants with an innovative mode of action. This new mode of action enables farmers to improve the quality of ensiled forage. In silages treated with Pioneer® Brand 11CFT specially selected bacteria, specifically those of a proprietary strain of lactobacillus buchneri, release selected enzymes during the fermentation process. These enzymes are able to decouple the lignified bondings of cell wall fibre. As a result maize silage is digested faster and more extensively by rumen microorganisms. The negative effects of the lignification of plant fibre can thus be circumvented – feed intake and the production of milk and beef is increased.
A further benefit is the controlled synthesis of acetic acid, which leads to a decreased risk of silage aerobic deterioration, a frequent problem with many maize silages.

Efficacy demonstrated in official trials
In addition to internal trials, third party co-operators have been examining Pioneer® Brand 11CFT in their own trials. Results from these trials confirm the performance of Pioneer® Brand 11CFT – for example, a trial conducted by the Chamber of Agriculture Lower Saxony in Germany: Maize silage treated with Pioneer® Brand 11CFT was fed to dairy cows, with untreated silage as a control, but no other changes in diet design. Based on an increase in feed intake of up to 14%, cows yielded on average 2 kg/day more milk (fat corrected); the highest peak yield was that observed with the group of early lactation cows at +3,4 kg/d (Source: Chamber of Agriculture Lower Saxony, 05/2008).

Farmers in North America have used Pioneer® Brand 11CFT successfully and first experiences by European farmers confirm a positive impression. Pioneer® Brand 11CFT will be commercially available for the first time in 2008 for farmers in the UK & Ireland.

Experienced farmer's opinion about PIONEER® 11CFT 
"The 11CFT clamp stabilied very quickly - within 10 days ..." read more 

The unique fibre technology of PIONEER® 11CFT