DDG-S Pellets Worth Their Weight in Wagyu Gold
We all know that satisfying feeling when you feast on a succulent cut of Wagyu beef, juicy, perfectly marbled and melt-in-your-mouth – it’s enough to make you start salivating!
It’s also a feeling that Dion Porter knows only too well in his role as Manager of Beef Cattle Operations at Fucheng Woodlands Pty. Ltd.
When it comes to breeding the best Wagyu cattle, Mr Porter said that Fucheng Woodlands were renowned for their prestigious, high value carcasses and exceptional eating quality.
“Manildra Stockfeed Dried Distillers Grain Syrups (DDG-S) Wheat Pellets are safe, affordable, and do an outstanding job on our Wagyu cattle, consistently turning off even well grown animals ready to go to the feed yard. I highly recommend the pellets which can be used from creep feeding all the way through to finishing,” said Mr Porter.
Mr Porter has seen increased weaning weights of 80kg in their Wagyu cattle and 60kg in their Angus cattle since using Manildra Stockfeed’s high- performance DDG-S Wheat Pellets for Beef Cattle.
“These exceptional results have shortened the period on farm for our cattle prior to feedlot entry and have substantially improved meat grading overall,” he said.
With a combination of creep feeding and yard weaning, Fucheng Woodlands Wagyu calves are eating and delivering immediate weight gains from weaning – with weight gains up to 1kg per head, per day, within the weaning period.
“The results are truly outstanding and enables our feedlot cattle to be supplied within 12-14 months of birth, compared to the standard 18-24 months. This means we can increase our breeder numbers and conserve further fodder for the next dry period,” Mr Porter said.
As a mixed farming operation, the 90,000-acre Woodlands property runs 4,000 Purebred Wagyu cows, 2,000 Angus cows with the remaining 22,000 acres used for forage and grain crops, surrounding the town of Westmar in Queensland’s Western Downs Region.
Manildra Stockfeed Sales Representative, Nathan Kruidenier, said DDG-S Wheat Pellets provide a nutritional boost with exceptional results, including consistent weight gains, higher breeding performance, increased fertility, and gut health.
“Dion understands the value of high-quality nutritional feeding, in particular the benefits of earlier creep feeding which accelerate the feedlot process,” Mr Kruidenier said.
“Palatability is fundamental at this stage, and our pellets encourage calves to start eating earlier with an enticing smell, caramelised aroma, and appealing taste.
“Other traditional grain-based pellets on the market lack palatability with high levels of feed rejection and higher occurrences of acidosis if calves gorge,” Mr Kruidenier said.
Unique to Wagyu beef is ‘marbling’, known as the finely dispersed, visible fat found between muscle fibre bundles within the meat, creating an exceptional eating experience, with extra juiciness and flavour.
“Achieving marbling is determined by the genetics of the animals and nutrition of the feeding program. Traditionally Wagyu cattle have a lower-than-average daily weight gain compared to other breeds, with weight gains potentially impacting their marble score,” Mr Kruidenier said.
“The DDG-S Wheat Pellets perfectly balanced protein and energy levels maximise the marbling potential of Wagyu beef. This encourages bone and muscle development instead of external fat, which results in a higher-value, heavier carcase weight delivering superior eating quality.”
Manildra Stockfeed’s highly sought-after pellets have been formulated specifically for beef cattle with high-quality trace elements, minerals, and vitamins produced at Manildra Group’s state-of- the-art pellet plant in Nowra, New South Wales.
For more information on Manildra Stockfeed products contact (02) 4423 8300 or stockfeed@manildra.com.au
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