Canola Council Promotes Value Of Canola Meal To Dairy Industry

The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) is continuing to demonstrate the value of canola meal for dairy producers.

Gordon Speirs, a dairy manager at Shiloh Dairy in Wisconsin, participated in a recent on-farm trial where canola meal was fed at high inclusion rates.

“Canola contributes to cost-efficient production. We no longer have to source and store expeller soybean meal,” he said.

The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) conducted the on-farm trial with the help of GPS Dairy Consulting, a group of independent dairy nutritionists in Wisconsin. The purpose of the trial was to determine whether producers could increase efficiency by replacing multiple high-priced protein sources, such as animal protein blends and treated soybean meal, with canola meal while maintaining milk yield.

Two Wisconsin dairies volunteered to participate in the trial. The trial rations replaced animal protein and high-bypass soybean meal with canola meal and rumen-protected lysine.

Results from both dairies showed the following:

- The trial ration was comparable in price or less expensive;
- Their yield weight of milk, fat and protein increased – including a daily milk increase of nearly 2 litres per cow on farm one and 3.5 litres per cow on farm two; and
- The additional canola meal allowed them to streamline sourcing protein ingredients.

"Although the field trials were small, we are encouraged by the positive results, and will continue to research the uses of canola meal for dairy animals," says Brittany Dyck, canola meal manager with the CCC.