Keenan backs nutrition support
A global centre for feed and food efficiency is to be set up as a business separate from the Co Carlow company’s mixer wagon manufacturing.
Announcing the initiative, executive chairman Gerard Keenan said it will link any farmer who owns a mixer wagon, whether Keenan or another brand of mixer wagon.
“It will have weighing suitable for real time connection via cloud-based technology to InTouch where experienced nutrition support are available to advise on optimum ration balancing and protocols for feed efficiency, monitoring etc.”
“Keenan mixer owners will also have Mech-fiber physical ration optimising.”
The start target date is Jan 1, 2014. Between June and then, limited roll out will be happening in most countries.
“The objective is to achieve big returns to livestock farmers at low cost. A target return to farms will be 10:1 to 15:1. That is, €10 to €15 gain per €1 spend on the feed efficiency program.”
This target is based on findings that integrated nutrition technology had positive effects on feed efficiency, margin and feed costs on over 1,600 farms in eight countries. He said Keenan can do this by not displacing existing know-how infrastructure in agriculture (feed advisors, consultants, vets, etc.) but by providing a technology-based, fact-driven support program.
The new business will be funded by the private sector. However, Mr Keenan said, government should contribute because of the public goods nature of the outcomes (environment, animal health, etc.).
