Perhaps you’ve heard of SUBLIME Cattle Bedding before, perhaps you’ve clicked on this blog out of curiosity, perhaps you’re not sure how you got here at all. Regardless of your journey up to this point, if you work in the agriculture industry, particularly dairy, you’ll want to stick around and hear what we have to tell you. If you work in a completely different industry, it might be worth hanging around too, every day is a school day after all!
What is SUBLIME?
In short, SUBLIME is an innovative blend of sawdust and lime, designed to create a hygienic, comfortable bedding for dairy cattle. Many farmers are well aware of the advantages of a reliable bedding, with plenty of options on the market. Where SUBLIME stands out is in its pre-blended, scientifically researched nature. Rather than sourcing and applying varying mixes of sawdust and lime to cattle cubicles, SUBLIME cuts out the guesswork to offer the optimal blend, saving farmers time, energy and money.
How was SUBLIME developed?
SUBLIME isn’t just a shot-in-the-dark product; we have taken great care to produce a solution we know works. With the help of InterTradeIreland and the Co-Innovate programme, we embarked on a partnership with academic institutions in the Republic of Ireland to develop an innovative bedding solution, catering to the needs of the dairy sector.
Using a combination of on-farm trials and lab testing, we were able to develop a blend of sawdust and lime that prioritised animal welfare and economic stability for farmers who use our product. The following video tells you some more about the research and development of SUBLIME Cattle Bedding.
How can SUBLIME make an impact on farmers and cows?
Perhaps the most important question anyone has about SUBLIME is how it can really make a difference to farmers and cattle. As we’ve already mentioned, SUBLIME was developed to improve animal welfare and economic stability on farms. How exactly does it achieve this?
Comfortable: First and foremost, bedding should be comfortable for cattle to avoid issues with animal health and welfare.
Timesaving: SUBLIME is pre-mixed to the optimum ratio so farmers can easily apply it. In addition, it can be spread using standard applicators.
What are the benefits?
As a result of these key features, there are plenty of benefits for farmers using our product:
Higher Yields: Happy cows produce more milk, live longer and are all-round healthier. With SUBLIME you can guarantee increased welfare and comfort whilst reducing the spread of bacteria throughout a herd.
Lower Veterinary Bills: Thanks to the naturally anti-bacterial properties of SUBLIME, bacteria levels can be drastically reduced resulting in lower levels of infectious diseases like mastitis. Environmental conditions and management practices of the herds have decisive effects on animal health and welfare. Keeping the herd clean and comfortable can reduce the incidence and severity of mastitis. Lower levels of disease and discomfort will undoubtedly result in fewer veterinary bills and fewer losses.
More time: Equally significant, SUBLIME offers the dual convenience of a pre-mixed solution that allows you to spread it quickly and conveniently. Not having to consider mixing ratios or carry out the mixing process can save valuable time, leaving more to get on with alternative jobs.
Increased profits: Less mastitis and lower cell counts – something every dairy farmer wants to hear. As mentioned, SUBLIME will reduce cell counts and prevent the spread of mastitis. That means more milk, better prices and increased profits.
Can SUBLIME really make a difference on farms?
Maybe you’re reading this as a dairy farmer, in which case we’re preaching to the choir, but if you’re a prospective supplier or a curious reader, it’s important to really consider the impact of a quality bedding on every aspect of the dairy cycle.
For example, research carried out in the Canadian dairy industry in 2018 showed that Mastitis resulted in a 46% reduction in potential yield while culling and treatment costs were the second and third most significant cost components. In total, the median estimated costs for a 100-cow herd were 13,487 CAD for clinical mastitis and 34,344 CAD for sub-clinical mastitis. That equates to £7739/€9102 and £19707/€23179 respectively. [1]
These facts and figures are before we even consider the impact of SUBLIME’s time-saving and welfare-enhancing properties. With that in mind, whether you’re looking to come on board as a stockist or you’re looking to enhance your dairy herd performance, you can find out what you need to know, and get in touch, right HERE.
Sources
[1] Aghamohammadi, Haine, Kelton, Barkema, Hogeveen, Keefe and Dufour. (14 May 2018). Herd-Level Mastitis-Associated Costs on Canadian Dairy Farms. Retrieved from https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=1a6b39a9-056f-46f0-8cf8-6b626dd69973
