NutriTek is part of the company’s Dairy 365 Program product line along with Original XPC and Original XP, said the company. It aims to allow dairy cows to meet their full genetic potential.
In addition to improving immune function, the fermentation based supplement seeks to boost rumen health, dry matter intake during early lactation and improve feed utilization, said Michael Wright, Diamond V's director of global marketing and research.
“It’s our next generation dairy product,” he said. “As we go into the future, that’s really the direction of the company, it is to develop what we would call ‘species specific products.’”
“Our original line of product is a great technology that’s going to give you [one] level of benefit, if you want to step up and get more out of that dairy animal, then NutriTek is the product of choice,” Wright told FeedNavigator at IPPE in Atlanta at the end of January.
Mode of action
The additive has been in development for several years, said Wright. Currently, the company is working to better understand the mode of action of the supplement.
The product is said to bolster digestive health and an animal’s immune function, he said. “We see the benefits, but we’re still trying to fine tune what the mode of action is,” he added.
“We have a lot of research planned this year that’s geared around NutriTek and we’ll further refine that [understanding],” he said of the work on the additive's mode of action.
The company has seen cows receiving the treatment produce more milk than cows on a control diet during different stages of lactation and about an additional 7lb of milk during the lactation cycle, he said.
“It has positive effects on the health of an animal, and when you have a healthier animal they’re going to produce more milk,” he said. “In general, it has positive effects on the immune system and the digestive health of the animals.”
The dairy feed supplement is already on offer in North America, said Wright. It is slated to see its market expand during the course of the year, and there are planned releases in Europe and Latin America set.
“It takes a while, when you introduce a new product, to get that information out, but initial response with the direct mail campaign has been good,” he said.