We all like fine foods that can have a positive effect on us in so many ways and livestock are no different as the better the food they receive, the more productive they become.
Gone are the days when a bale of hay or wrap of silage was enough to feed cattle, while scraps done pigs as it has been scientifically proven that the more nutritious the feed, the more beneficial it is to farmers.
That is why Glanbia Agribusiness has strode to the forefront of the animal feed market over the last number of years as the Portlaoise headquartered firm are continuously looking at ways of improving their already high standard products.
Glanbia Agribusiness has a network of over 50 branch shops located from as far north as County Meath down to counties Waterford and Cork employing more than 400 people and with operations in 16 counties, Glanbia Agribusiness is a key employer and service provider in rural Ireland.
Pig Feed & Wholesale manager Fintan Treacy speaks to Irish Tractor & Agri about the success of the business and what services they provide to their large customer base.
The farming industry has certainly moved with the times and a main focus point for farmers is getting the best productivity from their animals. This is where quality feed comes in and Glanbia is one of the leading suppliers of animal feed to the Irish market through its own brand Gain Feeds.
As Ireland’s biggest selling feed brand Gain Feeds is Ireland’s leading, provider of complete nutrition for a wide range of animals including horses, dogs & cats, greyhounds, cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry.
“Gain Feeds manufacturers its own feed at processing plants in Ireland and they use advanced feed manufacturing technology and nutritional research, together with fully traceable ingredients to produce a high level of feed,” said Fintan.
“We offer high-quality, consistent and nutritious feeds to our customers. We are supported by an experienced technical team providing the latest knowledge in animal nutrition.”
In his roles as Wholesale Manager, Fintan meets the customers on a regular basis to get their feedback on the products that Gain Feeds provide.
“We would have 50 agri-stores across the country where our brands are sold. I am based in Portlaoise, but I would cover all of Munster, Leinster and Connacht, which means I am on the road a good bit meeting the customers and we are fortunate to have a very loyal customer base, many of who have been with us for years now.”
The Kilkenny native has been with Glanbia since 2004, but is only in his current role since July, 2013 and he admits that these are challenging times in the animal feed industry.
“Gain Feeds would be supplying to 15% of the market at the moment and we are one of the top suppliers in the country. It is a tough industry and the last 12 months have certainly been challenging as the price of feed increased due to a volatile world market.
“However, you have to have a positive outlook and we are fortunate to be busy all year round and we are here to try and help the farmer get the best out of their animals.”
Fintan deals with the pig industry on a daily basis and he revealed that this was a growing industry even though it is still isolated to certain parts of the country.
“Pig farming is strongest in counties like Cork, Kilkenny, Cavan and Monaghan. The latter two counties would also have a lot of poultry farms also.”
Gain Pig Feeds offer a feeding solution to meet the customers’ requirements regardless of their intentions, whether it is to raise them for slaughter or simply keep them as pets.
“We have over 30 years’ experience in manufacturing and supplying pig feed needs. With that much experience in manufacturing and supplying pig feed around Ireland we are ideally placed to advise you on how best to feed your pigs.”
“We have a range of pig feeds available for different situations. Contact your local business manager or local store for more information on which solution will best fit your pig rearing needs,” added Fintan.
All Gain Feeds are manufactured to the highest nutritional and safety standards from their state of the art feed mills.
“We are always looking at ways to expand our customer base, especially at commercial level. We have done that considerably over the last five years, particularly in the U.S.”
Fintan revealed that the majority of ingredients for the various feeds are sourced in Ireland. “The majority of the cereals used would be grown in Ireland, while the protein and maize would be imported.
“The feed comes in various sizes and caters for all customers from someone that might only have a few pigs to huge pig farmers and farmers that could have hundreds of cattle and sheep.”
Customer Services Centre
LoCall: 1890 321 321
Fax: +353 56 775 0509
Open: Mon – Fri 8.30am – 6pm
Sat: 9am – 1pm
[email protected]
Glanbia Agribusiness Head Office
Glanbia Agribusiness
Kilkenny Business Park
Purcellsinch
Kilkenny
Ireland
Gain Feeds Head Office
Bridge Street,
Portlaoise,
Co Laois
Tel: +353 (0) 57 8692171
Fax: +353 (0) 57 8660526,
Web: www.gainfeeds.com
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 2 No 3, August 2014
