Celebrating a decade in business, Marksville Farms have grown to the point where they now lead the way in the supply of quality rolled cereals and the Maxammon grain treatment process. Irish Tractor spoke to company co-owner Tom McDonnell to find out more about what’s been going on with the Louth-based business.
Since its inception, Marksville Farms have been a leading supplier of animal feeds for the agricultural sector in Ireland. Based in Ardee, Co Louth, they grow, process and trade their own grain, straw and maize silage which they supply direct to livestock farms. The aim of Marksville Farms is to provide its customers with the latest technological advances in animal feeding and feed preservation. Having the product in use in Scotland four years ago the vast majority of their grain since then has been treated with Maxammon. The product was developed by Harbro in Scotland and Marksville Farms hold the distribution rights in the northern half of Ireland. They also supply Yara Fertiliser direct to farm, Yara are one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high quality CCF fertilisers.
“We’re based in Harristown in Ardee, Co Louth,” explained Tom. “The company was established 13 years ago and we have seven full time staff employed.
“We offer the supply of high quality Maxammon treated cereals, minerals, fertilizer and forage additives directly onto farms. Our background has always been in farming and we have diversified into selling our own grain. Having become distribution agents for Maxammon four years ago that is now our main focus.
“Harbo in Scotland developed Maxammon and are manufacturers of the product. Having witnessed its use in the livestock sector over there four years ago, we immediately knew there would be a huge place for this product in Ireland”
Maxammon grain is the name given to the alkaline grain storage and preservation system. Enhanced pH and increased protein content result in huge benefits to farmers and livestock alike. For non grain growers Marksville Farms supply ready to feed Maxammon barley, wheat, maize and oats.
Maxammon is a combination of soluble feed grade urea, essential oils, enzymes and full fat soya. Enzymes ensure 100% hydrolization of the urea content during the preservation process, rapidly stabilising the grain.
Grains treated with the Maxammon alkaline preservation process are left with a high pH (8.5 – 9.5). This high pH counteracts acidity in the rumen when fed. Optimum rumen pH for thorough digestion is 6.2. Most preserved forages in Ireland have a pH of 3.7 and 4.3, all of which add considerable acid loads to livestock diets. Maxammon grain rapidly increases the pH of the overall diet helping to attain an optimum rumen environment, resulting in better feed digestion and efficiency.
During the Maxammon preservation process, mature grain is not rolled as fine as it may be with other treatment methods. This allows for the slower release of starch in the animals rumen. Twinned with its high pH, it means higher levels of Maxammon grain can be fed than traditional forms of cereals.
Marksville Farms is a busy operation nowadays and Tom and his brother Paddy hope to see that continue into 2015, and the future.
“We are very busy at the moment,” he said. “Farming has had its own downturn but thankfully not in the same way as the construction industry.
“We’re exposed to the price of beef and the price of milk and at the moment both of those are under pressure.”
In addition to Maxammon treated cereals, Marksville Farms also offer a range of rolled cereals, straight energy, protein and fibre feeds, maize silage and straw.
As mentioned, Marksville Farms are approved agents for the renowned Yara Fertiliser Range, which they deliver direct to farm.
Yara Complex Compound
The Maxammon mineral range for dairy, dry cow and beef cattle has been developed by Marksville Farms in partnership with Harbro Limited and Devenish Nutrition Limited. This mineral range has been designed to provide the optimum requirements for livestock being fed Maxammon treated grain. Mineral, vitamin and trace element supplementation is vital to ensure animal health and performance is kept at optimum levels. It is often overlooked until a deficiency manifests itself.
Silage additives are another essential cog in the business. Reducing feed losses is an important motto for the company along with achieving greater energy from grass, maize and whole crop silages. This can be achieved using Micron silage inoculants. Included are Silo-Max Grass, which contains lactic acid bacteria for fermentation control, enzymes for improved fibre digestibility and microbial stimulants to ensure rapid activation. Marksville Farms make it available in granular (25kg) and liquid (150g).
Silo-Max Maize contains lactic acid bacteria for fermentation control, a lactic bacterium for enhanced aerobic stability, enzymes for improved fibre digestibility and lactobacillus brevis to prevent pit face losses. Available in granular (25kg) and liquid (150g)
Silo-Max Whole crop is designed specifically for whole crop usage, including barley, wheat and oats. Available in liquid (150g), each jar is sufficient to treat 50 tonnes of fresh forage crop
ProFresh Plus is a dry, granular buffered form of propionic acid used to inhibit the growth of spoilage yeasts and moulds. Scatter over pit edges to prevent spoilage or add to a TMR to reduce heating.
Testimonials:
Archie Graham and his sons Andrew and Alistair farm two dairy herds in Bushmills, county Antrim. As well as their dairy herds, the Graham’s also grow winter and spring barley for feeding to all livestock on their farm. For the past 2 years the Graham’s have treated their barley using the Maxammon grain preservation method. Since moving the Maxammon preservation method and improving the quality of their own grain the Graham’s have reduced their dependence purchasing soya and maize meal. “We find it a very flexible feed with it being fed to all livestock throughout the winter,” Alistair explained on the company’s website, marksvillefarms.ie
David & Denis Fagan are farming in partnership with their parents John and Margaret, in Clonmore, Kildalkey, Co. Meath. They milk 280 Holstein Friesian cows on an all grass farm of 900 acres, including a grazing platform of 100 acres. Calving is split 50:50 between autumn and spring. Autumn calving starts in September while spring calving takes place in February and March. The average herd yield is 6800 litres with average butterfat of 4.01% and protein 3.3%. For the past 3 years the Fagan’s have purchased a ready to feed, Maxammon treated barley and maize blend from Marksville Farms. The move to feeding Maxammon grain has allowed the Fagan’s reduce their dependence on purchased protein sources. “We use a lot less soya in our ration now than when we fed dry rolled grain” explained David. Cow numbers will remain the same post quota but the Fagan’s hope to increase yield through breeding and feeding. They see Maxammon treated grain as playing a major role as part of this increase. In addition to their dairy enterprise, the Fagan’s finish all home born bulls. The introduction of high pH, Maxammon grain allows for higher feed rates and improved animal performance. David explained that “moving to Maxammon treated grain enabled us to feed higher rates of cereals to the finishing bulls with no evidence of acidosis, digestive upsets or lameness”.
Sam Moore runs a beef finishing enterprise in Doagh, county Antrim. Store bullocks and heifers are taken to beef a range of home-grown forages and cereals. Last year Sam treated all his winter barley using the Maxammon grain preservation method. Sam was impressed by the flexibility and simplicity the product allowed him at harvest time. ‘The ability to treat grain at moistures between 16% and 24% allowed me to harvest the grain first before concentrating on the treatment processes’.
Sam found that his livestock responded excellently when fed Maxammon barley. Animal performance and health improved with Sam experiencing no evidence of digestive upsets.
“The increased protein content of our home-grown barley allowed for great savings to be made on purchased proteins,” said Sam.
So why choose Marksville Farms?
“We provide niche high quality products for livestock farmers ” Tom explained. “We are selling throughout the island of Ireland and we’re hoping to expand our customer base with both our current products and exciting new innovative products.”
Marksville Farms
Harristown
Ardee, Co. Louth
Tel: 041 6853688
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 2 No 7, December 2014
