H. J. Baker: Making a Difference for Today’s Dairy Producers

Published on Thu, 01/24/2019 - 11:35am

 H. J. Baker: Making a Difference for Today’s Dairy Producers.

 By Steve Weisman.

 For dairy producers, proteins and amino acids are two crucial supplements in helping dairy herds attain optimum health. Even so, the questions become what’s the research show? How much? Which ones? Where do you turn for dependable information? H.J. Baker (https://hjbaker.com/) located in Shelton, Connecticut and a family owned business since 1865, has been a global manufacturer and supplier of agricultural goods and services for over 160 years.

Over the years, H.J. Baker began researching, developing and refining products that meet the nutritional needs of dairy cattle. H.J. Baker has over 60 years experience in manufacturing protein concentrates. In the 1990s, H.J. Baker began extensive research on suitable protein applications and came up with a protein supplement designed to complement the protein from rumen microbial activity. From this research came PRO-LAK®, a combination of product uniformity, essential amino acid profile and standardized formulation that has proven highly successful in dairy herds.
For the past two years, Dr. Malik Hashim, who has been the new Formulation Manager of H.J. Baker’s feed formulations and also manages and supervises the company’s ongoing research studies and feed trials. He and his colleagues have been working on a new nutrient solution to help dairy producers improve milk production and at the same time reduce costs. The result is Lactivate™ 3-in-1 Formula For Transition Cows – a first-of-its-kind protein / amino acid concentrate based on the theory of protein balancing, rather than traditional energy balancing.  

According to Denny Sells, North American Dairy Development manager for H.J. Baker, these are challenging times for dairy producers, and the company understands those challenges and plans to be there to support their efforts. “The goal has always been to take the variables out of equation. As we develop products, we want to meet the demands of our customers. We listen to their needs and then research and develop products that meet these needs.” The Lactivate™ 3-in-1 Formula actually came as a result of listening to potential customers, who wanted a way to improve milk production and reduce costs. So, H.J. Baker’s research team went to work.
Quality and consistency are important in all H.J. Baker products with its proteins featuring highly uniform analysis, nutrient density, microbial control through every plant, delivery by appointment and amino acid measurability.

Let’s take a look at these two industry leading products:
PRO-LAK® is a highly efficient by-pass protein blend that gives producers ease of formulation to increase milk yield in high producing dairy cows. A quality protein, backed by over 10 years of research, it delivers the essential amino acid profile for maximum production. PRO-LAK® was designed to provide a high percentage of all 10 essential amino acids. The years of research also ensure the consistency of a fixed formula product that delivers a nutrient profile with less variation than most standard feed ingredients. Dairy producers can rest assured that PRO-LAK® is backed by extensive research. For instance, in a 7,289 cow multi-university study, early lactation cows fed PRO-LAK® produced on average 5.82 pounds more milk than cows not being fed PRO-LAK®. Rick Barham, Livestock Specialist for AgCentral Coop located in Athens, Tennessee, says, “We started with H.J. Baker during the time of a lot of bypass protein was being pushed. And we were looking for bulk in the feed mill and that’s when we introduced PRO-LAK®.”
LACTIVATE™ offers dairy producers the opportunity to move the curve both higher and earlier. The end result is improved milk production throughout and decreased costs. Front-loading the dairy herd with Lactivate™ 3-in-1 Formula for Transition Cows prior to calving means the producer can optimize milk production in the cows by shifting and improving the lactation production curve. This shift will carry throughout the lactation cycle and boost profits, thanks to increased milk volume and a higher percentage of milk components. The Lactivate™
 3-in-1 Formula helps get the cows into peak lactation earlier without the usual extended ramp-up period. At the same time, Lactivate™ 3-in-1 Formula increases milk production at each stage of lactation. Finally, Lactivate™ 3-in-1 Formula balances protein and amino acids to ensure better overall health and body condition. Randy Croft is Purchasing Manager for AgCentral. He notes, “We try to keep up on dairy nutrition. We need to grow with it,” And the wave of the future is pointing towards balancing for amino acids, which is why AgCentral keeps PRO-LAK® in its feed rations while also offering Lactivate™. “Amino acids are going to grow, and we’re going to have to adapt,” Croft adds.
Sells says expansion across the United States is a major goal of H.J. Baker. “We want to move into other parts of the country. We want to be able to partner with dairy producers and those people that serve dairies.”