HVS Liquid Gold celebrates its fifth anniversary in style

And helping to mark this milestone for the business has been James McKay, from Ampertaine Limousins, who himself is looking forward to a very exciting few days ahead in Carlisle.

Ampertaine is home to 120 elite cows, the pedigree of which reads like a who’s who of the Limousin breed in the UK and Ireland. James was one of the first cattle breeders in Northern Ireland to use the HVS Liquid Gold range.

“As a matter of routine, we drench the calves at two months of age and then again prior to weaning. This gives the calves more bloom, appetite and increased daily live weight gain,” he said.

“We also drench the bulls every two months for improved appetite and performance. All bulls receive Liquid Gold Cattle prior to them heading off for sale. Again, it gives the animals a much-needed nutritional boost.”

Paul Elwood, from HVS Animal Health, called in with James earlier this week.

“James is one of the many livestock farmers in Northern Ireland, who now use one or other of the HVS Liquid Gold drenches on a regular basis.

“Our Liquid Gold Dairy, Cattle and Sheep range supplies all the micro minerals and essential vitamins required by milking stock, cattle and sheep in a highly available form to help address the short fall of micro minerals in grazing swards and silages.

“The products represent the next generation in chelated mineral and vitamin drenches.”

Paul added that farmers must seek to maximise the performance of their livestock.

“The HVS Liquid Gold range has been developed to meet this specific requirement. The reality is that an animal can only perform to the level of the greatest deficiency or imbalance in its diet. All forage based diets can contain major mineral imbalances and consequently most stock never achieve their genetic potential in terms of growth, fertility, development of immunity etc.”

Paul said that for trace elements to be available to stock, they must be of high quality and must link up with one or more amino acids or peptides in the rumen prior to being absorbed through the gut wall into the blood stream.

“Stock are not ideally equipped to effect this “link up” and a significant proportion of trace elements and vitamins supplied in conventional form, pass straight through the body and are excreted.”

James McKay confirmed a tremendous demand for Ampertaine breeding bulls over the last number of months. The last six weeks alone have seen a total of 23 bulls sold.

“We are happy to sell privately. It allows buyers to see the progeny for sale and their dams. We run the herd on a very commercial basis. The cows are over wintered in a traditional cubicle house. Visitors can see at first hand that we are breeding stock that will perform well under commercial conditions.

“All the females in the herd are crossed to AI sires. We are currently breeding for easy calving and improved milk.”

Next week will see Ampertaine Limousins represented at Carlisle by 17 heifers and six bulls. But within the female contingent, there are two very special full sisters: Lopez and Locket.

“They, in turn, are full sisters to two of our most outstanding cows. Bethsheba bred the bull Ampertaine Foreman, who sold for 38,000gns,” said James.

“And Annabella bred both Ampertaine Commander, who sold for 20,000gns and Ampertaine Impact, who sold for 13,000gns.”

For further information, contact HVS Animal health on (028) 4483 1700.