[Product of the Month] NongHyup Feed’s ‘Neo Lacto’… Nonsan Ranch cuts 13 multiparous cows while raising 305-day milk yield by 31%

The 305-day average milk yield of dairy herd testing farms nationwide has risen to 10,205 kg (data from NongHyup Economic Holdings’ 33rd National Evaluation Meeting for the Dairy Herd Performance Testing Project in 2026). As the level of dairy cattle improvement has advanced, the nutritional specifications required of feed are also rising. NongHyup Feed’s premium dairy brand “Neo Lacto” is a product lineup that matches this trend by linking the entire feeding stage, from young calves to lactating cows, into one feeding program.

The lineup consists of Young Calf P, First-Calf Heifer Rearing P, Dry Cow P, Lactating Cow Top P, Top Dressing P, and Base Top C, with Neo Lacto Power (P·M) and Myeongpum Lacto Fiber (P) added. The Neo Lacto brand is sold mainly in the Chungcheong region by NongHyup Feed’s Chungcheong branch, while the Myeongpum Lacto brand is a product line sold nationwide by NongHyup Feed headquarters. The two brands differ only in sales organization, and there is almost no difference in the specifications of products of the same grade.

Neo Lacto Power is nutritionally fortified feed that simultaneously raises crude protein (CP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). NongHyup Feed explained that it improved nutrient availability by regulating rumen fermentation speed and reinforced vitamins, micronutrients, and substances that improve liver function. Its distinguishing feature is that it is designed as a top-dressing concept placed on top of TMR without increasing the amount of compound feed fed. NongHyup Feed presented reductions in post-calving metabolic diseases (ketosis, fatty liver, milk fever), faster recovery of BCS (Body Condition Score), and improved reproductive performance as expected effects.

Myeongpum Lacto Fiber is a product strengthened with digestible fiber. NongHyup Feed cited rising roughage prices and quality variation as the background for its development. The company said it helps stabilize rumen fermentation, improve manure, and manage the transition period while replacing TMR subsidiary ingredients such as cottonseed meal and beet pulp.

Demonstration farm Nonsan Ranch maintains milk shipments despite reducing multiparous cows from 89 to 76
Nonsan Ranch in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, led by CEO Kim Dae-hyun, is a demonstration farm for Neo and Myeongpum Lacto. Kim, who graduated from Korea National University of Agriculture and Fisheries and joined the ranch in 2014, began operating two robotic milking machines in January 2024 and switched from distributed TMR to self-mixed TMR.

The changes in testing results are clear. The 305-day average milk yield increased by 31%, from 9,974 kg in January 2023 to 13,095 kg in December 2024. The daily average milk yield rose from about 33 kg to the 42 kg range, while the milk fat rate increased to 3.7–4.1%. During the same period, the number of multiparous cows fell from 89 to 76, but milk shipments were maintained. The feed-cost ratio also dropped from the 60% range in 2023 to the 40% range.

Days open shortened from 227 days to 173 days, and the calving interval from 485 days to 465 days. The calving interval is about 15 days longer than the national average (449.8 days, NongHyup Economic Holdings). This is the point behind Kim’s remark that “the higher-yielding the cow, the more reproduction becomes the key.” Around the same time, Nonsan Ranch introduced two robotic milking machines at the recommendation of NongHyup Feed and switched from distributed TMR to self-mixed TMR. The company explains that the use of NongHyup Feed products and consulting by NongHyup Feed experts also worked together to lead to improved performance.

All compound feed used is from NongHyup Feed. The Chungcheong branch supplies Neo Lacto by order; Lactating Cow Top P and Top Dressing P are fed through the robotic milking machines, while Neo Lacto Power and Myeongpum Lacto Fiber are fed in the self-mixed TMR.

Kim said, “In summer, dry matter intake usually drops by 10–20%, but by reducing the amount of roughage and feeding Fiber, we are maintaining intake at 24 kg from a level of 26 kg,” adding, “The method of supplementing nutrient density with functional products has produced results.”

Mo Jun-seok, regional manager at NongHyup Feed’s Chungcheong branch, said, “The more high-performance cows a farm has, the more it is inevitably exposed to the risks of reproductive disorders and metabolic diseases,” adding, “Researchers at headquarters and the Chungcheong branch are directly reviewing farm performance and designing customized programs that supply the needed nutrition at the needed time.”

[Editor’s note] “Product of the Month” is a section in which the Korea Agricultural Technology Newspaper selects products related to agricultural materials and machinery and verifies both the manufacturer’s explanation and the demonstration site. Products are selected by the editorial department, and no payment is received for publication.