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Dairy notes June 2004

Replacement heifer Management

Heifer calves must achieve a growth rate of around 07-08 kg per day, during their first year at grass, if they are to achieve their target weight and age at calving.
Growth rates of 0.8kg per day can be achieved by paying attention to the following:
  • Minimise stress and setback immediately following turnout.
  • If spring born calves have reached around 100kgs by June, they should be turned out. Weather permitting.
  • Ideally the calves should be released into a small sheltered area for a few days.
  • Operate an effective grazing system to ensure that high intakes of good quality grass are achieved whilst minimising the parasite burden.
  • A leader – follower system in which, young calves form the leader group and incalf heifers or sheep make up the follower group works well. This system ensures that the younger calves have their choice of the best quality grass combined with a reduced worm burden.
  • Alternatively, calves could be turned out onto pastures which are relatively free of parasites such as new reseeds and ground used for silage or sheep grazing in the previous year. They should then be moved onto silage aftergrass in late June / early July.
Autumn born calves should be fed 0.5 to 1.0kg of an appropriate rearing ration. Spring born calves should be fed up to 2kg daily of an 18% protein heifer rearing ration.
Many farmers now use pour-on worm treatments. The frequency of dosing varies from every three weeks to two or three times during the grazing season, if using products containing Ivermectins. Boluses, although more expensive, may be justified where calves are on ‘out farms’ and labour is limiting. Your local vet can provide advice on the most appropriate treatment.

Condition scoring autumn / early winter calvers

Cows calved since mid October are now over 200 days into lactation and drying off will commence from mid August onwards. For cows to have returned to their ‘calving condition score – 3’, for the next lactation, it is important to assess their condition now! Take a critical look at fat cover over the loin, pelvis and tail area.
Loin: There should be a slight depression along the cow’s top line and her loin. The shelf at the end of her transverse processes and her flank should be filling.
Pelvis: There should be a good cover of tissue developing on the plates.
Tail area: There should be a good cover of tissue over the pin bones and the cavity at the tail head should be filling.
Cows drying off from mid August should be around a condition score of 2 ½ at the beginning of June. If you have cows that have not yet reached this target, you will need to increase feed dry matter intake. This can be either grass or concentrates.

Keep a handle on cashflow

Try to retain as much of your ‘milk cheque’ as possible for reinvestment on the farm. Remember in June you will have to pay off the account for some variable costs for example meal, fertiliser and veterinary and a number of costs such as overheads, silage contractors and bank loans may also be due.
A simple calculation of income versus expenditure will tell you if there is a monthly surplus or deficit. A surplus may be required for the next few months to offset future planned costs for example conacre this autumn, expenditure in new cubicles or cow mats or indeed the ‘unseen’ costs like a major machinery breakage. Be prudent, income can fall, and remember your own labour needs rewarded.
A deficit in cash flow always requires careful management and may involve a ‘freeze’ on capital expenditure, some means of improving efficiency, or perhaps further financial planning. Your local Greenmount Development Advisers can assist you with a cashflow for the business.

Plan for Autumn reseeding

With the majority of first cut silage already made, now is the time to identify the less productive swards whether in quantity or quality, and plan for an early autumn reseed. There are a number of reasons why reseeding may be needed:
  • A low percentage of perennial ryegrass present. Greater than 50% ryegrass is desirable in medium and high nitrogen input swards.
  • Swards are ‘open’ with a high infestation of weeds.
  • Significant areas of sward damage due to vehicular traffic and soil compaction.
  • Possible nutrient imbalance. A soil test will be required to establish the pH (lime requirement) and the phosphate (P) and potash (K) levels in the soil.
The 2004/05 DARD recommended grass and clover varieties booklet is now available. As there are a number of very significant changes since the previous publication contact your local Greenmount Development Adviser for a copy.

Cow accommodation and welfare

With the majority of livestock at grass and first cut silage completed, the next few months provide an opportunity to do repairs and make modifications to farm buildings.
Start by cleaning out, power hosing and disinfecting housing, feeding facilities, loose boxes and calf housing. Remember, large high yielding cows, require a comfortable environment, so critically assess your dairy units with a view to improving cow comfort and easing management.
Cubicle design and dimensions should clearly be the initial focus but there are many other aspects, which should not be overlooked:
  • Slippery, rough or broken concrete floors.
  • Damaged or wide spaced slats.
  • Siting and capacity of water troughs.
  • Manger capacity and feed space.
  • Feed barrier height and design for comfortable eating.
  • Cow flow through parlour, feed area and cubicle accommodation.
  • Handling facilities and sick cow boxes.
  • Adequate natural and artificial lighting for stock and for observation purposes.
  • Good ventilation to provide a fresh atmosphere and clean dry cubicle beds.

Greenmount Herds

During the last week of May the High Forage and Premium Milk Cows were averaging 30 litres per day.

Feeding

Cows confirmed in calf in the High Forage and Premium Milk herds, are being fed to take maintenance plus 27 and 24 litres respectively from grazed grass. Above this level cows are fed at 0.4kg of concentrate per litre of milk. At the end of April the rolling average milk yield for the Premium Milk Herd was 8256 litres, with the High Forage Herd at 7405 litres.

Fertility management

The two main criteria used for assessing fertility performance of the Greenmount dairy herds are submission rate and conception rate based on non-return rate to service. Submission rate is calculated as the percentage of cows eligible for first service at the start of the 21-day period, which are inseminated by the end of the period. Submission rate for the Premium Milk and High Forage Herds are 74% and 89% respectively, the target being 80%. Non-return rate to service is calculated as the number of cows served up to 60 days ago which have not returned to service. Non-return rate for the Premium Milk and High Forage Herds are 40% and 54% respectively.
Cows which have been calved more than 30 days have been synchronised in an attempt to get more cows in calf and maintain a tight calving pattern.

Separated slurry

Timing and rate of application of slurry to silage aftermaths is vital if it is to be used effectively, efficiently and with minimum detrimental impact on the environment. At Greenmount silage aftermaths are spread with 2000 – 2500 gallons per acre of separated slurry, within 3 – 4 days of harvest, in compliance with the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice. Separated slurry is less likely to have an adverse effect on second cut silage quality due to the removal of the fibrous fraction, which can contaminate the new leaves if spreading is delayed. This use of available nutrients can then accounted for when calculating fertiliser requirements for second cut.
DARD Farm Management Notes for June 2004 have been prepared by Greenmount Campus, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise - Tel: 028 9442 6771.