Feed Intakes of the Greenmount Campus Future Herd

Achieving high feed intakes in early lactation is critical to the management of the high yielding dairy cow.  Dry matter intakes (DMI) are affected by many factors including animal, feed and environmental factors.  These factors vary from farm to farm, so it is important to measure DMI on your farm to ensure that early lactation cows are not losing excessive body condition.

At Greenmount the intakes of the Future herd are measured monthly and feeding of the herd adjusted, if necessary according to the results. The intakes are measured over a two day period, where all feed ingredients are weighed in and any remaining feed weighed out.  Analysis of the forage being fed is required, as is the metabolisable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) content of the concentrate fed. The concentrate inclusions have been designed to compliment high forage intakes. A range of energy, protein and fibre sources allow for differing rates of fermentation and degradation within the rumen, to maximise the response from feeding concentrates. The inclusion of Levucell SC 10ME alongside a buffer-pack from John Thompson and Sons enhances rumen function, minimises stomach upset and thus maximises dry matter intake of the total diet.

Once analysed the data provides accurate DMI figures plus the dietary energy surplus or deficit, the weight gain or loss supported by the diet and the dietary crude protein content.  The feed intakes of the early lactation group of cows in the Future herd is presented in Table 1. For cows and heifers in this group, calved on average 36 days, the intake levels are high and indicate no body condition score loss on average across the group.

This exercise can be easily carried out for a group of cows on any farm where a diet feeder with weigh cells is used and where parlour concentrate feed levels are known.  The October assessment for the Future herd was made prior to the inclusion of maize silage in the diet.  The effects of the inclusion of forage maize in the diet on monthly intakes will be monitored and compared with the intakes achieved earlier this winter and with that of previous years.