CowManagement UK April 2012 by CRV Uitgeverij/CRV Publishers

V O LU M E 10 N O 3 APR IL 2012

IN THIS ISSUE

DR OUGH T S T R A T E G IE S

H O U SIN G

EXPA NSI ON

Maximising grassland performance in dry conditions

Rubber matting offers more grip and fewer slips

Management procedures and protocols are key to success

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CO NTENT

F E A T U R E S

4 Cow Talk 10 Overalls off: Musician and singer 37 Veterinary practice: White line disease 43 NMR Dairy Management News 53 Avoncroft Breeding Information/ Thompsons Nutritional News 58 Events and contacts

R e p orts 12 Norfolk-based herd’s expansion plans and protocols 32 Silent Herdsman improves herd fertility 40 Producing more milk from forage 46 Schmallenberg – an update on the vector-borne virus B reedin g

16 In-breeding issues 54 April proof run

John Kirkbride “We’re in no rush to expand” 12

Main article Drought strategies

How to get more from your grassland in areas where conditions are dry

Editor Rachael Porter Spring into action

here’s been much talk about drought and, despite particularly prolonged April ‘showers’, some areas of the UK are still struggling with dry conditions. If your unit is in one of them, we have some practical tips on getting more from your grassland on page 8. There’s more on grass on page 40, with hints and pointers on increasing milk from forage – a must on many units due to rising input costs. Grass is still, after all, the most cost effective feed on most units. If you’re thinking about expanding – or just looking to improve overall management and herd efficiency – then our herd report, which begins on page 12, should provide some food for thought. We visited a Norfolk-based unit where the focus is on building a strong team and putting protocols and procedures in place before pushing up cow numbers. And it’s a strategy that’s working with impressive results. Another producer who is pleased with performance, particularly with regard to fertility, is profiled on page 32. NMR’s Silent Herdsman is playing a key role in improving fertility and adjusting the calving pattern as cow numbers increase. Turnout means empty cow housing and the chance to make some improvements, so our timely special starts on page 21. Read on to find out more about rubber matting and the latest slurry scrapers. Roger Evans is planning a spot of cow-house DIY this spring too. His column in on page 34 – we know that most of you read this before anything else. So enjoy!

Special Housing

Breeding Cross breeding

Rubber matting, recycled bedding, and a round up of what’s new

The second of two articles looking at why some Holstein herds are taking this route

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O W

TA L K

Catch crop increases milk from forage by 25%

John Whitby has reduced feed costs

A fast growing Italian ryegrass and Westerwold seeds mix has boosted forage intakes and reduced overall feed costs on a 200-cow Jersey herd in Buckinghamshire. John Whitby farms 240 hectares of medium land with his brother and sisterin-law on the urban fringes of Slough, just 25kms from Trafalgar Square in London. As well as the dairy herd, the family also has an agricultural

Drought-tolerant grass mixture launched Limagrain UK has introduced a grass seed mixture called Drought Buster, designed to withstand hot, dry weather that can lead to a shortage of grass. It includes continental plants and varieties specifically chosen for their ability to tolerate longer periods of drought. The mixture comprises purpose-bred forage tall fescues Matrix Enhanced Ryegrass, Ensign Plus white clover and tetraploid ryegrasses. The seed is treated with Headstart and Integral to enhance establishment. “Tall fescues and Matrix Enhanced Ryegrass recover rapidly in drought conditions, and are used effectively on the continent,” says Limagrain’s Ian Misselbrook.

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contracting business, grows high quality wheat for milling, runs a large equestrian livery business and has a suckler herd of Sussex cattle. Maize has been grown for more than 30 years, as it is a more reliable silage crop than grass, which falters in dry months. Average rainfall is only 620mm. The cows calve mainly in the summer, but are fed silage all year round as there is not enough grazing to sustain milk yields in early lactation. Keen to find an additional silage crop to complement the maize that would fit into the arable rotation, Mr Whitby has trialled Tornado from Oliver Seeds over the past three years. In 2009 this ryegrass catch crop was direct drilled into wheat stubble in late August. Due to its rapid establishment and growth, it was ready for cutting eight weeks later in November. “Conditions were ideal that autumn for getting the crop started,” admits Mr Whitby. “But we did not expect to be baling silage that side of Christmas. “In February we gave it a dressing of fertiliser but didn’t get chance to give it

a second, as it was ready for cutting again four weeks later. “The regrowth was phenomenal and we went on to take six more cuts – baling nearly 19 tonnes DM/ha of high dry matter, high quality rocket fuel. “The silage analysis came back with an ME of 12.7, 77 D Value and 12.1% crude protein. The grass, with its high digestible fibre counter-balanced the high starch content of the maize making it a more rumen-friendly ration. “We had been feeding maize and second quality grass silage to the cows, but felt it was time to introduce some high quality grass. While we do receive a premium for our Jersey milk, there is still a need to reduce costs. Feeding a mixed diet of 70% maize and 30% high quality grass has boosted milk from forage by 25% and we have used less concentrates as a result. “A catch crop like this offers much more flexibility than say lucerne, which can be a disaster if the weather goes against you,” adds Mr Whitby. “The Tornado mixture is less risky and also a useful break crop for wheat.”

Control gutworm and improve milk production The housing period provides an ideal opportunity to treat and remove a number of parasites, according to Merial Animal Health. “But parasite control is just as important once animals are at grass,” says the company’s vet Fiona MacGillivray. Merial’s research has shown that 93% of milking herds in the UK are facing a high level of gutworm challenge. This information is based on the results of bulk milk tank tests – ‘MOO’ Tests – conducted in the UK during 2008-2010. “Many producers don’t believe that gutworms are a problem in their adult cattle because they cause no obvious clinical effects. However, there is an abundance of independent research, conducted on more than 8,000 dairy cows, which clearly shows that worming cows with eprinomectin to remove the gutworm burden, improved milk production. Some trials have also shown an improvement in fertility, with reduced calving-to-conception interval

and increased conception at first service.” Research shows that treatment with eprinomectin can improve milk productivity by as much as two litres per cow per day. It also shows that treated cows eat more. Maintaining feed intake in newly calved cows is essential. If food intake is compromised at this critical time, the negative energy gap increases. If a cow continues to milk off her back for a prolonged period, both her milk production and her fertility can be significantly compromised. Producers should also be aware of the statutory withhold periods on wormers. “They form a crucial part of the licence awarded to the product and producers have a legal obligation to ensure that they are adhered to. “Eprinex is the only wormer with a zero milk withhold for lactating dairy cows,” added Ms MacGillivray.

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Air-tight ‘barrier’ benefits

It’s a wrap! The next generation of Topnet round bale net has been launched by Volac. The netwrap is based on a new formula and an improved structure which offers higher tensile strength and overall better performance. German manufacturer, RKW, says that this design of Topnet makes field work easier for three reasons. The number of chains has been reduced from 53 to 48 thicker chains, making it better to feed in through the rollers and easier to cut. The rolls are lighter leading to improved handling and reduced waste, and bale coverage has been increased by 2cm to 4cm. “The netwrap has been extensively tested on round balers before launch and has been used successfully with silage, hay, and straw,” says Volac’s Jeannie Everington. “Consequently, we are confident that this generation of netwrap will offer strong performance and maximum reliability for all bale operators.”

Watch butterfats Producers forced to combine highconcentrate buffer feeds with low-fibre spring grass as winter forage stocks run out are being urged to keep a close watch on butterfat levels this spring. “It’s also vital that producers check their milk supply contracts carefully, as some have butterfat penalties as high as 6p per percentage point below threshold,” says Trident’s Andrew Howie. “Even at a more usual 3p per percentage, that’s a penalty of 18p/cow/day for being just 0.2% below threshold, equivalent to £1,080 per month for a 200-cow herd. “The quickest way to stop falling butterfats is through strategic use of high-C16 rumen-protected fats. Adding 300g/cow/day of Butterfat Extra to rations, for example, will typically boost butterfat levels by 0.3 percentage points. And it will give an extra litre/cow/day that will pay for the cost of the fat.”

Grass and maize silage stored under nonairtight conditions is susceptible to dry matter losses of up to 37% from the top 40cm compared to less than 10% for crops stored under airtight conditions. This trial data has been released by Silostop and the work has also shown that conventional black plastic silage sheeting can allow up to 400cm3 of oxygen to pass through each square metre of film in a 24-hour period. In contrast, silage clamps covered with a Silostop oxygen barrier film allowed just 3cm3 of oxygen to pass through. Crops stored in non-airtight conditions are more susceptible to aerobic spoilage and increased wastage whereas the crops stored in airtight conditions remained in better visible condition and retained a higher nutritional value. Experiments compared the effects of oxygen barrier films on the composition and losses from the upper layers of ensiled crops. After 120 days in storage, wilted crops of mixed grass and red clover ensiled in farm-scale bunker silos suffered DM losses of 5% when stored under conventional plastic sheeting compared to 2.5% for crops sealed under an oxygen barrier sheet. The total quantity of silage fresh weight discarded from the top layer of each crop – because it was judged to be inedible by

livestock – was 1.7 tonnes (0.1% of the total 1,700 tonnes ensiled) of the crop under the Silostop barrier and 100 tonnes (5.9%) of the crop under the conventional sheeting. The crop kept under conventional sheeting was also found to contain high counts of yeasts, moulds and clostridial spores. “It is a popular misconception that all plastic sheeting products are the same,” explains Silostop’s Jennifer Hitchman. “But it’s not as simple as that. Conventional plastic sheeting is porous to oxygen and allows aerobic spoilage to occur at the clamp margins. “Our sheeting is unique in that it’s engineered construction allows 100 times less oxygen through, thereby virtually eliminating any surface spoilage.”

Fertiliser offers stability in dry conditions A urea-based fertiliser – Koch Advanced Nitrogen – is more cost effective per unit of nitrogen than ammonium nitrate (AN) fertilisers, according to manufacturer Koch Fertilisers. And it offers the same agronomic benefits. “With 46% nitrogen content compared to AN’s 34.5%, grassland producers are set to gain 33% more nutrient for their investment,” says the company’s Simon Borthwick. And with a predicted drought this summer and many parts of the UK already quite dry, another plus is that the product is stabilised against volatilisation. “So timing of fertiliser application is not so weather dependent and can be

completed when it suits workloads,” adds Mr Borthwick. Featuring Agrotain, a urease inhibitor treatment that is applied to urea by Koch during blending and bagging at its Avonmouth port facility, the fertiliser has been designed to reduce volatilisation. This is the process whereby nitrogen losses occur to the air. The concept has proved successful in trials carried out at Belfast’s AgriFood and Biosciences Institute, with volatilisation found to be at a level 76.7% lower than conventional urea. More nitrogen retained for the grass crop led to utilisation of the nutrient being raised by 19.9%, with an impressive dry matter uplift of 8.8%.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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M A I N

A RT I C L E

Tips to help you take the heat out of past ure m

Dig deep to b With some parts of the UK already experiencing drought conditions, we take a timely look at how to ensure that your grassland performance is optimised, even when water is in short supply. text Rachael Porter

here’s not a lot that producers can do about the weather, but good soil structure will help to combat drought and there are grass and other forage species, such as chicory and lucerne, that are also more tolerant to dry conditions. Maintaining good soil condition is a vital part of forage production, according to Charlie Morgan of independent grassland consultancy Grassmaster. “And it is all the more important if drought conditions are prevalent,” he says. “The better the root structure of your swards, the more productive they will be, and this is exacerbated when moisture is harder for the plants to find,” he says. “Soil structure should really come ahead of everything else when considering how to improve pasture productivity.”

Compacted pan He says that compaction is more common on grassland farms than many people imagine, and the easiest way to check is to dig a 30cm-square hole to a spade’s depth and look for tell-tale signs. “Often you can see horizontal cracks, or your spade will meet resistance, or there may be signs of waterlogging,” he says. “Other signs include foul smelling soils and an absence of worms. In newly reseeded swards, roots my well not penetrate a compacted pan, whereas in more established swards – where the roots may penetrate – the pan will prevent Charlie Morgan: “Look for tell-tale signs of compaction”

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past ure management in dry weather conditions

to beat drought moisture and nutrients permeating deeper into the soil profile. Either way there is a problem.” In addition to restricting root growth and uptake of nutrients, compaction will also reduce the activity of earthworms, which perform a vital function in helping incorporate organic matter and improve soil structure. “If you are ploughing in preparation for reseeding, this will sort out any possible compaction problems provided the plough goes below the existing pan and not into the sub-soil. But if you are direct drilling it’s vital to check soil condition in advance. “Otherwise, the problem is relatively easily remedied through the use of a soil aerator or a sward lifter, depending on the depth of the compaction. This should not be done, however, in wet conditions or if the soil is too dry, and the best time to sort the problem is during spring or autumn when the right conditions occur. “It’s important to avoid smearing and capping of the drainage channels you’ve created.” Selecting drought-tolerant grass varieties and other deep tap rooted forages can also help producers get more from their grazing and silage leys in dry conditions. Plant breeding that aims to produce stressresistant Festulolium varieties is on-going at IBERS Aberystwyth University and is showing the potential to offer a grass-based solution to drought. IBERS’ Mike Humphreys says that work looking at increased drought tolerance is a major objective and results have already been promising. “We have recorded an improvement in water use efficiency in some festuloliums of 88%,” he says. “Drought resistant lines from the trials are

Mike Humphreys: “Results have been promising”

now being field tested for their suitability for entry into National List trials this year.”

Fescue genes Earlier breeding work has resulted in the first festulolium coming onto the England and Wales Recommended Lists for 2012. AberNiche, which is an Italian-type ryegrass x meadow fescue, is now available from British Seed Houses in drought-tolerant seed mixtures. “We are also working towards the introduction of the beneficial fescue genes into perennial ryegrasses,” says Dr Humphries. For the time being, the approved and available festulolium can be combined in short-term mixtures with Italian or hybrid ryegrasses. Those seeking a longer term grass-based mixture can consider the inclusion of cocksfoot alongside perennial or hybrid ryegrasses, plus white clover. Lucerne and chicory are other forage options to consider if your unit is prone to drought or dry conditions, due to their deep tap roots. l

Paul Redmore: “The cows like the chicory and milk well off it” With more than 70% of milk coming from forage and his costs of production at around 75% of the national average, Paul Redmore’s approach to managing the herd at Bicton College in Devon is very forage focused. The herd of 210 cross-bred cows averages 5,500 litres of high quality milk – butterfat sitting at around 4.8% – and is producing close to 10,000 litres/ha from forage. With so much depending upon the quality of grazing, Paul adopts a discipline

of reseeding every five years, and – to ensure new leys establish cleanly and well – he avoids following grass with grass. In terms of new grazing leys, Paul looks no further than the best available UK-bred varieties from the NIAB Recommended Lists, and currently uses the Aber HSG III high sugar perennial ryegrass mixture for his grazing leys. Sown in March/April, he expects a first grazing by mid-June.

In addition to the high sugar ryegrasses and white clover, Paul has also included Puna II perennial chicory in his latest grazing leys. “The cows have a real appetite for the chicory and milk well off it,” says Paul. “But there are other advantages. It has a deep tap root and is therefore relatively drought tolerant, and it helps to alleviate any soil compaction. It also adds variety to the pasture, which I believe helps to increase intakes,” he adds.

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O V E R A L L s

Name: Location: Herd size: Hobby:

O F F

Nigel Kingston Tresham, Gloucestershire 220 cows Musician and singer

Nigel Kingston: “I love live music – both playing and listening to it”

Brass and bluegrass text Rachael Porter

rom brass to the blues – producer Nigel Kingston has been playing and singing in bands since he was 12 years old. And he says he gets as much enjoyment out of it today as he ever did. It all began with a trumpet and playing in a brass band – the famous Flowers Brass Band, supported by the Whitbread Brewery. “I was older when I took up the guitar – about 25 years old. I could read music so I taught myself and I play the bass guitar in my band now,” explains Nigel. He gave up the brass band when he was 30. “My children were very small then and it was too much with all the travelling and band rehearsals. It was a shame, but I did it for a long time and it was an amazing experience.” Today music still dominates Nigel’s life, when he’s not looking after his 220-cow herd. He sings and plays bass guitar in a band called ‘Time’, playing mostly covers of songs from the 1970s and 1980s, as well as some folk and bluegrass. Gigs don’t take up too much of Nigel’s’ time – the band only plays four or five a year. “It’s the band practice nights on Tuesdays and Fridays that I really look forward to,” he says. “It’s always great to play to an audience, but when we’re practicing it’s very social. We have a chat and a beer while we play,” says Nigel, who is also in a local American big band. In 2011 the big band played at Bristol Zoo to a 3,000-strong audience. Nigel has also played in the Royal Albert Hall at the national finals when he was in the brass band. Rehearsals for the five members who make up ‘Time’ are held at the farm – part of the building housing the farm office is a session room with mic stands and amps. Being in the American big band means that Nigel has the best of both worlds – he can do what he loves at home and he also gets some time away from the unit. “Music offers some respite from farming and running the business. I love live music – both playing and listening to it. It’s an escape and playing has taken me all over the UK and Europe. Nigel’s been to Austria and The Netherlands and he’s recently been to Wales with the 17-piece big band. So which instrument does he prefer? “That’s a tough one. The bass is easier in the sense that if I make a mistake no one will really hear it, so long as I keep time and rhythm. The trumpet, however, is more of a challenge. If I make a mistake with that then everyone hears it!”

C OWMANAGEMENT

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H E R D

R E P O RT

Following set procedures is key to successful large herd management

Protocols protect herd productivity

Billockby Hall Farm A ‘walk before you run’ approach, with a strong team of staff following strict procedures and protocols, is key to the continued success of this expanding herd Number of cows: Expanding to: Lifetime daily yield: Conception to 1st service:

Billockby

based herd. And a measured approach, with a focus on ‘getting everything right’ before increasing cow numbers, will ensure that

370 700 14.3kg 60%

the herd and business stay on track. text Rachael Porter

hat should be the real focus when producers expand cow numbers? Increasing herd size or putting protocols – and good staff – in place before increasing the pressure on labour and other resources? Definitely the latter, according to Billockby Hall Farm’s herd manager John Kirkbride and with his experience of running large herds he should know. “Putting a strong, capable and committed team in place and working to strict management protocols is the only way to go if you want to successfully expand,” he says. “You have to get everything right before you start to increase cow numbers and pressure on labour and resources. If not it could all fall apart.”

Dedicated team John heads a team of four full-time staff, which also includes herdsman Henry Barham, youngstock manager Patrick Allmond and feeding technician Sean Kingman. They’re all dedicated to managing the 370-cow herd, which is owned by Henry Alston and based at Billockby near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Monthly team meetings, with Henry, are a chance to air any problems or issues and make sure that everyone is pulling in the same direction and working towards the same goals. This is vital because the pedigree Bure herd is expanding. “We’re investing and growing the business because we want economies of scale and we also

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Investment and expansion are vital to ‘future proof’ one Norfolk-

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wantto ‘future proof’ the herd,” says Henry Alston. “We’re looking to expand while at the same time improve cow health, welfare and comfort. And we’re growing in phases to keep risk to a minimum and to make sure that we get things right from the start.” To date a Fullwood 24:48 swing-over parlour, complete with an ADF automatic dipping and flushing system, has been installed in a new building that also contains the farm office, a sorting/ holding area and space for another 24:48 swing-over parlour to sit alongside the new one when the herd enters the next phase of expansion. The parlour, through which the cows are milked three times a day, replaced a rather tired 25-year-old herringbone, but this is still used to milk freshly calved and ‘antibiotic’ cows separately from the main herd – great for controlling mastitis infection within the milking herd, and it will be invaluable when the herd reaches the optimum numbers. There are also plans to build additional sand-bedded cow cubicle housing at the unit, together with more silage clamps and a feed store, as the herd grows.

to get there quickly. “We’ll increase numbers as and when we’re ready and we’ll find the very best staff along the way. At the moment we’ve enough staff,

No rush “We’re in no rush to expand – taking your time and increasing in 50-or-so cow increments is also important. Our expansion timetable shows we will be up to around 400 soon and up to around 470 by the end of the year,” explains John. Ultimately, cow numbers will increase to around 700 cows, but there’s no pressure

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Star treatment: tomorrow’s milkers are given the best possible start, housed in individual hutches and fed carefully following strict procedures

including relief milkers, to increase up to 400 cows. I reckon you need one full-time person for every 100 cows. So beyond 400, we’ll be looking to recruit someone to join the team.” This cow-to-man ratio, with protocols and procedures in place, ensures that

Clear instructions: procedures are written down to ensure consistent management

management and husbandry is tip-top, which in turn means that the herd is healthy, fertile, productive and profitable. “Our culling rate is low and our health problems are minimal because we focus on cow health and comfort, we monitor

all health parameters against targets using Kite’s Health Monitor System, and this also monitors reasons for culling, so we know why every cow leaves the farm. It’s all about maximising lifetime daily yield. Ours is in the UK’s top 5% – at

Comfort zone: cow welfare is a top priority at the expanding unit

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Tip top: keeping water troughs clean is key to maximising intakes

14.3kg. And that success starts with good transitional cow management,” says John, who is the herd’s ‘fertility specialist’. “Everyone in the team has their strengths and that’s mine. Getting cows in calf and getting them to calve easily is the basis of the success for this herd – just like any other.”

Trouble-free calvings He’s looking for cows to calve unassisted. In his experience, intervention at calving can be the start of a whole set of health, fertility and production problems. “Our cows calve at the right condition score and they calve easily on their own. There are very few assisted calvings and we see very few problems – just two cases of milk fever in 2011 and four ‘dirty’ cows with retained cleansings. We’ve only had one LDA in five years,” he adds, which is just one in more than 1,800 calvings. The transition cows are fed a simple TMR using grass, maize, advanced DCAB and a little straw. “We have hardly changed this mix at all for more than four year. It works so we leave it alone. We do not overstock the transition yard and Sean ensures that the feed is ‘pushed up’ regularly.” In terms of getting cows in calf, Kite Consulting’s consultant Ben Watts sets targets each month for the number of pregnancies required and the number of cows that need to be served to achieve this. “If we serve the number of cows required, we get the pregnancies. It’s as simple as that,” he says. It’s a logical approach and it starts with heat detection. But again, because the cows are in the peak of health then heats are strong. “It’s easy to spot a cow bulling in this herd and it’s something that we’re all responsible for,” says John. “We have installed a heat detection system in the

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Parlour investment: a 24:48 swing-over has slashed milking time

new parlour but it only pushed up our detection rate by about 3%. We were already getting 60% of the herd in calf to first service, so we were doing really well without the technology. Having said that, the system will be invaluable as herd size increases.” Heat detection and transitional cow management aside, John says that record keeping, protocols and procedures form the back bone of how the herd is run. NMR InterHerd produces data that can be analysed, with Ben’s help, using InterHerd Plus and Kite Health Monitor and this helps to pick up any problems or spot areas of management that need polish. “They can also create a bit of competition, which is a great motivator. We’re all trained in AI, so we can see who is getting the most cows in calf. And while we all try to out do each other, the business is benefiting.”

Quality bonus The same can be said for milking – milkers are paid a bonus linked to milk quality, which can be easily achieved if they stick to the milking routine protocols. “It’s a great incentive and our milkers compete to pick up mastitis cases and problems linked to milk quality. We look closely at the milk filters and they pride themselves on having the cleanest filter after a milking. And again it keeps them motivated and on their toes – and it helps to ensure that milk quality and udder health and hygiene are the very best that they can be,” explains John. Time budgets, calculated using Firststep, show that cows are achieving in excess of 14 hours lying times on their ‘beach’ beds – three hours more than the UK herd average. This is helped by the efficient approach to day-to-day

management. “We aim to get the cows ‘fed-to-bed’ in 45 minutes.” There are feeding protocols in place – the herd is fed a full TMR ration, with the high yield group housed all year round and the low groups being turned out to grass during the spring and summer. And protocols extend to calf feeding with a coloured-tape system. Calf pens are marked with tape so anyone can feed the calves. “They just look at the sheet and know, for example, that blue tape means that calves are being weaned and only need to be fed milk once a day,” says John. “It’s fool proof, I suppose. Or at least that’s the plan.” He admits that sometimes there is resistance to a protocol or a procedure being introduced. “A staff member may not see the point or the possible benefit of doing something a certain way. So the best way to sell it to them is to agree to be flexible and review it if it doesn’t work.” This approach means that herd management constantly evolves and improves and builds strong foundations for expansion.

Strong team Protocols and procedures are only as good as the staff following them, so a strong team is important. John has no real concerns about recruiting good staff when the time comes. He says that there are a lot of good herds people out there looking for a position. “And a job at a new large unit like this, with good working conditions and facilities, would be attractive. “So no, I don’t worry about staffing. I concentrate on the cows and the job in hand – just like the rest of the team.” l

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B R E E D I N G

Producers can prevent close relationships by using a mating programme

No need to panic about inbreeding Inbreeding is a hot discussion topic at the moment, now that a limited number of bulls and their sons are dominating the international indexes. But if breeding organisations keep a close eye on blood relationships then there is little cause for concern. text Hans Siemes Kian and his sons dominate the red-and-white indexes worldwide

n Holstein breeding O Man and his sons are now dominating the scene. Eleven sires in the top 20 of the Dutch-Flemish black-and-white sire index have O Man blood in their veins. Internationally, it is no different. The red-and-white index also teems with bulls that are related to Kian and Lightning. Inbreeding looms. Caution is required, but there is no reason to panic, according to Piter Bijma from the department of breeding and genetics at Wageningen University. “In breeding there is always a certain amount of inbreeding,” he says. “That is normal and not bad in itself.” The FAO, the World Food and Agriculture Organisation, maintains as normal that an average inbreeding increase of between 0.5 and 1% per generation is acceptable. Since breeding programmes in the dairy industry have a generational interval of about five years, this coincides with an increased inbreeding component of between 0.1% and 0.2% per year. If inbreeding increases more quickly, there may be problems. ”We really need to watch out for mass use of O Man and his sons and grandsons, which could increase inbreeding levels by an additional 5%,” says Dr Bijma.

“Then there would be a strong possibility that a genetic defect would crop up. But,” he is keen to stress, “we are not there yet.”

Past problems It can go wrong. A well-known example is the bull Bell (Carlin-M Ivanhoe Bell, 1974) with descendants like BW Marshall and Durham. They were used very extensively, which resulted in a level of inbreeding with Bell that was too high. In the Netherlands it eventually resulted in a high number of bulls that were carriers of the genetic defects BLAD and CVM. CVM leads to deformed calves and BLAD causes incurable infections because the white blood cells do not function properly. Both disorders resulted in significant losses for both producers and breeding organisations. Some of the carriers were culled and others saw only limited use, but in the meantime costs were incurred in sampling these bulls as young sires. Other examples of genetic defects are smooth tongue and zinc deficiency. The possibility of a repeat ‘blunder’ like Bell is not that great, according to Dr Bijma. “Knowledge has improved and due to experience with, among

others, BLAD and CVM, the breeding organisations are more aware of inbreeding. “Also, thanks to computer technology, it can be determined very quickly whether a blood relationship would become too close.” Producers can prevent this closeness by using a mating programme. Many breeding organisations offer such a program that automatically ensures that a cow is not bred to a too closely related bull. If a programme is not available, then the producer will need to take care that they do not mate family members. “If you go back three generations from the calf you want to breed, and you don’t see any common ancestors on the paternal and the maternal side, then you are quite safe,” is Dr Bijma’s rule of thumb.

Limit risks The most important parties to help limit the risks of inbreeding are the breeding organisations. Long term, the increase in inbreeding level is determined by the increased average kinship in a breed. This is largely determined by the selection of sires of sons and bull dams,

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Diminished health Inbreeding is the mating of close relatives – in other words animals that are related and have one or more ancestors in common. Inbreeding has largely negative consequences for cattle. It leads to a loss of genetic variation, and contributes to diminished health, fertility and production, while more genetic defects will occur. The descendants are smaller and more susceptible to illnesses, and miscarriages occur more frequently. Milk production also suffers. The inbreeding coefficient is an indication of the degree of inbreeding. For example, a calf sired by O Man and with O Man as the maternal grandsire has an inbreeding level of a quarter. This means that the calf has a 12.5% chance of a genetic defect if O Man is a carrier of that defect. A calf with CVM

Every AI stud is using O Man and his sons. This results in less diversity

which selection is made by the breeding organisations. They are aware of the risks of relationships growing more and more close, according to Dr Bijma. On the other hand, he sees that, driven by market demand, the breeding organisations all make use of the same group of bulls. “If everyone does this, it will lead to overuse,” he says. A current example is O Man.

FAO guideline Dr Bijma points to yet another phenomenon – the so-called effective population size of the international Holstein-Friesian breed is very small. Although world-wide there are millions of Holstein-Friesian cattle, the ‘effective’ number is not greater than 50 to 100 animals. This means that the inbreeding level in the Holstein-Friesian breed is equivalent to a population of 50 to 100 animals in which no selection occurs. So in terms of an increase in inbreeding, the Holstein-Friesian is a small breed. The FAO has set the effective number of 50 as the absolute minimum for the long-term viability of a breed. The Holstein-Friesian breed just meets this FAO guideline.

In short, it is critical for breeding organisations to be mindful of too great an influence of certain bulls. A tool to counter the negative effects of inbreeding is giving sufficient attention to functional traits like udder health, fertility, and longevity. Breeding for these traits pushes back the effects of inbreeding depression. “When breeding organisations limit kinship and use a balanced breeding goal, then the breed will not end up with problems,” Dr Bijma says.

Eradicating defects He mentions yet another aspect that will start playing a role in the future – the discovery of many more genetic defects. That coincides with the mapping of the DNA of animals, which is almost entirely known today. The characteristics of many genes can be traced. Consequently more genetic defects will be identified, and this knowledge can be used effectively, for example, in mating programmes, to prevent carriers from being paired up. “People think that there are only a few genetic defects, but that’s not true,” says Mr Bijma. “Expectations are that there are hundreds, and each animal probably

transmits one or more. Every animal has little ‘mistakes’ in the genome, which it receives from its parents and in turn transmits to its descendants. Through breeding, those little mistakes can be partially concealed. “If we deal with this wisely, there is little cause for concern.” By wisely, he means that mating programs should prevent a bull with a particular defect from being mated with a cow with the same defect. The computer provides the solution here. The expert from Wageningen indicates that the breeding industry needs to move away from the idea that there are bulls without genetic defects, and that you can eradicate genetic defects. “The more we know and can research, the higher the number of defects that will be identified.” l

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The design of this new cubicle encourages cows to lie straighter, this dramatically reduces soiling on the beds. Designed only to be used in long cubicle beds where the cows have enough room to lunge freely forward when rising. The lower bottom rail is extended further toward the heelstone, this encourages the cow to lie squarer,minimizing any manure on the beds. • new design for better lying position • poly brisket rail-positions cow correctly • no lower support rail,allows natural forward lungeing

The ultimate in cow comfort and durability. • 10mm reinforced rubber top cover • s pecialized sealed heavy duty foam which does not pack over time • f ully moulded and reinforced for stability and added hygiene • no thin top cover to break down and tear • easy to clean • seamless system

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H O U S I N G

S P E C I A L

Rubber flooring: installation throughout cow housing offers health and welfare benefits. Page 22 Dried manure: Dutch researchers are still undecided about recycled cubicle bedding. Page 24 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new? We take a look at some of the latest innovations, including two scrapers. Page 26

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H O U S I N G

S P E C I A L

Rubber matting offers ‘red-carpet’ treatment – and a regular pedicure

Put a spring in their step Cushioned and comfortable, yet hard wearing. That could be the ‘flooring’ solution for tackling lameness, and other problems like poor heat detection, in cubicle housing. We visited a Cambridge-based dairy unit’s cow house, with rubber matting through out, to find out more. text Rachael Porter

t’s the equivalent of wall-to-wall Axminster, with a pedicure thrown in for good measure. Rubber matting in cow housing is, as far as the cow is concerned, a luxury. But for producers wanting to improve cow comfort and welfare, particularly in systems where cows are housed all year round, it’s becoming something of a necessity – even if it’s only laid on areas where cows are standing for a long time or turning 90° or more. Good quality rubber matting – which won’t stretch or lift – comes at a price. But it’s a price worth paying, according to the herd manager at Cambridge University’s Park Farm unit. This is a relatively new set up, with a cow house comprising 200 cubicles and four milking robots. The herd is housed 365 days a year and Gavin Hughes says that the rubber matting is like bringing the pasture indoors. “The cows love it – it’s the next best thing to being out at grass. It gives them a sure footing and they move about freely and naturally – without fear of slipping or falling. Cows literally skipping and jumping down the passageways are a common sight. It’s like turn out in spring – everyday.” He’s not exaggerating. After just a few minutes in the house it’s easy to see the effect that the flooring has on the cows’ confidence when they’re walking – or running – about. The grip is good for staff going about their daily business too, particularly on the shoulders joining passageways and the areas around drinking troughs.

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These are covered with slightly different matting – Kraiburg’s Pedikura. This is soft and slip proof, but also provides gentle and constant abrasion to cow hooves – a little like a nail file. “A little wear on the hooves is vital, to mimic natural conditions outside and prevent hooves from becoming over grown,” explains Gavin.

Interlocking design This matting contains corundum (aluminum oxide) – the second hardest mineral after diamond. It does not react with acids and bases, making it suitable for use in slurry environments, and it’s ideal for creating hard-wearing and nonslip surfaces. The remainder of the passageways are covered with Kraiburg rubber mats. These are 1.25 metres square, 24mm thick and feature 5mm nubs on the underside to provide softness underfoot. They interlock and are laid out and fitted like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. And they can be fitted to both solid and slatted floors. In fact there are some fitted to the slats in the unit’s cow house. “I first saw them on a dairy unit six years ago and I was convinced they were the way to go. “I’m extremely pleased with it now we have it – it’s done everything I hoped it would do and more in terms reducing lameness, preventing cows from slipping and falling, increasing heat detection rates and basically allowing cows to display their natural behaviour.” The herd has seen a reduction in lameness caused by solar ulcers and white-line disease. But Gavin says that the most notable

Gavin Hughes: “It’s like bringing pasture indoors – the cows love it”

saving is losses due to cows slipping. “We were losing about seven lactations a year. The cubicles were particularly slippery in the summer, when conditions were drier and the scraper didn’t clean the concrete passageways so well. And putting grooves in the concrete didn’t work. But we’ve not lost a single cow or lactation due to slipping or falling since the matting went in.” He’s so impressed that the heifer housing, with training cubicles, is Pedikura matting is abrasive – like a nail file

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currently being fitted with rubber matting and calving pens also have rubber matting: “It’s easy to keep clean – it can be power washed and disinfected after each cow – and it’s comfortable. Cows are able to get up more easily after calving too – they’re not wobbling about on straw and concrete.” Heifers joining the milking herd appear more confident: “Being sure footed lessens the impact of bullying – they’re able to get away from dominant cows more easily.” Gavin has plenty of producers visiting the unit to see how well the rubber matting is performing and typical concerns are about cows lying on the matted floor in the passageways, rather than the cubicles. This obviously has implications for udder health.

Cubicle comfort

Rubber matting offers cushioning and grip, with an added pedicure

“But that’s more of a reflection of cubicle comfort. If cows prefer to lie in the passageways, then cubicle design needs attention. We’ve made sure that our cubicles are much more comfortable and inviting than the rubber floor,” he says. Other questions are about wear and tear. Continuous rolls of rubber matting in some cow houses have proved problematic due to stretching. “But the interlocking ‘tile’ design of this matting means that’s not an issue. “The individual mats will expand and contract due to changes in temperature, but they still remain locked together and in place. “And there’s no problem with automatic scrapers, because the floor is evenly and securely laid and the rivets are strong. We switched to nylon blades on our scrapers because you get a better and cleaner result than metal on rubber.” The unit is run commercially, with an emphasis on health and welfare standards. It’s connected to the University’s vet school and students spend time with the herd to gain dairy experience. “We have to lead by example and set a benchmark for these young vets. “When they leave here, they won’t see many units with matting like ours. The cost is prohibitive for many units.” The matting retails for around £37.50 per square metre and it’s an additional £5 per metre for professional fitting. “For a unit with lameness and slipping issues, I think the figures could easily stack up,” adds Gavin. “I know they do for us.” l

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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H O U S I N G

S P E C I A L

Freerk Oudman: ‘Dry manure scores well on a number of points, but there are still some important unknowns’

Where there’s muck there’s... bedding? Dry manure is proving to be comfortable bedding on a number of experimental dairy units in the Netherlands. And a cost-benefit analysis on mid-sized units also shows a financial advantage. We wait for test results to see if the experts’ concerns on health can be set aside. text Florus Pellikaan and Rachael Porter

he use of dry manure as cubicle bedding is raising a few eyebrows and attracting a lot of attention in the Netherlands. And the number of units using the bedding in deep litter cubicles is increasing. “We get questions every day from producers who are interested in it,” says Dutch dairy consultancy Valacon Dairy’s project leader Marjolein Feiken. “An important reason for the increasing interest is the continuously rising price of sawdust and chopped straw, adds Freerk Oudman, cattle adviser with Dutch consultancy firm DLV. According to both consultants, the course fraction in dry manure bedding is a very comfortable bedding material. “Dried manure is

resilient and, therefore, comfortable. Besides that it looks nice and the cows remain clean, contrary to what you would expect,” says Dr Feiken. “It’s also dust-free, but there are still a few large and important unknowns like the exact cost, the effect on udder health and the critical success factors,” Mr Oudman adds. These concerns prompted both Dutch consultancies to carry out research. Mr Oudman is involved in a practical project with four units that are using dried manure in their cubicles. They are recording and sharing their experiences, including regular bacteriological investigations of both bedding and milk. Dr Feiken is leading a research project, which is looking at three units that have switched to using dried manure.

Not new, just recycled The idea of using dried manure as cubicle bedding is not new, according to The Dairy Group’s dairy housing consultant Brian Pocknee. “I remember producers who were doing it successfully in Lancashire in 1981, but back then it was not separated. More recently, in 2010, there was another unit that installed a large separator/drier. But it was not a success, with the material being too wet.”

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The process works by separating the liquid and solid fractions from slurry and then drying out the solids. “What’s left is a fibrous material that, in theory, can be used as cubicle bedding.” But, in practice, this hasn’t happened. “In my experience, it’s not been successful in the UK, so far, because it’s simply not been dry enough. Cubicle bedding needs to be dry to safeguard udder health.”

DLV has worked out that the cost of dry manure compared to sawdust for a 150-cow unit. The major cost for running the drying machine is energy at £1.60 per cubic metre of coarse fraction produced. “The cost of processing manure and using sawdust are about the same for an 80-cow unit. “After that, on average, dried manure has a slight advantage,” says Mr Oudman.

On-going research “Depending on the scale, the cost is between 52 pence and 78 pence per 100 litres of milk, while the cost of sawdust is about 80 pence.’ Bacteriological research is on-going. “The dried manure is naturally a good nutrient medium for bacteria, so this bedding must be managed extremely well,” he says. Dr Feiken agrees: “Bacteria can grow on any organic cubicle bedding. If you don’t use the bedding properly it really doesn’t work well. “On the other hand, with dried manure, there is less chance of importing diseases on to the farm.” The experts agree that building up a bed carefully is one of the critical success factors that will be provided by the research. “Thin layers of fresh dried manure seem to be the ideal, but there are some who maintain that the dried manure should be put in a silo,” says Dr Feiken. Despite good feedback on some units, both consultants are still cautious. “I wouldn’t recommend producers to go into this blind – there are still too many unknowns and the risks are just too great,” says Mr Oudman. “I advise producers to wait for the results of the research programmes. And if they still want to give it a go, start by having some manure processed by a contractor. “Don’t jump straight in and buy a manure separator” adds Dr Feiken. l

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Pieter Werkman: ‘The number of mastitis cases has been halved’ Pieter Werkman is a dried manure enthusiast from Kerkenveld, in the Netherlands. He first saw the bedding in 2010 during a study tour in Switzerland. “We saw an overcrowded cow house, but the cows were still clean without swollen hocks. That struck me straightway. None of us knew what was in the cubicle. When the coarse fraction has been in the cubicle two or three days, it actually no longer smells of manure,” he says. Convinced that the system would be able to function in The Netherlands, he introduced it to his own 60-cow unit. But his first experiences with the bedding were not too good. “The contractor came and filled 17 cubicles with the bedding. We also had a heap of dried manure made for the following week. “Things went well for the first week, but

when we added more bedding to the cubicles a week later the problems emerged. In the following week we had five cases of E coli.” He says that that confirmed what he had heard in Switzerland. “You must bring fresh and thin layers of the bedding material into the cubicle on a regular basis. The product just mustn’t be allowed to sit and ferment.” In summer 2012 Mr Werkman bought a Sepcom manure separator and now he is particularly pleased with the results. “The somatic cell count has fallen from 250,000cells/ml to 130,000cells/ml and the number of mastitis cases has halved. “I am convinced that my investment has been cost effective. Since January we have had just four cases of mastitis and

the cows are spotlessly clean, with no sore hocks.” He fills the cubicles with dried manure bedding once a week and estimates that he uses 70 litres per cubicle per week. “This bedding costs very little. And, compared to sawdust, it is easier to shovel a wet patch out of the cubicles.”

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H O U S I N G

S P E C I A L

We showcase some new and innovative cow housing equipment

Good ‘cow-house’ keeping Thinking of sprucing up your cow housing a little now

Here are just a handful of new products that have recently

well – we just scrape out the passageways in the cubicle sheds and the slurry drops down through the slats. It is then automatically taken to the lagoon, along with the parlour washings. It’s saved us a lot of time and the cows are also cleaner,” says James.

been launched that may be just what you’re looking for.

Robot scraper

the cows are outside? Or maybe you’re contemplating an investment in an existing building or erecting a new one?

text Rachael Porter

sing sand to bed cubicles, but struggling to keep yards slurry free? How does a channel scraper designed to cope with sand sound? Shropshire-based producer James Brassington thought it sounded great. He’s installed one on his unit, Creamore House Farm near Wem, where he milks 300 cows in partnership with his father Tim. In 2011, with the concrete yard in need of repair, James wanted to use the opportunity to install an 80m long slurry channel along the yard and down to the lagoon, and install an automatic channel scraper. Slurry from the cattle sheds and collecting yard used to be scraped up by tractor, and this would take up two or three hours each day. So a slatted channel would save on the labour needed to keep the yard clean.

But a few years ago James switched from bedding cubicles with straw to using sand to help keep environmental mastitis under control. Great for udder health, but not so good for slurry handling. The problem with sand is that it settles in channel systems and will eventually block the channel. He discussed this issue with Lancashire-based slurry handling specialist Storth Machinery when visiting the 2011 Grassland Event. And, as a result, the company has developed a new channel scraper specifically designed for use with sand, which uses pre-stretched rope with an 8.5-tonne breaking strain. Four months later, it was installed underground. The sand slurry scraper is set to run automatically four times a day in the winter, and in the summer is switched on manually when needed. “Having the slurry channel works really

Fullwood’s Robotic Slurry Scraper is suitable for use within any size of cubicle housing with slatted passageways and the company claims that it offers a costeffective alternative to chain scrapers, Underground scraper can deal with sand

Roundhouse 45: it’s larger than the original RH35 and can accommodate up to 180 cows

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James Brassington: “The slatted channel and scraper save labour”

as well as lighter daily workloads. The scraper is fitted with high capacity batteries for long working intervals and operates at speeds of between four and 5.5 metres per minute, enabling it to cover large areas quickly and easily. It is available with one metre-wide or 2.1 metre-wide blades and can cover an area of 5,800 or 10,000 square metres per day, respectively. “We believe that the robot is a costeffective solution for slurry scraping in slatted housing,” says Fullwood’s Les Strickland. “It is also easy to maintain with few wearing parts and is an economic solution for automatic scraping.” The robot charges itself automatically by returning to a charging platform – located within the building for easy access – at the end of a pre-determined run. As soon as the battery reaches a pre-set level of charge the robot is ready for use and commences scraping again automatically.

Several pre-determined cleaning routes can easily be programmed into the robot’s control unit. It is also able to turn on its own axis, enabling it to work in very tight conditions, so it can clean the narrowest of passageways and connecting walkways. “Clean passageways are essential for good cow welfare,” says Mr Strickland. “Regular removal of slurry prevents a build-up of muck and is known to have beneficial effects on hoof health as well as preventing the spread of mastitis. But keeping on top of muck handling can be a tiresome and time-consuming task. Automatic chain scrapers are used to good effect on many dairy farms, but can be costly and inconvenient to retro-fit. “The scraper is quick and easy to install and works almost silently, causing minimal disturbance to cows. And if a cow blocks the robot’s path, the machine will try four times to pass the cow without causing her stress or injury.” The robot was first showcased at the 2011 Dairy Event and Livestock Show and is now available to order.

Housing innovation Roundhouse 45, which is twice as big as the original Roundhouse building and capable of holding 180 cows, has been launched by the designer and builder Roundhouse Building Solutions. The original Roundhouse (RH30) has a diameter of 30 metres, a circumference of 95 metres and an internal area of 720 square metres. At recommended stocking rates, it holds between 70 and 90 dairy cows. But the Roundhouse 45 (RH45) has a

diameter of 45 metres, a circumference of 144 metres, and an internal area of more than 1,500 square metres. It makes the round-building concept applicable for larger milking herds for the first time. And one has already been erected for that purpose in Nottinghamshire. This building, which currently has no internal fittings, will have three robots adjacent to it. The design and construction of the larger building has been an engineering challenge due to the forces and weight involved in doubling the original size, according to its designers Geoff Simpson and John Allinson, from Barnard Castle. The RH30 comprises 13 tonnes of steel and a single sheet of high-tensile PVCcoated polyester fabric, which can be manoeuvred into place by hand during construction. The RH45 comprises 40 tonnes of steel, with the roof made from two sheets that are joined together in-situ. Both buildings are erected from groundlevel using a hydraulic lift pack. The RH45 costs around £149,500, compared to £57,000 for a RH30. However these costs do not include other elements of the project, such as the internal steelworks and groundwork. These costs, in most cases, will not be double for the larger building compared to the smaller one. If they are factored in then it is estimated that the overall RH45 project cost will be around twice as much as the RH30, giving a similar price per animal space. A general project, excluding groundwork, would be around £1,050 per dairy cow place. This is comparable with the costs of conventional dairy buildings. l

Innovative design: the RH45 roof comprises two sheets of PVC-coated polyester fabric

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19-04-2012 12:06:30

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D A I RY I N G

I N

T H E

P I C T U R E

In Italyâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Po Valley region, many producers build cow houses that offer extra ventilation during the hot summer months.

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F E RT I L I T Y

More cows can mean better fertility if the right tools and skills are in place

Bucking the fertility trend Fertility often falls as cow numbers increase. In many large herds it remains a stumbling block, attributed to an over-stretched labour force and cows showing fewer signs of heat. Heat detection is critical – a sentiment echoed by breeding company Genus and a key area of focus for one Cheshire-based producer. text Karen Wright

illiam Blackburn from Lymm is increasing herd size but is not going to be beaten by extended calving intervals. During the past two years he has increased cow numbers from 120 to 160 cows. He has also moved away from a pure Holstein herd to Swedish Red and then Montbeliarde crosses, and now he is using a Holstein sire on the Montbeliarde cross-bred cows. “Fertility was one reason for cross breeding the Holsteins,” says William, who runs the 197-hectare arable and dairy unit with the help of a herdsman and an apprentice. “We were also keen to improve forage use and boost longevity. And while 305-day yields have dropped by 300kg to 8,300kg per lactation, the annual production per cow has increased by 100kg during the past two years and calving interval has dropped by 60 days – a lot but the herd moved from 100% Holsteins to 65% Swedish Red in two years and this has had a dramatic effect on fertility. “There’s far less wastage, which was frustrating when we had pure Holsteins and were trying to increase cow numbers,” says William. “We’re now on a roll with heifer replacements and by using some Holstein sexed semen on Montbeliarde cows and heifers we can produce enough heifers to grow the herd while still using beef semen on some cows to breed beef crosses to sell.” The next major step in improving fertility was the installation of Silent Herdsman 10 months ago. All cows were fitted with collars and their movement patterns monitored remotely and relayed to a touch-screen PC in the dairy. The first cows that were heat detected through the system are now calving.

‘watch’ cows 24/7 can be very beneficial on some units and it can help us, and our customers, in fertility management.” William is particularly pleased that, despite increasing cow numbers, fertility has improved without the need for more labour. “We used to spend quite a lot of time checking cows and looking for heats. With more cows we wouldn’t have the time to do this now, so there’s no doubt that Silent Herdsman is taking some of the strain here.” Cows are generally served at 50 days if they are showing signs of heat and they look in the right condition. “Herdsman Steve Jennings or I will check the screen before milking every morning and evening – and during the day – to see if any cows are flashing up ‘red’, which alerts us to possible heats.”

William Blackburn: “Better fertility is increasing annual milk production”

So far so good and William has recorded excellent submission rates with only a handful of cows going above 90 days before serving. “The vet has only had two cows to check,” he adds. “We are so confident that the system works that we haven’t bothered to PD the majority of cows, except those showing a low level of cyclical activity after insemination. The PD result confirmed that some cows continued to show activity after conception.”

Fewer straws Conception rates now hover around 65% and there’s been an improvement – a decrease – in the amount of semen used. “We’re currently averaging 1.6 straw per calf. And everything is in line for another significant fall in calving interval,” adds William. “Our target is 380 days and we’re currently around 400 days.” Cows are inseminated through the Genus technician service and the company is supporting producers using Silent Herdsman. “Genus sees Silent Herdsman as a complementary product to our existing Technical Services and offers the system as part of our AI Plus service,” says Matt Nightingale, business unit director for Genus ABS. “The ability to

All cows, and heifers from 13 months, wear Silent Herdsman collars

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20-04-2012 10:37:47

Heat data is critical

High gain antenna picks up heifer movement patterns in the field and indoors

William is really putting Silent Herdsman through its paces on the unit with a system in the heifer shed too. This has a High Gain antenna on the corner of the heifer shed that can pick up movement in the adjoining field to at least 150 metres as well as indoors. “We put collars on heifers at 13 months old and aim to serve them, depending on their size, at between 14 and 16 months, so they calve, on average, at just over two years old. At the moment our Sainsbury/

Genus’ European technical services director John Cook referred to advances in heat detection in his recent paper at the Cattle Breeders Conference. “Heat detection in dairy herds has become critical as herds have expanded and labour often remains a challenge,” he said. “The systems used for heat detection – such as Silent Herdsman – have moved closer towards the principles of

Wiseman NMR records show we’re averaging about 27 months.”

Time off William is also relying on Silent Herdsman to help him adjust the calving pattern from all year round – with a gap at Christmas – to three distinct ‘blocks’ in spring, summer and autumn. “This means we can take some time off and fit in other jobs,” he says. “We still want a fairly level milk supply. We need to pick

data-based management. The time consuming and laborious task of visual heat detection can be replaced by this type of activity monitoring system or regular application and removal of tail chalk. “The key point is that the important piece of data, which is whether or not the cow is on heat, is obtained quickly and accurately and can be acted upon without delay”, he added.

up every heat and establish each cow’s fertility cycle very accurately so we can pick the best time to AI her to fit in with our timetable. The 24/7 eyes and ears of Silent Herdsman should mean that we can do this fairly quickly.” Further expansion is on the cards and William aims to keep 200 cows to fit with the available grazing area. “We now have the type of cows and the management system that allows us to do this without compromising fertility and production.” l

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F E W

W O R D S

F R O M

R O G E R

E VA N S

Turned off by ‘trendy speak’, award winning columnist and Shropshire-based producer Roger Evans focuses on lameness and cubicle housing improvements instead.

Make or mend? I

’ve recently been to what they call a cattle lameness workshop. I was there on three separate days. It was OK. I don’t like the word ‘workshop’. It’s a sort of trendy word used in this context. Workshops are places where you make or mend things – or lose spanners. We were talking in the pub about how the village is now run by ‘newcomers’. I told them it was their own fault because opting out of all the various committees just gave these people a free run at things. If they didn’t like it they should get involved. They turned it back on me by saying that there was a vacancy on the parish council and why didn’t I put up. I did toy with the idea for a few hours and actually read some stuff about it. Then I read that there was a parish plan for the future ‘tool kit’. I ask you – a tool kit! How could I possibly work with people who talk like that? Far better to spend my time thinking about cows’ feet. Preventing lameness usually includes foot trimming. I don’t see myself trimming feet in the future. I’ve always thought it was a dirty job, you could easily get kicked and I’m too old to get kicked by anything. I’ve watched our foot trimmer in action and he spends most of his time beating our cockerel off with his cattle prod. I don’t think he’s managed to give the cockerel an electric shock yet, because it keeps coming at him. I often pay him when he’s finished and I don’t think I could adjust to his higher standard of living. No, prevention is more my line. You rarely learn a lot of new stuff at these courses but you do remember, and are reminded of, fundamentals. Cows’ feet don’t like slurry (some people call it shit) and concrete. Therefore the ideal place for a cows’ foot is probably on a nice dry turf. So logic tells me that, other than that, we are into damage limitation. I can’t, off hand, think how I can keep my cows off concrete apart from putting them on rubber matting and I don’t think I can afford enough of that to make a difference. But that’s the easy bit. Mats or concrete, how would you stop them messing on it? You couldn’t. So if they are not on turf and they are on concrete and slurry, seems logical to me that the only place they are not on either is when they are lying down. So we are talking straw yards or cubicles. I don’t think straw yards are the answer. They might help lameness, but you would soon find yourself down at a mastitis prevention ‘workshop’. So my efforts are going towards creating an irresistible cubicle bed. The more her feet are off the concrete and out of the slurry the better. Simple! But it’s not. I can work with our kennels, but our old Newton Rigg shed is a different matter. I have to go with the bed lengths we have, but some are against a wall and there’s no lounging room. This is a longer project. I’m not going to build a new shed, I’m going to improve what I’ve got. And I’m going to breed smaller cows to fit them. The Welsh drovers used to shoe cattle for their long journeys. I get enough punctures on our scraper tractor as it is, I don’t need shoe nails about the yard.

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Rod MacBean ƒ A4 Ad_Layout 1 16/04/2012 18:04 Page 1

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19-04-2012 12:09:28

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02/02/2012 08:44 01-03-2012 14:15:15

F R O M

T H E

V E T E R I N A RY J O N

P R A C T I C E

R E A D E R

Vet Jon Reader from Synergy Farm Health in Dorset, which is part of the XL Vet Group, reflects on the implications of lameness on cow health, welfare and productivity. And at this time of year, as cows go out to grass, cases can increase as their hooves are exposed to outdoor conditions.

Sound cows tracks can help to reduce the risk of white line disease

Go with the flow W

hite line disease – an all-too-common cause of lameness – can flare up at turnout due to poorly maintained cow tracks. The white line is an area of weakness as it is the join between the solar and wall horn. This weakness is exacerbated by cows that turn and twist rapidly and a weakened white line is also more prone to damage from stones and other debris. Some sharp stones will penetrate the hoof if the cow is unlucky, even if her hooves are strong. But if you’re seeing a lot of cows with poor mobility or lameness caused by white line disease, then it’s time to take action. Risk factors are poor cow flow. Movement in the collecting yard and in feed and cubicle passageways, as well as parlour exits, can all contribute to creating problems. As can poor cow tracks. Some herds have good walk ways to take them out to pasture, but quite a few don’t. Good track materials include oolitic limestone, concrete, rubber tyres and bark. They should be swept regularly and should also be for herd use only – not for farm traffic. Width is important too – they should be wide enough for cows to pass each other and between 2.5 and three metres wide at least. And cows should be able to amble along at their own pace, not ‘pushed’ by a quad bike or dog. That way, if there are stones on the track, they will carefully pick their way through them. Cow flow in the collecting yard is important too. Key ‘dos’ here are to make sure that there’s at least two square metres of space per cow in the yard and don’t move the backing gate until you’re at least half way through milking.

The encyclopaedia White line disease Cause Separation of the hoof wall and sole. The join is weakened by twisting and turning and more susceptible to trauma from stones and other foreign objects.

Symptoms

Prevention/control

Poor mobility/lame cows.

Diagnosis Lifting the foot is the only way to see exactly what’s causing lameness.

Treatment Early

identification

treatment is vital. Affected hooves should be trimmed using the usual Dutch five-step trimming method. Step four is to take the weight off the affected claw, which usually means using a block. Clinical signs of lameness should ease rapidly following this treatment and the hoof will heal in a month or two.

and

Examine cow flow around the unit – at housing, in the parlour and outside. Consider using rubber matting in critical areas, such as the collecting yard and parlour exits. Almost all parlours have a 90° turn here and sharp twisting can weaken the hoof. Adding Biotin to rations can also help to improve horn condition. Just 20mg/day will do the trick, but it’s not a quick fix. It can take up to six months to see an improvement.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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g r a s s l a n d

Forage failures will damage summer profit margins

Grazing-plan priorities Milk from forage – particularly grazed grass – has declined. And low milk prices mean that cost control and grass has an important role to play in every system. We offer some advice on how to put a plug in the drain on milk from forage. text Allison Matthews

ilk yield has increased by more than 1,000 litres per cow during the past 10 years, as genetics and nutrition have improved. However almost an additional tonne of concentrate has been added to achieve this increase in milk output. “As a consequence milk from forage (MFF) has fallen considerably during the same period,” explains Greenmount College’s senior dairy technologist, Michael Verner. “More and more producers are struggling to rise to the challenge of effectively utilising a grazing platform, which has often not increased proportionally as herd size has grown. As individual cow yields have improved many producers have been reluctant to turn high yielding cows out to grass.”

Four litre advantage For more than a decade the data from 450 dairy units has been collated to produce a clear picture of what is happening at farm level. “This benchmarking data indicates that as MFF increases, margin per cow increases, demonstrating the clear financial benefits of increasing milk from forage,” adds Mr Verner. The variance in figures between the top and the bottom 25% shows a difference in margin of more than £630 per cow, or £75,000 to the average producer. The information coming out of Thompsons’ Milk Manager backs this up. “Producers in the top 25% of the dataset are achieving an extra four litres from forage than the average,” explains Thompsons’ Stephen Agnew. But on a practical level what does this really mean? With a rolling herd average of 8,300 litres, Mark Scott, the manager of Greenmount’s Future Herd explains how it is already enjoying the financial benefits of early grazing.

“A group of 50 cows were selected during mid March yielding less than 27 litres and more than 120 days in milk. These cows were grazed initially for four hours per day rising to 24 hours during a period of between 10 and 14 days. With the excellent weather conditions seen in late March, high yielding cows have also been grazed for four hours per day to help keep grass supply under control and substitute conserved forages.”

Grazing timetable The stage of lactation, yield and pregnancy status must be considered when turn-out plans are made. But, as Mr Scott warns, the plans must not compromise the output of the most productive cows. These have spent a winter consuming concentrates through a combination of TMR and in-parlour feeding. “When these cows are accustomed to spreading their intake over the course of the day, it may prove a better option to continue housing the high yielding cows at night with TMR feeding. This offers both metabolic and financial benefits. “This will allow these cows to utilise grass during the day but still draw out the concentrate feeding and avoid excess acid loading on the rumen. With the high yielding cows at grass for just four hours a day and mid-lactation cows out for half a day, the Future Herd is saving 1.4 tonnes of silage and 165kg of concentrate per day,” adds Mr Scott. As the grazing cycle begins, there are firm plans in place at Greenmount which provide a clear pathway to summer grazing. As Mr Scott explains this includes the goal of having the first rotation of the grazing platform completed, with the grass wedge in place, by April 23.

Michael Verner: “As milk prices struggle, grass is a key linchpin for profit margins”

“This wedge illustrates the grass cover on each paddock and should ideally run evenly from the most recent paddock grazed (1,600kg DM/ha) to the next paddock for grazing (3,200kg DM/ha). After this key date it is important that the rotation stays on track for the rest of the grazing season. “Any paddocks recorded with grass covers greater than the target must be cut and removed from the rotation early. It is also vital that a paddock is taken from the timetable at the time it was due to be grazed, therefore keeping its place in the rotation and avoiding any grass shortage. Decisive action early in the season is essential if the rewards of using grass throughout the year are to be achieved,” he says. The top 25% of benchmarked farms puts a perspective on what potential forage holds, but as Mr Verner concludes there are lots of ways to erode profit margins and producers must keep a keen eye on their own potential. “A reasonable level of output must always be balanced against the costs of production. ‘Bulk-tank watching’ is a distraction from efficient milk production. Grazed grass continues to have the potential to reduce feed costs – provided it is grown and utilised efficiently. Within Northern Ireland all types of milk production system can operate profitably with many smaller family run businesses competing, and at times outperforming, the larger units.” l

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Future herd: grazing high yielders in March has conserved forage levels

Getting to grips with grass From a nutritional point of view, it can be difficult to move from the winter position of knowing exactly how much feed your cows are consuming to a point where you are estimating both intake and quality of grazed grass. Once cows are grazing full time, expect intakes of around 15kgDM per cow per day. At current GrassCheck energy

levels of 11.8MJ/kgDM, this should support maintenance plus 18 litres of milk. Maintenance-plus levels should be regularly reviewed throughout the grazing season to take account of grass supply and quality. Ultimately, to maximise milk from forage, producers should:

• Aim for good yields but not ‘yield’ at any cost. • Maximise the intake of grazed grass in the diet. • Target meal feeding to cows that will respond. • Above all pay attention to detail.

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D AI R Y M A N A G E M E N T N E W S

Top spot for Shropshire herd Gerald Allsop’s Enchmarsh herd, from Church Stretton in Shropshire, has moved into top place in the Holstein herd production rankings in NMR’s Annual Production Report for the year ending September 2011. Moving from eighth place in 2009/10, Mr Allsop’s herd of 84 cows has an average production of 886kg of fat and protein and a milk yield of 11,731kg on twice-a-day milking. Calving interval for the herd is 421 days. In second place is Nick Cobb’s Chalclyffe herd from Dorchester, Dorset. Milked three times a day, his

Gerald Allsop

Better cells

741-cow herd has recorded an average production of 882kg of fat and protein and 12,794kg of milk with a calving interval of 384 days. Pearne Wyatt and Son, from Norfolk, is the top Shorthorn herd and for the third year running Tinker and Sons’ Park Head herd, based inYorkshire, is top of the Ayrshire rankings. Little change was recorded in the Jerseys this year with the Mahon’s Norfolk-based herd still in first place. M & C Cox from Guernsey are top of the Guernsey breed rankings this year and Cumbrian herd from Nerewater Farm is in top place in the Friesian listings. Full results are available on the NMR website

BVD tests get seal of approval NML’s range of tests for the cattle disease Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) has recently gained accreditation from UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Services). Tests on tissue, milk and blood samples are offered to beef and dairy producers from NML’s Glasgow site. These tests meet with the Scottish Government’s requirements specified in the mandatory surveillance phase of the BVD eradication scheme. The deadline for demonstration of BVD status in Scotland comes into force in February 2013. NML’s Tag and Test service is a particularly attractive option for beef and dairy calves. Tags are supplied for new-born calves with a bar-coded vial

attached to the tag applicators. The tissue from the ear is placed in the vial and posted to NML for BVD testing. This test gives full traceability and early results that can be back with the vet or on farm – or both as requested – within five days of the tissue arriving at the lab. For dairy producers, NML’s quarterly bulk milk antibody tests for BVD is beneficial and particularly easy as it is set up to use milk samples already collected on behalf of milk buyers for payment testing. No further sampling is required by producers. More details are on the website www.nationalmilklabs.co.uk

Two sets of data recently published show improvements in somatic cell counts in NMR recorded herds. NMR’s Annual Production Report for the year ending September 2011, which includes all completed lactations in the recording year, shows that overall SCCs dropped for the first time in a decade with the Holstein herd average down by 2,000 cells to 204,000cells/ml. The Montbeliarde’s recorded the lowest SCC at 176,000cells/ml. The latest analysis of all NMR records by VEERU, University of Reading, also shows a fall in SCC. It shows that the average SCC of 6.7 million individual milk samples in 2011 was 210,000 cells/ ml, a reduction of 6,000 cells in 12 months. This data also shows that, for the fourth consecutive year, the proportion of ‘clean’ cows with less than 200,000cells/ml has increased and now stands at 76%. Look for more on the NMR website

Gold-Cup cows in top three Two NMR/RABDF Gold Cup winning herds are leading the NMR 100-tonne list for January and February. North Yorkshire-based producer Geoff Spence’s Miresdale Priscilla 102 achieved 108,147 tonnes of milk in six lactations with a LDY of 31.01kg/day In second place is Nick Cobb’s Chalclyffe Capri Astra VG86, from Dorset. She gave 107,013kg of milk with a LDY of 30.81kg in seven lactations. Back to Geoff Spence’s herd, and in third place is Miresdale Mirabelle 460 with 100,815kg of milk and a LDY of 30.20kg in seven lactations. A full list of 100-tonne cows is published on the NMR website

For more information on NMR products and services contact customer services, 0844 7255567, NMR web address: www.nmr.co.uk, NMR email address: customerservices@nmr.co.uk COW MAN AG E ME N T

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H E A LT H

Vaccination to protect herds from Schmallenberg virus is at least 18 months away

Outlook and action for virus Midge season is just around the corner so what, if anything, can dairy producers do to help protect their stock from the vector-borne Schmallenberg virus? text Rachael Porter

he number of confirmed cases of Schmallenberg disease on UK dairy units is increasing as spring calving progresses. To date the virus has been identified on 238 farms – 25 positive cases have been diagnosed in cattle and 213 in sheep. But this is the legacy of ‘old’ infection – the result of pregnant cows and heifers contracting the disease in late summer or autumn 2011. What can producers do to protect their stock this year, once the vector midges that carry and spread the virus become active again? “Realistically, there’s nothing they can do that will protect their livestock completely,” says the Institute for Animal Health’s Pete Mertens. “Not until a vaccine becomes available.”

Strategy in Australia But Pirbright’s head of the vector-borne disease programme says that there is a strategy that could help reduce the impact that the disease has on livestock fertility and productivity. “There’s a strategy that dairy producers use in Australia to cope with similar vector-borne viruses that affect the unborn foetus. They ensure that cows and heifers that are not protected from the virus – in other words they haven’t already had it – are not in the critical part of their pregnancy during midge season,” he explains. “Older cows with immunity can be in calf, but serving naïve stock is delayed until the midge season ends.” He says that this is something that UK dairy producers could consider, if Schmallenberg takes hold.

But he stresses that no one really knows what’s going to happen in 2012 with regards to the virus. Some scientists say that, best case scenario, the virus may not resurface once temperatures rise and midge activity resumes – they believe it could burn itself out. But more likely, and realistically, is that it will spread across the UK. “Probably north and west of where we’re finding sero-positive herds now and we’ll see fewer cases in the south and east as livestock become immune to the virus,” says Wim van der Poel, research leader at the Central Veterinary Institute, Wageningen University, in the Netherlands. He’s also Professor of Emerging and Zoonotic Viruses at Liverpool University. “Exactly how far it will spread really depends on the type of midge that’s spreading the virus and how fast the virus replicates within the vector, and other factors such as weather conditions. A long, warm summer – like the one we had in 2011 – could certainly see the disease spread more easily.”

More frequent Warmer weather and longer summers could be contributing to other factors and making outbreaks of vector-borne viruses like this more frequent in years to come. To this end, Mr van der Poel says that the focus must be on developing systems to detect them and help scientists, vets and producers stay one step ahead. Professor Mertens stresses that it’s not something that can simply be put down to climate change. “Yes, the warm weather will aid the spread because it

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Crunch time: only as cows calve will producers really know if they were infected with the virus in summer 2011

allows the vector midges to thrive.” His ‘take-home’ message is similar to Mr van der Poel’s: “We might get one virus under control – as we did with Bluetongue and as we hope to do with Schmallenberg – but what’s next? We need to get systems in place to improve how we identify these viruses and stay one step ahead with vaccination.” Vaccination is the only way to protect your herd from this disease – but it’s at least 18 months away. “There are several companies working on a vaccine at the moment but it takes a long time to test vaccines and get all the required licenses and approvals. But we know that vaccinating works. Look at Bluetongue – just two years and it was gone.” But what about now? Could fly-control products help to keep the biting insects away? And what about keeping animals indoors – could that help? “Pour-on products aren’t going to help,” says Professor Mertens. “The fly or midge only dies once it’s bitten a treated animal, so at that point it’s a little too late if it’s carrying a virus. “Keeping pregnant animals indoor could help, but it’s not always practical.

Extremely difficult

Schmallenberg symptoms Schmallenberg virus is a vector-borne disease and clinical signs in cattle include fever, reduced milk yield (up to 50%), loss of appetite and condition and, in some cases, diarrhoea. It is likely that several cows will have the same symptoms during the same time period. Infection in summer 2011 is only apparent now as cows and heifers are

calving and giving birth to dead and severely deformed calves. In newborn ruminants and foetuses, suspect cases are considered to be animals with cases of limb and brain defects, shortening of the hamstrings, deformation of the jaw, or newborns with neurological disorders, paralysis, blindness, exaggerated movements, feeding difficulties and poor balance.

Mr van der Poel agrees that there’s nothing that producers can do. “Controlling the risk to livestock is extremely difficult because it’s not possible to control the midges. “During the Bluetongue outbreak, some producers brought their livestock inside early in the evening, when midge activity levels are typically at their highest. And some said that it helped to reduce the number of infected animals. Scientists, however, were not convinced – the levels were not very significant.” Like Professor Mertens, he says that a strategy to postpone the mating of some animals, so they’re not in the most critical stage of pregnancy (thought to be between three and five months in cattle) when the virus vectors are active, could be something to consider if the virus takes hold in 2012. “But it’s a case of wait and see. I expect that there will be a lot more confirmed cases of Schmallenberg in the UK before the spring and early summer is out – there are a lot of herds yet to calve. “The good news is, unlike Bluetongue, Schmallenberg does not kill adult livestock and they do become immune. And any subsequent pregnancy is likely to have a positive outcome.” l

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20-04-2012 10:36:00

BROWN SWISS

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CCOOW CWO MMW AAN M NAA AGN GEA EMM G EEENM NTTE N OSTC EP TAT OPEBRM EI LR B /E2N R0O12 V 20 E0 M 9 B E R

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05/08/2011 11:46 25-08-2011 13:16:14

B R E E D I N G

Cross-bred cows offer improved fertility, grazing ability and good yields

The best of both worlds

In the second of two articles on cross breeding, we speak to another leading dairy producer who is no longer pure Holstein and find out why he made such a radical change to his herd’s breeding programme. And there’s also news about the introduction of ancestry and performance certificates from NMR. text Rachael Porter

t’s not for everyone, but why do some producers decide to take the cross breeding route after decades of running a pure Holstein herd? Geno UK’s Wes Bluhm says that it’s because, in part, there’s more information about cross breeding out there – from geneticists and breeders alike. “And the fertility issue that many herds are facing just isn’t improving, despite producers’ best efforts.” He says that others are looking for hybrid vigour: “But that’s not the only, or the main, benefit. Producers should be looking beyond that and examining their nutrition, management system and unit. Then they should assess the type of cow that would be best suited to their set up and that should determine their breeding objectives and the breeds they use. “It’s all about longevity, productivity and profitability – that’s what really matters. And if you have these things, the breed or type of cow they’re coming from should really be a side issue.”

Different dairy breeds offer strengths in various areas and this provides herd improvement opportunities. For example, if milk solids are a problem, he suggests Norwegian Red genetics to fertility. “The Norwegian Red breed has selected for health and fertility for close to 40 years and offers proven advantages in this key area.

Other breeds Open your eyes to the possibilities that other breeds can offer – look outside the boundaries of your existing breed. And see if there’s a way that you can have the best of both worlds.” One Cumbria-based producer who has done just that – and has never looked back – is Mark Shadwick. Despite some raised eyebrows along the way he’s extremely happy with the route he’s taken and says his only regret is not trying it sooner. Before the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, Mark’s family was milking the 215-strong Skyhigh pedigree

herd of Holsteins at Dalston. They were devastated when the herd had to be culled, but post FMD they bounced back and restocked with 320 Holsteins. “But, in 2004, when we were focused on producing as much milk as possible, we were finding it a challenge to get the cows back in calf and keep culling rate low. “So, after doing some research, we started to dabble in cross breeding to improve fertility, using Swedish Red bulls.”

Culling rate He says, somewhat modestly, that yields were ‘not too bad’ – they averaged about 9,000 litres. “But we needed a flat production curve because our buyer was paying an extra 1.25ppl for a level supply. Getting cows back in calf was critical. The target was to get 20 cows pregnant each month, which kept the culling rate down to 25%, but we were running about 8% short of that – that’s a lot of milk and a big bonus payment loss, before you even begin to take the other costs into account. So we needed to do something pretty radical.” It was extremely radical. The entire herd, apart from the cross-bred young stock, was sold and the unit began converting to organic status. “We did this to try to command a premium for our milk. And I wasn’t keen on the intensive system that we were running either – we were creaking at the seams,” says Mark. Herd size slowly increased to 200-plus

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cows, using the youngstock and imported Swedish cattle. Yields now average 8,600 litres, an annual total yield of around 1.8 million litres, with the herd grazing for seven months of the year from mid March until early November. “In my view, Holsteins are not suited to any grazing system and I’m extremely happy with the cows that we’re milking now,” says Mark. And who wouldn’t be happy, with a calving interval of 378 days, compared to 428 days for the previous Holstein herd. “That’s a difference of two months and getting cows back in calf is the biggest profit driver on any dairy unit.” Mark is milking more than 100 pure Swedish Reds and about 90 Swedish Red x Holsteins. The former have a calving

I calved 36 in 2008 and 2009 and I’ve only lost two – so 85% will reach their fourth lactation. “Only 35% of the Holsteins would reach that milestone. “Longevity and yield are good, so they significantly out perform the pure Holsteins for total lifetime yield. “I was an enthusiast when it came to Holsteins, to say the least. I still appreciate a good Holstein cow. “But our Holstein herd had reached a point where it simply didn’t suit our set up or system – the cows were just under too much pressure and we needed cows that were easier to manage,” he says. Calving is so much easier, for a start. “And fertility problems are few because the cows get off to a flying start.” l

interval of 365 days and are yielding about 5% less milk than the pure Holsteins and crosses. There are also about 20 three-way crosses in the herd, the result of using some Montbeliarde semen.

Hybrid vigour “I used the Monty sires to try to get some extra hybrid vigour and you lose that if you cross back to Holstein. It’s early days – I’ve only got 15 milking so far.” He’s also used some British Friesian and Holstein Friesian bloodlines. But what he’s really injected back into the herd is passion. He’s enjoying looking after the cows and running the business far more than he used to. “The Swedish Reds are the ones for me.

Certificates will recognise the value of cross-bred cattle Ancestry and performance e-certificates will soon be available for all cows of all breeds, including cross-bred animals, recorded with NMR. Available electronically from NMR’s Herd Companion website, these full-colour certificates include sire, dam and grandparent details plus all lactation records to date. And they can simply be printed off when they’re needed. “The certificates benefit all cows, but particularly cross-bred animals, which to date have not had access to an official ancestry certificate,” says NMR’s Jonathan Davies. “With an increasing number of cross-bred animals now in the national dairy herd it’s important to recognise the strength of breeding coming through. Endorsing information and data with a NMR certificate should also help to add value to these animals.”

NMR Ancestry and Performance MANDY 85

ESTER GL19 3BE

Hartpury House Hartpury GLOUC

Lord HARTPURY COLLEGE FAO Peter Nmr herd number: 05/67627/02

Dam: HAMWOOD MANDY 73 Milk kg -360 PTA 31,655 kg

Line: 111

Maternal Grand Dam: HAMWOOD

Fat kg Milk kg -8.6 -213 Dam: HAMWOOD MANDY 33

MANDY 63 Prot kg -9.6

Prot % 0.00 PTA 3.43

Fat % 0.00 PTA 4.22

Rel % 72 SCC 86

2.6

15.0

126

Paternal Grand Dam: JOCELIENS

PLI Rel % -43 72 MFF Sire: EASTLAND CASH *TL*TV

Fat kg

Milk kg

HBN: 5192001127

Fat kg Milk kg -15.9 -210 SWEET Dam: VT-BORDERLINE C MARK

Lactation details: Lact. number A01 A02 A03 A04

Calving date 25/10/06 18/01/08 12/01/09 31/03/10

Total

Printed on 18/04/12

Prot kg -4.7

Calving interval 0 450 360 443 417

PLI Rel % Prot % -38 99 0.03 PI *TD*TL*TV Sire: ROTHROCK TRADITION LEADMAN

Fat % -0.10

Days in milk 414 313 400 350 369

NMR, Fox Talbot House, Greenways

Fat kg Milk kg -0.7 194 Dam: KED MARK JUSTINE PI

Fat %

Prot %

SCC

13,428 11,824 14,345 12,306

588 632 645 536

436 371 440 382

4.38 5.35 4.50 4.36

3.25 3.14 3.07 3.10

26 87 198 270

51,904

2,402

1,628

4.65

3.14

145

Milk kg

Fat kg Prot kg

, SN15 1BN

Business Park, Bellinger Close, Chippenham

TESKA PI Prot kg

0.13

-0.02

Fat %

Prot %

customerservices@nmr.co.uk

Rel % 99

Rel %

Sire: TESK-HOLM VALIANT ROCKIE

Dam: JUNIPER ROTATE JOCELYN

Paternal Grand Sire: KED JUROR

Maternal Grand Sire: HEVEA

PLI 10

Rel % 70

8 PI ET *TL*TV HBN: 112004260 Sire: ALFRAG JUROR KENDALL kg Prot % Fat % Prot Fat kg Milk kg

PLI -52 4 lactations

UKZ3383/00700

Prot % -0.03

Fat % 0.00

UK344146200669 DOB: 24/07/04

Prot % -0.12

Fat % 0.01

Prot kg 0.5

UK344146300012

HBN: 11218332

Prot kg -11.5 PTA 1,085

Fat kg -13.9 PTA 1,332

HBN: 11218357

MANDY 85

Fat kg 14.2

Milk kg PTA 338

Certificate

PI ET *TD*TL*TV Prot kg 1.3

0844 7255567

HBN: 2124357 Fat % -0.10

Prot % -0.06

PLI PI *TD*TL*TV

PLI Rel % -34 99 *TD*TL*TV Sire: TO-MAR BLACKSTAR PI ET

Line: 111

C O WCMOAWNM AA GN E M A GE EN M T E SNE TP TAEPMR BI LE R2 02 10 20 9

CM03_crossbreeding 2 51

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BREEDING INFORMATION

‘Sunny’ index run for CRV The young genomic tested InSire bulls of today are the proven bulls of tomorrow. The bulls Sunrise and Pilot, who have made a successful transfer in this index

Pilot daughter Grietje 170 Sunrise daughter Grietje 95

run from the list of genomic-tested bulls to the list of proven bulls, are the best examples of this. De Biesheuvel Sunrise (+197 NVI, £184 PLI, Jardin x O Man) is from the highest index cow in the Netherlands and as such was very popular as an InSire bull. He is now fulfilling the great expectations placed on him. He is coming through as the highest new CRV proven bull and improving 12 points NVI compared to his previous genomic breeding value. Sunrise gives high milk +622kg with very high protein +28.8kg +0.10%. He completes his ideal image with beautiful conformation (109 total score) and good management traits (105 calving ease and 103 temperament). His son Diepenhoek Rozello enters the top-20 list of InSire genomic selected young bull with lots of milk and outstanding conformation. Slotbooms Pilot (+186 NVI, £128 PLI, Mascol x Jocko Besne) is the highest newcomer from CRV after Sunrise. Pilot produces heifers with excellent udders (109) and good udder health (105).

Total package When it comes to red-and-white genomic bulls, CRV has many bulls with a total package of features. De Volmer Glorious (+242 NVI, £171 PLI, Nearby x Classic) shows outstanding longevity of 679 days with high milk (+523kg) and great conformation (110 final score). Son of Jerudo, Delta Maicon (+225 NVI, £166 PLI) transfers 476 days longevity, high protein percentage (+0.11%), and excellent conformation (111 final score). Polled and top quality go hand in hand with Veneriete 396 Twist P (£149 PLI, Mitey P x Twister) joining Fasna Asterix P (+198 NVI, £148 PLI, Lawn Boy x Canvas) in the list of InSire red and whites. De Volmer Anemoon 1 (s. Classic), dam of De Volmer Glorious

Top daughter-proven sire Cricket Today’s choice of bull determines which heifers producers will be milking in 2015. And plenty are opting for Ralma O-Man CF Cricket (O Man x Durham) +245 NVI, £119 PLI. The health specialist (111 udder health,

Ralma Christmas Fudge: dam of Cricket and Global cow of the year

–34 SCC, 106 fertility, 109 calving ease) is now the top CRV bull. His breeding power is clearly demonstrated in the CRV genomics list. Both number one and number three on this list are sons of Cricket.

Kodak tops the list Topspeed Kodak (+216 NVI, £146 PLI) is the new number-one redand-white daughter-proven sire. The son of Kevin, Kodak, who is also number one for longevity (+750 days) has fantastic health traits (108 hoof health, 104 udder health) and passes on decent production and is perfectly suited as a maiden heifer bull (111 calving ease). For full details of these daughterproven and genomic-selected young bulls, call Avoncroft for free on 0800 7831880.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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B U L L

P R O O F S

Northern Ireland-bred bull is crowned king of the rankings in the latest proof run

Bally good news! Renowned dairy breeder and NMR/RABDF Gold Cup finalist Willy Ley takes us through the new-look April bull rankings, for both daughter-proven and genomically selected sires. text Rachael Porter Willy Ley

ike a breath of fresh air, is how Willy Ley describes the latest bull proof run. It’s all change at the top and the new genomic ranking makes interesting reading. “This is the most interesting proof run there’s been for a good while – there’s been a bit of a shake up and there are plenty of sound bulls in both lists to pick from,” he says, adding that it’s always good to see a sire that you’ve used on your herd top the ranking. He’s talking about Northern Irelandbred Ballycairn Tiergan, a major success for UK breeding. He’s top of the pile for

all UK and international bulls whose indexes are based on the performance of milking daughters. Ranked on Profitable Lifetime Index, Tiergan scores an impressive £243, up 27 PLI points as he adds 19 daughter lactations to his proof and gains ground for production, fitness and lifespan. Bred by Andrew McCollum from Coleraine, he is the first UK bull to head the PLI list for many years, and is of truly international calibre, being used as a sire of sons around the world. A son of Goldwyn, he is out of the home-bred Ballycairn Garter Tinnie VG87.

The genomic generation The young bull topping the genomic index ranking – Gen-I-Beq Lavaman – is another reason for Willy Ley to be cheerful. “I’ve used some straws. Not a massive amount, but it’s good to see him up there at the top.” A son of Man-O-Man, Lavaman offers the prospect of good production traits (431kg milk with high fat and protein percentages), outstanding health traits and the best calving ease score on the list, so he’ll be an easy bull to use. His PLI is a massive £252. “He is also one of the most fertile bulls I’ve used recently – every straw has produced a calf. Some of that will be down to him being a young bull, but it’s still impressive. And it’s a good ‘side effect’ of using young bulls – it all helps the bottom line,” adds Willy. Lavaman stands ahead of a bull with the same cross (Man-O-Man x Goldwyn) in the shape of Pirolo Solemio). This high type transmitter looks equally solid across the board with good milk, fat, protein and health traits.

Third ranking Ladys-Manor RD Grafeeti (PLI £227) is a son of Badger-Bluff Fanny Freddie, a US Oman son who failed to qualify for UK import. Grafeeti excels for daughter fertility, cell counts and overall type, and is again out of a Goldwyn dam. “If you look down the list, Semex has done well here. Canada has been somewhat conservative in recent years, but these bulls are exciting. “But it’s important not to get carried away. Remember, these are young and unproven bulls and there are no daughters on the ground to look at. But this ranking should give more producers the confidence to have a dabble. “I’ll maintain my careful approach – about a third of the semen in my AI flask is from genomically selected young bulls. But I think sales of this semen will leap forward in the UK following the introduction of this list.”

“I have some cows that are close to calving and I’m hoping for some good heifers. He won’t produce show cows, but he has a ‘no-holes’ proof. He’s good on fat and protein, somatic cell count and lifespan. So I can’t wait to see what his daughters are like,” says Willy. Other major risers in the top 10 are the high type Guarini, another Goldwyn son with a PLI of £229 and transmitting remarkable improvements in cell counts (SCC Index –30); and his full brother Goldfire, who is an exceptional daughter fertility improver (Fertility Index 5.8). “I haven’t used him, but he certainly has a solid proof,” says Willy. But he has used UK-bred Shottle son, Cogent Twist, whose 15 extra lactations see him climbing into the top 10 for the first time. “I have some 12-month-old heifers by him and they’re good heifers. They were born easily too, but they’re big calves.” Twist offers exceptional fat production at 38.9kg, the highest of all the leading PLI bulls.

Huge choice The only complete newcomer to the top 10 is Danillo (Goldwyn x O Man). Willy’s first comment about him is that he has high fat and protein and ‘decent’ life span. Danillo is also the highest type transmitter in the top 10. He has a PLI of £219. “I will have a good look at him and I may even buy a few straws. “In fact there are a lot of bulls in the top 100 with a PLI in the £220 range – we’re being a little spoiled for choice at the moment. When you add the genomic rankings to that, there really are a lot of good and promising sires to choose from. I’m sure a lot of breeders will feel like a kid in a sweet shop this time around.” l

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19-04-2012 09:32:41

243 238 233 229 226 226 226 224 224 219 219 219 217 211 208 206 203 203 202 202 202 202

–21 0.3 –12 0.4 –16 0.4 –30 0.3 –19 0.4 –23 0.2 –25 0.7 –11 0.3 –19 0.3 –11 0.2 –11 0.3 –19 0.3 –6 0.1 –25 0.3 –13 0.1 –8 0.3 –7 –0.1 –21 0.3 –24 0.3 –19 0.3 –10 0.1 –8 0.2

1.8 1.1 1.2 2.8 5.8 3.1 4.7 –0.3 –0.8 –2.5 3.5 3.5 0.1 –2.5 3.6 0.5 0.5 1.4 2.1 5.3 4.2 5.4

1.4 0.5 1.4 1.4 1.7 0.4 2.3 1.9 1.4 0.3 3.1 1.6 2.0 1.0 0.5 2.4 1.8 0.7 0.5 1.9 1.3 1.4

1.28 –0.03 1.29 1.96 2.01 0.8 0.93 1.98 –1.24 1.65 0.22 3.5 1.26 1.15 0.37 1.61 1.26 0.91 1.74 1.39 1.37 1.89

51 55 50 43 41 51 37 54 55 55 47 40 55 49 51 49 59 42 38 38 48 42

udder

+20.6 +0.21 +0.08 +23.7 +0.19 +0.13 +25.2 +0.05 +0.04 +23.9 +0.00 +0.09 +21.3 +0.03 +0.04 +23.5 +0.13 +0.09 +14.5 +0.16 +0.04 +31.7 –0.07 +0.01 +24.4 +0.16 +0.07 +23.6 +0.18 +0.05 +25.5 +0.00 –0.03 +20.2 +0.04 +0.04 +30.7 –0.01 +0.06 +27.2 –0.02 –0.02 +25.9 +0.05 +0.09 +25.9 +0.01 +0.01 +24.8 +0.21 +0.09 +23.6 –0.01 +0.11 +20.7 +0.00 +0.04 +14.4 +0.18 +0.07 +24.6 +0.03 +0.00 +16.6 +0.19 +0.07

F&L

+34.7 +31.7 +30.6 +20.0 +23.8 +29.9 +27.4 +31.6 +35.2 +38.9 +33.6 +24.3 +29.6 +33.2 +27.1 +31.7 +38.1 +17.5 +21.1 +25.6 +32.1 +28.6

dCE

SCC

+444 +406 +668 +505 +544 +488 +357 +953 +561 +608 +860 +529 +781 +884 +571 +782 +531 +455 +538 +269 +750 +332

fertility

£PLI

93 75 82 75 78 79 82 85 70 95 82 78 82 82 78 74 85 75 83 82 78 72

ind.

conformation

lifespan

£PIN

Cogent Bullsemen.com Genus Bullsemen.com Bullsemen.com Viking Genetics Bullsemen.com Dairy Daughters Dovea Cogent Semex Sterling Sires WWS UK Bullsemen.com Avoncroft Genetics Bullsemen.com Alta Bullsemen.com Bullsemen.com Genus Viking Genetics Sterling Sires

protein

Garter Manat O Man O Man O Man Lukas Zade Durham Manat Major BW Marshall O Man Aaron BW Marshall Jesther Lambada Mark Sam Aaron Bret Durham Morty Lancelot

fat%

Goldwyn O Man Buckeye Goldwyn Goldwyn O Man O Man O Man O Man Shottle O Man Goldwyn O Man O Man O Man O Man O Man O Man Mascol O Man O Man Goldwyn

prot. kg

Ballycairn Tiergan Lynbrook Jancen Morningview Levi Guarini Goldfire D Omar Andy ALH Dakota Lynbrook Oman Classic Cogent Twist Mainstream Manifold Danillo Long-Langs Man-O-Man Co-Op Oman Logan Woudhoeve 1042 Impuls Omagic Ufm-Dubs Alta Esquire Omatido Co-Op Bosside Massey Gran-J Oman McCormick D Oblat Gomez

fat kg

mat. grandsire supplier

milk

sire

rel.

name

functional traits

production

1.61 1.66 –0.28 –0.18 0.69 1.09 2.15 2.35 1.10 1.78 0.14 0.50 0.08 0.40 –0.04 0.59 –0.20 –0.62 0.69 1.16 1.05 1.03 2.37 3.13 1.69 1.94 0.19 0.63 –0.04 0.20 –0.66 0.17 0.29 0.69 1.03 1.09 2.35 2.53 1.26 1.63 0.02 0.75 0.79 1.28

Table 1: Top 22 sires available in the UK ranked on PLI (source: DairyCo breeding+ and Holstein UK)

A major climber in the top 10 is Guarini

The only complete newcomer to the top 10 is Danillo

Ayrshire and British Friesian bulls A red bull – Finnish Ayrshire, Asmo Tosikko – has broken the £200 Profitable Lifetime Index barrier for the first time. Weighing in with a PLI of £209, his gains come from extra production and an improvement in daughter Lifespan Index to an impressive 0.4. Also qualifying to rank on the Ayrshire list, the Swedish Red fitness specialist, Gunnarstorp, joins the elite with a PLI of £207. This bull combines an impressive daughter Fertility Index (FI) of

8.2 with a good Lifespan Index (LS) and functional type. The top of the British Friesian rankings remain unchanged with Morcourt Hilton retaining his number-one position with a PLI of £203. Lakemead Randolf stands second with a PLI of £183 and LS of 0.7 while Deangate Tarquin, ranked third,has the best FI of the top three, at 7.1. Gunnarstorp has an impressive daughter Fertility Index

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EVERY SYSTEM HAS ITS OWN BREEDING GOAL Using an automatic milking system requires a specific breeding goal. Therefore, CRV developed an AMS sire guide and ranked the bulls that are most suitable for an automatic milking system. The sire guide contains all breeding traits, but distinguishes through the new ‘AMS ranking’. CRV’s AMS index and AMS sire guide are unique in the world. High ranking CRV AMS index bulls Red & White TWIST P (InSire) ARNOLD FENDER KODAK FIDELITY

AMS index 111 107 106 105 104

Black & White IMPROVER CRICKET BY SURPRISE PERSUADER ATLANTIC (InSire)

AMS index 110 109 109 109 108

www.avoncroft.com

ALL SALES INQUIRIES: FREEPHONE 0800 – 783 1880

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS

Blossoming: a cow enjoying some spring air Picture: Harrie van Leeuwen

April 23-24: May 2: May 10: May 10: May 16-18: May 30-June 2: June 27: June 27-28: June 29-30: July 10-12: July 23-26: September 4-5: October 3: October 16: November 21:

National Herdsmans Conference, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire Dairy Technology Event, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire Grassland UK, Shepton Mallet, Somerset IAgrE Conference, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Balmoral Show 2012, King’s Hall, Belfast (N.Ireland) Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset National Forage Conference, Nantwich, Cheshire Nottingham Feed Conference, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire All Holland Dairy Show, Zwolle (The Netherlands) Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, Powys Livestock 2012 (formerly the Dairy Event), NEC, Birmingham The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen Agriscot, Edinburgh, Scotland

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX C O N TA C T S CowManagement is published eight times per year by CRV Holding BV

Editorial team Chief Editor Jaap van der Knaap Editor Rachael Porter Phone 01394 270587 E-mail rachael.porter@virgin.net Editing, design and production Veeteelt Contributing writers Roger Evans, Allison Matthews, David Matthews, Florus Pellikaan, Jon Reader, Hans Siemes and Karen Wright Publisher Rochus Kingmans

Chief editor’s address P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands Phone 0031 26 38 98 821. Fax 0031 26 38 98 839 E-mail cm.office@crv4all.com internet www.cowmanagement.net

Subscriptions CowManagement is available free of charge to customers of NMR, Avoncroft and Thompsons. If you think you are eligible, please contact: National Milk Records, Customer Services, Skipton Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 4LG. Phone 0870 1622547 E-mail customerservices@NMR.co.uk www.isubscribe.co.uk

ALH-Genetics.............................................57 Alta............................................................18 Ambic.........................................................57 Ancotec......................................................29 Avoncroft/Thompsons................................59 Batchelor Enterprises...................................20 Biotal............................................................7 Boehringer Ingelheim..................................60 Boer Housing Systems, De......................6, 45 Boumatic......................................................6 Cogent.......................................................39 Cow Comfort.............................................57 Cowcare.....................................................38 Cowsfeet....................................................45 CRV............................................................56 Diversey...............................................11, 15 DP Agri...........................................11, 18, 45 EasyFix.......................................................48 EM Organisms..............................................6 Enviro Systems............................................28

Farmplus.....................................................28 Fullwood....................................................35 Future Genetics..........................................48 Harper Adams............................................38 JFC.............................................................18 Lallemand...................................................49 Micron-Bio-Systems....................................52 Nedap........................................................52 NMR............................................................2 Nordic Star.................................................44 RE Buildings................................................18 Semex........................................................42 Shearwell....................................................29 Spinder.......................................................28 Storth.........................................................15 Teemore.....................................................15 Vervaeke....................................................28 Vetoquinol..................................................36 Wilson........................................................28

Advertisements Julia Hughes, NMR. Phone 01249 467224 Willem Gemmink, Froukje Visser P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands, Fax 0031 26 38 98 824 E-mail willem.gemmink@crv4all.com

Illustrations/pictures

COMING UP

M i l k i n g eq u ip m en t sp ecial

Photographs by Veeteelt Photography.

Disclaimer CowManagement does not necessarily share the views expressed by contributors. No responsibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers. No responsibility can be accepted by CRV Holding BV for the opinions expressed by contributors. Whilst every effort is made to obtain reliable and accurate information, liability cannot be accepted for errors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

June (June 5th) – Look out for all our regulars in the next issue, including Roger Evans and ‘Overalls off’, as well as our special on milking parlours and equipment.

Printer Classic Printing Phone 01452 731539 ISSN 1570-5641

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Avon CM Kodak Ad April 12.ai

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Stefanie Buijsman

A long and productive life starts with good udder health!

Kodak daughter Marieke 1

Kodak: For health and high lifetime production If you already have enough work, Kodak daughters are a godsend. Unobtrusive in the herd, striking in production and health traits, Kodak daughters will give a high lifetime production without any additional work.

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Topspeed Kodak (Kevin x Stadel)

PLI ÂŁ146 Longevity 750 days Easy calving 111 Udder Health 104 Somatic Cell Count -11 Hoof Health 108

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UBROLEXIN ® FIRST IN MASTITIS. F O R FA R M E R S T H AT L I V E A N D B R E AT H E I T.

day against one The science ofFrom synergy mastitis Should you and your vet choose to rethink your first-line mastitis therapy, Ubrolexin® should be uppermost in your mind. You can be confident knowing that Ubrolexin® can be used first-line without compromising efficacy1. Ubrolexin® is a 1st generation cephalosporin intramammary tube combined, synergistically, with an aminoglycoside. It’s as effective as a 4th generation intramammary cephalosporin and significantly more effective than a 3rd generation intramammary cephalosporin at treating clinical mastitis1. With mastitis still one of the most common and costly diseases in dairy farming2,3 Ubrolexin® deserves serious thought. Talk to your vet about its place on your farm.

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References: 1. Bradley A.J & Green M.J Journal Dairy Science 2009, 92:1941– 1953. 2. Bradley A.J The Veterinary Journal 2002, 164, 116–128. 3. IAH Disease Facts - Mastitis. http://www.iah.ac.uk/disease/mastitis.shtml Website Accessed 4.2.2011. Advice on the use of Ubrolexin® or other therapies should be sought from your veterinary surgeon. Ubrolexin® contains cefalexin monohydrate and kanamycin monosulphate. Prescription only medicine. Withdraw milk from supply for human consumption for 120 hours after the last Ubrolexin® treatment. Fur ther information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YS, UK. Email: vetmedica.uk@boehringer-ingelheim.com. Date of preparation: Nov 2011 This advertisement is brought to you from Boehringer Ingelheim, manufacturers of Ubrolexin®. Use Medicines Responsibly (www.noah.co.uk/ responsible). AHD 7013

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