Cowmanagement UK september 2014

V O LU M E 12 N O 6 SE PTE MBE R 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

HE A LT H & S A F E T Y

H ERD SIZE

M ILKIN G E QUI PMENT

Reduce the risks of working at height

Small businesses can be a ‘big’ success

Large herds are taking robotic route

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CO NTENT

FEATURES

Cow Talk Overalls off: scuba diving Roger Evans Avoncroft Breeding Information/ Thompsons Nutritional News 37 Business update: milk price 45 NMR Dairy Management News 50 Events and contacts 5 12 18 31

REPORTS

14 Graham’s Dairy processes 100 million kilogrammes of milk 46 The US-based Kellercrest herd has a whopping 56 100-tonne cows MANAGEMENT

20 Update on Scotland’s BVD eradication programme 38 As herds embrace automation, how do we manage more mechanisation?

BREEDING

42 Improving ‘grass to glass’ efficiency

Steve Jones “Expanding to 500 cows is a possibility” 14

Editor Rachael Porter Under pressure

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ilk prices may have taken a dive but, looking on the positive side, cereal prices are low and cull cow and heifer prices remain buoyant. The lower cereal prices have yet to filter through to some units but, come the autumn, they should help to ease the milk-price-squeeze pressure.

Anyway, enough of politics. We’re all about the cows – and the people who manage and milk them.

In our special, we’ve an article on the machines that are milking more and more large herds. We spoke to a herd manager who’s milking his 400-cow herd through six robots. He’s reduced the units labour requirements and staff stress levels and, at the same time, increased milk yields. See page 25 to find out more.

If you still have cow-house maintenance jobs on your ‘to do’ list, have a look at our article on page 32. Falls when working at height are a major cause of serious injury and death on UK farms – there were five fatalities in 2013. So find out what steps, if any, you should be taking to make sure that you, or a member of your staff, don’t become another sad statistic.

On a cheerier note, it seems that herds of all sizes can look forward to a bright future, provided they have a good handle on technical efficiency. We spoke to some leading dairy experts and share their thoughts on page eight.

And Roger Evans shares his thoughts with us on page 18. He’s fresh from another award-presentation ceremony and offers some food for thought – and a little light relief. We all need a bit of that!

Main article Herd size

Special Robotic milking

Management Health and safety

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25

32

Efficiency – not size – is key to minimising risk and maximising success

Automated systems are becoming increasingly popular with large herds

Assessing risk and careful planning are key to safely working at height

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C O W

TA L K

Spray grassland weeds now Warm soils and heavy dews are providing ideal growing conditions for grassland weeds, such as docks and thistles and dandelions, so now is a good time to control them. So says Wynnstay’s Simon Pope.

“Autumn is often overlooked when it comes to spraying weeds in grass fields, but there are actually good reasons for doing it at the end of the season,” he says.

“As day length shortens and perennial weeds move from reproductive to vegetative growth patterns, they switch their internal transport systems around. Instead of moving nutrients up into their leaves, they start pumping them down into their roots to build food stores for winter.

“This means that any translocated herbicide applied now is immediately

carried deep into the root network to affect a good kill.

“It is also a good time to tackle dandelions, which should be sprayed before flowering for best results. Many producers ‘miss the boat’ in spring. But in early autumn dandelions are putting on strong leaf growth, providing an ideal opportunity to spray with a translocated product like Pastor.”

Dr Pope adds that spraying now may also help ease workload next spring.

“The treatment window was unusually long this year, with plenty of time before first cut. But most years this can be just a few weeks. Hitting the weeds now may preclude the need to spray next spring and give silage and grazing swards a clean start to the season – whatever the weather throws at us this winter.”

It is important to follow basic rules to ensure good results. “Essentially producers need to get a lethal dose into the root,” he explains “For this to happen there has to be sufficient leaf area and the plant has to be actively growing.”

Producers face silage intake challenge Getting cows to eat enough silage is likely to be a challenge for many producers, based on the results of the analysis of both first- and second-cut grass and wholecrop silages. Carried out

by Trouw Nutrition GB, the results show that the silages made this year are worse than 2013 and actually poorer quality than the silage made in 2012 – a year characterised by poor milk production during the winter months.

“For grass silages, the picture is one of

lower dry matters and reduced ME levels,” says the company’s Adam Clay.

In the majority of cases, second cut is better than first cut due to a combination of harvesting conditions and the quality of material harvested.

“Many first cuts comprise more mature grass.”

The biggest problem is reduced intake potential across all grass silages, as animals do not produce from ME alone.

He stresses that intake is key to achieving

efficient production and warns that this may be the biggest challenge facing producers this winter.

“The intake factor for first cuts is 12.9% lower than 2013, which means cows will be less enthusiastic about consuming high quantities.

“This, coupled with lower quality, means that milk yield from forage potential will be significantly reduced.

Second cut intake potential is marginally lower than in 2013.”

Top grass mixtures boost yields Producers can increase milk yields by as much as 427 litres per cow per year simply by feeding silage from grass mixtures that are formulated for enhanced nutrition.

“This is particularly relevant as producers look to reduce production costs to help curb some of the effects of the volatile milk price,” says Limagrain’s Ian Misselbrook. He adds that more milk from forage is key and grass seed mixtures, such as the LGAN (Limagrain Genetics Animal Nutrition) mixtures that demonstrate nutritional benefits, have a real role to play.

Trials carried out at the independent

Schothorst Feed Research Institute, in The Netherlands, compared a Limagrain LGAN dual-purpose tetraploid grass seed mixture with a good quality conventional grass mixture fed in a ration with maize, soyabean and rapeseed meal and ground wheat.

Results showed that cows fed on the LGAN grass silage averaged 1.4 litres a day more than cows fed silage produced using a conventional grass seed mixture.

“Feed value was also better,” says Mr Misselbrook. “The digestibility and energy value of the diet improved by 3% and there was a 5% improvement in overall feed efficiency.”

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Efficiency – not size – is key to mini mis

Does herd s The latest figures from DairyCo show that average herd size continued to increase between 2012 and 2013 – from 125 to 126 cows. This compares to an average herd size of 95 cows in 2003. But is bigger always better and can small herds continue to survive? text Rachael Porter

H Big risk: there’s more at stake if things go wrong when managing a large herd

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erds are, undoubtedly, growing larger every year and ‘expansion’ has been the mantra for many producers during the past decade. But, that said, the majority of UK herds – around 6,865 – comprise fewer than 100 cows. Just 6,400 herds have more than 100 cows, so there is a place for smaller herds in today’s dairy industry – and in many cases a position of strength – according to DairyCo’s economic analyst Mark Topliff.

“The data says that any herd size can be efficient and make a good margin,” he says. “It’s all about cost control and, particularly, having a tight handle on

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costs when there’s volatility in the market. And I think that there are many smaller dairy herds that are doing just that and will be in business for many years to come.”

So, it’s efficiency and not size that matters. And if producers want to improve their milk output and bottom line then there are plenty of options to examine and consider before they look at increasing herd size.

“Whatever your herd size, step back and ask: do we need to increase cow numbers? Do we need to increase yields, or do we need to look at the structure of the business or herd facilities and buildings?

“Many units could see improved productivity and profitability if they expand herd size, but the key is to ‘get better’ first”, Mr Topliff adds.

Maximise efficiency “Efficiency is what truly matters – not size,” says Profeed Nutrition Consultancy’ Hefin Richards.

“Greater size and economies of scale are a given. But too many herds expand before ensuring that the management of their existing herd size is spot on.

Maximising efficiency with a smaller herd size will yield extra productivity and profitability and also

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mini mising risk and maximising success

d size matter? provide a firm foundation on which to expand.

Technical efficiency – whatever the size of the herd – is key.”

He adds that herds will continue to get bigger: “Critical mass is important and expansion will continue. But I don’t think there will be a magic herd-size number. I think steady growth with a tight rein on management and wary eye on costs are essential.

“If they’re not technically tight and in a good financial position, larger herds can struggle more than smaller herds at coping with the volatility that the dairy industry is prone to.”

Mr Richards believes that ‘small’ herds and familyrun units are resilient and many will ‘tick along quite nicely’. “The problem comes when there’s a significant change, usually within the family, such as a marriage or succession. Expansion may be necessary if a business is going to be large enough to support two families, for example.

“Sometimes it’s legislation or a lack of continued investment in facilities that can force ‘expand or get out’ decisions. Investing in slurry storage facilities, for example, can be extremely challenging for smaller units. The cost of investment in

Mark Topliff

Hefin Richards

mechanisation can be relatively high and a larger herd is better able to cope with that due to economies of scale.”

Those family run units that do take the expansion route can also run into difficulties with man management.

“Producers shouldn’t underestimate the difficulty in managing people – rather than cows. Producers may be good at communicating with other family members in the business, but dealing with people and staff from outside the family is a skill and one that some have difficulty with.

“This leads to issues with recruiting and retaining

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James Dunn

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finance 100% 80% 60% 40%

producer attitudes

technical performance

20% 0%

forage

facilities

Figure 1: Radar – Promar’s business analysis tool

good staff, as well as slippage in herd management and efficiency,” says Mr Richards.

Economies of scale can also mean that the margin for error is very slim. So expanding producers also need to put management protocols and robust systems in place. “If you’re running an 800-cow herd and things go wrong, they go wrong in a big way. If there’s a 10% drop in milk yield, that can easily equate to £800 a day – that’s about £24,000 a month. We’re talking bigger figures and a bigger risk. The rewards can be bigger, but so can the losses.”

Mark Topliff has data that shows that some large herds are making considerable losses. “There are producers who have

increased cow number to get them out of a financial hole and it’s just not worked.

They’re looking at losses, on average, of around £94,000 per unit. “Smaller herds that are struggling financially tend to make losses of around £50,000. Still a big sum, but the difference is something for producers of all sizes to think about.”

Improving performance Promar’s managing director James Dunn says that to avoid financial difficulties, producers should ‘get better before they get bigger’. “More cows mean more pressure on technical performance, so any problems need to be ironed out before cow numbers are increased. If not, they’re magnified and the production

and profitability repercussions can be enormous.”

Promar has launched a business analysis tool, called Radar, which focuses on five key aspects of the dairy business (see Figure 1).

This serves to highlight where any herd – regardless of size – is on the business ‘radar’ and also shows where improvements can be made. These are finance, forage management, facilities, technical performance, and staff management.

“Producers need to check that they have covered all five points of the radar and, if not, work towards that before they even think about increasing herd size. If they were to expand, they’d probably be pulled back by the limiting factor, be it inadequate cow housing or technical performance. Or there could be stocking rate or staff pressures.”

He adds that producers need to focus on efficiency first – not increasing cow numbers – if they want their business to survive and thrive.

“If they can get performance in those five areas as good as they possibly can then yes, they’re in a position to expand.

“The skill is in making the right decision and in ensuring that costs of production are managed to allow the business to absorb as much volatility in milk prices as possible – whatever your herd size.”

He stresses that producers who do expand should keep a close eye on the five points.

“It’s vital that they don’t lose focus and that they maintain efficiency.” l

Spot on: technical performance must be good before producers even consider expanding cow numbers

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MAYO MATTRESS

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B E D R I J F S R E P O RTA G E

O V E R A L L S

Name: Location: Herd size: Hobby:

O F F

Jay Greenwood Gloucestershire 250 cows Scuba diving

Jay Greenwood: “I love the tranquillity and scenery under water”

Diving deep text Rachael Porter

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and-locked Gloucestershire-based producer Jay Greenwood says that he’s always been fascinated by the ocean and scuba diving was something he’d wanted to try for a long time. So when his marine biologist daughter Bethan said she was going to learn, he saw his chance.

“My son Jamie decided to give it a go too, so we started as a family. That was 10 years ago and I’m still enjoying the sport today,” he says.

Jay dives as often as he can – sadly just twice a year at the moment – and he likes to go abroad if he can squeeze a trip into his farming schedule. “I do prefer diving in warmer water and I’m not keen on diving in the cold here in the UK, if I’m honest.”

Jay says he likes to dive for the scenery and not just for the sake of diving. “Some people will dive, even if there’s zero visibility.

That’s not for me – I like to have something to look at. That’s the attraction for me. I like to escape into another underwater world that most people never get to see first hand.”

Jay started in a local swimming pool in Gloucester, where he completed the theory part of his first diving qualification. He then travelled to Cozumel, in Mexico, to take a practical test and he gained his open water PADI qualification, which allowed him to dive to 18 metres. He’s since taken an advanced certificate and can now go down to 30 metres.

“Cozumel is still one of my most memorable dives – probably because it was one of the first. The vista was amazing and it made a good impression. My passion just grew from there.”

It’s the ocean wildlife that really captures Jay’s imagination.

“I’ve seen sharks, rays, coral, exotic plants and turtles. I’ve even seen sea horses, which are quite difficult to spot as they’re so shy. The blue water and the vibrant colours are like nothing else I’ve seen or experienced. It’s a very relaxing hobby and I find it easy to do, once I’m in the water.”

Jay always dives with a buddy. He prefers to dive in a pair, rather than as part of a large group. “I usually go with Bethan. Too many people can spoil the tranquillity that I so enjoy when I’m 30 metres below.”

Diving has also taken him to Kenya, Turkey, Thailand and Egypt.

“I like diving trips to the Red Sea as it’s relatively inexpensive and it’s not too long a flight,” he says, adding that he usually takes his own mask and fins and hires the rest of the scuba diving kit when he gets there. “Yes, it’s an expensive hobby. But I think it’s well worth every penny and when I do go abroad and dive I savour every moment.”

Jay is off to dive in Madagascar in October. “My daughter’s on a work placement there, so we’ll go diving together and I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve not had a day off since I went to Thailand in 2013, so I think I’ve earned this trip.”

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R E P O RT

Scotland-based unit processes 100 million kilogrammes of milk every year

Robert Graham Robert Graham runs Graham’s Dairy, a Scottish family company that milks cows and processes dairy products.

The creamy and tasty milk from its Jersey herd is a bestseller.

Jerseys – our crown jewels Milk from Graham’s Dairy’s Jersey herd forms the basis of the successful dairy products processed at the farm. Farm manager Steve Jones is gradually expanding herd size and making

Boquhan

significant changes to herd breeding and management. text Guy Nantier

Great-Britain

Herd size: Average yield: Farm size: Dairy products:

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270 Jerseys 5,700kg 6.0% fat 4.1% protein 200 hectares milk, butter, cheese, yoghurt, and ice cream

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t’s six o’clock in the morning and the first girls at Graham’s Dairy are being milked in the unit’s 2:8 herringbone parlour. It take two members of staff

three hours to milk the 270-cow Jersey herd. Farm manager Steve Jones keeps a close eye on proceedings.

Steve is well-known in Jersey circles and

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Farm manager Steve Jones: “Expanding the Existing facilities: it takes three hours to milk the herd to 500 Jerseys is possible” herd through a herringbone parlour

Silage clamp: up to 3,500 tonnes of grass silage can be stored here

returning to Graham’s Dairy, which is based in Boquhan near Stirling, was a bit of a homecoming for him. He actually worked here between 1991 and 1998.

“Then I moved to Canada to work on large Jersey farms. The owner asked me to come back in order to take a critical look at the farm management in Boquhan.”

And the conclusion of his investigations?

“The milking parlour, the cow house with 250 cow cubicles, the central service pen and muck scraper had all had their day. I haven’t entirely finished the calculations, but I reckon that expanding the herd to 500 Jerseys is possible, in a new cow house

eight Ayrshire and British Holsteins on 50 hectares. He established his own doorstep milk delivery round and in the 1960s he was the first producer in Scotland to introduce the milk pasteurisation process.

With the arrival of his son Robert on the farm, and the increasing demand for pasteurised milk at the beginning of the 1970s, the dairy processing gradually expanded. In 1998 they obtained the first supply contract with a supermarket.

“Graham’s Dairy now processes 100 million kilogrammes of milk each year from around 100 herds, mainly Holstein,” explains Robert Graham.

with six or seven robots. Jersey cows readily accept robotic milking,” he says.

Steve is also convinced that robotic milking offers a cow-comfort bonus.

‘With robotic milking the cows are milked at their own rate. In addition to producing more milk through extra milking it also produces ‘healthier’ milk. Our current somatic cell count is much too high.”

Family history Graham’s Dairy is owned by the wellknown Graham family. Dairying is in the family’s blood. Grandfather Robert Graham founded the herd in 1939 with

Improving yields: the Jersey herd’s average has to increase to 9,000kg

Consumer preference “We have a wide range of products including the ‘fresh’ butter dishes – not chilled butter like our competitors – which is unique and is very much in demand in the UK. The consumers are returning to their former eating habits and prefer butter and healthy fats to margarine.’

The high points for the business, and its success in enterprise and innovation, can no longer just be counted on the fingers of one hand. In June the farm received another three awards for ‘Food and Drink Excellence’. In 2014 Graham’s Dairy entered into collaboration with the Artisan Roast coffee house. “Coffee and creamy milk go well together,” says Robert, referring to the expansion of the business’ activities and its collaborations.

The Jersey herd – which has grown from just 20 cows that originated from the Queen’s Windsor herd – arrived at the dairy farm in 1988. “And they have stayed,” says Robert. “Not only are Jerseys nice to look at, but they are also intelligent, have a pleasant nature and, owing to their light weight, are very well suited to grazing the grassland here from early spring until late autumn.

“But, above all, the Jerseys form the basis of our Graham’s Gold milk

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Calf value: cross-bred (Belgian blue x Jersey) calves sell for £140

products of which the creamy and tasty milk, the Gold Top, is a bestseller. The Jerseys really are our crown jewels.”

In anticipation of future herd expansion plans, Steve is not sitting still. The herd’s average yield is 5,700kg of milk with 6.0% fat and 4.1% protein.

The basic TMR ration for herd comprises grass silage, wholecrop wheat, wheat straw, concentrate, distillers’ grains, minerals and molasses. This provides for maintenance plus 15 litres of milk.

For every extra litre, cows are fed 0.42kg of additional concentrate through the parlour.

Balanced breeding Steve’s breeding programme focuses on a balance between production and functional type and milk quality.

‘The previous farm manager muddled through, if I am allowed to say that,” says Steve. “I am looking for an average of 9,000 litres of milk per cow with ‘the

bones in the right place’ and good claw health.”

He also wants to gain some ground on butterfat. “The quota system meant that there was little focus on butterfat selection,” says Steve, adding that he has recently purchased a Canadian Jersey, from three generations of cows producing 10,000kg of milk with 7% fat. “Creamy milk is the future for a dairy processor like Graham’s Dairy.

“It can always bring down the high fat content in the milk in the factory, if desired. But the creamy milk of Jerseys also has a high protein content. And that is important in dairy products for children and older people.”

Steve uses Belgian Blue sires on the lower genetic merit Jerseys in the herd.

“I chose Belgian Blue sires as they have, on average, a five day shorter pregnancy than Angus and they are also easy calving.

The resultant calves are sold at four weeks old for around £140.”

Old housing: the shed at Graham’s Dairy is 40 years old

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Tasty: the business won three Food and Drink Excellence Awards in 2014

Steve has also introduced an automatic calf milk feeder and calf jackets. The coats allow the calves to maintain their body temperature at the right level more easily.

Milk recording “Canadian studies have shown that at minus 10°C a calf uses 25% more energy and, therefore, loses condition and growth. “It does freeze here but not to minus 10°C, but at just £20 per calf coat you are never going to be caught out.”

Steve also took the decision to change milk management organisation and switched to NMR. “This organisation records more information and provides more data that allows us to take greater control of milk production. We can also link it all to our computerised management programme,” he adds. Things will change at Boquhan with Steve Jones, there can be no doubt about that. l

Cosy calf: more energy is converted into growth and condition

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Award-winning columnist and Shropshire-based dairy producer Roger Evans says that volatility is biting hard but, on the plus side, he has a good pile of chicken muck to hand.

Digging deep I

n autumn 2013 I was speaking at a dinner – I spoke at several dinners come to think of it – and I tried to put across a serious message, among all the nonsense, about volatility. Dairy producers, I said, could expect milk price volatility in the years ahead. Reasons included the variable world trade in dairy products, fluctuating supply and demand, and the end of milk quotas in Europe.

Experts have been banging on about it for years. But my audience didn’t seem to be too concerned, probably because deep down we are all optimists. You have to be something of an optimist to be a dairy producer – how else would you cope with what life has to throw at you? Twelve months ago there were people predicting the hardest winter for years and look what happened. The experts were predicting three-year cycles of volatility. Like my audience, I thought that that would mean one year good, followed by six months of decline, then one bad year followed by six months of things improving again.

Then the optimism would kick in and we would remember all those predictions about world population growth and the aspirations of people in Asia, for example, to have a better diet. So deep down we have assumed that the good part of the cycle would be very good and the bad would be not so bad at all.

Here we are, fewer than 12 months on from that after-dinner speech, and volatility is biting us hard in the backside. So what’s all that got to do with cow management? If we are to survive and flourish then it’s got everything to do with it. I could use a lot analogies here – like ‘battening down the hatches’ and ‘weathering the storm’. But I’m not sure that will do it. I actually think that we all need to address our costs and to keep them as low as we possibly can. I know it’s easy to say that, but it will have to be a given. It’s no good having low costs in the bad times and taking your foot off the brake in the good.

We will have to keep costs low so that we can always make a margin at low points in the cycle. That will put us ahead of the game, which is where we have to be. And, quite simply, because the one sure thing with volatility is that you never know when it will turn up.

We will have to take opportunities to cut costs where we can. We had 50-odd tonnes of winter barley in the shed. Low cereal prices haven’t filtered through into compound prices yet because compounds have not yet used up all the expensive cereals they bought a few months ago. So we’ve put 20 tonnes through a mobile mill and mixer and turned it into a ration for the cows that will be fed in the parlour and will probably last them for two months.

We’ve sold the rest of the barley, but we will do the same with our wheat if there is a good saving to be had. Like most people, we’ve harvested good crops of grass so far and still have third cut silage to do as I’m writing this. In the past we spread a nitrogen/potash compound fertiliser prior to third cut. This year we have used chicken muck.

We’ll have to leave it a bit longer and the grass has headed, but the clover looks brilliant. It’s always handy to have a pile of chicken muck.

It will be a bad day if I can’t get my hands on some of it.

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H E A LT H

Producers warned not to sit back and wait for legislation as BVD control initiatives head south

Scots advance on BVD controls

From January 2014 it was illegal to knowingly sell a BVD persistently infected (PI) animal in Scotland. More controls are expected in 2015. One producer discusses how he is gearing up to the new legislation, Scotland’s chief veterinary officer reflects on progress to date and a leading vet advises those further south to monitor the disease regardless of other measures already in place. text Karen Wright

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he Wilson family from Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire, south west Scotland, wanted to officially confirm the Bovine Virus Diarrhoea (BVD) status of their 2,000-cow milking herd and 3,000 youngstock. A family partnership, brothers Andrew and Peter share responsibilities with their father Ronald.

“We’d been vaccinating for 20 years and had little reason to suspect any problems,” says Andrew “But we did want to make sure, moving forward, that we were not only protecting herd health as well as we could but that we were also in a position to trade any surplus heifers.”

As a result, all milking and in-calf

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animals were blood tested and they purchased 3,000 Nordic Star tag-and-test button tags for youngstock via the XL Vet Check Tag service.

Results in two days “This was a far better system for calves and young heifers,” adds Andrew. “We tag and test in batches of 300 – a day every month approximately. It’s quick, easy and is far less stressful for the animal than blood testing.”

Tissue samples are then sent to the NML lab at Hillington for BVD antibody testing with results back on farm and to the vet within 48 hours.

While the blood tests from the herd were

negative, four positives were detected in the youngstock. “We blood tested these and found the results were 100% accurate. We took them out of the herd immediately,” says Andrew.

The next step on Mayfield Farm is to tag and test calves born from in-calf heifers at the time of blood testing. If all these are clear then the Wilsons will just need to randomly test 10 calves a year. And if these remain clear of BVD antibodies then no further BVD screening will be required.

“We will maintain our biosecurity by making sure we buy any cattle from reliable sources and testing them on arrival, plus sticking to our vaccination programme. We are just about ready for the 2015 legislation should we want to sell any youngstock. It is good to know our BVD status properly and be ahead of the game,” adds Andrew.

And the Wilsons preparations are typical of a number of the country’s cattle producers, according to Scotland’s chief veterinary officer, Sheila Voas. “We believe that almost all, if not all, herds required to test have now tested and for any that have not, their animals are ‘restricted’.

“The Scottish Government has committed to supporting an ambitious industry-led scheme to eradicate BVD

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Vaccination for BVD may not be water-tight

from Scotland. In 2009 a baseline study suggested that around 40% of the country’s herds had been exposed to BVD, and it had between 2,000 and 4,000 PI animals. This really prompted the government to implement a phased BVD eradication programme.”

Phase one, which began in late 2010, was a subsidised voluntary screening for BVD followed by Phase two, where mandatory screening requiring all herds in Scotland to test for BVD by February 2013 and annually thereafter.

“In January 2014 we introduced control measures where PI animals and animals from untested herds became ‘restricted’ and herds had to declare their status at the point of sale,” adds Ms Voas.”

Andrew Wilson: “It’s good to know the BVD status of our herd and be ahead of the game”

Neil Howie: “All producers should monitor BVD in their herds”

“As a result of producer, vet and wider industry engagement in the eradication of this costly disease, the scheme is making good progress. The most recent analysis of the results show that only 18% of Scottish breeding herds are now classed as ‘not negative’, which means they show exposure to BVD. “However this analysis has also revealed that there are specific challenges in tackling BVD within the dairy sector. As it stands, only 13% of beef herds are ‘not negative’ while 50% of dairy herds are classified as showing exposure to the virus. In order to progress the eradication of the disease further, phase four will be introduced in 2015. This will include measures, such as movement restrictions on herds that show exposure to BVD.”

of the vaccination programme, producers should monitor the disease. This is essential to establish protection from vaccine, which may not be as ‘watertight’ as producers think, or from other measures used in keeping the herd BVD-free.”

HerdCheck is best described as a ‘belt and braces’ approach to BVD control. It includes: blood tests, for beef and dairy and mixed herds; Tag and Test, which is ideal for youngstock as well as adult animals; and an antibody ELISA test and a BVD virus test using PCR technology on milk samples for dairy cows.

Crusade south Dairy vet Neil Howie has helped NMR develop its CHeCS approved HerdCheck scheme for BVD and has worked with the NFUS, DairyCo, vets and processors to encourage producers to take action.

“BVD control initiatives at a national level will progress south and producers in England and Wales shouldn’t wait.

Certainly those trading cattle across the border are already obliged to meet Scottish regulations,” says Mr Howie.

“But regardless of location and regardless

Tag and Test is a quick, easy and less stressful way of detecting PI’s in young animals

Improved picture “Producers – working with their vets – can select the test or combination of tests that best suits their situation,” adds Mr Howie.

“The two milk tests complement each other. Combined results monitor protective antibodies – that can be present due to infection or from vaccination – and pinpoint virus in the herd. This gives a more informative picture, especially in vaccinated herds.”

Ideally this bulk milk test, which draws on samples collected by milk buyers for payment testing and held by NML, is carried out quarterly and the results give a risk level with ‘red’ indicating one or more positive results and an active or recent infection, and ‘green’ for herds with enough negative results to indicate that the herd is not affected by active BVD infection.

All HerdCheck tests carried out on milk and bloods and results from Tag and Test are reported by email, fax or via NMR Herd Companion. Results highlight where further investigation is required such as the presence of PI animals that need identifying. “The key to addressing BVD is tackling the problem quickly, as soon as it is identified,” he adds. l

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Robotic milking: automated systems are becoming increasingly popular with larger herds. Page 26

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Automated systems are taking the pain out of sourcing and retaining reliable milking staff

Robotic solution to large-herd labour crisis Robotic milking systems are no longer the preserve of the smaller, compact herd. More and more large herds – some with as many as 2,500 cows – are taking the plunge and investing in automatic milking systems. We spoke to two leading robotic milking experts and a producer to find out. text Rachael Porter

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t makes sense really, with skilled and reliable labour increasingly difficult to find and retain. And it seems that the scarcity of labour is the main reason why many large herds are opting for the robotic option, rather than rotaries and rapid exit parlours, according to DeLaval’s Kieran Fitzgerald.

“Among our larger-herd customers limited labour is often the driving – and deciding – factor. Not only are they

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Robot revolution for rotaries Another milking solution that DeLaval is offering to customers abroad is the AMR – an automatic milking rotary. Basically, this is a robot that milks cows through a rotary and so far there are systems on units in Sweden, Australia and Germany.

The system, which is not yet available in the UK, is a cost effective option for herds above 600 cows. “Below that and the more ‘traditional’ robotic system is more suitable,” says the company’s Kieran Fitzgerald.

The company markets a robotic rotary system: “And producer feedback and experiences in the countries with the system is very good so far. UK producers are still getting to grips with the standard voluntary milking system, so we believe that it’s a case of one step at a time.”

Robotic rotary: systems are working in Germany, Sweden and Australia

struggling to source reliable labour, but the cost of labour can also be considerable.

With some large herds – say 600-head or more – milking through a conventional rotary can become a 24-hour job. They’d typically need at least eight staff to cover three milkings a day. That compares to just two or three staff to manage the herd if a robotic system is in place. So there are labour savings to be made, not to mention the reduction in hassle and stress if milking staff are unreliable.”

The largest DeLaval voluntary milking system (VMS) in the UK has six units and is milking 300 cows. Looking to Europe, there’s a German herd with 18 units and in Russia there is a 33-unit installation.

This is expanding to 49, which will make it the largest fully automated dairy set up in the country. In New Zealand there’s a herd that’s milked using 24 robotic units and in the US there’s a unit with 20 robots and plans for expansion. “We say 60 cows can be milked by each robot unit – that’s our benchmark,” says Mr Fitzgerald.

He adds that fewer than 5% of UK herds are milked through robotic systems – this compares to more than 30% in The Netherlands and Denmark. “The smaller average herd size in these countries – and the fact that many producers are ‘part-time’ dairy producers – has accelerated the adoption of the technology. But the UK is catching up as more and more producers – with a

wide range of herd sizes – recognise the benefits that robotic milk has to offer.”

Herd manager David Hastings knows first hand all about the benefits of robotic milking. He runs Andrew Griffith’s 400cow pedigree herd, based at Bulls Green Farm near Nantwich, which is milked through six Lely robots.

“We installed the first three robots 12 months ago,” explains Mr Hastings.

“We’d started milking the higher yielding half of the herd three times a day and milking staff were letting us down. It was costing the business money and we were working longer and longer hours. So a robotic system – one large enough to milk just half of the herd – was the ideal solution.”

The other half of the herd continued to be milked twice a day through the unit’s existing conventional 24:48 swing-over parlour. But when cows from the higher yielding group were moved to the lower yielding as their lactation progressed, there was a significant – and undesirable – drop in milk yield.

“That was the clincher, along with the staffing issues, that led us to install a further three robots in May. And now all the cows are milked through robots, visiting the units an average of 3.4 times a day.”

The labour requirement on the farm has fallen from five full-time staff and six relief milkers to just three full-time and one part-time member of staff.

The conventional parlour has gone – it’s been sold. There are now eight secondhand milking units in its place to milk freshly calved cows for two days, before they join the milking herd.

Today, the herd’s average milk yield is around 10,500 litres, at 3.9% butterfat and 3.07% protein, compared to between 8,500 and 9,000 litres a year ago. “The robots were installed in the existing cow housing. We have two cubicles sheds, each with space for 172 cows, and there are three robots in each one. And we’re extremely pleased with our new set up,” adds Mr Hastings.

Serious consideration So the system is working for Mr Hastings, but robotic milking is not for everyone – some large units are better suited to rotary or rapid-exit parlours. “It’s always a case of individual preference too, but we do find that ‘seeing is believing’,” says Lely’s Bas van Santen. “If we take producers, who are looking to upgrade their parlours, to see one of our large herds milking through 21 robots in Germany they tend to come home pretty convinced that it’s the way to go.”

Mr van Santen says that there’s been a surge in the number of large herds taking the robotic milk route and that he thinks it will continue to grow as more and more producers give it a serious – and closer – look.

Lely’s largest robotic set up has seven

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units and is about to install an eighth.

In Scotland there’s a herd with five units that’s now expanding to 10.

And there are several large herds in Germany with the company’s robotic milking system in place.

One German dairy unit is set to install 44 robots, to milk 2,500 cows, in 2015. Installation at Osterland Agrar, in Frohburg, will start in October and continue until June 2015.

Mr van Santen says that there are not just the obvious labour saving benefits to be had – there’s much more to it than that. “For example, if you have automatic segregation, on a timer, you can get the robotic system to single out and direct cows to a holding pen ready for the vet or AI man to look at first thing in the morning. There’s no need to wander through the cows, sorting out the ones you need. This saves time, hassle and stress – on staff and the cows.”

It all depends on what the producer wants to do. “Do they just want to

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milk cows, or do they want to manage them too? Automatic milking systems do much more than just milk. They have the technology to help to improve the health of the cow too.

Optimum number “Up to four different types of concentrate can be fed through the robot, as can liquid feed. Early mastitis detection comes as standard, with the inclusion of a sensor for milk conductivity and temperature. There’s also a somatic cell count option, which can band cows according to their score and flag up any cows that need attention.”

Just how many robots are needed to milk a herd depends on the cows being milked.

“Breed of cow and milking speed plays a role here,” says Mr van Santen. “A robot unit can complete between 150 and 180 milking a day, producing as much as 2,500kg per day but typically around 1,800kg. So it’s important not to guess how many robot units are required and to look at the individual herd.

“In theory, a unit should be able to milk

60 cows, but if they’re to be milked three times a day and they’re slow milkers then this is not possible. If cows milk at a rate of 3kg/minute, that’s 1,200kg per day for the robot. If they milk more slowly at a rate of 2kg/minute then one robot won’t be enough. It’s important that you do your research and any robotic milking system supplier worth their salt will look at these figures and work out how many units you need to milk your herd.”

If the calculations are correct and the optimum number of robots are installed, most producers can look forward to an 18% increase in milk yield during the first 12 months post installation, according to Lely’s calculations.

“I’m always surprised at how few large herds are milking three times a day, but then with labour constraints it’s hardly surprising. So installing a robotic system and increasing milking frequency has considerable additional milk yield benefits, as well as the obvious labour saving ones. That’s true whatever the herd size.” l

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BREEDING INFORMATION

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Cricket is available priced at £10 a straw or £8 for more than 50 straws. Sexed Cricket semen is available priced at £19 per straw.

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his daughters have the right ‘equipment’ to achieve a high lifetime production.

Windstar is available priced at £15 a straw or £8 for more than 50 straws.

Sexed Windstar semen is available priced at £19 per straw.

For more information about ‘Fertility Packages’ call CRV Avoncroft for free on 0800 7831880

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Assessing risk and careful planning are key to safety when working at height

One false step...

There are some jobs on a dairy unit that should never be rushed – and perhaps not even attempted at all without calling in a competent contractor. Fixing a broken cow-house roof light is typically one of them. Read on to find out more. text Rachael Porter

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alling from height is a major cause of life-changing injury or death on farms and the latest statistics, released by the HSE, show that five people died on farms as a result of a fall in 2013.

“Four of those who died fell through a fragile roof or roof light,” says Alastair Mitchell, one of the Health and Safety Executive’s agricultural inspectors. Many roofs are covered in asbestos cement sheets and these are not strong enough

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spot in poor light, or if they’ve covered in moss or algae. He says that some producers think it’s safe to walk along the line of the roofing bolts where the sheets are attached to the purlins.

“But that’s like walking a tight rope and it’s easy to accidentally slip, or take a step either side, onto the fragile surface.”

Take precautions to support a person’s weight. And Mr Mitchell says that a good starting point is to assume that all roofs are fragile.

“Unless you know, for certain, otherwise.

Old and new buildings alike have fragile roofs and there is a requirement to display signs on the sides of buildings with fragile roofs to warn people about that fact,” he adds.

Roof lights are also fragile, with the added problem that they’re not always easy to

Any access across a fragile surface, or work on it, will require precautions against falls. “Gone are the days when you could rely on a couple of crawling boards alone. If you have to be up on the roof you need to take suitable precautions against falls – and that means that for most jobs proprietary work platforms, with guard rails and toe boards, will be required.”

At this time of year many producers’ thoughts will be turning to those lastminute repairs to cow housing and

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Fragile roofs: asbestos cement sheets and roof lights are not strong enough to support a person’s weight

Hazard warning: displaying signs on buildings with fragile roofs is a requirement

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clearing guttering and down pipes before the winter.

“Ask yourself if you really need to go up on the roof to carry out maintenance or repair work. Is there another way? And, if not, how can you do it safely?”

For example, hiring a mobile tower scaffold may be just the thing for safely clearing gutters. Or perhaps a mobile elevating platform or ‘cherry picker’ would be better suited to the job? The cost of buying or hiring the equipment can always be shared with a neighbour.

“If you are considering a working platform with a guard rail for your telehandler – also known as a ‘man cage’ – be aware that the equipment being used has to comply with HSE requirements.”

He refers producers to HSE guidance note PM28 – a document that outlines the specifications for both the platform and the lift truck that’s being used. “So read that first, if you’re thinking of buying or using one.”

Mr Mitchell stresses that it is not safe or legal to use a grain bucket or other attachment as a platform when working at height. “Many people have been seriously injured or killed using equipment on a lift truck that was unsuitable for the job. Pallet tines, wooden boxes, shear grabs, muck forks or buckets must never be used, either as a means of gaining access or as a working platform.”

Assess risk “Whatever you’re doing, when you’re working at height there’s a high risk of serious injury or death, so it’s vital that the job’s done safely. That means that producers need to assess the risks involved and plan the job carefully. The repair or maintenance task itself may be small, but you should nevertheless invest sufficient time into planning it correctly. If not, it could cost you your life.”

It’s not the ‘height’ or drop that’s the problem either. Just falling a short distance can result in serious injury or

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death. “We’ve had people who’ve fallen a short distance but have landed on their head or fallen awkwardly. Cattle yards are concrete and there are also metal structures – such as gates, pens, troughs or stored equipment – which can easily cause serious or fatal injury if people fall on them, even if it’s just from a couple of metres,” says Mr Mitchell. He recalls one man who fell from the second rung of a ladder and died as a result of his injuries.

This unfortunate man fell backwards when both feet slipped from the rung and he hit the back of his head on a concrete floor and fractured his skull. “The ladder slipped, because it wasn’t secured, and he lost his balance and his life.”

Ladder safety Ladders are another area of concern on many units. “A ladder may be acceptable for certain short-duration low-risk jobs, but it needs to be maintained in good condition, not damaged, twisted or with rungs missing. HSE recommends British Standard (BS) Class 1 ‘Industrial’ or BS EN 131 ladders for use at work “As an inspector, I’ve seen some truly awful ‘home-made’ ladders with rungs missing or replaced with pieces of wood nailed into place. There have been plenty of ladders that I have refused to climb and had taken out of use.”

He recalls a fatality that he investigated on a livestock farm involving a fall from a ladder. During the investigation the ladder was found to be in extremely poor condition and not fit for use. “The ladder had failed dramatically. One of the wooden stiles to which the rungs were attached had split from the base up and as the ladder fell apart it toppled over and the man fell onto a concrete yard floor. He died from his injuries.”

Ladders should be set up at the correct angle of 75 degrees – use the one in four rule, that’s one unit out for every four units up – and make sure the ladder is tied or secured near the top to prevent movement. If this is not possible have

someone ‘foot’ the ladder at the bottom to stop it moving when it’s in use.

Alternatively a ladder stability device can be used.

He says that ladders can be used safely for some jobs but, as with roof work, careful planning and assessing the risks should help you decide if using a ladder is the safest option. For example, using a power washer on a ladder to clean down feed bins would not be considered safe. The recoil from a power washer can easily throw you off a ladder, so again a work platform or scaffold are more suitable options to use in this situation.

Considering the risks involved, or if you’re simply not comfortable with working at height it’s often best to employ a contractor for such jobs – Mr Mitchell points that producers also have responsibilities for health and safety here too.

“Discuss with them any risks involved in the job you’ve asked them to do. It’s your responsibility to ensure that they are aware of any fragile roofs and tell them about other hazards and risks around the farm that may be relevant.

“You may need to warn them about hazardous areas including the location of overhead power lines and slurry pits. It’s also important to check that they are competent to do the job. Have they had training for working at height? Do they have the necessary equipment needed to carry out the job safely?

“Make sure that you’re reasonably confident that they know what they’re doing and how to do it safely,” he adds.

As far as working at height is concerned, if things go wrong you rarely get a second chance. One false step can all too easily end in disaster. So think ahead, use the right equipment and stay safe – your life and livelihood may depend on it. l To find out more about assessing risk and carrying out work at height safely, visit: http:// www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/topics/falls.htm

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Russian roulette

Global events and good weather are behind milk price crash

China, Putin and the weather are all to blame for the devastating crash in milk price. But there is some hope on the horizon. text Rachael Porter

T

he recent milk price crash has left many producers – and dairy businesses – reeling.

First Milk customers are looking at a milk price of just 25ppl as of October – a significant fall of 7ppl from 32ppl virtually overnight. “That’s the worst drop I’ve seen so far and it’s truly devastating for even the most efficient business,” says The Farm Consultancy Group’s Charles Holt.

So, what’s behind this dramatic and sudden drop in milk price? There are three factors that have contributed to a ‘glut’ of milk and dairy products on the market, with supply swamping demand and an inevitable price drop.

China crisis “Firstly, China has ‘over bought’ by several months and has a surplus of dairy produce. So demand here has fallen sharply,” explains Mr Holt. “This has been compounded by Russian president Putin’s ban on dairy imports from the EU. The EU exported €1.3bn worth of dairy produce to Russia in 2013 – around 220,000 tonnes. About half of this was cheese. “And only a fraction of that came from the UK – it mainly comes from Eastern Europe. But it does have a significant knock-on effect for the UK market.”

In the UK there’s, roughly, a 50:50 split between liquid milk and produce including cheese, butter and powder. “So the UK is, indeed, very much at the mercy of the global market. We’ve seen a typical market reaction to world events.”

Global milk production has also been very strong during the past 12 months. “The weather has been good for grass and milk production in the UK – and across the rest of the world.

And this has exacerbated the problem, flooding the market with even more milk and dairy products.”

It’s all there to see on Fonterra’s global auction site. “Bids have dropped substantially, because there’s so much milk around.”

Just as it’s difficult to predict the weather – or, for that matter, what Putin’s next move will be – it’s equally hard to know what will happen next with milk price. The big question is: how long will the surplus supply and price squeeze continue?

Russian rumours “No one can really say,” says Mr Holt.

“But there are glimmers of hope in what continues to be a volatile time for the dairy market.”

The Russian situation, for example could be resolved quite quickly. “Rumours are that Russia is struggling to source dairy produce from elsewhere. It has also banned US imports.

“So there’s every chance that Putin will lift the EU restrictions if there’s enough pressure from Russian consumers when dairy produce supplies run short.

“It may happen tomorrow, next month or even next year – but it will happen at some point and it will lift milk prices in the global dairy trade auction almost immediately.”

Mr Holt adds that Chinese stocks of dairy produce will also soon be used up – possibly by October. “So, again, once China is back in the global market milk prices should stabilise and begin to creep up.”

In the meantime, they could drop further with some producers seeing farm gate prices below 25ppl.

“Although I do think that this is probably just scare mongering. What I do believe, however, is that from here on in things are going to be volatile and when prices do eventually increase producers should make provision for when prices could potentially dip again.”

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M I L K I N G

As herds embrace automation, how do we manage more mechanisation?

Man versus machine Robotic milking is providing relief to 850 producers in the UK, with 25% of income being spent on the introduction of this technology onto units. With this trend gaining popularity at a rapid rate we spoke to a few industry experts to find out why. text Allison Matthews

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igh land prices, a difficult climate and variable grazing conditions have motivated producers to rethink their methods of improving performance and feed efficiency.

Thompsons’ dairy specialist Mary-Jane Robinson says this has come at a time

as equally suited on smaller family farms as they are on larger units installing up to eight machines.” Ms Robinson says this is due to the flexibility robotic milking offers. “Not only will it suit a totally confined system, but the option to partially graze cows – if the correct management is adopted – can also be achievable.”

Greater flexibility when a plethora of modern technology has allowed the rapid expansion of robotic milking. “During recent years we have seen the transition from traditional milking parlours to robotic milking increase dramatically. With one unit required for every 60 animals, robots are

Moving from conventional twice-a-day milking, through a conventional parlour, to a robotic milking system can potentially increase yields by up to 15%. However it is vital to note that other factors such as genetics, feeding and management will still contribute significantly to the herds

Automated milking: using a robotic system can result in a more relaxed and less stressed herd

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overall improvement. Ms Robinson says that the system is proving popular where there are land constraints and restricted housing. “The ability to increase litres without having to expand herd size is an attractive option for many producers. The potential benefits of maintaining cow numbers can be seen in a couple of areas such as a reduction in labour requirements and a positive effect on greenhouse gases.

But for many producers the daily flexibility that comes from having no set milking time is making the quality of life, particularly on smaller family farms, much better.”

Father-and-son team Adrian and Conor McAufield, based in Lisburn in County Antrim, recently installed two Lely Astronaut robots. Welfare on this unit is paramount and the McAufield’s aim was to increase litres efficiently while improving on the overall wellbeing of the herd. Adrian McAufield explained how a ‘free-cow-traffic’ system has seen the cows adapt rapidly to their new routine.

Conor and Adrian McAufield: “The robotic system frees up more time to focus on cow health”

“We apply the five freedoms to our herd ensuring that not only do we have high yielding cows lying on sand bed cubicles, with the lying time improving litres, but we also comply with the DARD farm quality assurance schemes influenced by supermarkets and the consumer. This, for us, is a win-win situation. We now organise our time differently, which means we can concentrate on other management issues such as hoof care.”

Stress relief Ms Robinson explains how the use of a machine has brought about an improved welfare and productivity status for Lissue Holsteins. “Compared to traditional milking routines, robotic milking appears to lower stress levels. The rigidity of milking time is eradicated, allowing the animals to be milked when they choose.

There’s no more waiting around in the collecting yard and pressure on the udder is also reduced. The cows have more time to eat and lie down and, subsequently, somatic cell counts are lowered along with the chance of mastitis.

“Computerised software also helps to identify sick animals early and, depending on the make and model of the robot, will record various parameters such as weight.

In the early period of lactation – when negative energy balance and fertility can be severely compromised – the producer can monitor weights and with the support of their nutritionist and vet try and reduce ketosis,” she adds.

On the McAufield unit, cows are grouped to allow high yielders to be fed according to their needs. “The high yielding batch not only receive a TMR mix, including silage and a blend and Megalac, but they are also fed a high energy density ration through the robot, with glycerol supplied via an applicator during the early

lactation period. “Cows in this group are also topped up with a higher protein compound, fed via the out-of-parlour feeder,” says Adrian McAufield.

Lower yielding cows have been zero grazed this summer with silage now being phased in and cows being fed accordingly through the robot. “The computer software associated with the Lely robots allows access to a vast amount of information – including milk quality, rumination data, live-weight and heat detection – which influences and improves the management strategies we adopt,” adds Conor McAufield.

With cows averaging 3.9 visits per day to the robot, Adrian says that the herd has settled well and individuals are currently averaging 32 litres at 168 days in milk.

“Moving forward, the aim will be to continue to drive genetic improvement alongside more litres and better welfare.”

Whether the decision to purchase a robot is financial, practical or welfare driven, there is no disputing the fact that they are increasing in popularity. The benefits seen on those units that have adopted a new daily routine are filtering through the industry.

“With ‘robot’ cows the warning signs are the same, but some may argue because of the detection software, problems are being noticed and treated much earlier.

“Although the robot will fail to work correctly without good udder hygiene, a natural benefit of more regular milkings is improved udder health, so the two elements seem to work together,” says Ms Robinson.

“As more robots are installed, the development of hard data to back up the evidence will become more readily available, but until then the cows will continue to provide the proof.” l

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S E R I E S E F F I C I E N T

D A I RY I N G

How can genetics be used to increase herd profitability in a grass-based block-calving system?

Efficient dairying is vital in today’s economic climate and spring block-calving is helping many producers to maximise milk production from grass and forage.

Breeding cows suited to this system is vital to success Part 1: Lifetime production in the Netherlands Part 2: Efficient production in block calving systems Part 3: Fertility: a financial point of view Part 4: Weight of fertility in block calving systems Part 5: Dairy management in block calving systems Part 6: Easy-to-manage Holstein cows Part 7: Benefits of reliable breeding values

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reeding offers the opportunity to produce the ‘right’ genetics or cows that are required to deliver greater efficiency and, through this increased, profitability. ‘Horses for courses’ is certainly the case when it comes breeding cows for block-calving systems.

“Two ways to improve profitability in a pasture-base system are to increase the net income per unit of feed consumed or to increase the number of units of feed or scale of the operation,” says CRV Avoncroft’s David Matthews. “Genetic improvement of dairy cows can help with the first part but requires the right performance indicators, the right breeding objective (focus) and a long term approach.

“In New Zealand, for example, farm production is usually described in kilogrammes of milk solids per hectare rather than in kilogrammes per cow.

Milk solids are defined as the sum of fat and protein yield. For a pasture-based block-calving system production per hectare is the relevant performance indicator rather than production per cow.”

Improving ‘grass to glass’ efficiency Managing a block-calving system starts with breeding the right type of cow to suit grazing and a tight calving pattern.

We spoke to a breeding expert and a renowned block-calving advocate to find out more. text Rachael Porter

help with the inputs and/or cost side.

Longer lasting cows will result in the need for fewer replacements and lower direct rearing cost. Another way to look at this is to aim for higher life-time production.

“Sire selection is the key to herd improvement,” adds Mr Matthews.

“Selecting the sires most suited to your herd and its breeding objectives will result in a higher return on investment in semen and genetics.

Matching genetics to a particular farming system is also essential.

If you run a pasture based system, which mimics the New Zealand dairy management model, much more than the average all-year-round

calving system, then paying attention to breeding values and rankings from New Zealand adds value. Utilising genetics proven under a particular system will improve performance and increase efficiency.”

So, what concepts from overseas can we apply to breeding programmes in the UK? “The introduction of a genetic evaluation for live weight for both cows and sires in New Zealand was a necessary feature for economic efficiency comparison between animals of different breeds – Friesian and Jersey – that differ in live weight,” explains Mr Matthews.

“Inclusion of the breeding value for live weight in the National Breeding objective

Kiwi cows: Utilising genetics proven under a particular system will improve performance and increase efficiency

Longer-lasting cows Production efficiency in a pasture-based system is all about the efficient conversion of grass into quality milk.

Efficiency means that the focus is not only on growing output but also on input, in other words more production per unit of feed consumed.

Selection on longevity and fertility will not help directly with output, but will

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Macca offers good fertility and easy calving Marchel Fire Macca fits the model well with his exceptional balanced profile for all production, type and health traits.

Backed by two very successful CRV Ambreed sires Macca is a son of super sire Firenze out of a Skelton cow.

He throws predominantly black daughters – popular with many producers – that produce large amounts of protein from high component milk,

David Lee: “I need trouble-free cows”

enabled New Zealand to improve the genetic trend for production, which is measured in kilogrammes of solids production, while decreasing the genetic trend and remaining positive for live weight.

Economic efficiency “The change in the average milk production yield and live weight during the past 10 years indicates that the average feed intake has increased by 9% and the partitioning of dry matter to milk production relative to maintenance has increased from 56% to 59%. This increase in economic efficiency resulted

with low somatic cells. Daughter fertility is good and his calving difficulty is low.

Daughters are moderate in size with good capacity.

But Macca’s strongest feature is his daughters’ outstanding udders, with superb attachments throughout and correct teat placement.

A well-balanced Macca daughter

in more production per unit of feed.”

With 17 years of experience of running a block-calving herd, at his Shropshirebased unit, David Lee knows all about the importance of breeding cows to suit your management system. He moved from a more conventional all-year-round calving system in a bid to get cost under control. And he’s not looked back since.

“The figures stacked up so, for us, it seemed that moving to a spring-calving system was the only way to survive and thrive,” says Mr Lee, who farms in partnership with his wife Rachel, son James and daughter Rebekah.

“It suited the shape of our unit and our grassland,” adds the current chairman of the British Grassland Society.

Recognising that his high index Holstein herd – which was among the top 10% in the UK – was not ideal for the new system of management, Mr Lee started to cross breed. “For three years I used Jersey sires, but then I needed something different. I didn’t want to end up with a herd of pure Jerseys. So I began using New Zealand Friesians to cross back,

as well as a few Montbeliardes and Shorthorns,” he says.

Cross-bred herd Today Mr Lee is milking a 360-cow crossbred herd – a mixture of Holsteins crossed with Jerseys. Mack and Selwyn are among the CRV Avoncroft sires that he’s used extensively. “I’m looking for good fertility, obviously, but I also want good grazers and cows that are not too big. Good feet and legs are also essential and the cows have to be easy to care for – I need them to be trouble free. These sires certainly give me all those qualities.”

Since the switch, yields are around 5,800 litres at 4.7% butterfat and 3.7% protein, with the herd calving for a 10-week period starting from mid February. The herd is turned out ‘once there’s enough grass’, which is also from mid February and stay out until mid December. “We do start to house the cows at night from late October, but again it depends on grass growth.”

Mr Lee says that the first 5,000 litres is ‘profit’ – the rest is ‘turnover’. “So the more of those first 5,000 litres you can get from grazing and forage the better.”

He’s looking to expand herd size – up to around 400 cows, which will take his stocking rate to around four cows per hectare. This will be done with homebred replacements, but it’ll be a gradual process and he also sells some surplus young stock. “I’ve 420 cows and heifers to calve next spring and I won’t be keeping them all. The amount of grazing and grass is the limiting factor on this unit. Not the cows. I can produce about four tonnes of dry matter per cow – that’s about 16 tonnes per hectare. And I know that I have the cows that can get on and graze that – none of it is going to waste.

In addition to that, around 85% of the herd is due to calve within a six-week period – that’s pretty good going.” l

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

Johne’s Day Anyone with an interest in controlling Johne’s disease, particularly producers and vets, stand to gain useful information from a Johne’s conference that’s to be held at the Sixways Stadium, in Worcester, on Tuesday November 18.

“We have a line-up of international and UK speakers who have a wealth of experience in tackling the disease,” says Peter Dawson of organisers DairyUK. “This one-day event will bring us all up to speed on global developments in Johne’s and it will also give momentum to UK Johne’s control programmes.”

The morning session will focus on the international context and the afternoon will consider practical control methods for the UK. Michael Collins, from the University of Wisconsin, will provide a global perspective on control strategies and Sam Strain, from Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland, will talk about the Irish control programme. UK vet Peter Orpin will discuss the six control strategies developed by the Johne’s Action Group.

To reserve your place, please email pdawson@dairyuk.org.

Project puts numbers on disease A DairyCo-funded PhD project is researching the incidence of disease in the national dairy herd. Running for 14 months, data from disease-tested bulk milk samples recorded by NML and from a very detailed herd questionnaire will be collated. This will give an indication of the level of disease in the national dairy herd.

“We don’t have a national disease database,” says NMR vet Karen Bond.

“So these results – which will be shared with the industry – will give us an insight into the level of diseases like Johne’s, BVD and mastitis. I think it will help the industry to focus on the prevalence of disease and on more proactive control.”

National milk hygiene trial NML is carrying out a project to correlate Bactoscan testing results with those from a traditional culture test, which is used in some parts of Europe. Commissioned by the Food Standards Agency and through the National Reference Laboratory (AFBI), NML’s results will allow the hygienic quality of GB milk to be benchmarked against EU milk.

“Previous NML studies have indicated that the hygiene quality of British milk compares very favourably with the EU average,” says NML director Ben Bartlett. “This project will confirm British milk quality at a national level through AFBI – the UK’s EU-appointed reference laboratory.” It’s a 12-month project, preliminary results are due in spring 2015.

SE team additions NMR field services has two new names in the south and east team.

Graduate Emma Eastham is the new NMR area field manager in the south east. She studied at Reaseheath College, Cheshire, then completed an animal science degree at the University of Reading. After graduating Emma worked at Westpoint Veterinary Group as a business extension officer.

Also taking on a new challenge is Jenny Bellamy. Jenny moves from NMR area co-ordinator to area field manager in the Home Counties north of London and East Anglia. She studied at Moulton College and then milked and managed cows in large dairy herds.

Emma Eastham

Jenny Bellamy

July’s top cows Leading the lifetime daily yield (LDY) listings in July for NMR cows that have achieved more than 100 tonnes of milk is Wilderley WD Con Hunday from the Higgins’ herd, based at Wilderley Hall in Shropshire. She produced 108,118kg of milk in five lactations with a LDY of 31.1kg/day.

Second is Reydon Mtoto Annie 13 EX90, from R Hall and Sons’ Metfield Hall Farm in Norfolk.

She gave 109,782kg of milk in eight lactations with a LDY of 27.82kg/day.

Third is cow 974 from E Hudson Baker’s Chapel Farm, based in east Suffolk. She gave 107,527kg of milk in eight lactations with a LDY of 27.76kg/day.

A full list is published on the NMR website: www.NMR.co.uk

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 R D

R E P O RT

The US-based Kellercrest herd has a whopping 56 100-tonne cows

Tim, Sandy and Mark Keller At Kellercrest the focus is managing a high lifetime production herd.

Mount Horeb

Every cow has the right to grow old Consciously investing in good housing for fresh cows and young stock at Kellercrest farm results in high lifetime production. Cows

United States of America

Herd size: Average yield: Farm size: 100-tonne cows:

320 14,500kg 220 hectares 56

T

he transition barn is the pride of the unit. Tim Keller moves a cow out of the comfortable sand stall and stretches out his arms from side to side to show the width of the space available for each animal.

“In this barn the sand stalls are wider than usual and for 20 cows there are 20 stalls and 28 places available at the feeding alley. It is a type 1 + 0 stall where the cows can get to the feeding alley quickly and there is a lot of space per cow,” explains Tim. The transition house cost £80,000 in 2010 and for just 20 cows that is a considerable investment. Tim readily justifies this cost. “In this house we can give freshly calved cows all the attention they need. This extra attention at the beginning of the lactation pays for itself in improved health and ultimately greater longevity,” he says.

from the L cow family now underline high production with high genomic breeding values that ensure a lot of AI interest. text Jaap van der Knaap

Longevity. The importance of the word quickly becomes clear on a visit to the Kellercrest farm in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. The dairy operation, owned by brothers Tim and Mark Keller, who farm in partnership with their wives Sandy and Kareen, attracted international attention in 2013 because they have so many cows with high lifetime production.

A total of 56 cows have now surpassed 100,000kg of milk. These are impressive figures.

Culling rate “Every cow earns a chance to grow old,” says Tim. “I am keen to see how a calf develops into a young heifer and finally becomes an old cow. It is a shame from the viewpoint of investing in young stock, when a cow has to leave the herd early.”

On many units, after two lactations a replacement is common. But not at

Building design: hilly terrain means that the barns are built on several levels

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Kellercrest. “For years we had a culling rate of 18%. We think that by keeping cows in the herd for longer and selling heifers we can make more money.”

His brother Mark adds that they are prepared to invest in old cows. “In addition to good cow comfort and feed it means particularly investing in time.

Milking takes 4.5 hours. It can be done more quickly but we think that a thorough milking routine, and paying close attention to every cow, is more important than paying our Hispanic milkers for fewer hours,” Mark says.

Mark also calls it a ‘sport’ to get a cow through another production barrier.

“Where other herds would cull a cow we try to get her in calf again, or we milk her in a special group owing to a higher cell count,” he says. It is one of the side effects of the older herd. The somatic cell count is above 250,000 cells/ml.

Trophy wall: the display of cow certificates

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Leader: Loni is top producer in Wisconsin

Top facilities: the ‘transition’ housing offers cows comfort and space

“Some cows complete 500 or 600 day lactations, either because we’ll try several times to get her in calf or because we have used them intensively for embryo transfer,” he adds.

Kellercrest Bret Les (from Bret) and Kellercrest Langdon (from Forbidden).

Young genomic bulls, such as a former top-ten GTPI bull Kellercrest Super Layne (Superstition x Loni), are also causing a stir.

“The production strength of our cow family is now accentuated via genomic breeding values. We have now provided more than 100 bulls to AI organisations,” says Mark, proudly. In order to remain among the top breeders, genomic bulls in particular are now used, and a few bulls like Dorcey and Massey are also given a chance.

Extreme production One of the cows with a long lactation record and with many ET sessions is Kellercrest Shottle Loni. The Shottle daughter classified with 92 points in 2013 and was culled because of cancer in her eye. But she completed impressive lactation yields.

“Loni was crazy. She ate and produced milk – nothing else. We have never had such a high yielding cow before,” Tim says. And Mark refers to her 365-day record of almost 13,000kg of milk at 5.3% fat and 2.9% protein. In addition, Loni was a productive flushing cow: in six flushes with Active, Planet, Freddie and Man-O-Man she produced 132 embryos. Many embryos were sold and there are 15 Loni daughters in the Keller herd.

In 2013, Loni was nominated as the most productive cow in the state of Wisconsin, but at the moment other members of the L family are attracting the interest of AI organisations. Examples are the sires

Accommodation investment “Despite the speed of the rate of genetic gain among our top breeders, we also maintain our breeding goals,” says Mark. “We’re looking for the whole package – not too big, well-balanced cows with good udders and feed and legs. We don’t specifically look at the breeding value lifespan, but ultimately we want cows to complete three lactations and have produced 50,000kg of milk.”

According to Tim, the achievement of this minimum lifetime production is a matter of adding the finishing touches.

“In 2009 we invested in a ventilated calf house for calves aged up to three months old. A long and healthy life begins in this barn.”

In the young stock house, he refers to the transverse arrangement of the cubicles in relation to the feed passage.

“Thanks to this position you have a better overview from the feeding alley and you can see quickly if there is anything wrong with the animals. Young stock between one and two years old are often a forgotten group,” he says.

Mark also mentions the importance of a good nutrition. “Apart from the transition group, all the cows are fed the same TMR ration, which produces for 44kg of milk. This contains 60% alfalfa and grass silage and 40% maize silage.

The high percentage of grass is vital because on the hills here we cannot grow maize everywhere but the large quantity of grass provides a healthy and well-structured ration,” he says.

After a tour of the unit, Tim shows the office where the wall is full of certificates for cows that have passed the 100-tonnes of milk threshold. “We are proud of all these certificates, they are recognition.

But believe me, the older cows here also provide us with a good living.” l

Best start: a long and healthy life begins in the unit’s calf house

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS October 1: October 14: November 7-16: November 11-14: November 12: November 19: December 11:

The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen Royal Winter Fair, Toronto (Canada) EuroTier, Hannover (Germany) British Mastitis Conference, Sixways Stadium, Warriors Way, Worcester AgriScot, Edinburgh, Scotland Royal Ulster Winter Fair, King’s Hall Pavilions, Balmoral, Belfast (Northern Ireland)

2015

Making tracks: grazing cows come home for the afternoon milking Picture: Harrie van Leeuwen

January 6-8: January 19-21: May 7: May 27-30: July 1-2:

The Oxford Farming Conference, the Oxford University Examinations School, Oxford British Cattle Conference, Telford Golf and Spa Hotel, Shropshire Grassland UK, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Livestock Event, NEC, Birmingham

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

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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

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Illustrations/pictures Photographs by Veeteelt Photography, Rebekah Greenwood (12) and Michelle Martin (46, 47).

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COMING UP

C a l f rear in g sp ecial October (October 28) – Check out our October issue for our popular annual calf rearing special. We look at the effect that early decisions have on a cow’s productive life. We’ll also feature an article on foot trimming.

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