Cowmanagement uk march 2015

V O LU M E 13 N O 2 MAR CH 2015

IN THIS ISSUE

GR A S S L A N D

FEED IN G

M A N AGEMENT

Tips on selecting the best mixture for your reseeds

Water is still a limiting factor on many units

New number-one Ayrshire herd in NMR rankings

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CO NTENT

FEATURES

4 Cow Talk 10 Overalls off: mountain rescue volunteer 14 Roger Evans 22 NMR Dairy Management News 35 Vet column: uterine torsion 40 Avoncroft Breeding Information/ Thompsons Nutritional News 46 Events and contacts REPORTS

12 Brian Coombe’s Ayrshire herd excels in mixed management system FEEDING

16 How to feed a ration that meets all cows’ requirements BREEDING

20 Avoid inbreeding and get a better return on your ‘AI flask’ investment H E A LT H

36 PD test in a bottle saves time

Brian Coombe “Ayrshire performance is just too good to ignore” 12

Editor Rachael Porter Signs of spring

B

righter mornings and lighter evenings not only signal that spring is on its way, but also herald the end of a particularly tough winter on many dairy units.

As ever, our focus is on helping producers to improve herd health, fertility, efficiency and profitability. And we think we’ve a good mix of articles in this issue that should whet most, if not all, readers’ appetites.

Water is our topic on page eight. We highlight the importance of this often overlooked nutrient and find out how one producer is adding water to his TMR ration – to improve consistency and dry matter intakes – with considerable success.

Our special focuses on grassland and includes features on how to select the best grass-seed mixture for your set up and the benefits of treating grass leys as an arable crop. We also take a look at the latest technology that’s allowing one global seed company to offer grass-seed mixtures that are also tailored to best meet the nutritional requirements of individual herds. See page 30 to find out more.

We take a look at another forage crop – brassicas – that boast flexibility as well as cost-cutting benefits, on page 42. And our regular vet column focuses on uterine torsion – a timely topic with many producers in the middle of spring calving.

Roger Evans is also in attendance, sharing his view from the farm gate and, as always, raising a few wry smiles. See if his column on page 14 can help to brighten your day.

Main article Water supply

Special Grassland

Feeding Growing kale

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24

42

Quench cows’ thirst and maximise your herd’s productivity

Improving pasture growth is a positive way to counter milk-price volatility

Brassicas can add flexibility and a much-needed ‘bite’ to many grazing systems

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O W

TA L K

Herbicide residues initiative launched Producers are being urged to take part in an initiative to prevent herbicide residues – applied for weed control on grassland – from reaching watercourses this spring.

The nationwide grassland awareness campaign involves four water companies – South West Water, Welsh Water, Severn Trent Water and United Utilities – who have teamed up to raise the issue among livestock producers.

“The aim is for us to focus on education, training and one-to-one visits with the farming community,” says South West Water’s Lewis Jones.

“This aligns with our Upstream Thinking programme, where South West Waters delivery partners are working together with a range of local organisations to develop farm action plans and assess the options for external funding. It is all about helping to improve best practice.”

While the use of herbicides is essential

to guard against the damaging impacts of weed infestation on pastures, simple measures to minimise the likelihood of applications reaching watercourses can make a big difference to the quality of the raw water, according to Mr Jones.

“Our aim is to help producers, in certain priority catchment areas, to secure funding for various interventions. These include training, bio beds or sprayer

calibration events. The initiative will also focus on helping with checks to ensure equipment is in good working order and that it is being used appropriately.

“We understand that the agricultural industry has to use herbicides in their work, but once these chemicals reach watercourses, they can be very difficult and expensive to remove,” he adds.

Tickets on sale now for dairy seminar Tickets are now on sale for this year’s TotalDairy Seminar, previously known as The Large Herd Seminar. It will take place on June 10 and 11, 2015, at Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire.

This year’s seminar has been re-branded to offer the latest technical thinking relevant to all dairy units, regardless

of herd size. As usual, the event will include presentations from a top line up of global dairy experts.

However, to make better use of time away from the farm, the event has been condensed into two days, with all of the presentations and workshops taking place at Tortworth Court.

Model Nutrition Dairy Consultancy’s

Warwick Bastard, who organises the seminar with EBVC, says all the talks will focus on helping producers during these challenging market times.

“All the presentations will provide practical take-home messages to help producers to maximise herd efficiencies”, Mr Bastard says.

Visit www.totaldairy.com to find out more

Units can use forage to reduce costs

Sarah Hardman

All dairy herds, irrespective of yield, have the potential to reduce costs by increasing milk from forage and, in doing so, can help protect themselves from increasing milk price volatility.

So says Shropshire-based P&L Agri-

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Consulting, which analysed data from more than 50 herds benchmarked between March 2013 and 2014. It revealed that for every extra 1,400 litres produced per forage hectare, units saw an average decrease in cost of production (COP) of 1ppl.

“Such potential savings will be crucial for many producers facing reduced returns for their milk with this data set showing an average COP of 30.01ppl,” says the company’s Sarah Hardman.

“The data clearly showed that most units could address COP by paying closer attention to milk produced per forage hectare.

“There was no correlation between yield

and COP. Some herds producing more than 9,000 litres per cow per year saw COP in the top 25% and some herds, averaging fewer than 5,500 litres per cow per year, were in the bottom 25% for COP,” she says.

“However, there was a very strong correlation between yield from forage per hectare and COP, with both high and low yielding herds able to reduce costs by making better use of forage.”

Many herds were able to produce more than 8,500 litres per cow per year and still achieve more than 6,500 litres from forage per hectare. “This shows that high utilisation of forage can be achieved even at high yields.”

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And the winner is...

Boots back – by popular demand

Mary Phillips, from Winkhill near Leek in Staffordshire, is the lucky winner of our Christmas competition. She was one of just a handful of people who correctly guessed that Roger Evans has written four books.

Mary (centre) is pictured, with son Rob (left), receiving her signed copy of Roger’s

latest book and a package of NML services, worth £200, from NMR’s Derbyshire area field manager Helen Whittaker (right).

Mary also received a British cheese hamper, worth £50, and 10 straws of semen from CRV Avoncroft, as part of her prize bundle. Congratulations, Mary!

Two Wellington boot brands are now available again from country stores. The Border Original is a green boot with a honey-coloured sole, which has a unique deep-cleated design for extra grip. It is lightweight and has a foot-arch support. Recommended retail prices are: £8.19+VAT for children’s boots, which start at size three, and for adult boots up to size 14, £13.33+VAT. The Grampian Wellington is available in black or green in two different models – a ‘non-safety’ and a ‘safety’ version. Both have a slip-resistant sole. Additionally the ‘safety’ version has a steel toe cap and mid sole. Recommended retail prices are £16.95+VAT for the ‘nonsafety’ model, and £21.95 for the safety model. A white Grampian is also available with a steel toe cap only, recommended retail price £19.95.

Both boot brands are now marketed and distributed by Dairy Spares. To find their nearest stockist of the boots, producers can contact Dairy Spares on 01948 667676, or email info@dairyspace.co.uk

Guide offers blueprint for successful forage crops A free guide to forage crops has been published, which offers an ideal starting point for producers looking to maximise the milk-yield potential of these costeffective high value feed crops. Published in January 2015 by Limagrain, it includes the latest variety trial data and triedand-tested advice on crop rotations, as well as tips on choosing the right crop for different systems.

“As an industry we don’t have national recommended lists for fodder crop varieties, but this guide provides trial data comparisons on the main

varieties grown in the UK,” explains the company’s Martin Titley. “Producers can see how these varieties compare for a range of agronomic and feed value criteria such as height of the crop, dry matter yields and digestibility.

“We also provide a comprehensive guide to growing and feeding a range of crops, such as fodder beet and kale and stubble turnips,” he adds. “Suitability of the crop to soil type, harvesting methods and the cost of growing each crop are included as well as advice on sowing and weed control.”

Copies of the new Essential Guide to Forage Crops are available from Limagrain by contacting Emily Short on 01472 370117 or by downloading a copy from www.limagrain. co.uk/products/forage-crops

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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M A I N

A RT I C L E

Make sure you quench your cows’ thirs

Whet their app et Cows need easy access to clean, fresh water. Without it, yields suffer and health and fertility will not be on target.

Excessively dry TMRs and an assumption that some moist rations go some way to meeting cows’ daily water requirements mean that some herds are just not getting enough. text Rachael Porter

S

ome rations have proved exceptionally dry this winter – too dry in fact.

Adding water to the mix has improved intakes on some units, as well as boosting cow health, fertility and productivity, according to Advanced Nutrition’s vet Debby Brown.

She has seen real evidence of the impact that a limited water supply can have on fertility, as well as milk production.

“This may be the result of low flow rates to troughs or a shortage of water trough space or difficult access. The ideal is at least 90mm of trough space per cow when temperatures rise anywhere close to 20°C.” Water also affects dry matter intake – if rations are dry then cows will be more thirsty. Cows with access to plenty of fresh, clean water will be far more likely to maintain and increase dry matter intakes. “If a TMR is very dry, adding water to the mix will definitely help reduce sorting and lead to healthier cows,” says Mrs Brown.

Sorting problem One producer who’s seen this first hand is David Walker. He runs a 100-cow herd, based at Crook in County Durham. His cows were ‘sorting’ through the 30% dry matter TMR he was putting in front of them. “Adding some water binds it together and stops the cows from sorting it so easily. In fact, the results I’ve seen have been dramatic,” he says. “I see very little sorting – if any. The cows are much healthier now that every mouthful of feed they take is the same.”

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David adds water to the mixer wagon at a rate of six litres per head per day, when he’s mixing the forage proportion of the ration. He’s done this throughout winter 2014/2015 and he also did it in winter 2013/2014.

“I’d say that our silage was a lot drier the first year we added water. And it really helped to moisten the ration. This winter we’ve continued with it and it’s prevented a SARA issue. Cows are eating more and their health and fertility are better.

“It doesn’t take long to add and mix in the water and it costs very little too – it’s not an expensive feed additive. I think we’ll continue with it for the foreseeable future.”

David’s focus on water also led him to take a closer look at the herd’s water troughs. And these are now emptied out and thoroughly cleaned every three or four weeks.

“Thinking about water got me thinking about the troughs and closer scrutiny revealed that they were not very clean. I decided that if it wasn’t clean enough for me to drink out of then it wasn’t clean enough for the herd.”

He believes that his somatic cell count has improved considerably since he started this new trough cleaning regime.

The herd average stood at 170,000 cells/ ml prior to regular cleaning, but it has dropped to around 70,000 cells/ml.

“Nothing else at all in terms of cow management has changed – only that.

So that’s all I can put it down to.”

Cargill’s Norman Downey agrees that

Well watered: do your cows have sufficient access to a clean and fresh supply?

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27-02-15 09:40

ows’ thirst and maximise herd productivity

pp etite with water water is extremely important. “The total body weight of a cow is between 50% and 80% water and she needs water to maintain body fluids and proper ion balance so she can digest, absorb and metabolise nutrients,” he says.

“Water also carries waste material and excess heat from the body, and it provides a fluid environment for various organ systems and the developing foetus.”

Common oversight Water also accounts for 87% of the milk she produces. “A cow needs to drink three litres of water to produce a litre of milk and studies have shown that restricting water intake by 50% reduces milk yield by 27%.

He says that there are still many producers who are unwittingly limiting their herd’s access to water – or simply not supplying them with enough.

“Many cow houses fail to offer adequate space around the trough or allow for enough troughs per group of cows.

“This is a common oversight because many producers will be trying to optimise the amount of cubicle space available.”

Mr Downey says that the increased use of silage-based TMRs is also causing a ‘water’ issue.

“Many producers think that feeding a moist ration reduces the need to provide their cattle with water. That’s false.”

Winter rations based on silage with a higher moisture content will provide more of the dairy cows’ water requirements than a 90% DM ration.

But even a 50% DM diet will only provide 22 litres of water (22kgDM).

This is about a quarter of a 30-litre yielding cow’s daily requirement (see Table 1).

“High moisture diets alone are, therefore, not enough to satisfy a cow’s milk requirement – nor should high moisture diets be pursued in the attempt to increase water supply as they are often associated with a decrease in dry matter intake.”

A cow’s daily water requirement should, typically, comes from the water trough (between 60% and 80%) with most of the remaining water coming from feed.

“The amount of water supplied from feed is dependent on its moisture content and also influences how much a cow will drink from the trough.

“A lower dry matter, moist ration means less water consumption at the trough.”

Water consumption A milking cow will drink up to 230 litres, in extreme circumstances, of water each day – exactly how much depends on activity, water intake, air temperature, humidity, respiratory rate, milk yield and feed consumption.

A ‘hot’ cow will lose water by panting and sweating – it’s a way of cooling down – so summer is when most producers give water the attention it deserves.

“Water tends to be overlooked in the winter and when temperatures are cool,” says Mr Downey.

“Producers forget to check troughs to ensure the pipes haven’t frozen.

“It’s also worth noting that you get a higher intake of water in cold climate if the water is heated. Cold water slows down rumen function.” l

Table 1: Water requirements of dry and lactating cows in a variety of seasons (source: Dairy Co, 2015)

ration DM% 30 40 50 60 70

water requirements (litres) daily milk yield 20 litres daily milk yield 30 litres <16°C 16°-20°C >20°C <16°C 16°-20°C >20°C 50 54 57 62 64

57 62 66 71 74

65 71 76 82 85

71 76 79 84 87

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O V E R A L L S

Name: Location: Occupation: Hobby:

O F F

Roddy Dunse Galloway Dairy vet Mountain search and rescue volunteer

Roddy Dunse: “I can fit callouts around work, if they are near the practice”

Search and rescue text Rachael Porter

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eing a busy vet, it can be hard to make the time to enjoy the great outdoors – a shame when the outdoors is the beautiful Dumfries and Galloway. So Roddy has combined his love of hill walking with a worthy cause – he’s been a member of the Galloway Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) for the past 12 years.

“I spent a lot of time in the Galloway Hills as a teenager. Later in life, and just after the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, I became reacquainted with the more remote parts as I walked many a hill farm looking for clinical signs of FMD before issuing movement licences,” he says. “A chance conversation with one of the emergency drivers for the out-of-hours doctor, based at the local hospital across the road from our house, led to me joining the team. He was, at the time, team leader of Galloway MRT.” The Galloway Hills are remote and beautiful, but they also have few way-marked paths. “They’re not as high and rugged as the Highlands, which can make some visitors complacent about the challenges they can pose,” explains Roddy, who works at the Dunmuir Veterinary Group.

But it’s not just walkers, climbers and mountain bikers that may need help. There have been callouts to search for despondent or elderly people or missing teenagers, as well as farmers and people working alone in remote areas.

All members are volunteers and receive no remuneration.

Training involves first aid, hill craft, navigation, radio procedures, off road driving, the use of harnesses and ropes and rescue equipment for dealing with injured climbers. They also have to get to know the local hill walking, climbing and mountain biking areas.

MRT callouts can vary as to how much time commitment they will require. “Often I can fit callouts around work if they are near the practice. I have been known to stop off to help with a difficult calving on my way to a call out.

“My colleagues are very helpful and supportive in covering for me when neccessary. And the work of the MRT is well regarded and valued by our farm clients, who understand that they are the ones working alone in remote locations and are not very good at telling people where they are!”

He adds that being in the MRT is a way to put something back into the community: “Donating time and energy to such a worthwhile cause is important to our practice and I also enjoy being part of such a vital team.”

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H E R D

R E P O RT

‘Evolving’ herd tops list and excels in mixed management system

Brian Coombe A herd manager, who runs his own cows along side his boss’ pedigree herd, has risen to the top of the NMR APR rankings for the Ayrshire breed.

Herd size: Average yield: ‘Companion’ herd size: Holstein herd average:

Unique set up with top results A herd manager’s own Ayrshire herd, which he runs along side his employer’s herd, has topped the NMR Annual Production

North Petherwin

35 plus 35 followers 8,943kg 160 Holsteins 8,000kg

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t’s an unusual set up that is yielding extraordinary results. Brian Coombe’s pedigree Ayrshire herd is unique not only in that it’s top of the NMR Annual Production Report rankings, but also because it’s run as part of another herd – the Harvey brothers’ 160-strong pedigree Holstein Friesian herd.

Brian is the herd manager of both herds,

Report ranking for the breed and swayed management towards cross-breeding on one Cornwall-based unit. text Rachael Porter

which are run as one at Lamorna Farm, in North Petherwin near Launceston. His cows have been there for four years – he’s been working at the unit for more than five years now and bought his first two cows in 2010 as a gift for his wife Sharon and their daughter Evelyn. “And it just grew from there really. Milking something that wasn’t black-and-white added some

interest for me and, as a family, we’re really passionate about cows – that’s all breeds and not just Ayrshires. Sharon and I like to show cattle and Evelyn likes to take part in the young handlers’ class.”

He bought a few more Ayrshire maiden heifers from sales and markets and, coupled with home-bred heifers, today his herd numbers 35 milking cows plus 35

Tomorrow’s milkers: young stock for both herds now comprise Ayrshire and Ayrshire crosses

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summer on silage aftermaths and buffer feeding at 60% of the typical winter ration continued.

This TMR comprises grass and maize silage, plus crimped grain, a 22% blend containing sugar beet, bicarbonate, lime flour, urea, minerals and a high protein liquid molasses.

It provides maintenance plus 28 litres and individual cows are then topped up to yield using out-of-parlour feeders and a 17% protein concentrate.

“The ration is very appetising – when we first put it out in front of the cows it looks and smells so good that I could be tempted to eat it. I think the Ayrshire certainly eat more of it than the Holstein Friesians.

“The Ayrshires seem to eat non stop – they have plenty of body capacity.”

Top genetics: Brian uses sires to breed heifers with good milk yield and type

followers. Cow families include Polkadot, Peach, Dewdrop, Biddy, Snowy and Candy.

“They’re all great cow families and ideal foundations on which to build a herd,” says Brian, adding that he’s currently using US sire Lagace Mordicus and British sire Rosehill Mandaville to maintain milk and further improve type.

Not that there’s much wrong with the cows he has. They’re producing a lot of milk – more than any other NMR recorded Ayrshire herd – and enough to push the herd up from second place in the rankings for the past few years to first position with an average combined fat and protein yield of 659kg and 8,943kg of milk for the year ending September 2014.

He puts his success down to breeding, feeding and ‘a good dash of luck’. But Brian’s painstaking attention to detail indicates that it’s a huge dollop of good management – not chance – that sees the herd where it is today.

Crucial details Brian stresses how important it is to know your stock. “Then it’s easy to spot when something is wrong. And making sure that you get the small things – the details – spot on is also vital. Every little thing contributes to the bigger picture – the herd’s continued good health, fertility, productivity and profitability.”

He had a suspicion that the Ayrshire herd could be in with a chance of topping the ranking this year. “I know the cows are milking well. And they’re producing more milk than their black-and-white counterparts – almost 1,000 litres more if you take the herd average,” explains Brian.

Little wonder, then, that the Harveys have given Brian free reign when it comes to

Own tenancy

the direction that the Holstein Friesian herd’s breeding is now taking. An Ayrshire sweeper bull is now used on the Holstein Friesian cows. “And most of our young stock is now Ayrshire cross – we used a high PLI Ayrshire bull on all maiden heifers and the resulting cross-bred heifers are then crossed again using another Ayrshire bull.

“I think the Ayrshire herd’s performance is just too good to ignore. It works because these cows suit our system and our set up.

They’re easy to manage, with tough feet, they’re more fertile and easier to get back in calf, and they’re aggressive eaters.”

It’s this characteristic in particular that is behind their impressive milk production, which compares to around 8,000 litres of milk, at 4.06% butterfat and 3.31% protein, for the Holstein Friesians. Both herds calve all year round and milk is sold to Dairy Crest.

All the cows are managed as one herd on a relatively intensive system – just milk recorded separately. They graze in the

As it is, Brian has some top yielding, efficient cattle in his herd. And, in the not-too-distant future, he hopes to have more.

It’s been a closed herd for the past two years, but Brian hasn’t ruled out buying in more stock: “If the animal and the price is right.”

He’d also like to have his own farm tenancy one day. “Just 60 cows would be enough for me to get started, but I’m in no hurry,” says Brian, who has been milking and managing other people’s herds for the past 27 years. “I’ve always wanted my own place but, despite my best efforts, it’s never happened.

“This route I’m taking, with my own cows, seems to be continually evolving and I think it will lead to me realising my dream one day. But this current set up works well at the moment – for me, my family, the cows and the Harveys.

“I think that realising another of my dreams, to top the NMR APR ranking, will more than suffice for now.” l

The two herds are milked through a simple 12:24 herringbone with no in-parlour feeders

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E VA N S

Award-winning columnist and Shropshire-based producer Roger Evans wonders if the flush of spring milk will impact further on milk price.

Carrot or stick?

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t is inevitable, as we go through the daily pain of low milk prices, that all of use look around for reasons for the squeeze. One of the common places to point the finger of blame is at spring-calving producers. It’s an easy shot to make.

I personally don’t think that they have the effect on the national output that many producers believe they do. I can’t quantify that – a major milk buyer would need to do that.

But it is inevitable, because this way of managing cows has become popular, to assume that they make a significant impact on the spring flush of milk production.

The size of this spring flush could quite easily be the next big ‘negative’ on our milk-price horizon. A big flush has a potential carry over effect that could keep markets low, well into the autumn.

And it’s in the autumn that we are all hoping to see signs of milk price improvement.

What is clear to me is that we all have an obligation to try to produce what our milk buyer wants.

It’s certainly not a case of ‘this is what I produce and when I produce it, make the best of it’. Rather ‘what do you want in the way of seasonal profile and constituents?’. And then ask yourself how best you can produce it.

I once used the analogy that it’s no good trying to sell white eggs on the side of the road, if everyone who drives past wants brown eggs. It might well be that, if your milk always goes to a cheese factory, your buyer would prefer a spring calving herd of cross-bred cows that produce high yields of fat and protein.

They might prefer that because they would be getting higher yields of cheese at every make. It might be better to do that, to have the creamery flat out in the spring, rather than have a year round steady supply of low constituent milk.

I’m not sure of the answer, but there will be an answer and by financial incentives, or penalties as the case may be, we will be led down that road.

The two major milk buyers in the UK have made huge financial commitments to supply the liquid market and I suspect that they would prefer somewhere near level profiles.

That’s not necessarily to say that everybody has to be level, just that it turns up at their factories fairly level. Just like the cheese factories, I suspect that, by carrot or stick, they will set about achieving that.

When it comes to managing cows on farm, I always used to think that the best time to calve a cow was in the December/January period. It was almost a no brainer. The cow would milk well for 100 days. You could afford to feed her well to achieve that.

Then you would turn her out to grass and get another 100 days of good production at low cost. As the feed value of the grass declined so would her yield, the grass and the milk would almost match up.

Come the autumn the grass wouldn’t produce much milk, but you wanted her to go dry anyway. Of course if we all did that there would be a huge autumn trough in milk production and our buyers don’t want that either, do they?

14

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CM02_Evans.indd 14

MARCH

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27-02-15 09:41

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02/02/2015 14:04 26-02-15 13:02

F E E D I N G

How do producers take more control over nutrient partitioning?

A tough trade off When diet partitioning dictates that milk will be produced at the cost of even basic physiological demands, such as growth and strong immunity, how can producers ensure that they are providing a diet that satisfies all of cows’ requirements? text Allison Matthews

W

hen fed an adequate diet, dairy cows will partition a significant portion of this to provide the resources required for milk production. Cows have become masters at this, sacrificing the

nutrients needed to grow, reproduce and defend themselves from infection, to allow for maximum milk output.

But, as Zinpro’s Arturo Gomez and Dana Tomlinson explain, producers

have an expectation of efficiency within their system while maximising output. “Efficiency is expected across the board from high-yielding TMR units to lower yielding grass-based systems.

However, nutritional deficiencies clearly have a negative effect on growth, reestablishment of pregnancy, production and survival,” says Dr Gomez.

“Similarly, overfeeding or malnutrition may also have a negative impact on animal performance. Producers are in control of this situation and must avoid expensive nutrient losses that detract from producing milk.”

Thompsons’ dairy specialist Richard

Balanced diet: dairy cows will divert a significant portion of their ration into milk production

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27-02-15 14:11

Dana Tomlinson: “The immune system needs to be respected by producers”

Richard Moore: “Many herds have struggled this winter, due to low silage ME”

Arturo Gomez: “A balanced diet will only solve part of the problem”

Moore points out that so much of a cow’s health and performance is dictated by the producer’s ability to minimise the negative energy balance (NEB) in early lactation.

“The grass silage analysis average for the winter so far has a dry matter of 23% and an ME of 10.2 MJ/kg DM. Many herds have had to cope with a foundation diet sitting below 10ME, and they have struggled.

“Today’s high yielding cow is designed to encounter negative energy balance – it is an unavoidable reality of her first weeks of lactation. But there are many benefits to be gained from promoting high dry matter and energy intakes in early lactation. At a practical level, four weeks before calving, the diet should consist of up to 4kg of a bulky, energy dense and mineralised, ration that will promote rumen fill and avoid metabolic disease at calving. The feed level should build up gradually to the maximum feed weight during a 21-day period,” he explains.

Maintaining body condition score at three, monitoring intakes and managing diet composition are the starting points to ensuring things are as they should be on the surface, but Dr Tomlinson warns that there are also unseen implications of a diet that doesn’t provide the energy required for every eventuality.

“A healthy cow has a basal maintenance requirement of energy and metabolisable protein in order to maintain her defensive white blood cells,” he says.

“However energy expenditure increases several fold when the immune system is called into action to fight infection, protect against intestinal entry of toxic components naturally present in the gut, or respond to vaccinations.

to the optimal performance of any diet with the availability of glucose from rations high in cereal proving vital in reducing NEB. Dr Gomez explains that although a balanced and tailored diet will ensure that the clinical signs of deficiency are not present, there is a large gap between that and being confident that the immune system is ready to respond if put under pressure.

“There are a set of key vitamins and minerals that need to be included in the immunity equation such as vitamins A, C, E and B-complex, magnesium and the trace minerals zinc, manganese, iron, iodine, copper and selenium,” says Dr Gomez.

First response “Producers must recognise the immune system as one of the most expensive and complex mechanisms in nature,” says Dr Tomlinson. “If formulated properly, dietary energy and protein will be in sufficient quantities to meet the additional needs of immune activation.

Unfortunately research is limited when it comes to deciding which diets would achieve optimal immune function, and the majority of information will only help avoid general deficiencies.”

Using the information that we do know dictates that the sources of energy contained in the diet, such as starch and protein and digestible fibre, are crucial

Small quantities “Although these trace minerals are only present in small quantities in the body, their presence determines the adequate use of protein and energy resources and each has its own purpose.

“For example, zinc is responsible for maintaining a healthy status of the gut lining, the reproductive tracts and all other epithelial tissues and also for the production of the somatic cells; lymphocytes. “Manganese is responsible for, among other things, producing proinflammatory hormones which ensure an immune response is activated when it is needed,” he adds.

Some of the elements that make up a balanced diet are more obvious than others, but they are all vital if a complete picture of cow health is to be achieved.

Using the typical signs of cow health, alongside a deeper understanding of the importance of a healthy immune system, will ensure that the pathway to efficient milk production becomes clearer.

“Producers will be rewarded with profitable production outcomes when maintaining a cow’s ability to partition nutrients in favour of milk production by keeping them healthy, stress free and in an infection-controlled environment,” concludes Dr Gomez. l

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CM02_p18.indd 18

26-02-15 13:44

Feed me.

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SALES MANAGERS Job details Candidates will need to be able to sell the complete product portfolio to all market segments (Holstein/grazing/cross breeding) in their area.

Qualifications / Experience Preferably the successful candidates will have knowledge of genetics and cattle breeding, an empathy with commercial dairy farmers and able to develop into the role using the constant flow of information from a dynamic company at the forefront of genetic innovation and development globally.

Knowledge of management systems and experience with offering management services to dairy farmers is an advantage.

Candidates need to be self-motivated.

Excellent remuneration packages and career prospects are available for the successful applicants.

Self employed agents are also required.

New Sonido. For dependable forage maize.

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Feed costs continue to rise. So you’ll welcome new Sonido seed treatment. Sonido helps deliver more of the dry matter your cows need to stay fed and productive, by giving you the maximum biomass and yield. If you’re in a wireworm area, Sonido can help combat the problem.

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CM02_p19.indd 19

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26-02-15 11:33

26-02-15 13:49

B R E E D I N G

Avoid inbreeding and get a better return on your ‘AI flask’ investment

Match.com – for cows A computerised breeding tool is taking the time and hassle out of sire selection and a genetic profiling service is also now available that can help to speed your herd’s rate of genetic gain.

CowManagement finds out how. text Rachael Porter

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t’s never been easier to find the perfect partner for your cows and heifers – and avoid inbreeding. And you don’t have to be a fanatical breeder who likes nothing better than browsing bulls semen catalogues or pouring over the latest proof-run rankings. Thanks to the increasing availability – and accessibility – of computerised programs, all producers can now benefit from ‘tailored’ breeding.

CRV Avoncroft’s SireMatch was developed, more than 15 years ago, to help producers select the most suitable sires for individual cows, heifers and different management systems.

“It has now evolved into a web-based program and all breeding value bases can be used, and all sires in the world can be included, in a tailor-made bull package,” explains the breeding organisation’s David Matthews.

“And you can create bull packages for sexed semen and genomic selection. The program is extremely flexible and allows producers to exclude inbreeding and genetic defects, while at the same time focusing on their customised breeding goals. You can even make several cow groups within one herd and mate them to specific bull packages,” he adds.

Web-based tool The program has three levels. The webbased SireMatch ‘GO’ module is easy to use and flexible. “It is particularly suitable for farms without any official herd data,” explains Mr Matthews. “The user can fill in known pedigrees and, based on the customised breeding goal, reliable advice is given. Inbreeding can be restricted and genetic defects will be excluded. This level of the program can also take care of problem traits within the herd.”

‘SELECT’ is the second level and results in so-called ‘pedigree matings’. Based on the users’ customised breeding goals and

problem traits, advice will be given that’s based on the animal data (from the management system or herdbook), which is uploaded into the system.

‘PRO’, the most advanced module of SireMatch, combines the pedigree information with linear scoring traits.

Scoring can be carried out using a handheld PDA application and CRV Avoncroft can send a technician out to score your cows, if you prefer. “We really can take a lot of the guesswork and hassle out of matching the best bulls to your individual cows,” says Mr Matthews. “In the web-based PRO module, a customised breeding goal can be set and problem traits are taken into account.”

‘Ideal’ sires Mating advice is presented in report format, with three possible ‘ideal’ sires, and the producer can also access a list of sires that should not be used. The program supports the use of InSire genomically selected young sires and SiryX sexed semen. And it also offers reliable advice and can include bulls from multiple suppliers – not just CRV Avoncroft’s sires.

In every version of the program, producers can use one of the six standard breeding goals comprising: all round, production functional type, show type, longevity and health, or pasture based.

Or they can add their own customised breeding goal. Five traits that require specific attention can be added and the program focuses on and improve these traits, making corrective mating simple.

“The program makes selecting bulls more accurate for individual cows and herd – and far less time consuming for me,” says Andrew Pounder. He runs a 200-cow pedigree herd at Stainton Hill Farm, in County Durham, and time pressures and a fear of inbreeding led him to try the program 15 years ago.

“We had a lot of AI trained employees, which was good for herd fertility because cows and heifers were inseminated at the optimum time. But I was worried about what they were serving them with – it was all a little ad-hoc.

Simple system “If you carefully match a bull to a cow, the resulting calf will be genetically superior and grow into a productive and profitable animal. And when you also factor in the cost of semen, it’s important to utilise this investment wisely.”

Today there’s a list that staff can refer to when serving a cow. “Using SireMatch PRO means that we’ve simplified our breeding programme. We’ve de-mystified it all and we know that we’re getting the best return on our investment in semen,” says Andrew, who admits that he’s not really into breeding.

CRV Avoncroft’s Iain Brown scores the cows and inputs the results into the program. This then generates a list of potential matches, which Iain and Andrew ‘whittle down’ over a cup of coffee.

“At any one time there are four bulls in our AI flask – two daughter proven and two genomic InSires. Again, this helps to keep things simple, but avoids putting all our eggs in one basket.”

After 15 years, Andrew is pleased with the results. “Our fertility has improved and we’re calving heifers at two years old.

A few years ago it was closer to 30 months old and the heifers tended to be too fat and udder quality was sometimes poor. And I think our cows are lasting longer too.

“I’d recommend SireMatch to all producers, particularly those who are not interested in breeding or are strapped for time. When you’re making decisions about, and investing in, tomorrow’s milkers, it’s vital to get it right.” l

Tool speeds up rate of genetic gain A genetic profiling tool for cows and heifers is now available from CRV. InSire TalentScan offers greater insight into the heritability of young female animals and more certainty about their genetic qualities. It is an innovative tool that producers can use to literally scan, for themselves, the most promising animals in their herd for their ‘talents’.

Using an advanced marker test, where a 10,000 chip is used, it reveals the genetic heritability for key traits including

longevity, health, fertility, production and conformation.

It can be used to test both young stock and cows. CRV Avoncroft supplies sample containers to producers who then take hair samples and send them off for analysis. Results come back between four and five weeks later.

Using the results effectively can speeds up genetic progress, because the breeding values of young animals are known earlier and animals with the

highest genetic potential can be used directly.

“Using TalentScan means that the highest and lowest genetic merit animals on a herd can be easily identified and this helps producers to make the best breeding decisions,” says David Matthews. “This will also result in fewer ‘disappointing’ heifers and producers could also achieve higher revenues, from milk production and also through selling breeding or surplus stock.”

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

Scottish Holsteins take top spot Top cows NMR’s top three cows that have given 100-tonnes of milk and ranked on lifetime daily yield in December are all seventh lactation animals.

Top is Reydon Startit Pauline, from A R Hall and Sons in Norfolk, with 111,146kg of milk and a LDY of 30.10kg/day.

Second is Hemsington Convincer Freda 4, from Maurice Cock & Partners in Devon, with 102,719kg of milk and has an LDY of 29.67kg/day.

In third place is Mansfield Breiz Nicola, from Dorset-based D R R & M E Stranger & Sons, with 101,849kg of milk and an LDY of 27.55kg/day.

A full list of NMR’s 100-tonne cows is on the website at www.nmr.co.uk

Last few diaries The last few NMR Herd Management diaries are available from Customer Services at a reduced price of £16.80 including VAT and postage.

Stuart (left), Margaret and John Harvey, Drum Farm, Beeswing, Dumfries

Top Holstein herd ranked on yield in NMR’s latest Annual Production Report is Dumfries-based producers John, Stuart and Margaret Harvey.

They run the 278-cow herd at Drum Farm near Beeswing. Production here, for the year ending September 2014, has increased by 25g of fat and protein and 473kg of milk to this latest record of 903kg fat and protein and 12,252kg of milk on three-times-a-day milking.

This was enough to move them up from the second spot in 2014 into first place.

This herd has also reduced its calving interval by two days to 399 days during the past 12 months.

New names are at the top of each of

the other main dairy breeds. The Harveys’ herd from Cornwall leads the Ayrshire rankings with 659kg of fat and protein and 8,943kg of milk. For the Jersey breed, the Wadmans’ herd, from Somerset, is top with 770kg of fat and protein and 6,810kg of milk. Top Friesian herd is Wayne Gratton’s from Derbyshire with 619kg of fat and protein and 8,112kg of milk. C Royle’s herd is the top Shorthorn herd with 519kg of fat and protein and 7,365kg of milk. G A Payling’s Guernsey herd moves to first place with 642kg of fat and protein and 7,065kg of milk.

NMR customers can access the report using a password available from NMR on 0844 7255567.

More milk better health NMR’s latest breed average trends for the year ending September 2014 show that production is increasing while health and fertility traits are improving for all the main dairy breeds.

With Holsteins representing 75% of NMR recordings, the breed has added 425kg to its annual average milk yield to break a new record of 8,815kg at 3.89% fat and 3.19% protein.

Representing 2.3% of recordings, the Jersey has added 260kg of milk to achieve 5973kg and increased fat and protein to 5.38% and 3.82%. Ayrshire milk yields have also increased to 6,708kg at 4.06% fat and 3.32% protein.

Now representing 1% of all NMR recordings the Friesian average yield has increased by 254kg to 6,795kg at 4.06% fat and 3.33% protein.

While all these breeds have seen a reduction in somatic cell counts, the Friesian breed has seen a drop of 14,000 cells/ml to 169,000 which is the lowest of all four breeds. The Holstein average is now 191,000 cells/ml with the Ayrshires at 181,000 cells/ml and Jerseys at 195,000 cells/ml.

The Holstein, Friesian and Jersey breeds have all reduced their calving interval by two days with the Friesians now below 400 at 397 days.

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 22

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27-02-15 11:33

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27-02-15 11:32

G R A S S L A N D

S P E C I A L

Silage swards: competition highlights the true value of forage crops. Page 26 Selecting seed: tips on how to choose a reseeding mixture that best suits your business. Page 28 More bite: new grass seed mixtures are tailored to offer nutritional benefits. Page 30

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27-02-15 11:32

G R A S S L A N D

S P E C I A L

Silage challenge highlights untapped energy potential

True value of grass silage Treating grass as a crop is paying dividends for one Northern Ireland-based producer. And, despite already achieving considerable success, he’s planning to increase productivity, of both his silage swards and his herd, by reseeding with highsugar grass varieties. text Aly Balsom David Kenwell (right) and Germinal’s David Little

G

reater focus on the financial value of home-grown grass silage has made Northern Ireland-based producer David Kenwell recognise the benefits of treating his leys more like a crop.

Analysis of first- and second-cut silage, as part of the 2014 Yara Grass Prix competition, showed his unit’s grass silage had a value of £1,559/ha when compared to buying-in the equivalent energy in brewers’ grains.

“I was very surprised at its value,” says David, who farms between

Omagh and Enniskillen. “Putting a financial value on grass silage is not something we’ve done previously.”

Silage competition David was one of 10 dairy and beef producers from across the UK and Ireland who took part in the inaugural Yara Grass Prix competition. As part of the competition, finalists competed to achieve the highest metabolisable energy yield (ME/ha) averaged during the first two silage cuts taken from their best field.

Yara’s Jez Wardman, who confirms that the competition will be run again in 2015, says the aim is to highlight the value of grass silage and the importance of treating it like any other crop.

“Many producers know if they have produced enough or not enough silage each year, but if they had to buy in the equivalent in feed they would be surprised at how much it would cost,” he says.

“By maximising the quality of grass silage produced, producers have the potential to significantly reduce bought-

Quality silage: a vital forage on a unit that is not suited to growing maize or wholecrop

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26-02-15 12:16

Silage sampling: monthly testing helps David Kenwell to feed the right supplementary ration

in feed costs, which will go some way in protecting themselves against market volatility.”

Average grass silage results from across the UK and Ireland show there is significant room for improvement in terms of dry matter yields and ME yields per hectare. On average producers achieve 8t/ha DM yields and ME yields of 88,000MJ/ha. However, on average, all of the Grass Prix units were able to achieve about 50% more (see Table 1).

David’s farm performed well above the UK average but, having seen the results from across the Grass Prix farms, he has been convinced of the merits of further investing in grass management and, in particular, improving grass quality.

High rainfall Grass silage forms the main forage component of the diet for his 300cow Holstein Gulladoo herd at Kenwell Farms. With the herd yielding 9,000litres and housed for most of the year, the pressure is on when it comes to silage making.

“We are in a high rainfall area and can’t get good enough yields from maize or wholecrop,” adds David. “Grass is the only thing we can grow and our aim is to get a decent tonnage with above average quality.”

Close attention is paid at silage making

time, with grass cut at mid-day to ensure that all dew has gone and grass is tedded out and allowed to wilt for 24 hours.

David also believes it is well worth making extra effort on the clamp to ensure the pit is covered early and weighted down sufficiently. However, since the competition, David has been convinced that good silage making comes down to more than just weather.

“The top farms all used high sugar varieties,” notes David. “It took this competition to understand that it takes very little to improve grass silage quality and it’s something that you can control by selecting the right varieties and using the right fertiliser.”

David believes upping the total ME of the grass, with the help of Aber High Sugar Grass varieties and targeted fertiliser use, will help boost the total energy available to the cow and reduce the amount of concentrate he needs to feed.

The farm generally takes one to two silage cuts a year for clamping. One additional mini cut is also taken off reseeded ground at the start of the year and made into big bales. This provides a high quality bite for the high yielding group of 150 cows and also provides enough time for the clamped silage to ferment. David views regular reseeding as a worthy investment to maintain

quality and generally reseeds about 20 hectares each year. Silage is also analysed monthly to ensure that cows are fed accordingly and to avoid any potential drop in milk yields.

High-sugar grasses To increase grass quality, David is working with Germinal in Northern Ireland to select the appropriate high sugar varieties to suit his farm’s requirements, with the Aber HSG 4 grazing and cutting mixture likely to feature strongly.

He has also worked with Yara to draw up a nutrient management plan based on soil analysis results.

This has allowed formulation of specific compound fertilisers to fit ground requirements.

“Through soil analysis we found that the soils were acidic so we have applied lime,” explains David.

“We’re also incorporating sulphur and selenium into our compound fertiliser.

You can save money on fertiliser by only targeting specific nutrients where they’re needed.”

David is also planning on applying fertiliser immediately after first cut to ensure that second-cut yields are optimised – every eight-day delay in fertiliser application can reduce yields in the subsequent cut by nearly 6%. l

Table 1: Grass Prix silage results 2014

grower Willie Watson (1st) David Kenwell Grass Prix average UK and Ireland average

fresh weight yield (t/ha) (t/acre)

dry matter yield (t/ha)

metabolisable energy yield (MJ/ha)

relative ME yield (%)

value of grass (£/ha) (£/acre)

50.1 (20.5) 51.0 (20.8) 48.9 (20.0) 24.0 (9.8)

17.7 10.48 13.6 8.0

183,927 97,461 138,520 88,000

209 111 157 100

£ 2,943 (£ 1,201) £ 1,559 (£ 636) £ 2,216 (£ 905) £ 1,408 (£ 575)

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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G R A S S L A N D

S P E C I A L

Choose grass seeds mixtures with an end purpose in mind to avoid disappointment

Is your grass fit for purpose?

As dairy businesses demand more from their grassland, we spoke to a UK grassland specialist and a leading organic producer to find out more about fine-tune reseeding plans to meet specific objectives and conditions in the field. text Sara Gregson

Steve Walley keeps a close eye on his leys

M

aximising pasture growth and utilisation is one of the most positive ways to counter a volatile and falling milk price, and can help producers to be profitable in average income years – not just the ‘good’ ones. So says DLF Trifolium’s Tim Kerridge, adding that producers should also set physical expectations for each field in terms of productivity. “With accurate ways to measure grass growth, it is now easy to pinpoint which fields are performing well and which are past their best.”

When a sward ages production falls, as the sown species are replaced by invasive weed and native grasses.

“So it’s vital to prioritise re-seeding if there is more than 50% non-sown species left.”

The energy, yields and higher feed potential of younger modern grass

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varieties have also prompted many producers to move to shorter-term rotational grass, which can deliver more milk per hectare.

“The other significant move is away from ‘dual-purpose’ leys,” he says. “Does the paddock need to present animals with an attractive, palatable sward that is easy to bite and chew? Or does it need to produce high tonnages of young leafy material that will turn into high quality conserved feed?

Silage mixtures “Each type of grass has its own growth and feed quality characteristics. So, when re-seeding, producers should select the most appropriate combination to meet the aims set for each field and to also fit the soil and climatic conditions.”

Cutting leys should be a mixture of vigorous, ‘upright’ grasses that exhibit rapid regrowth after de-foliation,

such as Italian and hybrid ryegrasses.

“Festulolium – crosses between meadow fescue or tall fescue and Italian ryegrass – are attracting a lot of attention due to their ability to withstand climate stresses.

Varieties like Lofa are an ideal companion for Italian and hybrid ryegrasses in silage crops,” says Tim. Where producers are looking to increase the protein content of conserved forage, adding red clover is a good option. “It also acts as an excellent soil conditioner, with the deep legume roots keeping an open soil structure and also fixing nitrogen.

“With grazing leys the main aim is to maintain sward density, particularly on difficult land that may be on heavy soil prone to poaching.

“Late-heading perennial ryegrasses have delayed stem formation, large leaf area and prostrate growth and are ideal for grazing,” says Tim. “Look for those with the greatest resistance to fungal diseases,

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26-02-15 12:18

A cocksfoot seedling, among the clover and perennial ryegrass, in the bespoke grass-seed mixture sown in August 2014

Reseeding checklist

fields, from peat to clay to sand. Rainfall averages 600mm.

The cows are loose housed during the winter and the composted farmyard manure is spread during late winter onto the grazing ground. Slurry from winter heifer housing is spread onto silage aftermaths.

Extended grazing

such as Drechslera and crown rust, that can decimate swards later in the season.

“And take as much time choosing grass mixtures as choosing bulls to serve the cows – it is just as important and could pay greater dividends.”

Grass-based system Steve Walley farms in partnership with his father David at Fernyleas Farm, in Prees in Shropshire. They run 300 pedigree Holstein Friesian cows on 170 hectares on organic, grass-based system.

The cows calve all year round, yielding 7,500 litres off two tonnes of concentrate, with 3,000 litres coming from forage.

The entire unit is down to a range of grass and clover leys, with around 20 hectares reseeded annually in the autumn.

The home farm is a flat block of land that lends itself easily to dividing into grazing paddocks, with sleeper tracks providing good access. Soil type varies, even within

The cows are turned out to graze during the day from early March and stay out until the beginning of November. They are fed a buffer TMR based on grass silage, with added straights on the shoulders of the season, and fed concentrates according to yield in the parlour.

Steve measures the paddocks with a platemeter every week during the grazing season, so he knows exactly which fields are performing and which are the next candidates for reseeding. The grazing rotation varies between 18 and 28 days and the cows go in at a cover of 2,500kg DM/ha and come out at 1,800kg DM/ha.

Cutting leys produce between 10 and 12tDM/ha from three cuts, taken at the beginning of June, August and late September. Areas cut for silage are seeded using a mixture of hybrid and intermediate perennial ryegrasses, largeleaved white clover and 7.5kg/ha of red clover.

This produces high protein and high fibre forage, while fixing nitrogen in the soil and improving soil structure. The grazing leys rely heavily on late perennial ryegrasses, such as Pastour, Polim and Dolina Timothy – all organic varieties bred by DLF Trifolium – plus three types of white clover. The red clover gets going in early spring and the white comes into its own later in the summer. The Timothy is particularly suited to wetter fields.

• Target poor performing fields • Test soil for nutrients and structure • Any regular problems, such as flooding?

• Purpose – cutting, grazing or both?

• How long does it need to last?

• Which species?

• Which type of perennial ryegrass?

• Other useful species, such as festulolium, cocksfoot • Which type of clover?

• Talk to specialist merchant/ agronomist and scrutinise their mixtures • Check varieties are on the Recommended Grass and Clover Lists

In areas where drought is more of a problem, Steve worked with local grass seed specialist, Oliver Seeds’ Donald Boyd, to develop a bespoke mixture for cutting and grazing. This includes intermediate and hybrid perennial ryegrasses, red clover and some white clover and 7.5kg/ ha of Donata cocksfoot. This has a soft, palatable leaf. He drilled 22 hectares at the end of August 2014.

It established well and a late cut of silage was taken in November. “Grass is at the centre of our business,” says Steve. “We have a lot of animals to feed, so we have to ensure that we grow enough grass, at the right quality, to get us through each year.

“By measuring the grass I know exactly what each field is delivering and what its limits are in terms of soil type and weed burden. While I roughly know the kind of grasses I would expect to sow, I don’t know the exact varieties, which is why I work with an expert like Donald to fine-tune the mixtures to precisely suit our needs.” l

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G R A S S L A N D

S P E C I A L

The next step in grass seed mixture selection

Much more to grass mixtures than just yield Grass seed mixtures can now combine outstanding nutritional traits, designed specifically to meet the needs of individual units and herds. We spoke to a grassland specialist and some Dutch producers, who have been using these new-generation mixtures, to find out more. text Karen Wright

G

rass seed mixtures are evolving.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no longer just about selecting varieties for their ease of establishment, yield potential, drought resistance or longevity.

Nutrition has stepped into the mix â&#x20AC;&#x201C; literally. Producers can now select a grass seed mixture that combines

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varieties with top performances and that complement each other for grazing and/or silage making, but that also add to the nutritional value of the crop â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perhaps for more protein rich silage, or perhaps a higher energy forage or grazing crop.

This development, from Limagrain, has

been possible due to the implementation of new technology, such as NIRS (Near Infra Red Spectroscopy) that measures the nutritional properties of a plant variety. The company has introduced accreditation for its grass seed mixtures to provide producers with reliable data to help the selection process.

2015

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Grass mixtures offer improved yield, quality and cow performance A trial carried out by NIAB at its Dartington Centre, on behalf of Limagrain, showed consistently high results for LGAN grass seed mixtures across a range of yield and quality criteria.

LGAN mixtures are all made up from high quality varieties formulated by Limagrain using varieties from the recommended list identified in its quality trials as having strong nutritional attributes. The mixtures trialled included Silage & Grazing, Intensive Grazing and Extended Grazing.

Sown in autumn 2013, nine cuts were taken in 2014, starting on April 10 and following the NIAB Simulated Grazing management protocol.

Total dry matter yields, digestible fibre yields and ME yields were measured and for quality comparisons, averages for digestible fibre (dNDF), ME, protein and water soluble carbohydrate were also noted. These were compared with results from a mixture that combined four recommended varieties of grass selected for relatively low nutritional quality.

“We wanted to show that the high quality varieties could be combined to give high quality results across a range of important factors that would not only yield well, but would also perform well as a feed and contribute to improved animal performance,” says Limagrain’s grassland specialist Ian Misselbrook.

Results show particularly strong performances from LGAN mixtures for yield. The four LGAN mixtures outperformed the low quality mixture for quality criteria with exceptionally strong ME results and digestible fibre. The LGAN Silage and grass mixture also had the highest water soluble carbohydrate content, protein and ME. “The relative performance of the LGAN mixtures in these trials shows the value of combining varieties based on their yield and quality values to provide producers with mixtures that not only grow well but contribute cost-effectively to feed quality and improved animal performance.”

The new Limagrain Genetics Animal Nutrition (LGAN) range currently comprises five grass seed mixtures that meet the requirements for today’s range of dairying systems: Intensive Grazing, Extended Grazing, Quality Silage, Protein Silage and the dual-purpose Silage and Grazing.

day more than cows fed silage produced using a conventional grass seed mixture.

“Feed value was also better,” adds Mr Misselbrook. “The digestibility and energy value of the diet improved by 3% and there was a 5% improvement in overall feed efficiency. This would add 427 litres per cow to a 8,500-litre average, which would contribute to a higher milk income and margin per cow.”

The grass seed mixtures’ enhanced nutritional benefits are particularly relevant as producers look to reduce production costs to help curb some of the effects of the volatile milk price. “More milk from forage is key and nutritional benefits have a real role to play here.”

The LGAN mixtures were launched in April 2014 but most were not sown until the autumn in the UK, so they are yet to see their first grazing season. But Dutch producers have been using the mixtures for several years now.

Producer Walter Bree is impressed with the yields he has seen. He swaps land with his neighbour, who is an arable producer, for crop rotation purposes.

“I always sow LGAN Quality Silage – I

want to achieve the best possible yield and silage quality. And that’s what I get with this grass seed mixture. The yield is super.”

He has tested a number of different grass mixtures during the past couple of years.

“I think that land availability will be the new ‘milk quota’. That is why it’s important to me to maximise yield from my land. LGAN mixtures never disappoint in yield or quality.”

Fellow Dutch dairy producers André Hupkes and Joris Oosterink have expanded their herd to 300 cows and are focused on maximising milk yield per cow. “For this we need a lot of high quality grass off our land,” says Joris.

“We sowed LGAN Intensive Grazing for the first time seven years ago and it boosted yields. It’s now the only mixture we use,” adds André.

“You can’t afford to make any mistakes when it comes to grassland. If you do something wrong, you instantly notice this in intakes and milk production.

“The composition of this LGAN mixture is exactly right for us. We get a strong, closed sward and high yields. So this mixture really does help to ensure that we get more milk from our cows.” l

Walter Bree

André Hupkes and Joris Oosterink

More milk “Regular reseeding is a must if grassland productivity is to remain high,” says the company’s grassland specialist Ian Misselbrook. “There are financial rewards for any reseed, with most easily paying for themselves in extra milk yield – typically an extra 1.25 litres per cow per day – by the end of the first year. We’re urging producers to take a look at these new seed mixtures, which have been formulated for enhanced nutrition, as well as their agronomic strengths.”

Trials carried out at the independent Schothorst Feed Research Institute, based in The Netherlands, compared a Limagrain LGAN dual-purpose tetraploid grass seed mixture with a good quality conventional grass mixture fed in a TMR. Results showed that cows fed on the LGAN grass silage averaged 1.4 litres a Ian Misselbrook

Producer feedback

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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F R O M

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K N I G H T

Cattle vet Richard Knight, from the Cumbria-based XL Vets Westmorland Veterinary Group, takes a closer look at a common cause of difficult calving on units throughout the UK. Here he tells us how to recognise a twisted uterus and explains how it can happen and why it’s vital to treat the condition quickly and correctly.

Recognise the signs and act promptly

A twist of fate U

terine torsion (twisted uterus) is a cause of dystocia – or difficult calvings – and it’s certainly the most common calving problem that we get called out to. In the 18 years that I’ve been at this dairy-based practice, every other assisted calving that I’m called out to will be the result of uterine torsion.

If a producer has had one or two cases before, they’ll often recognise what it is before I arrive. A twisted uterus is relatively easy to diagnose, once you know what to look for.

A cow will walk around with her tail head up in the air, looking like she’s going to calve. The ‘Ferguson reflex’, which prompts the cow to start pushing, won’t be triggered until the calf is in her pelvis. And it can’t move up into the pelvis if the uterus is twisted.

If the uterus has been twisted for several hours, the cow may also look unwell.

The ‘torsion’ occurs at the neck of the uterus – between the vulva and the cervix. So the vagina is constricted. A typical 180° torsion will result in the calf being upside down or, if the twist is through 360°, the calf will be the right way up. Either way, it can’t make an appearance without intervention.

Correcting a twist or torsion can be quite straightforward, if you know what you’re doing. It’s certainly something that a producer can learn to do, with hands-on training from a vet. I prefer to be called out because, although it’s relatively simple, if it’s not done correctly then it can cause a lot of damage.

Producers can check for a uterine torsion if they clean the vulva and use a clean and gloved hand, and use a lubricant. They won’t hurt the cow or introduce infection. But they could, if they detect a problem early on and call the vet, save her life and the life of the calf. In a 360° torsion the blood supply to the calf can be compromised, with fatal consequences. We regularly get calves out alive but time is crucial, so keep an eye on any dry cows that are due to calve and look out for those raised tails.

The encyclopaedia Uterine torsion Cause The uterus – including the calf and all the contents – twists at or just before calving. This can be the result of moving cows to a new group. Bullying from a dominant cow can do it. Poor rumen fill and compromised dry-cow management can also increase the likelihood of the condition.

Symptoms A cow that’s close to calving and has a twisted uterus will be off her feed, restless and will hold her tail head up. She looks like she’s going to calve,

but doesn’t. If she’s been like that for several hours, she may also look unwell.

Diagnosis An internal examination will reveal a ‘closed’ vagina, caused by the torsion at the neck of the uterus.

Treatment Manual manipulation by the vet can be used to twist the uterus and calf back to their ‘normal’ position.

Prevention Good dry cow management is vital. It’s essential to minimise stress and sudden movements that may cause the unborn calf to twist the uterus. Good rumen fill can help here too, acting as a support and keeping the uterus in place.

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H E A LT H

Milk test offers management benefits

PD test in a bottle saves time Pregnancy testing using milk samples is very accurate. It helps identify cows for veterinary attention and it is saving one young dairy farming family time as they strive to manage more cows and get the best from their herd. text Karen Wright

36

Caroline and Mark Davies and Mari: need to streamline operations

T

he past two years have been a whirlwind for Mark and Caroline Davies whose feet have scarcely touched the ground since they were married in June 2013. Both fortunate to have taken over the running of their familiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; milking herds, their first job just a month

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after the wedding was to bring the cattle together.

“We started moving my family’s cattle to Mark’s 73-hectare unit while the cows were at grass in July 2013,” says Caroline.

“By October my 110 cows had been merged into Mark’s 150 head. He downsized a little to accommodate my cows, as we didn’t have the facilities to take them all.”

Today, the couple are milking 240 Holsteins and a few Ayrshires at Cilau Fawr, near Llandissilio in Pembrokeshire, and the cows are showing no ill effects from the disruption.

Average production for 2014 was 9,207kg at 4.18% fat and 3.38% protein on twicea-day milking and a summer grazing winter-housed system. With somatic cell counts averaging between 150,000 and 180,000 cells/ml, and Bactoscans at around 30, the couple are pleased with progress so far.

With silage and whole crop still made on both family farms and the youngstock looked after by Caroline’s parents on a unit 12 miles away, the couple admit that moving between the two farms on a regular basis adds to the pressures on their time.

Baby Mari was also on the way last winter

Testing pregnancy from milk samples • The test measures Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins (PAGs), which are produced in the placenta of pregnant cows • PAGs are highly specific to pregnancy and start increasing from conception • The PAG test determines pregnancy with an accuracy of 98% • The test can be used as early as 35 days after service although there can be foetal losses after this date • Results are either positive, negative

and was clearly going to add further to their workload, so the need to streamline procedures became even more pressing and the couple cast around for solutions.

It was at around this time that they received a leaflet explaining how pregnancy diagnosis could now be undertaken using the routine milk sample. The idea appealed to them.

“We spoke to our milk recorder and she explained that we could send the samples every month as part of the routine recording and that we could choose at what stage after service to do this,” says Mark. This meant that they could PD the cows with no extra input from them and it would leave the vet’s time free to investigate any problems.

Immediate benefits

Milk PD test reduces stress on cows

Opting for a milk PD test to be carried out automatically on any sample from a cow 42 days after insemination, they started using the service in November 2013 and decided they would ‘give it a go for a few months’.

“We could immediately see the benefits,” says Caroline. “We didn’t have to separate cows and keep them back to PD. This puts less stress on the cow as she doesn’t need to be handled; she doesn’t need an internal examination; and, in fact, she is ‘scanned’ in-calf without even knowing.

“And the results are here soon after testing. This month we milk recorded on a Thursday and the PD test results were back on Monday,” she continues. “It’s like waiting to get your exam results – quite an exciting day and we’ve so far been very pleased with the outcome.

“In our latest test, for example, we tested 31 cows and 24 came back as confirmed in-calf. Six were not in-calf and one was a recheck, which is done at no cost at the next recording.”

With the herd calving all year, the testing

or inconclusive, and any inconclusives are re-tested free of charge • An auto-selection procedure identifies the cows for testing every month, on the chosen day after service • Results are reported through NMR’s Herd Companion or can be emailed to the producer • Producers who do not routinely milk record can also use the service on an ad-hoc basis using purpose-designed sampling kits

is carried out with every milk recording and those animals found not to be in-calf are separated out.

“The vet will then double check that the negative animals are actually not in-calf, and this has so far always confirmed the milk test result,” says Mark.

“If they are cystic he’ll use a PRID or CIDR or they may get Estrumate if they appear to be cycling,” he says.

They’ll then be marked up with tail paint and closely watched for signs of bulling and hopefully soon be back in the system.

And although the vet doesn’t do as much routine PD work now, his time can be used to address the real health and fertility issues and discuss areas for improvement with the couple.

“We’re also aware there’s a chance that the cow could lose her calf after PD when the test is done as early as 42 days, so we have to bear this in mind,” adds Caroline.

“But to be honest, there’s also that worry when the internal examination is done as there’s a risk of infection and it’s definitely more stressful for the cow.”

Highly accurate “Our experience so far is that foetal losses after 42 days are minimal – and they are definitely fewer than before. They say that the test is 98% accurate and I would completely agree with that. We definitely wouldn’t switch back now,” she says.

Furthermore, they believe the test has the scope to improve the herd’s fertility. “It’s early days with our combined herds and we haven’t really got comparable figures, but our current calving interval is 406 days with 2.21 services per conception and 40% conception to first service.

“We’d like to get our calving interval below 400 days and I’m sure the milk PD test will help us achieve this, as well as bring us great advantages when it comes to day-to-day herd management.” l

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BREEDING INFORMATION

Dairy ‘power’ and polled offspring Pianoman calls the tune Mogul son Vero Pianoman is from the Planet daughter Paula 1, who traces back to the famous Chief Mark daughter GoldenOaks Mark Prudence EX95 and who gave more than 160,000kg lifetime production.

Pianoman is available as both conventional semen, priced at £12 per straw (£8 for 50+ straws), and as SiryX sexed semen, priced at £26 straw.

For further information on Vero Pianoman and on all other bulls from CRV Avoncroft call 0800 7831880 for free.

Caudumer Powerplay PP RF (Parker P x Magna P) is a black-and-white genomically selected InSire bull who carries the red factor gene. As one of the world’s top available bulls with the homozygous polled trait (meaning that all of his offspring will be polled) he is widely used as a sire of sons.

Powerplay also scores well on both Better Life Health (+7%) and Better Life Table 1: UK Holstein production proof Caudumer Powerplay

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Efficiency (+7%). He is also noted for his good scores for calving ease (112), udder health (107) and fertility (104). With excellent production and longevity (+440 days), Powerplay’s offspring will be capable of high milk yields, a trait that is firmly established in the Dutch Lol cow family of Caudumer Holsteins that Powerplay comes from. Caudumer Powerplay PP RF is available priced at £17 per straw.

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Pianoman dam Paula 1

Atlantic – a popular choice CRV’s annual statistics from the Netherlands show that Delta Atlantic was by far the most used bull during the past year. The Ramos son, from Etazon Renate, recorded a total of 68,438 first inseminations from September 1, 2013, through August 31, 2014, according to CRV’s statistics.

First inseminations of Kodak 28,357

and Fidelity 28,027 were recorded in just 12 months.

For the second year in a row, Topspeed Kodak was the bull with the most herd book registered calves, CRV recorded close to 26,000 calves from the redand-white Kevin son. His registrations were followed by Atlantic then Cricket and Fidelity respectively.

Debutant daughters out in force As an InSire bull, Delta G-Force (Man-OMan x Jordan) was already very popular, both at home and abroad. His first daughter group, demonstrated at the Cow Expo in Ghent, proved that the

producer who used him early on made the right decision.

The five G-Force daughters showed a lot of dairyness with their tall and long frames. They had high attached rear

G-Force daughter group on show at Ghent

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udders, with very strong ligaments.

Teat length was a little longer than average and the teat placement very correct. His daughters moved well on their somewhat sickled feet and legs.

With excellent milk production (+352 kg of milk) and good components (+19.7 kg +0.07% fat, +19.9 kg +0.10% protein) G-Force daughters guarantee extremely high fat and protein yields.

G-Force takes longevity (+555 days) and, with it, lifetime production to a higher level. In addition, his daughters produce very efficiently (+12%) and he has an excellent score for calving ease (107).

Delta G-Force is available priced at £25 per straw or £22 for 50+ straws.

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F E E D I N G

Brassicas boost forage output and help to cut feed costs

Kale â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your flexible friend Brassica forage crops, such as kale and forage rape hybrids and stubble turnips, offer producers some flexibility during the grazing season and throughout the winter. And they can also significantly reduce feed costs. text Rachael Porter

C

utting production costs remains the name of the game. And with feed being one of the major costs for dairy businesses, growing and feeding brassica crops, such as kale, can offer a cost-saving advantage and a degree of flexibility. So says Limagrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Martin Titley, adding that the flexibility offered by a crop like kale can also be

Strip grazing: kale offers an alternative to grass when growth slows or it can be used to extend the grazing season well into the autumn and winter

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Brassicas offer flexibility and extended grazing Grass can burn up by August on David Watson’s relatively dry unit, close to Biggar in Lanarkshire. So for the past three years he’s grown five hectares of kale (Maris Kestrel and Pinfold) and forage rape hybrids (Redstart and Interval) to take the pressure off and extend the grazing season for this 100cow herd.

“These brassicas are an insurance policy against a dry summer and, if they’re not required in August or September, the cows will graze the crops later – sometimes as late as December. Dry cows have also grazed them in January.

It’s a very flexible crop and it’s great ‘back up’. Mr Watson sows kale in May and the hybrid a little later, in June.

Staggered sowing also creates some additional flexibility. He says that the kale can be left and not grazed until November, but it’s also ready come August. The hybrid grows a little faster – just 10 weeks and it’s ready to graze.

“But it doesn’t stand around for too long before it starts to lose its nutritional value.”

His brassica crops follow grass and he says they’re relatively easy to grow. “I spray off the grass field and direct drill – trial and error has shown that this works best on our land. It’s also easy to

extremely useful during a challenging grazing season.

“Brassicas and other forage crops can be a life-line in a dry summer, offering an alternative to grass grazing if growth slows in August, as it does in some parts of the UK,” he says.

He’s a fan of kale, in particular, which he believes has been over looked and forgotten in favour of some forage rape hybrids.

“Kale will retain its D value for longer Martin Titley: “The feed value is in kale’s stem – not so much the leaf”

David Watson: “Growing brassicas ensures that there’s a ‘green bite’ in a dry year”

strip graze too. All you really need is a strong electric fence!”

Above all, the crops give him peace of mind. “They’re a back up in a dry year – a ‘green bite’ when everything else has stopped growing due to low rainfall.

It’s vital to extend the grazing season and maximise the use of home-grown forages, in order to keep feed costs down,” he says. “With these crops in the mix I know we can manage, even when

the grass wedge is a bit thin. The cows can strip graze the brassica crops for a short period to allow the grass wedge to build up a little.”

Mr Watson sows a stubble turnips and grass mix on a small section of the kale field, to provide a ‘loafing’ area. These turnips are ready for grazing in just six weeks. “They have plenty of leaf, a decent D value, and also offer an early bite if forage stocks run a little low.”

than many of the hybrids, as a standing crop. So, if you sow kale in May with a view to grazing in August but then, come August, you have plenty of grass, the kale will wait. It could be left until December, January or February before it’s grazed and it will still be just as nutritionally valuable.”

Mr Titley says that kale also offers higher yields – between 8t/ha and 9t/ha, compared to between 3.5t/ha and 4t/ha for forage rape hybrids.

“The feed value of kale is in the stem – not so much the leaf,” says Mr Titley.

“Producers should select ‘marrow stem’ varieties, such as Caledonian and Grampian , for grazing dairy cows. The latter offers a digestibility value of 73.7% and they all ‘hold’ their D value for several months.”

He believes that modern hybrid brassicas can provide the basis for an outwintering system for heifers or dry cows, significantly reducing pressure on housing and eliminating a lot of the associated costs. “Varieties such as Swift or Redstart can establish a grazing crop in as little as 10 weeks and then provide feed for a significant proportion of a winter. These hybrids combine the fast growing qualities of rape with the winter tolerance of kale, and provide a highly palatable and nutritious forage source,” he says.

Untapped opportunity Germinal’s Paul Billings agrees that brassica fodder crops remain an untapped opportunity for many and yet they offer tangible savings.

Out-wintering system “Strip grazing does need to be supplemented with straw or big-bale silage, but we estimate the cost of keeping dairy heifers on an outwintering system to be about half the cost of keeping them housed. There are also additional benefits, as cattle managed correctly on an out-wintering system are generally healthier than those kept inside.”

C O WCMO AWNM AA GN E M A GE EN M T E SNE TP TME AMRBCE HR 22 00 10 59

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F E E D I N G

Out-wintering: dairy heifers grazing a crop of Swift, a hardy hybrid brassica

Mr Billings’ points were illustrated during one of the wettest seasons on record at SRUC’s Crichton Royal Farm, Dumfries, when pedigree Holstein heifers were reared outside, relieving housing for cows and calves. Research farm manager Hugh McClymont undertook the project in winter 2013/2014 as a pilot for more extensive studies.

The two winter-hardy varieties of hybrid brassica, Swift and Redstart, were drilled on August 1 at 6.2kg/ha, each on half of a 2.5-hectare former grass field.

Mr McClymont had also selected the field because boundary walls and trees provided shelter. Drilling costs were £50/ ha with seed costs £46.50/ha plus slug pellets at 7kg/ha (£9.20/ha), which were applied with the drill.

Soil conditioner Big bales of good quality haylage were positioned in the field at 20-metre intervals. The crop established quickly and by the time the group of 23 springcalving, 24-month-old heifers was put into the field at the beginning of December it was almost a metre tall.

One of the positives is the low cost of the crop, both for growing and feeding it.

There is also no capital investment in buildings for young stock, which Mr McClymont knows can be a constraint for today’s expanding dairy herds.

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“As well as being a home-grown feed, it is also a soil conditioner and the cattle are fertilising the ground with their manure,” he says. “It also provides a good break crop to be succeeded by a spring crop such as maize.

“I also think it is healthier for the stock – and the herd manager, who has to move the electric fence daily! I think the system would best suit those with a forage feeding mindset and it all comes back to costs,” he adds.

Break-crop benefits Grazing was controlled across the field by two 250m wide electric fences to prevent the cattle getting into the crop should one fence break. The majority of the time Hugh moved the fence himself aiming to get the amount of crop available to the heifers correct to prevent wastage.

The heifers are weighed monthly and for the month they grazed the crop, daily liveweight gain averaged 0.8kg, the target for housed in-calf heifers.

Research into the system is on-going at Crichton Royal Farm, with comparisons being made between a group of spring calving heifers on brassicas and big bale silage, another on deferred grazing and big bale silage and the third fed a winter ration and housed.

Brassicas are also good for soil

conditioning – these crops are an ideal break crop prior to reseeding grass leys.

“In addition to their value in reducing bought-in feed costs, they offer a cost effective break-crop option, producing high yields of high quality forage dry matter at costs of between 3p and 5p per kilogramme of dry matter,” says Mr Billings.

“Whether for spring or autumn reseeding, the basic principle is to use the out-going ley for as long as possible into its final productive season before then exploiting the versatility of the brassica in the most appropriate way to plug what can otherwise be a forage gap.

“Earlier drilled crops can bridge summer grazing gaps and offer the additional opportunity for repeat grazing if managed appropriately, while those drilled later ahead of a planned spring reseed can be used for over-wintering.

“It’s a win:win situation, with additional forage hectares and the best possible start for the following ley.”

Martin Titley agrees. “The flexibility of these crops means that they’re great to grow as an ‘insurance’ against a poor grass-growing summer.

“And, if you don’t need to ‘cash it in’, it’ll still provide a nutritious grazing crop later in the autumn and well into the winter.” l

C VC O E EO WTW M E EM ALA NT N A JA GAG ENM EUM EAN ERN TI T S1 EM / P2AT R2 EC M 0H 0B9E2R0 12 50 0 9

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS March 7: March 31-April 1: May 6: May 7: May 13-15: May 27-30: June 4-6: June 10-11 June 18-21: July 8-9: July 14-16: July 20-23: September 16: October 7:

Early bite: a cow enjoys the first flush of spring grass Picture: Mark Pasveer

Borderway UK Dairy Expo, Carlisle Dairy Calf and Heifer Association annual conference, Middleton, Wisconsin (United States) NMR/RABDF Gold Cup Farm Walk, Michael Eavis, Glastonbury, Somerset Grassland UK, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Balmoral Show, Balmoral Park, Lisburn Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Royal Cornwall Show, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, Cornwall TotalDairy Seminar, Tortworth Court Four Pillars Hotel, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Scotland Livestock Event, NEC, Birmingham Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, Powys UK Dairy Day, Telford International Centre, Shropshire The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

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April (April 28) – This issue will take a close look at developments in housing and dairy equipment. We’ll also have the first in a series of articles on training and development.

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