Dairy Farmer November 2021 by Farmers Guardian LTD

DAIRY FARMER

Women in Dairy

Cow-calf separation is a ‘number one’ research area

November 2021

Page 30 Volume 68 Issue 11

TAKE A MOMENT

TO REFLECT.

DAIRY SHOW All of the highlights from this year’s event Pages 68-72

DON’T JUST FEED FOR GROWTH,

FEED FOR A

HEALTHIER FUTURE.

ANIMAL HEALTH Challenges as we enter autumn and winter Pages 38-52

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MILK PRICES Pages 74-76

TIP OF THE MONTH: Keep starlings at bay – p52

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Dairy Farmer, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire PR2 9NZ Origination by Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire PR2 9NZ. Printed by Precision Colour Printing, Halesfield 1, Stirchley, Telford TF7 4QQ. No responsibility can be accepted by Dairy Farmer for the opinions expressed by contributors.

editor

ews of panic buying at the pumps and supermarkets shelves, milk being tipped down the drain and an almighty hike in input prices are dominating the headlines at the moment. Farmers across all sectors are probably bracing themselves for a tough winter and beyond, with rising commodity prices, ongoing labour problems across many industries and wider structural supply chain issues all adding to a ‘perfect storm’. Reports are that red diesel is up 40%, fertiliser up by a staggering 130% and global wheat prices have risen by 37%. Of course, rising input prices are nothing new for farmers. As an industry we have become accustomed to ‘tightening our belts’. But some dairy farmers might be wondering how much tighter they really can go. Rural accountancy firm, Old Mill, recently reported that while dairy farm profits fell for its clients from an average of £233/cow in 2019/2020 to

£185/cow in 2020/2021, this should be considered against the backdrop of rising costs like never seen before. The firm’s analysis suggests the total cost of production of £2,393/cow averaged more than the milk income of £2,321/cow. This loss was, in the main, offset by increased yields and the sales of beef from the dairy herd. But how long can this continue to be the case? Carbon agenda This edition focuses on fodder and forage crops, and with rising protein prices and an eye on the carbon agenda, I believe home-grown crops which provide an alternative source of protein are only going to gain more interest in the coming years. With input costs well out of our hands, many farmers will be wanting to attempt to regain some control. However, the weather also has to play ball for crops to be a success, and we are all well aware of how that normally works out.

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What’s inside? NOVEMBER 2021 VOLUME 68 8

DAIRY TALK

Updates from Claire Eastham and Wallace Gregg

10 ON FARM

Grassland at the heart of family business

14 DAIRY MATTERS ‘Who will sing our praises?’

16 VET’S VIEW

Benefits of pain relief

18 BREEDING

£PLI delivers real-life profits, new study finds

22 NET ZERO

Not all protein was created equal

24 WORLD DAIRYING Future in dairying uncertain for young Dutch farmers

28 PLANNING AHEAD

ISSUE 11

34 MILKING CONSIDERATIONS 38 ANIMAL HEALTH

Challenges as we enter autumn and winter

54 FODDER CROPS Home-grown protein

68 DAIRY SHOW

Highlights of the event

74 MILK PRICES 78 MILK ANALYSIS 80 NEW PRODUCTS Some of the latest kit to hit the marketplace

82 MACHINERY

Bedding up streamlined

86 GOOD EVANS

‘Our Christmas dinners were subsidised by the Chancellor’

88 BUSINESS CLINIC

30 WOMEN IN DAIRY 31 PROFITABILITY

90 TECHNOLOGY New milking system

NEWS

Consumers stick with milkmen

nvironmental concerns and a desire to support local business was helping milkmen retain customers gained during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite some drop-off in numbers as people returned to the supermarkets. People flocked to milkmen and other local businesses at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, following years of the gradual decline of the traditional milk round. Susie Stannard, AHDB consumer insight manager, said numbers had peaked at 674,000, but had now largely plateaued as pandemic restrictions have eased. She said: “They are still 21.5% higher than pre-Covid-19.”

[Numbers of people using milk deliveries] are still 21.5% higher than pre-Covid-19 SUSIE STANNARD Before the pandemic, customers of milkmen tended to be older. However, there was a big uplift in younger demographics, such as those with families and those pre-family. She said: “The losses now are

Farmers missing out on payments for solids 10

On Farm

Machinery

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JMilk delivered below buyer specifications for butterfat and protein could be costing GB dairy farmers as much as £55 million a year in lost revenues, the equivalent of 0.44ppl. Butterfat is almost universally valuable to processors, meaning almost all buyers pay for additional fat above a defined base level. But AHDB lead dairy analyst Patty Clayton said many farmers were not benefiting from this. Liquid processors were unable to capture value for additional protein, which meant farmers could incur costs but achieve no benefit by exceeding base levels. However, manufacturers typically

paid for milk delivered above a base value of 3.4%. Ms Clayton said: “Based on the sample of delivered milk, about 64% of the milk missed this target, effectively forfeiting an estimated £17m in payments.” Ms Clayton said it was important to do a cost-benefit analysis of pushing for higher solids, with input costs at high levels and farmers could use the AHDB milk price calculator. She suggested farmers wanting to increase milk solids should review their feeding approach and ration with a nutritionist or vet and, longer term, breed from bulls which are likely to pass higher constituent genetics to cows.

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NEWS There has been an uplift in the number of younger people using a milkman.

Warning on imported cattle JFarmers supplying Barber’s cheesemakers have been urged not to send milk from any cow which has not been resident in the UK for at least 90 days following a change in rules after Brexit. The introduction of a new EU export health certificate, which has been delayed until January 15, 2022, means if farmers import an animal, milk from that cow cannot be used in any product which is going to be processed and potentially exported to the EU for three months. With its business reliant on both domestic and global customers, the cheesemaker stressed how important it was to follow the rules.

Dairy Woman of the Year

potentially coming from prefamilies. Some of the economic forces are kicking in and people cannot really afford it.” Reason Ms Stannard said the reason people were still buying was wanting to support local businesses. Sustainability was another key factor, with many people interested in reducing their use of plastic. Dairy farmer Aylett Roan, from south west Scotland, said

they had retained a proportion of customers, but more than expected had returned to the supermarket. She said: “It is a bit sad to see. It shows that people automatically go back to the one-stop shop system, without that connection.” But for those who have remained, Ms Roan said it was because their lives had now changed. “They are working from home more or they are at the older end. “There is that connection there. These are customers we phone

to check in on over and above what customer service demands.” Ms Stannard added milkmen and farmers needed to build a story about the provenance of their milk, the living conditions of the cattle and emphasise the sustainability angle. She said: “Look at diversifying the offer. The other products sold are a small proportion, but there is quite a bit of opportunity highlighting to consumers what else they can buy.”

JDorset farmer Sophie Gregory has been announced the winner of this year’s Dairy Woman of the Year Award. In addition to milking 360 cows with 150 followers alongside her husband Tom, Mrs Gregory spends time engaging with the wider public. An element of this includes taking part in Farmer Time, an industry initiative aimed at using digital communications to inspire and engage children about the sector and the journey of agriculture from farm to fork.

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NEWS

Prices for UK land remain strong

K land prices rose by 1.5% during 2020 – well ahead of the 0.2% average increase recorded across the 15 countries reported in Savills Global Farmland Index. But even that small increase was what the company described as a ‘modest reversal of fortune’ from the falls reported in 2019. In the UK, the market was heavily influenced by two factors – the interest in lifestyle and amenity farms and a lack of supply. Emily Norton, head of Savills’ rural research, said: “Last year’s events catapulted the UK rural sector to the forefront of the public’s minds for the first time in decades. “The interest in lifestyle and amenity farms and estates across all price points and geographical regions was unprecedented.” The Covid-19 pandemic had some unexpected effects on global land prices around the world, with the efficiency with which countries propped up their economies becoming an issue. Five countries included in the index – New Zealand, Ireland,

In the UK, land prices are heavily influenced by two factors – the interest in lifestyle and amenity farms and a lack of supply.

Uruguay, Argentina and Denmark – showed a fall in price. In Brazil, farmland values rose 14% in the local currency, but declined by 13% in terms of the index, because the real fell in value substantially against the US dollar, the currency in which the index is calculated. Other factors also came into play in Argentina and New Zealand.

In Argentina, restrictions on exports depressed the market, causing a seventh year of drops and a total fall of some 30% since 2014. New Zealand’s market was affected by the country’s coronavirus response, with borders closed to almost the entire world so purchasers could not easily participate in the market. For the future, the company said

the ability of land to provide solutions to a range of issues facing society would be increasingly important. These included its ability to help reverse the biodiversity crisis or offer carbon sequestration through soil management. These could support values by offering new income streams or attracting new types of investors to the sector.

High rates of depression in the sector revealed JMore than one-third of dairy farmers across England Wales are probably or possibly depressed, according to a major survey carried out by the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI). The survey found 39% of respondents from the dairy sector were probably or possibly depressed, with rates only worse in the pig and less favoured areas grazing livestock sectors. According to the research, an average of six factors are the main cause of stress in farmers, with regulation, compliance and inspection topping the list – ahead of the Covid-19 pandemic

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and unpredictable weather. Physical health was also identified as a major problem, with more than half (52%) of those surveyed experiencing pain and discomfort. And mental well-being among women in the farming community

RABI will use the results to inform the evolution of our services SUZY DEELEY

was found to be even lower than in their male counterparts, with 43% of women identified as possibly or probably depressed, compared with 33% of men. But despite these challenges, farmers remained optimistic about the future, with 59% of respondents believing their business is viable over the next five years. Despite the optimism of farming communities, there was not an absence of realism. Many see challenges in the external environment: the phasing out of the Basic Payment Scheme and the rise of extreme weather as significant worries, but few

are making substantial plans. RABI has urged the sector to pull together to resolve the issues identified by the survey. The charity’s corporate partnership manager, Suzy Deeley, said: “This survey of a generation has revealed that farming people continue to be incredibly resilient and this is something we should focus on. “We owe it to every farming person to use this evidence to take action to improve farmer well-being. RABI will use the results to inform the evolution of our services and welcome others to participate in shaping future farming support.”

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 13:52

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Claire Eastham

DAIRY Talk

Claire Eastham farms with her husband Martyn in Dorset, where they milk 120-spring calving cows. After gaining knowledge and experience working for other businesses, the couple started their own dairy farming journey in 2015 by taking on a share farming agreement before progressing to their current county council farm.

“

We were thrilled our first home-reared heifers were 100% in-calf this year

hile writing this the world has gone mad as we’re seeing rising prices, shortages and mass panic. I must say I think the big corporations are driving a lot of it. Diesel was at £1.55 at the pumps this morning, which suggests someone has increased their profit margin quickly. At the first meeting of the new season for the Dorset Grassland Society, we welcomed speaker Cathal McAleer, who discussed how to maximise outputs while reducing synthetic inputs, and if it were only for cost reasons. I can only see this as the way forward. We are always the first to be squeezed and last to be rewarded at the bottom of the chain. We have done well as an industry to shift and adapt to reduce production costs, but with a milk price the same as 25 years ago, I do feel a real change coming. Farmers haven’t been subsidised for years; everyone has had that subsidy, in the form of cheap food. Without it, costs to the consumer should, and will, rise. Consumers need to evaluate what is important to them. This may well, finally, be the time in which nutritious food is valued, and I believe eating as close to the soil as possible is sustainable.

Lab-grown The processes which products go through to become empty calories and ‘lab-grown’ meat full of synthetics are only here for one reason – you guessed it – money in the pockets of the big corporations. On-farm we have finally installed the first of our rainwater harvesting system and hopefully the Rural Payments Agency will soon say we can have four more 10,000-litre tanks on a new agreement under the Capital Grant element of the Countryside Stewardship scheme, as we are in a high priority catchment. I am hopeful this will reduce our water bill by half. I am also looking at ways to produce energy and am considering the feasibility of a small wind turbine, possibly roof-mounted. I feel the more we can reduce our reliance on anything bought-in, the more resilient we can be. It has been ridiculously dry here; we had 17mm of rainfall in August and 6mm to September 26, and

we are now drier than we have ever been, including the drought years. We normally have a great flush of grass now and so it has caught us out. Cows have held on well, yielding 17 litres (1.46kg milk solids) until mid-September, but have just dropped back to 15 litres (1.29kg milk solids), feeding 3kg. We were thrilled our first home-reared heifers were 100% in-calf this year, with only two outside the first three weeks and all in-calf to Hereford. We have also bought-in some cows and will be milking 150 next season, which will be the peak for this farm. With 100 calving in the first three weeks, this should put us in a great position to build on fertility going forward and shorten our block from 12 weeks in the second season to 10 weeks in 2023. Buffer feeding has commenced, and I am going to sprinkle on various seeds to see what can establish this way to increase the diversity of our swards. Our 12 hectares (30 acres) of herbal leys have been established. Unfortunately, our normal min till method did not work this time, so the plough was used for the first time since we took the tenancy. I am very excited to see how these perform, how the cows yield on and off them and how our soils alter, so will be keeping close tabs. Third cut came in on top of the clamp and the red clover was baled to be used as high quality protein on the shoulders of the season. These did win at the local show, but just like the old beauty contest, we were the only entry.

NOVEMBER 2021

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DAIRY TALK

Wallace Gregg Wallace Gregg runs the family farm in mid-Antrim, near Ballymena, Northern Ireland, where he milks 180 pedigree Holsteins under the Frocess prefix and sells his milk to Dale Farm Co-op. Wallace is actively involved with Holstein UK, representing Northern Ireland at local and national level.

“

If Mother Nature plays ball, we should have enough grass to last to the beginning of November

ike so many fellow farmers, I follow the weather forecasts every day, as this is a major influence on the day-to-day decision-making process on our business. The swings in temperature, along with more rain, will mean all cows will soon be housed at night, as opposed to just the fresh calvers and close up dry groups. This will be accompanied by the usual conundrum of whether to keep cows out in the daytime to reduce costs and shorten up the winter or miss out on milk yield and consistent diet by eating low dry matter grass of varying quality. If Mother Nature plays ball, we should have enough grass to last to the beginning of November and set the farm up for a good spring. A date looming large on our calendar is our upcoming TB test due in the middle of November. I know many farmers dread this time because the results can absolutely decimate businesses at worst and prove a major headache at best. This will be our first test for six months after being ‘closed’ last year from September to May, so fingers crossed for a clear test. This leads on to a recent consultation by DAERA here in Northern Ireland about changing the whole TB testing and compensation regime to one which would be similar to England by setting out wildlife culling and control strategies, alongside a drastic reduction in compensation for reactor animals. I personally believe it is morally wrong to offer a fraction of an animal’s market value to a farmer

Graph: Lifetime yield of milk compared with overall score as first calf heifer 13,000 12,000 11,000 10,000 9,000

Overall score

≤87

7,000

8,000 ≤74

Lifetime milk yield (£)

SOURCE: Holstein UK

14,000

if the Government is not prepared to tackle the reservoir of infection in the local wildlife population first. We, as an industry, must always take on the responsibility to respond to these consultations so the Government is fully aware of our views and opinions. At a recent discussion group meeting facilitated by our consultant, there was quite an animated discussion on the merits of high type animals versus selection by profitable lifetime index (PLI) only, and the concerns of quite a few farmers were that after three generations of breeding selecting for PLI, farmers were disappointed by the conformation of the cows. Major role I feel that PLI has, and will in the future have, a major role to play in the dairy industry, but alongside the merits of breeding for better conformation and type. A recent study by Holstein UK of a substantial dataset of almost 50,000 heifers revealed overall score is positively correlated with lifetime milk yield. First calved heifers scored VG85 and above will achieve £2,000-£4,000 more value of milk yielded in their lifetime compared to heifers scoring under 80 points. Classification on our farm not only provides me with an independent assessment of my animals, which instantly adds value to those animals, but also allows me to access the bull selection and mating programmes on offer to help me make better breeding decisions to increase profitability on my farm and prove that higher classified cows are not just a pretty face.

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ON FARM Making use of every blade of grass grown on-farm is building resilience into Rheinallt and Rachel Harries’ dairy business. Debbie James reports.

Great grassland at the heart of family business

aximising milk from forage is at the heart of the farming system at Llwynmendy Farm, on the outskirts of Llandeilo, where the drive is to increase production sustainably with grass and forage. Total production of the spring-calving herd is 6,400 litres per cow, and 68% of that – 4,353 litres – comes from forage. The Harries family took on the farm in 2016 when Rachel’s father, Meirion, stepped back from farming. Prior to that, Rheinallt had leased

a farm at Trelech in partnership with another farmer. Llwynmendy Farm had been run as a dairy and sheep farm, but there had been little reseeding for several years, so it offered the Harries family an opportunity to create a grassland system which suited the needs of the 165-cow herd. Reseeding Since 2017, 73% of the 40-hectare (99-acre) grazing platform has been reseeded, mostly with late heading high sugar diploid varieties. But the farm is constantly evolving and the couple are

experimenting with growing 4ha (10 acres) of herbal leys to lift soil fertility. This multi-purpose ley is deep-rooting, protecting the farm’s loamy soils and drawing nutrients up from the ground. There have been lessons learned, however, as they discovered their cows do not have much of a taste for chicory. Rheinallt says: “We know when the milkers are grazing that ley because the tank takes an immediate hit and there is a noticeable drop in production, so we will not be including chicory in future seed mixes.” The farm grows four hectares (10 acres) of herbal leys to lift soil fertility.

Rheinallt and Rachel with their children (left to right) Morgan, Faith and Noah.

On one of the drier parts of the farm, 2.5ha (six acres) of the AberXtend high sugar grass extended grazing mixture has been planted. The farm has a high annual rainfall – last year 1,900mm was recorded – so to protect the soils none of fields on the platform are ploughed for reseeding. They are instead sprayed off and power-harrowed to a depth of 1.5in. Rheinallt says: “We create a bit of till then broadcast the seed and roll it in. It is easier, quicker and cheaper than ploughing and the ground stays firm. If we ploughed the fields, the ground would get tender and the cows would poach it in wet conditions.” He also rents off-lying land, two separate blocks of 35ha (86 acres) and 17ha (42 acres), for growing silage and grazing heifers.

Farm facts rCows are milked in a 24/48 parlour, adapted from a second-hand 40/80 parlour which formed part of the investment the Harries family has made on the farm rOther improvements to the farm include a new drinking water system, cow tracks with

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ON FARM

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Strong emphasis is placed on growing good-quality silage with the aim to take four cuts of silage a year, with the first crop harvested in the first week of May. The multi-cut approach has benefited silage quality and, ultimately, milk yield. Rheinallt says: “It has been a big factor in the yield increasing in autumn when the milk price is higher.” This year’s first cut analysed at 12.1% metabolisable energy, 13% protein, 38% dry matter (DM) and a D-value of 75. Now in its fifth season of production, the business is achieving 530kg of milk solids per cow. Rheinallt hopes that by improving the quality of silage and grazed grass, annual concentrate use can be reduced from 1.4 tonnes a cow to 1.2t. Key to achieving this is growing

artificial grass surfaces, a silage clamp and an 80-cubicle extension to existing housing rStocking rate across the platform is 4.2 livestock units/ hectare (1.7 livestock units/ acre) and 3.1 livestock units/ ha (1.3 livestock units/acre) across the entire farm

and using more grass by improving soil biology. The Harries family is keen to explore more sustainable methods of farming and this year they have reduced nitrogen inputs from 210kg/ha (85kg/acre) to 180kg/ha (73kg/acre), without compromising growth on the grazing platform. Next year the target is 170kg/ha (69kg/acre). Rheinallt says: “It is one of the measures we will have to comply with through Nitrate Vulnerable Zone regulations, so we thought we would aim to achieve it before we had to. Environment “We hope we can meet the needs of the environment and still grow 12t DM/ha.” He measures grass weekly and grass samples are taken every fortnight throughout the growing season to monitor quality. The herd is at grass from late February to the beginning of November, generally grazing by day only in October, but it is ground conditions rather than grass availability which dictates this. Protecting the land from poaching is a priority. Rheinallt says: “I am not afraid to bring the cows in if it is wet. In

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ON FARM May we had them in for two nights because it was so wet.” He operates a rotational grazing system with the grazing round length varying from 18-21 days and with a final grazing round of 60-plus days. Cows are given 12-hour breaks to fresh pasture after each milking. To help counter seasonality penalties in their milk contract with Glanbia, the start of the calving period has been adjusted – from February 1 to March 1 for the main herd, but with heifers calving from February 1. By reducing the price penalty and feeding more of the milk produced in April to beef calves instead of calf milk replacer, Rheinallt calculates the business is £5,000 better off in that month. Pasteuriser To improve on this further, a pasteuriser has been purchased to enable cow’s milk to be fed to heifers next spring. The mixed herd of mostly New Zealand Friesians with 20% Jersey crosses and Holsteins produces milk at an average of 4.6% butterfat and 3.6% protein. For the first time last winter, the herd was not dried off as a single block, but milked through, with each cow having a 60-day dry period. About 45% of the herd calves in the first two weeks of the calving period and 90% within six weeks.

The herd was established from scratch, which meant buying cows and heifers from multiple sources to get the required numbers. This, however, contributed to a high level of Johne’s disease in the herd. The business has a programme in place to eradicate the disease, marking animals which test positive with red tags and inseminating those to a beef sire, calving them separately from the rest of the herd and not feeding their colostrum or milk to calves. There were 21 in the herd when they embarked on this policy and 15 left the herd last year. Rheinallt says: “We could not afford to get rid of them all at once, so we have been managing it and gradually shedding Johne’s-positive cows from the herd. It is an initiative our milk buyer is driving, but from an economic point of view it makes sense for us to do it, as a cow with Johne’s is not a productive cow.” Colostrum is tested with a refractometer and the best quality feed – ideally at a minimum immunoglobulin (IgG) of 21 – is given to heifers.

It is very easy for people to be romantic about farming but they do not understand the economics and the pressure RHEINALLT HARRIES

As Rheinallt looks to the future, he predicts that the phasing out of the Basic Payment Scheme could provide greater opportunities for new entrants, after a short unsettled period. But as many businesses depend on this payment, he suggests that if the Government and the public want farmers to farm in a certain way, it has to be paid for. He says: “We are quite heavily stocked, so it will be difficult for us to lose land for public goods, but

the environment is such a big deal going forward that we have to embrace sustainable agriculture and everything that goes with it.” He has already dropped soya from purchased feed. In 2020, a wild flower mix was planted on 0.7ha (1.7 acres) which is not easily accessible to cows, to provide habitat for wildlife, bees in particular. The system has been honed since 2016 and, five years on from establishing the business, Rheinallt has not lost any of his early enthusiasm for farming. But neither is he someone to idealise farming. He says: “It is very easy for people to be romantic about farming but they do not understand the economics and the pressure we are under from governments, the public and campaign groups.” Children Rheinallt and Rachel have three young children, seven-year-old Noah, five-year-old Morgan and four-year-old Faith, and will never pressure any of them to farm. “Farming takes over your life so you have to enjoy it to do it. The children must work out for themselves if that is the future that they want,” says Rheinallt.

Stocking rate across is 3.1 livestock units/hectare (1.3 livestock units/acre) across the entire farm.

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RumaxX

maxXimise your milk from forage

RumaxX is a unique combination of plant extracts which stimulate rumen microbes and gut flora to help drive more efficient conversion of forage in to milk; ideal for farms with lower energy silage looking to aid better digestion and increased forage intakes. RumaxX improves digestion in the rumen and intestine and adds up to 1.3 litres of additional milk from forage for as little as 8p per cow per day. Available as part of your ForFarmers compound or blended feed and coming soon for TMR/PMR diets. For more information on products and services from ForFarmers contact you local account manager. 0330 678 0982 www.forfarmers.co.uk @ForFarmersUK

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13/10/2021 14:08

DAIRY Matters ‘Who will sing our praises?’ Rosemary Collingborn farms a closed herd of 100 pedigree Friesian type cows with her husband Joe in Wiltshire. She has served on the Milk Development Council, Veterinary Products Committee, the RSPCA Council and was Women’s Food and Farming Union dairy chair.

I have spent most of my life thinking how wonderful milk is. At eight years old, though not a dairy farmer, I was drinking pints of the stuff. However, at the time none of us were so keen on the free school milk waiting for us next to the central heating pipes in the basement. I nearly fell over backwards and I couldn’t have been more shocked when I heard recently about a discussion on dairy farming in our local secondary school. This was in a class of 14- and 15-year-olds, and dairy farmers were labelled ‘rapists and murderers’ by the youngsters. A few farm boys stuck up for dairying, but this was the overall view. And this was in a country school. Why? Does this view come from an uncorrected misapprehension about the fate of calves and using artificial insemination rather than a bull? When I was on the RSPCA Council, one of my fellow council members thought every cow should have its own bull and wasn’t to be dissuaded. Milk is suffering from the rapid rise of alternative ‘milks’. You have only to look in supermarket chillers to see how milk alternatives have expanded in recent years. These cost more than milk and are a profitable new stream for the food industry. These alternatives are mainly water and, although they may have added vitamins and calcium (and sugar), they cannot rival milk for its energy-dense nutritional value.

Rosemary Collingborn

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My great concern for these teenagers, who don’t sound as if they are drinking milk, is that these teenage years are when they need the most calcium for their growing bones if they are to avoid osteoporosis in the future. Among modern foods, dairy, particularly milk and yoghurt, stand out as having the richest, most dense, nutrient profile for their energy content. They are typically rich in protein, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and several of the B vitamins, and are importantly the most easily absorbed source of calcium. Milk is particularly high in iodine and vitamin B12. Milk has many other benefits – low fat dairy and reduced salt have been shown to lower blood pressure within two weeks. Research has shown dairy goods may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease with fewer fractures in the elderly. Eating cheese after a meal not only prevents tooth decay, it can repair short-term damage to your teeth. Positive role Research has shown that skimmed milk has a very positive role in recovery after exercise even compared to well-known sports drinks – both supplied sufficient rehydration, but skimmed milk ensured a positive fluid balance at the end of recovery. Studies have shown that three portions of dairy a day in a calorie-controlled diet helps to lose fat, particularly round the waistline. It is hard to meet nutrient recommendations without eating three daily servings of dairy. I don’t think any of these benefits come from drinking almond, soya or oat milk, even if they cost more and, unlike dairy foods, they are useless for cooking. How is the public getting such a distorted view of our wonderful industry? In years gone by, we had an excellent Dairy Council, led by Anne Stacy, which fronted advertising campaigns, funded school education, talked to health professionals and fed the latest positive research from all over the world into newspapers and magazines. Funding for the Dairy Council was patchy and mainly came from the levy on dairy farmers. The trade contributed too but very unevenly. It was this disparity in funding which led to the Dairy Council facing budget costs and then being incorporated into Dairy UK. The funds to defend our industry robustly no longer existed and we are all paying the price.

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:20

Dairy, particularly milk and yoghurt, stand out as having the richest, most dense, nutrient profile, says Rosemary Collingborn.

“

Milk has many other benefits – low fat dairy and reduced salt have been shown to lower blood pressure

AHDB has failed to take up the role. Another area which is under attack is the carbon footprint of dairy farming, and here we are also being misrepresented. Reading recently of the great research Kingshay has done into carbon sequestration, I decided to have some of our fields sampled using Kingshay’s Dumas test and I was pleasantly surprised. Our carbon indices were extremely high, ranging from 79.4-99 tonnes per hectare, where the benchmark was 61t/ha, and 85% of our soil sampled was very good, compared with 50% in the sample. Dairy farming often takes place on clay soils and, in most soils, carbon is bound to clay particles, so these soils will tend to have better soil carbon. Our best sample had an 8.8% soil carbon compared with an average of 2% or less for arable and even lower, about 1% for vegetables. The secret is to avoid soil disturbance and root damage, all of which are much less likely to occur on a dairy farm.

Grazing rotation affects soil carbon positively, rather than extensive grazing, which may damage the root structure, or ploughing, which releases carbon. The other positive to increase soil carbon is organic manure, supplied by our grazing cows in situ or applied to the pasture when buildings are emptied of dung. We are also preserving the dung beetle and the many insects which follow the cows. I believe there is an untold story here and we are missing a huge trick. Woodland Smaller family farms will have retained their hedges and probably ponds and have corners where woodland has grown up. Historically less intensive than arable and horticulture, they are likely to have good soil carbon and soil in good condition. We have an incredibly better environmental profile than almond milk from California. Who will sing our praises? Who will tell the world?

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NOVEMBER 2021 DF Nov p14 15 Dairy Matters KJ MB.indd 3

15 15/10/2021 09:20

VET’S VIEW Using analgesics to manage pain can increase productivity and reduce suffering and reliance on antimicrobials in dairy systems. Understanding the welfare and regulatory considerations of pain management interventions is important. Debbie James reports.

Benefits of pain relief

attle experience pain but they are good at masking it. Procedures such as disbudding or castration are unquestionably painful and so too is pain resulting from a whole range of conditions, including pneumonia, scour and mastitis. Emily Craven, ruminant clinical director at the Oakwood Veterinary Group, advises stockmen and women to apply a simple test to gauge when an intervention is needed to mitigate pain. Acid test She says: “My acid test is ‘if you think a procedure or illness is something which might have you reaching for the paracetamol, that animal needs pain relief’. “In terms of welfare, if something hurts, the cow or calf is going to be more comfortable if you give her an analgesic.” Using a local anaesthetic to numb an area before a procedure should not be seen as a reason to not give pain relief too, Ms Craven adds. “After procedures such as disbudding, the anaesthetic quickly wears off. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug [NSAID] is going to last much longer, depending on the duration of action of the product used.” The benefits of pain relief for painful procedures, such as

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castration and disbudding, are widely acknowledged and supported by field trials. In the case of illness such as calf scours, normally caused by viruses, bacteria and protozoans, the use of NSAIDs can help reduce inflammation and scarring in the gut. Aside from the obvious welfare benefits, production is enhanced if animals suffer less pain; as a result they will often return to normal feeding and other activities much faster than they would without pain relief, usually resulting in better growth, feed conversion efficiency or milk production. Ruminants often do not show signs of pain to the same degree as humans, because as prey animals, they have evolved to mask it. Ms Craven says: “We hear farmers talk of their livestock being stoic when it comes to certain procedures and that they are firing on all four cylinders after

The benefits of pain relief for procedures such as disbudding are widely acknowledged and supported by field trials.

a procedure. It is true that a cow may not overtly show pain and I think that is why traditionally pain relief has not featured highly in farming systems.” And while farmers might be right in suggesting their animals do fine without that intervention, Ms Craven says: “What I would say is that they do much better with it.” Pain reduction at castration, for instance, reduces the cortisol release and stress responses which impair immune function. As a result, the calf will return to normal feeding and other activities in a much faster time than they would without any pain relief. There are visual cues farmers can use to assess when an animal is in discomfort, for instance after

At the end of the day, pain management is an absolute requirement EMILY CRAVEN

being subjected to acute pain from disbudding calves show increased behavioural responses, such as ear flicking and head shaking. But through greater use of technology in dairy systems, including automatic calf feeders and electronic tags, farmers have actual performance data at their fingertips which reflects when an animal is in pain. Discomfort For instance, a calf will not feed as frequently and growth will be checked; in cows, when milk production is down it can be an indicator of discomfort, says Ms Craven. She says: “Historically, farmers might have perceived that an animal was doing okay, but they now have evidence which might show otherwise.” Regulatory frameworks are now in place which make it a legal requirement to protect animals from pain, including the Code of Recommendation for Welfare. Aside from these, many milk buyers also demand proactive pain management of their suppliers, and changes to the Red Tractor assurance scheme from November 1, 2021, includes

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:23

VET’S VIEW

stronger recommendations for the use of anti-inflammatory pain relief in calves. Under Red Tractor, health

plans must focus on proactive management to help farm improvement and this covers anaesthetic, analgesic and

non-steroids; these plans need to be reviewed and signed off by the farm vet at least annually. Ms Craven says: “At the end

of the day, pain management is an absolute requirement. “Most farmers who have a herd health plan are registered with Red Tractor and it is specified in that.” Administration of these products must be entered in the medicine records. Ms Craven says products which provide relief pain should be used in discussion with the farm vet. The duration of action of NSAIDs is variable between products. Ms Craven says: “It is best to speak to your vet for protocols.” While there is a cost to using NSAIDs, there is a cost benefit, Ms Craven adds. She says: “There is evidence of increased production, of better growth in calves and better milk production in the adult cow.” The welfare argument for their use, however, should always trump the economic one, Ms Craven says.

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NOVEMBER 2021 DF Nov p16 17 Vet's View KJ MB.indd 3

17 15/10/2021 09:23

BREEDING Ten years after it was last investigated, the real-life financial value of AHDB’s genetic index, £PLI, has been reassessed by Promar International. Dairy Farmer takes a look at the results.

The study concluded each point of £PLI was worth £1.58 in additional margin per cow.

£PLI delivers real-life profits, new study finds

new study to investigate the actual financial value of Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI) has published its findings some 10 years

after this was last assessed using fully bank-reconciled on-farm records. The research, undertaken by Promar, used financial data from milk recorded Holstein herds using their Farm

We have always known that animals with better genetics have a significant impact on a farm’s bottom line TIM HARPER

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Business Accounts service. The study concluded that across these herds, each point of £PLI was worth £1.58 in additional margin per cow. This equates to an extra annual margin of £30,099 for a 150-head, top 10% UK herd (average PLI £197) compared with the same sized herd of average genetic merit (PLI £70). Promar consultant, Tim Harper, who undertook the AHDB-commissioned study, says the results corroborated two earlier studies carried out in 2008 and 2011. He says: “Assuming there is no relationship between genetics and any other costs, the extra margin will translate directly through to pre-tax profit.” The study avoided distortion by excluding income and costs which are unrelated to genetics.

The analysis involved using income from milk, calf and cull sales and deducting those costs of production most likely to be affected by genetics, including feed, forage, replacements, veterinary, artificial insemination (AI) and semen costs. This allowed for the calculation of a reliable assessment, in the form of a Genetically Influenced Margin (GIM) (see Table 1). Compared When herds in the study were grouped according to their £PLI, the top 25% realised a GIM of £1,818 per cow/year. This compared with average herds at £1,670 and the bottom 25% at £1,529. The improved financial performance of the higher £PLI herds was in part due to the increased value of milk

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 11:39

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BREEDING production at an extra £283 per cow/year. However, this was partially offset by their higher use of concentrates, costing an extra £121 per cow/year. Mr Harper says: “The study gives a clear economic endorsement of £PLI, but it is important to recognise that there are factors other than genetics which also influence the bottom line. “These include feed and forage quality, cow comfort, and other aspects of good herd management – most importantly the capability of those who manage and work on-farm. “Higher genetic merit herds also tend to be larger, which in turn can impact on buying power and milk price,” he adds. “However, none of these factors alone can account for the superior financial performance of the higher genetic merit herds, which significantly benefit from the animals’ innate health and performance potential. “The important part played by genetics is unambiguous in this study, which confirms that the formula for £PLI has kept pace with modern market demands,” he says. “And with 410 farms and over 100,000 cows included in the analysis it reinforces our confidence in the index.” Marco Winters, head of animal genetics with AHDB, says £PLI has been fine-tuned over many years to reflect the market demand for higher milk solids, alongside society’s drive

Table 1: Performance of herds (grouped by £PLI) £PLI (herd average) Herd size (cows) Milk yield (litres) Milk price (p/litre) Milk income (£/cow/year) Concentrate usage (tonnes) Concentrate price (£/tonne) Feed rate (kg/litre) Total feed cost (£/cow/year) Margins over purchased feed (£/cow/year) Calf income (£/cow/year) Vet and medicine (£/cow/year) AI and semen (£/cow/year) Net replacement cost* (£/cow/year) Direct forage costs** (£/cow/year) Genetically Influenced Margin (£ per cow)

for high health and welfare. He says: “The index has also been adapted as the cow population has changed, correcting undesirable trends such as for poorer fertility or increased cell counts, which worsened in the 1990s, before indexes were developed for these traits. Impact “We have always known that animals with better genetics have a significant impact on a farm’s bottom line, and this study clearly shows how modern dairy producers are benefitting from better breeding.”

Production 11.8%

8.1%

Survival 34.4%

SOURCE: AHDB

13.7% 15.3%

Fertility Udder health Leg health

15.1%

Calving ability Efficiency

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Average 87.9 254.4 9,782 30.39 £2,972 3.628 £232.3 0.371 £958 £2,014

Bottom 25% -16.8 196.1 8,554 30.12 £2,576 2.833 £234.4 0.331 £758 £1,818

£173 £109 £54 £273 £82 £1,818

£155 £98 £46 £270 £85 £1,670

£146 £76 £39 £240 £81 £1,529

The analysis represents 410 black-and-white herds (over 104,000 cows), averaging 9,782 litres.* Net replacement cost represents the difference in value between the cull and the replacement animal, reduced to an annualised figure. ** Direct forage costs include only seed, spray and fertiliser costs (but not the cost of application or harvesting). Source: Promar

Percentage of weightings of traits within the £PLI

1.6%

Top 25% 166.4 303.6 10,683 30.47 £3,255 4.181 £230.5 0.391 £1,092 £2,163

Today, £PLI has an emphasis of 34% production and 66% health/efficiency, with the latter including lifespan, fertility, udder and leg health and calving ease. It is designed specifically for year-round calving herds, so is the most relevant breeding index for this group, most of which supply milk on a level profile. Mr Winters says: “We hope this work by Promar provides dairy producers with endorsed reassurance that by using £PLI as their primary selection index, they are breeding cows which will boost their performance and their bottom line. “And it is particularly reassuring to see that, in their role of fine-tuning the index, the Genetics Advisory Forum – which includes farmers and processors, together with breed society, milk recording, RSPCA, AI company and veterinary representation – has continued to bring together the broader needs of the dairy farming industry and keep pace with long-term market

The important part played by genetics is unambiguous in this study, which confirms that the formula for £PLI has kept pace with modern market demands TIM HARPER outlooks as well as consumer and farmer demands.” rFarmers can benchmark their herd’s £PLI using AHDB’s herd genetic report, which is available for all producers who are fully milk recording at ahdb.org.uk/ herd-genetics-reports

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 11:39

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NET ZERO

hile some processors, including Waitrose and Marks & Spencer, now require their farmers to feed dairy cows a soya-free diet, Mark Hall, Trouw Nutrition ruminant technical manager, says there is a certain amount of confusion among farmers. Rather than cutting soya completely, he says there will be a migration towards using soya from sustainable sources over the next few years. However, for farmers who are already looking to reduce the environmental impact and air miles associated with their bought-in feed, there are alternatives available. Mr Hall says: “Home-grown sources of protein are certainly gaining popularity and a lot of compounders have released their own soya-free ranges of compound feeds, which has started to filter down to farm level.” The reason soya is such a popular protein source in dairy cow diets is down to its high protein content combined with high levels of energy. Mr Hall says: “It contains anywhere from 46-50% crude protein [CP] and it is an incredibly high energy product. You are looking at 13.5MJ of metabolisable energy [ME] per kg of dry matter [DM]. It really does tick all the boxes from a dairy cow ration point of view.” Rapeseed meal and maize and wheat distillers are the main alternatives available to farmers in the UK, he says. “We are able to grow plenty

Rape has a much better amino acid profile for dairy cows than soya does MARK HALL

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Although the prospect of having to feed dairy cows without the addition of soya is not imminent, many farmers and some processors are beginning to look for alternatives. Hannah Noble weighs up the options.

Not all protein was created equal of rape in the UK. But the problem with the distillers’ products is their availability heavily depends on production. The supply is not always consistent.” Rapeseed meal has a reasonable protein content between 35-38%, but compared with soya its energy density is low at 12.5-12.8MJ/ kg DM of ME, says Mr Hall. This equates to a loss of about 1MJ of energy/kg DM, which he says soon adds up in a dairy cow ration. This energy deficit is one of the first things to take into account when making the switch from soya to an alternative source of protein. He says: “So it is really important to correct for that energy drop when

you start swapping soya for rape. The energy deficit could be replaced with wheat or barley, or fats depending on the diet.” Conversely, Mr Hall says wheat and maize distillers are very high in energy, often upwards of 13-14MJ/kg DM, but they are slightly lower in protein, typically 25-35% dependent on source. He says: “In order to get the required level of protein in the diet, you have to feed quite a bit more, so it is all about finding the right balance between all the protein sources.” The amino acid profile of alternative feeds and how well they suit the requirements of the dairy cow must also be considered.

He says: “Rape has a much better amino acid profile for dairy cows than soya does. The two amino acids we focus on with dairy cattle tend to be lysine and methionine. The ideal ratio is 2.8 lysine to 1 methionine. “Rape would be much closer to that 2.8:1 ratio than soya, so from that point of view it is actually a better protein source.” Mr Hall says ideally rations should be formulated using the cows’ actual requirement for protein. Cows do not have a specific requirement for CP, which is a basic calculation derived from the amount of nitrogen contained within a feed. Instead, he says the actual protein required to support milk production

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 11:40

RESEARCH PROVEN

NET ZERO

DO DAIRY DIFFERENTLY Rations need to be carefully balanced when considering alternative protein, sources such as rapeseed meal and maize and wheat distillers.

at an intestinal level should be used, and this is a combination of protein obtained from rumen microbes and protein available which has bypassed the rumen. Mr Hall says: “I advise working with a nutritionist, getting that balance right can be a bit of a headache depending on the split of forages in the diet. “People on very high maize diets might need to feed a higher amount of rape because of the lower protein concentration of a maize silage, whereas those on grass silage might be able to get away with a little bit less.” Mr Hall says other alternatives include prairie meal and protected protein sources. However, prairie meal, despite being a very suitable swap for soya, is not produced in the UK and so still incurs the high air miles associated with importing soya. It is also very expensive at between £600-£800/tonne. “Protected sources of protein, such as protected rape, provide a good option to replace some of the bypass protein in soya, but when we are looking at protected proteins it is always important to remember

70% of an animal’s protein requirement come from rumen fermentable sources.” However, despite this, trial work shows the potential for an increase in DM intake when cows are fed protected sources of protein. Mr Hall says it can make the diet more palatable, due to the higher energy density, balances the CP in the overall diet and makes more efficient use of protein, which he says often drives DM intake. Volatility One of the biggest problems with switching away from soya is the volatility of the raw material market, says Mr Hall. Sometimes what can be achieved by feeding a lower level of soya costs more when being forced to feed extra rapeseed meal. He says: “One month it will be incredibly cost effective to switch to 100% rape, but the next month it might be the worst decision ever. It completely depends on raw material markets.” Although it looks likely farmers will eventually be required to make the switch away from feeding soya, Mr Hall says he would advise farmers not to panic about it just yet.

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15/10/2021 11:42

WORLD DAIRYING NETHERLANDS Dutch dairy farmers are facing a dilemma when it comes to farm succession given the huge uncertainty in the Netherlands regarding the sustainability of the livestock sector there. Chris McCullough reports.

Future in dairying uncertain for young Dutch farmers

any Dutch dairy farmers are planning for future generations to take over the running of the farms, but with major environmental legislation on the horizon, it is unclear whether this will lead to an enforced reduction in livestock numbers in the country. Latest figures show there are about 1.6 million dairy cows in the Netherlands, which is about one-tenth of the human population, based on 16,000 dairy farms. Overall, the Netherlands has more than 100m cattle, pigs and chickens which produce a lot of manure. This, is turn, when mixed

with urine, can produce excess nitrogen which is harmful to the environment. The Dutch government is therefore under intense pressure to introduce radical changes to curb the production of nitrogen and other emissions. There have been calls to reduce livestock numbers by up to 50% by 2030, but this has obviously not gone down well with dairy farmers. Fifth-generation farmer Trea Doornenbal runs a dairy farm with her husband Harry at Appelscha, located in Friesland, one of the main dairy-producing regions in the Netherlands. Together they have 21-year-old

A number of different breeds are included in the dairy herd.

twins, Claudia and Jeroen, who would like to continue the family tradition of milking cows there. However, due to the uncertainty surrounding livestock numbers and emissions legislation, the future is not quite clear. Taking each day with a ‘gewoon doordoen’ attitude, which translates to ‘just keep going’, the family can only hope their farm can remain viable to operate as a business. Land The family owns 128 hectares (316 acres), with a further 20ha (40 acres) rented and another 12ha (30 acres) of grassland managed under nature restriction.

Trea Doornenbal hopes some day to hand the farm over to the younger generation.

Trea adds that four ageing, but reliable, robots milk the herd and investing money in new equipment at the moment could be a risk. She says: “There are 230 cows in the milking herd with another 120 youngstock. The main breed is Holstein Friesian, but we also have some cross-bred Fleckviehs in the mix, as well as Montbeliarde, Brown Swiss, Jersey and Viking Red cows. “Our herd has an average milk yield of 30 litres per cow per day, produced at 4.46% butterfat and 3.66% protein. The milking cows are fed indoors, but the dry cows and youngstock graze outside from April to October. “We separate the milking cows into groups of high yielding cattle and low yielding cattle, with a different feed ration formulated for each group. Usually the cows are artificially inseminated. The youngstock get inseminated twice and then they join the group with the bull.” Labour on-farm is supplied by Trea and Harry and at the weekend by their two children and Harry’s father. Milk is sold to the Friesland Campina co-operative and the family receives 37.75 euro cents per litre (29.97ppl). Trea says: “The milk price is not too bad here, but it is strange we still have the same milk price as we did

NOVEMBER 2021

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15/10/2021 11:44

The main milking herd of 230 cows is housed and fed a mixed ration.

concentrate, brewers grains and concentrates. The overall goal is to work less by using more technology. If things are getting too old or require endless maintenance, we replace them.

back in 1990. As a result, you get a lot of economies of scale here. “Back in 2008 we invested in four Lely A3 robotic milkers to help with labour availability and costs. Even though some parts have been replaced on them over the

years, the robots have proved to be a very worthwhile investment. “Hopefully, they can last for a good few years to come. “We use a tractor and Trioliet feed mixer to feed the cows with a mix of silage, corn, wheat yeast

Policies “We really want our kids to take over the farm, but the policies are not clear enough to make good plans, so we say ‘gewoon doordoen’. “We want a farm with healthy cows and less work, but the future is not so clear.” Trea says reducing nitrogen and

phosphates features heavily in government proposals, but at this stage detail about how and when is scant. She says: “Government elections have just been held, but the final policies are not ready yet. One political party in government wants to halve the livestock numbers to reduce emissions. “There is a great deal of uncertainty hanging over the industry, meaning it is risky to invest in machinery or equipment and it also means we cannot easily make too many plans for the future yet.”

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PLANNING AHEAD Planning ahead should help lessen the impact of the hike in fertiliser prices in both the short- and long-term. Dairy Farmer reports.

Options to reduce fertiliser costs

armers are going to have to accept a growing season with significantly higher fertiliser prices, but there are ways to reduce fertiliser usage to bring down costs without necessarily reducing performance, according to Promar International. Promar consultant Caroline Groves says: “We have seen a perfect storm for fertiliser prices with a number of factors combining globally to push them higher. “Ammonium nitrate [AN] prices are now £1.38/kg compared to £0.63/kg last year. Urea prices have also risen significantly at close to £1.17/kg. Phosphate has increased from £0.54/kg to £1.02/kg, while potash is running at £0.65/kg, up from £0.41/kg.” Ms Groves says the consequences at farm level could be marked. For the average dairy herd recorded through Promar’s Farm Business Accounts service, the spend on fertiliser last year was £17,600, but next year this will be £36,800 if usage rates remain unchanged. “To put this in context, these

herds have 240 cows with an average 9,000 litres/cow. This increase works out at £80 per cow. “Assuming no change in milk price, they will need to produce 64,000 litres more, 266 litres/cow. Alternatively, they will need to carry an additional 7.2 cows, just to cover the increase in fertiliser costs. “This is why it is important for businesses to review their fertiliser policy now and to identify any economies and efficiencies which can be made.” Analysis She advises that the starting point is getting soil analysed and recalculating fertiliser requirements based on soil indices. She says it is important to pay attention to pH, as correcting this is a cheap way to make better use of applied fertilisers. She says: “Many farms could take a P and K holiday on some fields, particularly those which have previously had high applications of slurry or muck. If indices are high, savings can be made. “Do not buy your usual compound

It is important for businesses to review their fertiliser policy now and to identify any economies and efficiencies CAROLINE GROVES

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just because this is what you always do. You might be able to replace it with a difference formulation or straight nitrogen [N]. Look at exactly what is needed and build a purchasing plan around this rather just buying the same as last year.” She advises looking at which source of N is the most cost-effective, but to take account of wastage. At £1.17/kg N, urea looks a good buy, but she says a considerable proportion will be hydrolysed and lost. When this is taken into account, the cost per kg actually available to the plant will be very similar to AN. “One option is to move to a form of urea which includes a urease inhibitor to give more time for the N to diffuse into the soil. Inhibitors provide emission reductions of 40% for liquid urea AN and 70% for solid urea. Although more expensive than straight urea, it will work out the best price per kg applied.” Relative value The relative value of slurries and manures will increase this year too, making it vital that the nutrients they supply are fully accounted for in any plans. Covering field heaps and slurry lagoons will reduce losses, leaving more nutrients to be spread. Simply allowing a crust to develop will also reduce wastage in lagoons. “When spreading slurry in spring, use a trailing shoe or shallow injection to increase nutrient retention. This could save the equivalent of 20kg N/hectare compared to a splash plate and reduce purchased N costs by £27.60/ha at current prices. “Look to spread manures under cool conditions with low wind, possibly spreading in the evening.

Plough any manures in as quickly as possible, as reductions of 60-90% in ammonia emissions and lost nutrient value can be achieved when manures are incorporated rapidly.” Ms Groves says there is still time to plant green crops into maize and cereal stubbles. Cereals, grasses, legumes and brassicas can all be used and will reduce nutrient leaching and increase retention with the nutrients available when the crop is ploughed in. She advises precision of fertiliser application will be key, particularly recommending getting fertiliser spreaders calibrated to make sure all fertiliser is spread where it needs to be. Assess fields carefully, as many will have less productive areas where fertiliser could be reduced. GPS yield data systems can give valuable information on how fields yield, which can be used to inform fertiliser application decisions. Challenge the rate to be applied on all swards, particularly older, less productive swards and make sure the N applied will deliver the best return. “Finally, in the long-term, review the productivity of every field over the first half of the season and consider reseeding or sward improvement through slot seeding.

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:25

PLANNING AHEAD

There is no doubt that fertiliser prices will be significantly higher moving forward, reducing margins and profits, says Promar’s Caroline Groves.

“A highly productive sward based on new varieties could increase the response to N by 30%. Thinking more widely, consider including legumes in leys to fix atmospheric N.

“A high clover:grass ley can capture and fix 150-250kg of useable N/ha per year, giving a potential saving of more than £200/ha at current prices.

“There is no doubt fertiliser prices will be significantly higher moving forward, reducing margins and profits. “The extent to which this

happens can be reduced by actions taken by individual farm businesses to moderate the impact and cut fertiliser costs.”

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WOMEN IN DAIRY Retaining a social licence to operate is a growing issue for dairy farmers who are facing a newfound societal backlash against what they do for a living. Hannah Park reports.

Cow-calf separation a ‘number one’ research area globally

airy researcher Dr Nina von Keyserlingk, of the University of British Columbia, told the virtual Women in Dairy event that the trust society had for farmers 30-40 years ago to ‘do the right thing’ was being eroded and the result was more legislation for farmers. She said increasing reports in mainstream media surrounding dairy practices, including cow-calf separation and the dairy bull calf issue, were threatening dairy farmers’ social license to practise. When it came to cow-calf separation, Dr von Keyserlingk spoke about research completed alongside colleagues which indicated that when the general public learned about cow-calf separation and early life slaughter, they did not like it. She praised the work around the GB dairy calf strategy and its commitment to eliminating calf euthanasia by 2023, but when it came to cow-calf separation, suggested the dairy industry may not be as prepared. Dr von Keyserlingk said: “We know members of the public are already asking questions about why this practice is done, but the challenge at present is that there is very little science to help guide practice

One-way educational efforts are likely to fail DR NINA VON KEYSERLINGK

Dr Nina von Keyserlingk

or even to guide the discussion. Lots of people in the dairy industry explain the system of cow-calf separation as the way it has always been, but when you look at the actual science which supports cow-calf separation, there is only a handful of studies which have looked at the acute behavioural effects of separation. Specifically, this research consists of a few studies on vocalisations between cows and calves. “Cow-calf separation is now the number one research area within the dairy welfare topic globally. But there are thousands of questions yet to be answered, specifically around practicalities of implementing this system if it were to be commercially viable.” Rather than educate, Dr von Keyserlingk said engaging with the public and becoming more transparent is where gains were likely to be had. She said: “One-way educational efforts are likely to fail. Many people say all we need to do is educate the public, but we are never going to. “For every one of us, there are thousands of people who have never and will never be on a farm.

“Sustained two-way engagement is where there are gains to be had.” Another study highlighted by Dr von Keyserlingk sought to assess the merits of educating the public, asking whether access to knowledge shifted public perceptions about current dairy cattle care practices. Members of the public involved in the research, carried out in Canada, were surveyed before and after a tour of a 500-head dairy farm. A ‘before’ survey explored perceptions, concerns and values about dairy cattle farming and welfare, in addition to a short knowledge-based quiz on dairy cattle husbandry. An ‘after’ survey explored the extent to which these constructs shifted after the tour. Concerns Dr von Keyserlingk explained that results suggested education and exposure to livestock farming might resolve certain concerns, but other concerns would likely persist, especially when practices conflicted with deeply held values around animal care. She said: “Overall participants

were pleased to see a high level of attention and care for cattle, but they were displeased about cow-calf separation and the lack of outdoor pasture access.” In response to hidden camera investigations, particularly in America and Australia, has been the introduction of so-called ag-gag legislation, which aims to restrict the flow of information coming out of farm facilities. This approach, however, might be counter-productive, said Dr von Keyserlingk, as even the intention to restrict access to information undermined trust among respondents to a 2016 study she was involved in. She said: “We found that most people were unaware of ag-gag laws and that learning about them led to a decrease in trust in farmers and a perception around what farms have to hide came the fore. “We also found evidence that awareness of ag-gag laws negatively impacted perceptions of the current status of farm animal welfare, as well as the perception that farmers do a good job of protecting the environment.”

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PROFITABILITY

airy farm profits averaged £185/cow in 2020/21, despite the cost of production outstripping milk income, according to Old Mill’s annual dairy report. The milk cost of production report, conducted by rural accountant Old Mill and the Farm Consultancy Group, found that average farm profits fell from £233/cow in 2019/20 to £185/cow last season. Dan Heal, rural adviser at Old Mill, says: “This is on the back of a falling milk price, rising feed costs and straw prices at levels not seen before. So maintaining profits to this level is all the more credit to the dairy industry.” It was the fourth year in a row that profits remained stable above £100/cow, as increased yields offset the fall in milk price. Average yields rose by 151 litres/cow, due to a favourable milk to feed ratio and good quality forage. However, the total cost of production, at £2,393/ cow, averaged more than the milk income of £2,321/cow.

Recovery This loss was offset by a recovery in non-milk income due to the improved beef market. Herd size has also shrunk – from 307 to 269 – after farmers culled their less productive animals harder. The top 10% of producers still far outperformed the bottom 10%, due to tighter control on costs, says Mr Heal. He says: “The bottom 10% incurred £1,097/cow

Profits down but farmers fight back with efficiency

The gap between the top- and bottomperforming herds has significantly widened.

more costs, spending an average of £2,954/cow.” This gap had widened on the 2019/20 average of £950/cow. “Although overall profitability has declined from last year, the gap between the top-performing and bottom-performing herds has significantly widened.” The top 10% spent £320/cow less on feed and £261/cow less on labour than the bottom 10%, while income brought in was £231/cow higher. This is despite the top farms producing lower yields of 7,229 litres per year against the bottom farms’ average of 7,483 litres. Mr Heal says: “There is a huge range of production level within the top 10%; from 4,828 litres/cow to 9,711 litres/cow, showing a focus on efficiency

pays whatever the yield. Less efficient setups likely require investment to change this.” Overall, labour costs have increased by £27/cow, up from £458/cow in the 2019/20 season. This trend is likely to continue due to staff shortages and higher wages, according to Mark Yearsley, of the Farm Consultancy Group. Power and machinery costs also rose, by £19/cow to £543/cow. Mr Yearsley says: “This is no surprise when fuel and energy prices have increased. This is reflected in the silage costs, which have jumped by 42%.” In the 2021/22 season, labour, energy and machinery costs are expected to continue to rise, so profits are predicted to fall to £167/cow, especially as the

Comfortably Clean

marginal litres become uneconomical to produce, says Mr Heal. The cost of production is projected to be £2,354/cow against a predicted milk income of £2,165/ cow, down £66/cow as yields decline due to higher feed prices. However, non-milk income is forecast to rise again, by £365/ cow, in response to the buoyant livestock market. Mr Heal says: “Compared to the rollercoaster of 2020/21, the current season has felt quite stable up to now. The milk price has been relatively static and, although costs have risen rapidly, forage is in plentiful supply – particularly within the south west of England. Focus “All of this points to a winter where the focus needs to be on profitability rather than production and to ensure any extra litres produced do indeed pay their way.” Producers have started to realise they have to re-evaluate their businesses and implement change in management decisions, says Mr Yearsley. “Less reliance on subsidies means reducing costs where possible and improving efficiencies to maintain farm profits.”

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Improving silage production as part of setting the farm up for the future has brought multiple beneﬁts for one North Wales dairy farm, including improved cow health.

Forage focus sees improvements in milk yield and herd health

agillt Hall Farm in Holywell, Flintshire, is living proof that it is possible to run a successful family dairy farm if you take the right steps. Run by Richard Corbett, his wife Penny and son Ed, the traditional farm, which looks out across the mouth of the River Dee to the Wirral beyond, is home to the ‘mainly pedigree’ Abbot herd of Holstein Friesians, standing at 160 milking cows and 140 youngstock. Milk is sold to the liquid market, with the year-round calving herd currently averaging 8,500 litres per cow at 3.41% protein and more than 4% butterfat. The recent purchase of an extra 30 hectares (75 acres) of neighbouring land has seen the area owned by the family increase to more than 81ha (200 acres),

with a further 61ha (150 acres) rented, and there are plans to increase to 200 milkers.

Improving efﬁciency

But as well as expansion to increase milk output, there is also a focus on improving efﬁciency – with targets of 3,000-plus litres of milk from forage and raising milk yield per cow by an extra 500 litres. It is a process which has included changes to silage production and increased grassland reseeding. Richard says: “We want as much milk from forage as possible. Britain is a great place to grow grass and it is the cheapest source of feed. “We reseeded 50 acres this year with a long-term ley and will continue to reseed. All the new land will be reseeded by next year. “We bought the extra land to secure Ed’s future. This year we planted 52 acres of maize. The rest is down to grass.”

As part of improving milk from forage, close attention is paid to silage operations. A trusted contractor is used to carry out the bulk of the machinery-based silaging tasks, with the Corbetts taking over from the point of clamp sheeting and sealing, including using side sheets for airtight clamp walls. Richard says: “We have a good contractor, Dewi Mark Williams from Llangerynw, who does everything from cutting to clamp ﬁlling. He rolls it, we then put cling ﬁlm on the top, followed by a strong top sheet, a

INCREASING ADDITIVE USE ● Rhodri Pritchard of Carr’s Billington Agriculture Ltd, who advises the family on forage preservation, believes additive use is increasing as more farmers are looking to improve milk from forage. As well as preserving more dry matter, Rhodri says a proven additive such as Ecosyl can help preserve nutrient

levels. Manufacturer Volac claims an average across a range of forages of an extra 1.2 litres of milk per cow per day from feeding silage preserved with Ecosyl, he explains. Rhodri says: “Ecosyl is highly proven with multiple independent trials to back it up. It is my go-to additive. I’ve seen

the additive promoting forage digestibility and greater intakes. “As the additive is seen as so effective, it is commonly used on all cuts of grass. When Richard saw such a signiﬁcant improvement in the grass clamp, he pretty quickly introduced Ecocool into the maize silage as well.”

woven blanket, tyres and netting to keep the crows off. We aim to ensile grass at 28% dry matter.” Recent improvements have included the contractor spreading grass immediately after cutting to improve wilting and a new concrete-walled maize clamp has been constructed this season, rather than ensiling on the floor, with the aim of improving consolidation. But a major step forward that Richard and Ed report has proven itself over the last three years has come from using bacterial silage additives containing the MTD/1 strain of Lactobacillus plantarum – in the form of Ecosyl on grass silage and Ecocool on maize. This was in response to the family having previously experienced significant problems with heating in both grass and maize clamps, with the face going off at feed-out, plus problems with mycotoxins in the maize silage. Ed says: “It was almost like it was on fire.”

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE PRODUCT FOCUS Father and son Richard and Ed Corbett are focused on improving efﬁciency by increasing milk from forage.

Additives have always been used and various products tried over the years.

Cool silage

Initially trying the MTD/1-containing additive Ecosyl on grass silage, Richard and Ed say they could see immediately when the clamp was opened for summer buffer feeding that it had stayed cool. This, in turn, prompted them to use the sister additive Ecocool on that year’s maize silage. As well as containing MTD/1 for improving fermentation, Ecocool contains a second bacterial strain, Lactobacillus buchneri PJB/1, speciﬁcally for tackling yeasts and moulds which cause heating in higher dry matter silages, such as maize. Richard says: “There were always problems with heating in grass and maize and the waste was unacceptable. You could see them going off in the clamp before you could get from one side to the other, and the mycotoxins were making the

cows’ legs swell. When we went to Ecosyl we couldn’t believe the difference. We buffer feed and we saw the beneﬁts immediately when we opened the clamp. When we took the sheet off there was no waste. “The health of the cows also rocketed because there was no mould. We used to have to use something against the mycotoxins. That was costing us £500 a year. So we have saved on that as well. “I can’t quantify it, but I think the milk yield also went up with Ecosyl.” With reduced waste, Richard says there is more quality silage available for cows, and silage intakes have increased. Previously, he says there was always waste at the feed barrier, but now the barrier is clean.

Continued use

Three years on and clamping about 1,000 tonnes of grass silage and 700 tonnes of maize, Ecosyl and Ecocool continue to be used. Cows receive a mixed silage total mixed ration comprising 70%

Rhodri Pritchard

Richard Corbett has been using Ecocool to preserve maize silage. grass and 30% maize, as well as a concentrate blend, some straw and water if required. A slightly higher proportion of grass silage is fed to lower yielding cows. Richard says: “We are trying to get more protein into the low yielders.” Another benefit that Richard and Ed see with Ecosyl and Ecocool is that the contractor applies them in ultra-low volumes of water. This avoids the time-consuming job of having to fill 200-litre barrels and carting these out to the contractor. Richard says: “We just mix with water in the two-litre bottle and take it out to the field for him when needed. He normally keeps the bottles ready for use in the cab.” As well as a milk yield increase from additive use, Richard says milk yield has also increased from reseeding. Maize has also been a good crop this year. Having

established this forage foundation, the family is now planning for future yields. Richard says: “We want to get to 9,000 litres but no higher and continue to maximise milk from forage. We do not want 10,000 litres because we don’t want to push cows too hard and get increased vet bills and reduced longevity. “Using sexed semen and as many heifers of our own as possible, we also want to creep up to 200 cows.” In addition, there is a plan to add an extra income stream. “We want to get to the point where we have surplus heifers so we can sell a few,” Ed says.

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MILKING CONSIDERATIONS Careful budgeting and persistence are the key requirements to the success of once-aday milking systems. Wendy Short reports.

Weighing up once-aday milking

nce-a-day milking has the potential to achieve a yield average of 4,000kg/cow, with solids averaging 320kg/cow and peaking at 400kg for the top performers, according to LIC consultant Piers Badnell, speaking at an AHDB Dairy webinar. He said first lactation cows would show the most significant year one production decline of 21-25%, while the figure for mixed age animals was 16-21%. He estimated that milk yield and quality would return to close to former levels within three or four years. Producers considering a move to once-a-day milking should make

Piers Badnell

detailed projections, including a sensitivity analysis to show the financial effect of the initial production losses and milk price changes, for example. They must also be prepared to make a long-term commitment. Mr Badnell said: “Some produ-

cers who switch to once-a-day will underestimate first year losses and do not fully realise the cost savings which are required. They will suffer the first year ‘pain’ and pull out before production starts to climb in year two. They will fail to reap the benefits if they return to twice-a-day milking.” He pointed to a range of advantages offered by a switch to once-aday, although performance varied widely between farms. The benefits

In the field David Williams, Clwyd JFarm profitability has been maintained since the Williams family, of Clawdd Offa Farm, Mold, adopted once-a-day, with grazing access problems and the desire for a lifestyle change the two main factors which prompted the 2011 switch for the 275-strong Jersey cross black and white herd. The holding is split by a busy commuter road and it requires three people to safely move the spring-calving cows back to the parlour. David Williams, who farms

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with his wife Carol, daughter Vicky and his sister-in-law Sue Pope, said once-a-day allowed for a more relaxed lifestyle, as well as eliminating the need to employ outside help. Cost reduction and a good milk solids contract were the two elements he considered essential for success. He said twice-a-day milking produced an average 4,260kg yield, with milk solids at 8.5%. In the first once-a-day year, volume fell by 10% and milk solids by 4%. He added that production currently stood at 4,116kg/cow,

included a better work/lifestyle balance and a lower dependency on attracting or retaining staff. No capital investment was required, infrastructure would last longer and it could be an attractive option where herds were regularly grazed long distances from the parlour. Once-a-day could also help rectify cow fertility issues and offered savings on labour, electricity, general dairy expenses and vet and

In the field Keith Da vis, with a milk solids percentage of 9.25% on a grass-based system supplemented with palm kernel feed. Mr Williams said: “Once-a-day highlights poor performers and in year one 7% of cows were culled for unsuitability. They were taking too long to milk, going dry or laying down fat. “We no longer worry about yield volume and focus only on solids production. Once-a-day has taken pressure off the system and given us more time to look after the herd.”

JKeith Davis, of Lydney Park farm, switched to once-a-day for half of the herd in 2012, followed by a move to full once-a-day for the 860 cows in 2013. However, the loss of a profitable solids contract led to the farm reverting to twice-a-day last year. He explained the Jersey crosses calve in a 12-week block from mid-February, with the emphasis on milk from forage on a 299-hectare (738acre) grazing block which is part of a large estate.

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 11:48

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breeding costs, as well as a lower rate of depreciation associated with herd value and machinery. Producers who were considering the system should pose a number of questions, he added. Robust “The business must be robust enough to sustain the effect of a milk yield reduction in the first year. There may also be a bulk somatic cell count increase of 20,000-40,000

cells/ml, so any existing mastitis problems should be rectified first. “Autumn-calving herds have a higher cost structure and a housed situation would increase pressure on mastitis and cell counts. It is better suited to spring calvers with a high milk from forage potential. “If you are a ‘tank watcher’, it may not be for you. However, once-a-day is working very effectively on some units and there is growing interest in the system.”

h Da vis, Gloucestershire Mr Davis said: “When we moved to once-a-day we had a good cheese contract. First year yields dropped from 4,500kg to 3,500kg and milk solids went up slightly. Overall once-a-day yields were 3,850kg and milk solids at 350kg/cow. Today the herd average is 4,700kg, with 460kg/head of milk solids.” Prior to once-a-day being implemented, the herd comprised 1,000 cows, milked through a 32-point rotary parlour. He said: “We realised we could not continue with these numbers

without a new parlour, but there was a reluctance to make the investment. “Once-a-day worked well until the farm lost the favourable solids contract.

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Seasonality clause “It was replaced by one with a seasonality clause which meant we lost 7.5ppl at a crucial production period. “A new contract is in place, but the figures no longer stack up for once-a-day, despite its potential advantages.”

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35 15/10/2021 11:49

Here we mark the launch of the fourth, and potentially most important, year of our #ThisIsAgriculture campaign, at a moment in time when showcasing careers throughout the industry has never been more crucial.

Careers in agriculture: The time is now

he unforeseen events of the past two years have put farming firmly in the public spotlight for a host of different reasons. Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdowns played an enormous role in transforming the value consumers place on home-grown food, the British countryside and job security. Unprecedented school closures and a shift towards online learning enabled farming organisations to reach a record number of young children and teenagers and give them access to workplaces which were usually off limits. Add to this the burgeoning issues of the environment and climate change and there are now opportunities for the taking to highlight the cutting-edge work our industry is doing to play its part. Together, all these factors have captured the attention and imagination of a huge demographic from the younger generation to teachers, consumers and tourists. But now the industry faces a considerable challenge in how to maintain this interest as life returns to normal.

Setting the scene

An increased awareness of food provenance can undoubtedly be traced back to the panic-buying witnessed in the lead-up to the first lockdown. Carl Edwards, director of education

and public engagement at Linking Environment and Farming (Leaf), says: “One of the consequences of the pandemic was that it reawakened people’s interest in food and made them truly value it. We don’t know what we’ve got until it’s gone or limited. “This put farming in the spotlight and highlighted its importance to us all in society. Going out on Leaf Open Farm Sunday and listening to the conversations that young families were having with their local food producers and farmers made it is clear to me that they have a renewed sense of appreciation for what our industry does.” The crucial role the countryside played in safeguarding people’s physical and mental health will not be forgotten in a hurry. A survey commissioned by Farmers Guardian as part of the #FarmingCAN campaign found that as many as 71% of people said they felt fortunate to be able to access the British countryside. And a survey by Censuswide for the NFU revealed that 87% of respondents said visits to Britain’s farmed landscape had improved their wellbeing over the past year. Nearly half said they valued the British countryside and farmland more since the pandemic began and 84% agreed

their visits had made them appreciate the role farmers play in creating our iconic rural landscapes. Job security was also at the forefront of people’s minds and farmers’ roles as key workers highlighted their important place in society. Josh Payne, chief education manager at the NFU, says: “At the end of the day, everybody has to eat. That will never change.”

Climate change

However, the pandemic is not the only crisis on people’s minds. The fight against climate change is a key driver for young people and an increased awareness of the positive work the farming industry is doing in this area has started to have an impact. Soil Association farm adviser Jerry Alford says: “New ideas and entrepreneurial thinking have always been welcome in farming and the need to focus on how we can use soil and farming systems to sequester carbon, improve soil health and the climate is a great opportunity for the next generation of farmers.” Carl agrees that young people are interested in the effect of what they eat and buy on our climate and they are keen to play their part. He says: “I see a real desire to learn

Inspiring the next generation in statistics ● Science Farm Live! reached about 223,000 students at 1,476 schools/homes ● During Science Farm Live!, 682 questions and 454 shout-outs were submitted in advance, with a further 3,495 comments and questions submitted using the live chat ● Most of the teacher feedback (83%) rated Science Farm Live! as seven or above out of 10, with more

than half of the feedback scoring the event 10/10 ● Linking Environment and Farming worked with more than 1,000 teachers – 100% said they felt more confident and able to deliver more food and farming work in the classroom ● A total of 71% of people feel fortunate to be able to access the British countryside (Source: Savanta

Comres survey for Farmers Guardian’s #FarmingNow campaign) ● 81% appreciate the role farmers play in creating our iconic rural landscapes (Source: Censuswide survey for NFU) ● 47% value the British countryside and farmland more since the Covid-19 pandemic began (Source: Censuswide survey for NFU)

more about sustainable food production, the technology behind it and how it impacts on climate change.” Research by Leaf Education has seen an astonishing five-fold increase in engagement this year from its work with young people on-farm, in schools and online. Carl says: “A hybrid approach is required to provide opportunities for young people to learn directly from real-world experiences, where they can question, learn and challenge farmers and become inspired to enter our sector.” Education initiatives across the industry seized upon the potential online learning provided to give students a unique insight into farming. NFU’s Science Farm Live! ran on March 8-12 this year and connected a staggering 223,000 students with the Great British countryside and with the people who look after its landscapes, animals and farms through four interactive broadcasts. These broadcasts included a trip to a sheep farm for Lambing Live, Future Farming Robots with researchers from Harper Adams University, watching chicks hatch with Eggucation and a farm vet visit on a dairy farm. Josh says: “When it comes to how we solve issues around agriculture, such as the supply chain and labour, a lot will require new solutions and new ways of thinking. “These kids are the ones we want to do it. We need to get to them now and show them that if they want to be

FOLLOW #THISISAGRICULTURE: On Instagram @this.is.ag; Twitter @This_Is_Ag; and search on Facebook and LinkedIn.

NOVEMBER 2021

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About #ThisIsAgriculture

a robotics engineer or programming artificial intelligence they can do that within agriculture.”

Student numbers soar

This unique set of circumstances has already had a tangible impact, with agricultural colleges around the country reporting an increase in the number of students opting to study agricultural courses. CLA president Mark Bridgeman says: “A career in the agriculture sector can often be overlooked by those without a direct family link to farming. “But at this critical time when there is an increasing focus on the environment, climate change and sustainable farming, it is no surprise that agricultural colleges are seeing growing interest from young people. “Perhaps some students feel inspired by the work farmers did to feed the nation during the pandemic or were able to make the most of our glorious countryside for long-distance walks. After all, stewardship of our natural environment is an honour and a responsibility many would wish to share.” In 2004, Otley College had just five

farming students. By 2020, 63 learners were enrolled on farming courses at the newly-named Suffolk Rural, which is now run by Suffolk New College. Holly Williams, head of land-based studies at Suffolk Rural, says: “This year we have already eclipsed these figures and we are still enrolling students up until the middle of October.” She believes a number of factors may have contributed to this rise, but says TV shows such as Countryfile and more recently Clarkson’s Farm, have played a key role. She says: “These shows have got people talking about agriculture, which is fantastic. I also think the industry is more inclusive and that can be seen by the fact that we have more students who did not grow up on a farm joining our courses at Suffolk Rural. It is great to see a higher number of female students enrolling.”

What next?

In order to capitalise on the increased interest and positive feeling towards the industry, experts agree organisations working together is essential. Josh says: “Continued collaboration

FARMERS Guardian has joined forces with key industry stakeholders from across the farming sector to promote careers in agriculture, collaborating with industry bodies and industry partners to see how and where we can work together to shape the political agenda, drive educational reform and provide learning resources. Articles will feature in Farmers Guardian to help agricultural businesses and farms understand recruitment and staff retention challenges and practical ideas they can adopt to mark the evolving changes which are happening in the careers, skills and training arena. is key. Agriculture is made up of lots of smaller organisations and everyone is doing different things, but we need to talk to each other and put on a united front for schools so we can get the best bang for our buck. We do not have the same level of funding as some of the bigger industries out there.” Carl agrees for more collaborative working. He says: “We need to work together to help join the circle and offer exciting and motivating experiences to empower our young people to make informed decisions about the hugely varied and rewarding careers our industry has to offer.” Holly says: “I guess the message to everyone is to keep working together and keep being creative to help fly the farming flag. “Now is not the time to sit back and think that the job is done. Now is the time to put our collective foot on the accelerator to encourage more and more people into our fantastic industry.”

Josh is keen to highlight that increased appreciation for the countryside and home-grown food are not luxuries accessible to everyone and the industry needs to join forces in order to reach those children denied such experiences during the lockdowns.

Local surroundings

He says: “We saw a lot of people becoming more aware of their local surroundings, but that was largely within middleclass environments. Those who had the budget were going out more, growing food at home, baking and cooking and those aspects of society now have a greater understanding. In some areas, however, it made little difference.” And there is still an important role the individual farmer can play. Josh says: “Do your part. You have your own kids, grandkids and people you know who are teachers. We’re doing excellent work, but a lot of people still don’t know about it. Don’t be afraid to get in touch and offer to talk to students about your life.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit FGinsight.com/ThisIsAgriculture

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ANIMAL HEALTH Farmers will be faced with different animal health challenges as we enter the autumn and winter period. Here, we look at what farmers can do to take control of their herd’s health.

Protecting cattle from parasites

o prevent costly production losses this autumn, farmers should protect their stock from parasites, says Mark Pass, a responsible animal medicines adviser at Beeston Animal Health. He says if stock are not protected from parasites picked up during the grazing season, they will see significant production losses. This will come from reduced weight gain, fertility issues, irreversible lung damage, increased susceptibility to disease and possible death.

The four main parasites to be aware of include gutworms, particularly ostertagia, lungworms, fluke and lice. Mr Pass says: “At housing, you are bringing together animals and placing them in close proximity with shared airspace, which aids disease transmission. It can also be a stressful time due to the change in housing, diet and mixing of groups. If you think about managing parasites now, it will ease the pressure on stock at housing and help ensure they are as productive as they can be.”

40 M. BOVIS

42 TIMING

44 DYSENTERY

46 CALF HEALTH

48 DISEASE

52 STARLINGS

Good results from vaccination trial Signs to look out for throughout winter Controlling infectious bovine rhinotracheitis

Avoiding gaps when it comes to vaccines Keeping a lid on pneumonia problems How to keep them out of buildings and feed

Attention to parasites needs to be paid before housing commences.

Parasites to look out for GUTWORMS JType two ostertagiosis tends to occur in yearlings. The worm larvae can lie dormant (arrest) inside the youngstock until spring, when they can emerge and lead to scouring, as well as pasture contamination. Mr Pass says it is key to use a product which will kill the inhibited larval stages. He says: “By using a moxidectin product you will cover for any arrested larvae as well as adult worms, and it is a persistent product, meaning it can be used up to five weeks before housing while the cattle are still out grazing and it will protect them.” LUNGWORM JFailure to treat lungworm can result in quite rapid death

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from when signs first appear, says Mr Pass. Even when it is picked up quickly it can still cause irreversible lung damage, increased susceptibility to pneumonia, decreased milk production and death. FLUKE JFluke can also significantly limit production and can predispose cattle to clostridial disease. Due to the incidence of fluke being farm-specific, Mr Pass recommends all farmers test their stock before treating. He says: “For cattle, you can conduct a coproantigen test, which will detect whether the animal has picked up fluke six weeks previously.

“What it will not tell you though is if that animal picked it up two days previously. “So if you know your farm is at risk of fluke, it is best to treat with the most appropriate product for the life stage of the fluke they are infected with. Mr Pass says: “It is important to use different actives to treat fluke to reduce the risk of anthelmintic resistance developing on-farm, so for example, if triclabendazole is used in autumn, then a fluke adulticide product can be used in spring before turnout.” LICE JLice are parasites that is often forgotten and only treated for when an infestation is severe. Mr Pass says: “Lice can cause

anaemia, reduced growth as they spend less time eating and lying, as well as being a welfare concern from the intense itching. It is important when you treat lice you treat all animals housed in that space at the same time.” Zoetis Vet Ally Anderson says animals which have had a grazing season may be at risk and if they are carrying worms, will require treatment at or before housing. She says a product containing moxidectin and triclabendazole, such as Cydectin TriclaMox PourOn is one option. She says: “The moxidectin will treat for stomach worms as well as controlling chewing and sucking lice. The triclabendazole gives a good spectrum of activity against late immature and adult fluke.”

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 13:35

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ANIMAL HEALTH A vaccine against mycoplasma bovis has performed well in UK trials and could be an option for herds which are affected by the disease. Hannah Park reports.

New M. bovis vaccine welcomed by industry

K vets have welcomed a new vaccine against mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis), with 95% of those surveyed recommending its use where the disease is present. Since 2019, the vaccine, which has been used in the US for several years, has been assessed in a case study carried out on four farms in Scotland by Graeme Fowlie, of Meadows Vets, Aberdeenshire, with the help of Dutch pharmaceutical firm Kernfarm. It has since been used by more than 56 vet firms across the UK under the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) special import scheme, with excellent results. Of the 40 vet practices surveyed by Kernfarm, three-quarters rated the vaccine’s efficacy at 80-100% and more than 87% said they had seen reduced clinical signs and

If M. bovis is not the only problem, then response to the vaccine will be muted GRAEME FOWLIE treatment required after using it. Mr Fowlie says: “Treatment and control of M. bovis in the UK has been challenging in the past because of the nature of M. bovis bacteria. Existing treatment options can be ineffective and control before now has been hampered by a lack of a licensed vaccine in Europe.” The case study involved four endemically infected dairy farms

and 932 calves. The same calf health parameters were compared before and after the vaccine was administered over two six-month periods, with growth rates, mortality and antimicrobial usage evaluated before and after the vaccine was used. Results showed vaccinated groups demonstrated a significant reduction in post-weaning mortality in calves aged 70-200 days old.

Mr Fowlie says: “Of the calves involved, 31 died after weaning pre-vaccine when looking at all causes of mortality up to 200 days of age. After vaccination, only two died during the same period.” A significant reduction in antimicrobial usage to treat calf pneumonia post-vaccination was also observed. Mr Fowlie says: “We vaccinated cows eight weeks pre-calving and then gave the offspring of those cows a booster at four weeks. “This worked well, but it was important that other management considerations were taken into account. If M. bovis is not the only problem, then response to the vaccine will be muted. However, if addressing this issue is the final missing link to improving herd health, then adding in this treatment will get a good response.” Until the vaccine was approved for use in the UK under the VMD

What is M. bovis? rM. bovis is a small bacterium which does not have a cell wall, meaning antibiotic treatments such as penicillin, which work to break down the cell wall, are not effective in treating the disease rInfection with M. bovis can be clinical or subclinical – symptoms can be chronic in some animals, others will exhibit no symptoms and recover, while others may become a long-term carrier of the disease rInfection is commonly carried in the inner ear and lungs, which is then unknowingly coughed or sneezed out by animals

40 DF Nov p40 41 M. bovis KJ MB.indd 2

rM. bovis has the ability to change its appearance midinfection, which impacts the immune system’s ability to fight infection and suppress many parts of the immune system

M. bovis at four days of age, suggesting possible pre- or peri-partum infection rMovement of carrier cattle is the most common way infection is spread from farm to farm

rInfection supresses the immune system, which can then trigger other easier to diagnose infections to take hold alongside it, which is why M. bovis is hugely under-diagnosed

DISEASE SPREAD rM. bovis spread in an endemically infected herd can be via aerosol, colostrum or milk rCalves can be infected from a young age: in one study nasal swabs from calves and vaginal swabs from their dams found 40% were positive for

SYMPTOMS rInfection can cause pneumonia in any age animal, joint-ill in young calves or mastitis in dairy cows most commonly; less commonly it might lead to meningitis, caesar wound seromas, keratoconjunctivitis and subfertility

TREATMENT rResponse to treatment is unreliable as there is only a small number of drugs which work effectively against it rIncreasing antimicrobial resistance patterns are hampering the effectiveness of remaining drugs which work against it

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:39

ANIMAL HEALTH

Treatment and control of M. bovis in the UK is challenging because of the nature of M. bovis bacteria.

special import scheme, using autogenous vaccines, those made specifically from the bacteria isolated on a farm, had been the only option for affected herds. But the cost and time involved in doing so has put many producers off. Mr Fowlie says: “It is getting

more expensive every year and, as a result, it is becoming increasingly inaccessible for many producers, especially those with less than a 500- to 1,000-dose requirement per annum and for units buying in a lot of cattle, like many of our clients here in Aberdeenshire who buy-in store cattle to finish in different batches.

“Autogenous mycoplasma vaccines are often based on a single strain recovered from a previous pneumonia outbreak. “This new vaccine has three strains of mycoplasma. “For units buying in different batches there may be an advantage in having a broader range of

protection offered year-on-year.” rFarmers or vets who suspect or know they have mycoplasma in their own herd or those of their clients can get advice on potential application of any vaccination protocol from Graeme Fowlie at thevets@meadowsvets. co.uk, or 01651 872 481.

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ANIMAL HEALTH Bringing cattle in for housing can often coincide with vaccinations being administered, but it is important to ensure these vaccinations are correctly timed. Angela Calvert reports.

he realisation some clients were allowing their vaccination programmes to slip led veterinary surgeon, Laura Donovan, of Nantwich Farm Vets, to put measures in place to tighten up the system. She says: “If you are going to vaccinate it is important to do it properly for it to be fully effective. “From the practice vaccination reminder system, it became apparent that, for example, in some cases vaccines which should have been given annually were slipping to 14 months. “This breakdown in biosecurity leaves the door ajar for infection and in some cases can have implications for disease-free status. “The timing of vaccination is not as much of a problem for spring and autumn block calving herds, but if you are having calves born all-year-round, it becomes more

Do not let vaccination timings slip complicated, as it is more difficult to keep track of what has been vaccinated and when, and some animals may slip through the net. Main groups “It is often easy to vaccinate the main groups which are close to home, but if, for example, heifers are being grazed elsewhere, it can be easy for the timing of their vaccinations to be delayed or missed.

SOURCE: Nantwich Farm Vets

Chart: Sample all-year-round calving dairy herd

“It is therefore important to have a system in place with timely reminders so you can plan ahead and make sure no targets are missed.” The main diseases dairy cattle are vaccinated against are bovine viral diarrhea (BVD), leptospirosis and lungworm, traditionally done in spring as they are more likely to be contracted at grazing. Then infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) at housing when

Timing of vaccinations is vital to ensure stock are not exposed to disease such as BVD.

respiratory disease is more likely, and sometimes salmonella. Mrs Donovan says: “One of the key vaccinations at this time of year is for IBR and while many cows are housed all-year-round, even on these farms, other cattle, such as low yielders, are likely to be coming inside. “This means there will be more cattle in the same air space, so they will need protecting against IBR.” Mrs Donovan says heifers are required to be vaccinated for BVD before their first pregnancy and, if you are only vaccinating all stock down to six months old annually, by the time the next date comes around, some heifers could be well over 12 months old and are likely to already be in-calf. This leaves them open to infection in early pregnancy and could create a persistently infected (PI) calf. She says: “When we have been investigating PI calves born on-farm we often find it is because of a vaccination gap, as a result of a group of heifers being missed. “This gap in protection and then a break in biosecurity as a result of something as simple as being nose to nose with a neighbour’s cattle over a fence can allow BVD into a herd.

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ANIMAL HEALTH

“If you are part of the BVDFree scheme and use the heifer check testing method to retain BVDFree test negative status, they will need to be blood tested

to check for BVD antibodies, from nine to 18 months old, but before they have been vaccinated. This is another factor which needs to be taken into

consideration when planning timing of vaccinations.” The measures the practice is putting in place include creating a bespoke vaccination programme for each client which is recreated on a large, clearly coloured wheel chart of the year outlining which vaccine needs to be administered and when. This can then be displayed in the farm office where it can be seen and discussed by the whole team and can play a role in staff training. Mrs Donovan says: “Having something visual and easy to understand really helps. Of course, farmers have to be fully on board with the process, but it is all about opening up communication and working with them to ensure the correct protocols are in place and then carried out. “We also provide the farmer with fact sheets outlining each disease and which products are available to vaccinate for each one. “This can then lead to discussions about which diseases are being

vaccinated for, why a particular product is being used in preference to another and if there are other emerging diseases which may need to be investigated. Wheel “The wheel can be looked at and chatted about during the course of routine visits, which helps with planning ahead, making sure nothing gets missed, and can often be scheduled in with other tasks, saving both time and money.”

Having something visual and easy to understand really helps LAURA DONOVAN

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ANIMAL HEALTH Winter dysentery is an uncommon but highly infectious viral disease in dairy cows which is hard to detect. As the name suggests, we are entering the high risk period. Wendy Short reports.

Winter dysentery difficult to diagnose

inter dysentery is a form of bovine coronavirus, with symptoms including profuse, watery diarrhoea, dark brown in colour and sometimes containing blood, says Rob Hall of LLM Vets. Mr Hall says the milk yields of infected cows will show a rapid decline and infected animals may also show signs of respiratory distress. He explains that most cows affected by winter dysentery will display symptoms for between two and seven days. The disease will usually spread through the entire herd within two weeks, having been passed on via infected faeces. It is also thought it can be transmitted via respiratory aerosol. The majority of infected animals will recover, with losses estimated at less than 2% and most cows recovering within a week, he says. However, in the most extreme cases, death may occur due to dehydration and metabolic acidosis. Some herds in the USA have reported the milk yield losses can be prolonged and animals will show signs of anorexia and struggle to regain their body condition scores. The disease has a seasonal bias, says Mr Hall. He says: “Outbreaks are mainly detected at the point of

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Rob Hall

autumn and winter housing, when the cows are in closer proximity and have been subject to a dietary change,” he says. “The poorer ventilation in a building and the presence of other harmful micro-organisms may also be relevant factors. “There is also increased risk in winter because the coronavirus survives best in colder conditions and where there is a low level of UV light.” The pathogen has a poor level of sensitivity and it is not uncommon for faeces testing via ELISA or PCR to produce a false negative result, he comments. Due to these difficulties, there have been only 17 confirmed cases in mainland Britain over the past seven years, although the actual number may be much higher. “Diagnosis is usually based on the clinical signs alone,” Mr Hall says. “Blood testing which reveals rising antibody levels from the point of the outbreak until some

Outbreaks of winter dysentery are mainly detected at the point of autumn and winter housing.

three or four weeks later can also be suggestive that bovine coronavirus is the cause.” The symptoms of winter dysentery can be confused with salmonella and a misdiagnosis can pose a serious threat to herd health, as undiagnosed salmonellosis can lead to diarrhoea, abortion and other associated illnesses. It will often require antibiotic treatment and effective vaccination is available, whereas the winter dysentery virus is unresponsive to antibiotics. Digestive upsets and possible poisoning may also be under consideration when a vet has been called in after cows display acute diarrhoea, but in these instances dietary correction will usually resolve the problem, he adds. Risk The bovine viral diarrhoea virus can present similar symptoms to the Schmallenberg virus, a disease which may pose a greater risk this year. “We are on high alert for Schmallenberg,” he says. “It occurs in approximately four-year cycles and the UK saw outbreaks in 2012/13 and again in 2017/18. “Infected cattle develop an immunity which will wane after about four years and by this period, new animals which have not been exposed to Schmallenberg and

have naivety to the disease will have been introduced into the herd. There is funding for surveillance testing through the Animal and Plant Health Agency where cases are suspected.” Recovery from winter dysentery is usually spontaneous and treatment tends to be supportive. It will involve free access to water and possibly the administration of oral rehydration solutions. It is also recommended that diets are checked, to ensure they contain adequate mineral levels. Severely affected animals can also be given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and intravenous fluids. There is little that dairy farmers can do to reduce the risk of a winter dysentery outbreak, he says. “The best option is to adopt a routine two-to-four week isolation period for new animals,” Mr Hall adds. “Visitors should wear clean and disinfected footwear and overalls and it is essential to prevent disease transfer to other classes of stock. “There is no licensed vaccine for winter dysentery and even if one were developed, it would be ineffective in the face of an outbreak. “Nevertheless, there is anecdotal evidence that cows which have been vaccinated to boost antibody levels against coronavirus calf scours in their colostrum will display less acute symptoms and recover more rapidly.”

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ANIMAL HEALTH Calf pneumonia is still one of the most common causes of ill health and losses, despite improvements in colostrum management and a wide range of vaccine options. Wendy Short speaks to a vet to get some tips on control and prevention.

Protecting calves from pneumonia

alf pneumonia occurs as the result of what vet Colin Mason describes as a ‘pathogen soup,’ which is made up of bacteria, viruses and mycoplasmas. Mr Mason, veterinary centre management at Scotland’s Rural College, says these have a permanent presence in the calf house and elsewhere on the unit in different combinations, with infection triggered by a range of conditions which cause stress in the animal. The main risk factor is linked

The correct management of colostrum has a supportive role and will maximise the potential for any future vaccination programme COLIN MASON

46 DF Nov p46 47 Pneumonia KJ MB.indd 2

to low volume colostrum intake, poor colostrum quality and/or a delay in the first feeding, he says. Other risk factors include calves incorrect ambient temperature, insufficient ventilation, inadequate nutrition and stress caused by moving and mixing groups. Producers have made great strides in colostrum management, but there is still room for improvement, says Mr Mason. “The colostral antibodies ingested by the calf in its initial six hours of life have a close relationship with its susceptibility to pneumonia,” he says. “Particular attention should be paid to calves which have been compromised at birth following a delayed or protracted calving. “These animals will need extra care as they are the most vulnerable. A weaker calf may not always absorb sufficient antibodies and its general state of poor health will place stress on its system. This can trigger pneumonia, or any other disease, and lead to an infection outbreak.” Mr Mason adds that colostrum management hygiene is key. “Colostrum must be handled using the same standards that are applied to food for human consumption. No one system is better than another for handling

colostrum and it is mainly down to attention to detail by the operator,” says Mr Mason. “If pneumonia is an issue, it is worth discussing the colostrum handling protocol with your vet, and there may be benefits to be gained from colostrum pasteurisation. “The correct management of colostrum has a supportive role and will maximise the potential for any future vaccination programme to produce a successful result. In addition, some calves may contract pneumonia before they have reached the minimum age for vaccination.” Tailored Pneumonia vaccines must be administered at the right time, with products tailored to individual farms and instructions strictly followed, he adds. The highest risk period occurs within the first eight weeks of life for milk-fed calves. Any factor which causes bodily stress can lead to a pneumonia outbreak and a spike in case numbers was reported during the very high temperatures in July and August this year. The cold, damp weather in autumn and winter can

also increase the incidence of infection. “The harmful pathogens thrive in these circumstances and infection can spread rapidly across the calf shed,” says Mr Mason. “It is not easy to maintain conditions which are draught-free and well-ventilated, while at the same time keeping calves warm. Calf jackets are beneficial, but only as long as they are kept clean. It is advisable to wash and disinfect jackets regularly, particularly when they are being transferred from one calf to another. “Moisture levels in the building should be kept to a minimum, so it is not advisable to use copious amounts of water if some pens are being cleaned out while the unit is stocked. “The bedding must be kept dry and a good overall standard of pen cleanliness will help with the prevention of a range of diseases, including pneumonia.” He says a high stocking rate can exacerbate the risk of pneumonia and calves should not share the same air space as older animals. “The age range should be kept as tight as possible and each pen should contain calves that are no

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 13:56

ANIMAL HEALTH physical means, such as the nasal discharge of an infected calf coming into contact with its pen mate, for example. Most viral pathogens have a poor survival rate without access to a host, but they are sensitive to exposure to UV light, while bacteria are more resistant to UV light and will usually persist for longer periods in the calf house. It is difficult to allocate a precise figure to the survival rate of pathogens, as a lot will depend on the environmental conditions. Mr Mason adds: “The good news is that most respiratory pathogens, including the majority of strains of pneumonia, are destroyed when they come into contact with disinfectants that are designed for the purpose. “Equipment like buckets, teat feeders and auto-feeders should be disinfected on a regular basis, but there is little that producers can do on a day-to-day level to prevent transmission between calves through shared feeding systems.”

is not always achievable in practical terms.” Producers have become adept at checking for signs of disease, but it is always not easy to spot sub-clinical pneumonia cases, he says.

Bedding must be kept dry and a good overall standard of pen cleanliness will help with the prevention of a range of diseases, including pneumonia.

more than a couple of weeks apart in birth date,” adds Mr Mason. “A calf group containing animals of between one week and eight

weeks old is at high risk of disease development and transmission. Ideally, an ‘all-in, all-out’ system should be adopted, although this

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Auto-feeder “Technology has advanced and activity meters are available, along with auto-feeder systems that will provide an alert in cases where the milk intake has dropped sharply. Otherwise, a calf with early-stage pneumonia may lie down for longer than its peers, or be slower to feed. A quick check of body temperature will usually confirm whether or not there is cause for concern.” Pneumonia is generally considered an airborne disease, with the most frequent transmission occurring when an infected calf coughs and a second animal in close proximity breathes in the contaminated air, says Mr Mason. It can also be transmitted via

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ANIMAL HEALTH The R number identifies the potential for an infectious disease to spread, but can be massively influenced by management practices. Dairy Farmer talks to MSD Animal Health’s Dr Paul Williams to discuss how it can be reduced as part of a control strategy for IBR.

Driving down the R number to control infectious disease

he world is now all too aware of the importance of the R number: a figure which identifies the potential for an infection to spread, sometimes referred to as the reproduction rate. Defined more specifically as the average number of secondary cases generated by one primary case of that disease, R has become an important parameter in monitoring and controlling many infectious diseases. The route of infection impacts the R number, particularly if it is an airborne virus. R can be used to measure the risk and impact of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), since it is spread from animal to animal, and an important route for its transmission is through nasal and respiratory discharges. Various studies have sought to assign an R value to IBR and figures as high as seven have

IBR is primarily a respiratory disorder, but it also causes reduced fertility.

been calculated. However, the figure is not static, being highly influenced by environmental factors and management practices, which are designed to reduce R to less than one.

There are overwhelming arguments in favour of driving down the spread of the disease through the use of vaccination and biosecurity DR PAUL WILLIAMS

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Dr Paul Williams, MSD Animal Health’s technical manager for ruminants, says: “When R is less than one, the infection will die out over the long-term. “And while the UK may not have eradication as its national herd goal, there are overwhelming arguments in favour of driving down the spread of the disease through the use of vaccination and biosecurity.” Dr Williams explains if the R number is three, the disease grows exponentially. “The initial animal passes the infection on to three others; the three pass on to nine; the nine pass on to 27, and you can see how quickly it spreads.” In fact, it is estimated the virus which causes IBR, the bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1), is present in more

than 70% of UK herds. This indicates just how effective the virus has been in transmitting from animal to animal. However, of greater concern still are its effects on the animal, which pull down performance and hit farm finances, even when its presence is low. Even subclinical infection has been estimated to cost £200/cow/year in lost income due to milk loss – a loss which is brought about by a range of health problems. Dr Williams says: “The virus is primarily a respiratory disorder, but it also causes reduced fertility. Once infection has occurred, IBR establishes a lifelong latent infection in individuals, which can be reactivated, and is spread at times of stress.” This leaves an overall picture

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ANIMAL HEALTH

Vaccination is considered to be a priority, as even in an infected herd, a large proportion of its animals are likely to be naive.

of damage and financial drain which costs the farming industry up to £36 million each year. Dr Williams says: “The effects of BoHV-1 are particularly damaging in a naive herd suffering exposure to the virus for the first time.” All of this means a vaccination programme supported by a robust biosecurity policy should be the line of defence for naive herds. Dr Williams says: “If you and your vet find you do not have IBR, the best approach is to stop

it coming in. This involves all the usual external biosecurity procedures, such as double fencing, quarantining animals on arrival and testing them after quarantine, before they enter the herd. “Alongside this, a vaccination programme, if not already in place, will mitigate the risks if it does enter the farm. Vaccination will reduce transmission and therefore help to bring the R number down and reduce its spread within that herd.” However, most UK herds already have a presence of

BoHV-1, and these are advised to vaccinate at the earliest opportunity. He says: “For these herds, the goal may either be to eliminate or more likely to bring IBR under control. “In either case, vaccination is considered a priority, as even in an infected herd, a large proportion of its animals are likely to be naive. This is because of the latent nature of the IBR infection, as carrier animals do not shed the virus all of the time. “It could be the herd had

its last shedding period two or three years ago, and in that period, a lot of new heifers have come into the herd. Sub-population “This sub-population is effectively naive, so they need protection through vaccination before joining the herd. “Without this protection it would spread quickly within this group, which would suffer the losses associated with IBR, before you were aware of what had happened.”

Ongoing monitoring JMonitoring IBR is an important process in any herd and will identify new infection as well as latent infected animals. Dr Williams says: “If you only have one or two latent infected animals, you may be able to cull, but this is not feasible if 30% of the herd is infected. “That is when you would need to have a strategy of vaccination

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and monitoring to bring the disease under control. Latent carriers of IBR are the ‘pilot light’ for infection and newly infected animals are the main virus shedders. “It is possible to eradicate the disease if that is your goal, as long as you maintain internal and external biosecurity and do not bring-in infected animals.”

While bringing down infection, he says think about the stress points which may cause reactivation from latency and previously infected animals to shed the virus.

Biosecurity He says: “This may mean better biosecurity around calving, such as more calving boxes, longer

isolation and better cleaning, and making sure all buildings are well ventilated. “Eradication of IBR may not be a goal on every farm, but all herds should be driving the R number down, controlling its spread within the herd and reducing its impact on animal health and the farm’s bottom line.”

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ANIMAL HEALTH With an increased starling population as winter sets in, we round up some of the advice on how to effectively control starling numbers. Hannah Park reports.

Keeping starlings at bay

mong other challenges, winter brings with it an increase in starling numbers across the UK with migratory starlings liable for what can be huge increases in bird numbers on some dairy farms. While effective starling control is likely to differ from farm to farm, combining several control methods is likely to be the most effective way of reducing starling numbers on-farm, says Dr Cate Williams, of Aberystwyth University. Dr Williams says: “Starlings and other scavenging birds, such as sparrows, pigeons and doves, are well known for their partiality to total mixed rations [TMRs]. With all of these species protected by law, challenges arise in winter when native UK bird populations are joined by migratory bird flocks. “In summer these return to their native country while domestic starlings disperse to higher land to breed. In addition to the fact that livestock are less likely to be fed a TMR in summer, the problem becomes dormant again.” As well as depredating TMRs and other hard feed, starlings can also spread disease, says Dr Williams. She says: “Starlings do not roost and forage at the same location and will move between several feeding sites, making them an ideal vector

Starlings and other scavenging birds are well known for their partiality to total mixed rations DR CATE WILLIAMS

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As well as depredating total mixed rations and other hard feed, starlings can also spread disease.

to disseminate pathogens. It has been confirmed that European starlings are capable of transmitting E. coli, Salmonella and campylobacter, as well as the causative organism of Johne’s disease.” Birds may also be staying in the UK longer as a result of changing weather patterns. Dr Williams says: “A 2012 report by Kingshay reported an extended migratory period, during which some birds remained in the UK for more than a month longer than usual due to an unseasonal cold spring. “This resulted in a longer period in which starlings were able to predate upon cattle feed, equating to larger losses for the farmer.” The same Kingshay report also highlights the numbers of birds making the annual migration can depend on the severity of winter conditions in central and northern Europe. Dr Williams says physical barriers combined with other deterrents had been proven as most effective for starling control. More recently, research which looked into feed particle size suggested feeding a pellet above a certain size was more likely to deter starlings as they were less likely to be able to eat it. Dr Williams says: “Feeding cattle pellets 1.27cm diameter or larger was effective at preventing starling consumption on a farm in Kansas, USA.

“Feed consumed by birds reduced with an increased pellet size of 1.272.22cm resulted in consumption of just 4% of the offered ration, while pellets 0.39-0.55cm suffered 50-54% depredation. The study suggests that optimum particle size is 0.95cm in diameter and smaller, as starlings were able to consume only 11% of the offered feed, with depredation reducing with pellet size.” Dr Williams adds that preventing consumption may even encourage starlings to leave the farm altogether in search of alternative feeding sites providing a long-term solution. Approach Changing feed times is another straightforward but effective approach, she says, as starlings generally feed twice a day, morning and night. She says: “Feeding in the afternoon after the starling’s early morning feeding period is finished provides cows with an uncontaminated and complete ration. Feeding twice a day can also reduce depredation and faecal contamination for the same reasons.” Up to now, netting or covers over feed storage has been rated the most effective bird deterrent, especially when it is well maintained. Audio and visual deterrents, such as gas guns and scarecrows, might also be effective in the short-term. Dr William says: “Auditory

techniques were determined to be relatively effective, but there was a risk of birds becoming accustomed to the deterrent. It is therefore recommended that frequent changes in device location and sounds are essential. “The most effective was found to be species-specific alarm and distress call, however these systems may prompt noise complaints where farms are close to residential areas. “Similarly, the use of gas guns and shooting to scare often result in complaints of noise nuisance in residential areas. Gas guns and other pyrotechnic methods can be costly to deploy and maintain, and although these methods are moderately effective, in the longterm habituation has been seen. “It should be noted that pyrotechnics are suitable only for use on croplands as the noise can cause stress to livestock.” Visual techniques also vary in efficacy but are most effective when applied in conjunction with auditory methods. Habituation to decoy objects, such as statues of predatory birds or scarecrows, is rapid and common. “Live decoys, such as dogs and human scarers, are more effective, but are labour-intensive and costly.” rTo find out more about preventing birds feeding on TMRs, visit businesswales.gov. wales/farmingconnect/newsand-events/technical-articles

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FODDER CROPS With feed prices on the rise, farmers could well be looking at expanding their home-grown protein sources by looking at alternative forage and fodder crops over the coming years. 58 TRIAL RESULTS

60 GROWING PROTEIN

Compostable plastic and undersowing maize

Lucerne and red clover favoured at Harper

64 LIGHT LEVELS

A look at how maize has fared this year

Dry cows out-wintered on fodder beet.

dry autumn and limited grass growth, coupled with high bought-in feed prices, are making dairy producers consider how they can best increase output from their forage-growing area. Limagrain’s John Spence suggests throwing the net a bit wider and looking at some high feed value spring-sown crops. “These include kale rape hybrids, new bounce-back brassicas and fodder beet,” he says, adding they can all provide a high feed value crop and give the grass rotation a valuable break. “The starting point when it comes to crop planning in spring is deciding which grass swards need attention, as on most dairy farms this is the staple crop.” A good first cut of grass silage, taken in the first two weeks of May from a high yielding conservation

Spring-sown crops, which provide a high feed value forage, could present an attractive option when planning next year’s forage. Dairy Farmer reports.

Spring-sown fodder crops meet the challenges ley, should yield six tonnes of dry matter per hectare. Limagrain published data from grass seed mixture trials across four consecutive years, from 2017 to 2020, which showed at least this level of yield in commercially available conservation mixtures. But, regardless of mixture, yield and quality declined year-on-year.

Mr Spence says: “Overall we recorded a reduction in yield of 5t/ha of DM from the peak in year one to year four, representing a 40% drop; 5t of DM would provide the energy to produce £3,280 worth of milk based on a milk price of 30ppl. “Estimated reseeding costs are £430-£700/ha, so it offers a clear return on investment. So putting up

with poor grass is a false economy.” A spring- or summer-sown forage crop can be a useful circuit breaker between grass crops for grassland pests, particularly in the light of the pesticide ban on grassland. These fast-growing, high-yielding forages, such as a forage brassica crop, for grazing in mid to late summer when grass gets short,

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FODDER CROPS are appealing on many farms, says Mr Spence. Hybrid brassicas and forage rape are sown from May until July. They grow fast and are typically ready to graze in 12-14 weeks. Mr Spence says: “These crops have deep roots, so they are ideal if it is dry – the sort of conditions we are seeing more often. They are typically grazed in situ, so nutrients and organic matter are returned to the land which boosts soil fertility.” Feed value is good too, particularly if high value varieties are used. In Limagrain field trials, where a wide range of commercially available, rape/kale hybrids were compared, the highest relative DM crops yielded 11% and 17% above the control, and offered top scores for mildew resistance too. Mr Spence says kale crops can also be sown across a few months too, and they provide an additional forage crop into autumn and winter. Like all brassicas, it has a high protein content, but it will outyield the hybrids. Kale is relatively economical to grow. Another good spring-sown crop which can withstand drought and provide a summer forage supplement for dairy cattle is the unique bounce-back brassica Skyfall. Mr Spence says: “Already very successful in sheep systems, it is

Dairy cows in a field of kale.

gaining momentum for dairy and beef systems.” Like rape kale hybrids, it has a wide sowing window from May to July and is ready to graze within 12 weeks. Regrowth Mr Spence says: “It has large strap leaves, which look like stubble turnip leaves, and roots which are deep and elongated – more like a forage rape root – which promotes the crop’s regrowth and drought tolerance. “After grazing, the crop is then closed up for four weeks to enable the regrowth before grazing again.

“We have seen three grazing rounds from each crop, with earlier sown crops showing the most bounce-back potential.” At the end of summer, once these crops are grazed off, the land can be ploughed, and a grass or winter cereal crop sown. Or the land can be left for reseeding until the following spring to ensure a break in the pest cycle. Fodder beet is another springsown crop with very high feed value. Alongside maize, it is energy rich and provides a palatable ‘powerhouse’ in dairy rations. While Mr Spence suggests light

to medium free-draining soils are most suited to growing fodder beet, it will also thrive on a wide range of soil types. He says: “It is a crop which is well suited to the UK climate. It will produce consistent yields in wet or dry conditions, so our drier summers are not too much of a threat to this crop.” For the past five years, Limagrain has been exporting fodder beet seed to New Zealand for grazing dairy cattle – both milkers and youngstock. Mr Spence says: “It has taken off among milk producers who

Yields and feed value based on Limagrain field trials Crop

Fodder beet

Feed value ME (MJ/kg dry matter) 12.5-13.5

Bounce-back 10 brassica (Skyfall) Kale 10-11

Kale rape hybrid

Feed value Feed value Merits (DM tonnes (CP %) per hectare) 15-18 12-13 rHigh energy rConsistent yields rVersatile use through autumn and winter rHighly palatable 9.55* 17-18 rRegrowth potential Summer catch crop rHigh protein 8-10 16-17 rFlexible utilisation – summer and winter rHigh yielding and high protein content 4-5 19-20 rFast growing, fresh leafy crop mid to late summer rHigh protein content

Fodder beet is a spring-sown crop with very high feed value.

Note: *Combined yield over four cuts

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FODDER CROPS These crops have deep roots, so they are ideal if it is dry – the sort of conditions we are seeing more often

PROSPECT DISCOVER PURE GOLD

JOHN SPENCE graze the crop in situ. They use the same varieties as we grow here and, as in the UK, the maritime climate suits the crop. “But consider the land type first for out-wintering grazing systems. Heavy, wet land can make moving fences daily, or every few days, hard work. But where it will work, producers can place fresh silage bales at the end of rows and create a sort of ‘in situ’ total mixed ration [TMR] and we see cattle thrive on this diet.” Areas where beet lifting equipment is available lend themselves to using the crop in TMR systems. It can be lifted and clamped and used through winter. Varieties with medium DMs, with 60% of the root out of the

ground, are best suited to dairy systems, either for using in the TMR or for grazing. Popular varieties in dairy systems are Robbos or Blaze. Mr Spence says: “There are some very good options for spring-sown forages. I would encourage some research and looking at the suitability of each crop for the farm and system, and also to be discerning in the choice of variety for each crop. Progress “There has been significant progress in feed value between varieties and some modern choices boast much better feed values, which will be welcome news for many producers looking to maintain or improve cost of milk production.”

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FODDER CROPS Preliminary results from one of the first trials to focus on undersowing grass with maize under biodegradable film were relayed to growers at a recent Hutchinsons open day in Cumbria. Wendy Short reports.

Undersowing maize trial work

he drive to minimise plastic use in agriculture prompted a trial which compared a 0.5-metre single-row film system with the standard 1.4m double-row arrangement and which used a new, compostable film. Covering a 12-hectare (30-acre) area at the trials site near Carlisle, the narrow rows were found to reduce film usage from 68% to just 43%. The plot was undersown with grass using a Zocon drill and received a pre-emergence herbicide, said Hutchinsons agronomist Jim Clark. The film was the Samco product, Mater-Bi, which is a fully biodegradeable and compostable bioplastic. Mr Clark said: “A herbicide

Undersowing is one solution, but we need to know more about best management practices JIM CLARK was applied six weeks post-maizedrilling and the grass was sown after it had taken action. It was easier to sow the grass between the narrow film strips and access would also have been improved if subsequent weed control had been necessary.

“The grass chitted successfully, although there was a slight growth check due to the residual herbicide action. A variety of different grass species was used for the undersowing, with the Westerwolds ryegrass and mixes containing a high percentage of fescues appearing to be the least affected by scorching. “We can be certain that herbicide was responsible for the damage, as untreated plots were unharmed. “The final results will not be available until after harvest and next year these plots will be expanded. “As undersowing increases in popularity, it is important we improve our understanding of weed control, because maize plants do not respond well to early competition. “It could be argued that a

post-emergence herbicide treatment should be omitted, but it is usually necessary in fields which have followed grass or cereals; the trial plots had previously been in grass.” No discernible differences had been noted between the bioplastic and the standard film product, he added. “One of the issues was whether the bioplastic would last for the required six weeks and it fulfilled expectations this year. The maize has responded well to the system, but the new product is admittedly more expensive compared with standard film.”

Starter fertiliser trial results JMr Clark gave an overview of the 2020 maize trials results on starter fertilisers. A variety of options had been used on the site, which has a medium loam soil at an altitude close to sea level. The products were applied using a drill which had been fitted with a micro-granular applicator. They included the di-ammonium phosphate product, Primary-P, as well as Biolite, a granular incineration by-product with high levels of phosphate and which also contains citrate, sulphur, potash and a range of trace elements. Mr Clark said: “The aim was

to determine whether phosphatebased starter fertilisers can help to offset the potential limitations associated with marginal areas where maize is grown under film.

Establishment “A starter fertiliser is not routinely applied when establishing maize on this system, because it is assumed that the microclimate will lift temperatures and make soil nutrients more readily available to the emerging seedlings. “All of the plots which received a starter fertiliser showed greater early vigour compared with the untreated maize and test digs

highlighted significant benefits to early root development. “This could be particularly relevant in crops grown in marginal regions or where sowing is late. There is a finite amount of phosphate in the immediate seed environment and it is needed for root development in particular. Research has shown starter fertilisers in general can bring harvest dates forward by about a week.” The freshweight yield was highest in the control plot, which received no starter fertiliser. However, the Primary-P produced one of the highest starch figures of 35%, with starch in the Biolite-

treated crops at 26%. The Biolite and Primary-P lifted the yield dry matter percentages by 3.2% and 3.1%, respectively, and by up to 16.9 tonnes DM/ hectare DM (6.8t DM/acre).

Yield increase In financial terms, the Biolite application yield increase of 0.54t/ha (0.21t/ acre) improved profitability by £70.20/ha (£28.40/ acre), based on a maize price of £130/t DM. Meanwhile, the yield increase for the Primary-P was 0.52t/ha (0.21t/ acre), producing a £33.60/ha (£13.60/acre) margin.

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FODDER CROPS The plot was undersown with grass using a Zocon drill.

Jim Clark

Environmental concerns over the growing of maize in relation to soil erosion and general soil health have led to criticism over the practice of leaving land bare over winter after harvest, said Mr Clark. “Undersowing is one solution, but we need to know more about

best management practices. That would include advice for growers in marginal areas who grow maize under film to secure their harvests, although the system will not suit every farm. “Undersowing also has the advantage that the grass which

remains after the maize has been harvested can be used for sheep grazing over winter.” Seed rates for the undersown grass seed varied from 7.4kg/ha (3kg/acre) to 14.8kg/ha (6kg/ acre), 21kg/ha (8.5kg/acre) and 35kg/ha (14kg/acre), he said.

“As expected, the highest seed rate produced the best results in terms of grass cover. “Nevertheless, economics also have to be considered and it was concluded that the 8.5kg/ acre rate offered the most suitable compromise.”

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59 15/10/2021 09:47

FODDER CROPS As a sustainable source of home-grown protein, lucerne and red clover tick a lot of boxes at Harper Adams University’s dairy farm. Katie Jones reports.

Sustainable homegrown protein key at Harper Adams

ising input costs are well-documented at the moment and, at Harper Adams University’s dairy farm, the focus now is very much on home-grown protein with a close eye on cost and carbon efficiency implications. Chris Ruffley, assistant farm manager at Harper Adams, says that 12 months ago concentrate protein prices were about £230/tonne, but for the next six months the farm will be paying at least £280/t. This, he says works out at an extra £3,000 per month on the feed bill just from price increases of a single

ingredient: “We need to mitigate this price rise as much as we can. For us home-grown protein is important not only because of rising costs, but also from a carbon perspective. “It ticks a lot of boxes for us when you start to look at the environmental benefits from a carbon sequestration point of view.” Protein At Harper Adams, much of this home-grown protein for the dairy herd will come from crops of lucerne and red clover. Mr Ruffley says he is aiming to put between eight and 10 hectares

(20-25 acres) of lucerne in each year, with crops being cut up to four times a year. Key to success, says Mr Ruffley is establishment. He says: “You get one chance to get it right, so establishment is key. We drill lucerne after a winter forage crop. “We will burn the stubble off, flat lift it, disc it and follow on with the power harrow to level it. We then leave it for a few weeks, then spray any weeds off. It is important to get a stale seedbed before drilling.” Ben Wixey, national agricultural sales manager at Germinal, says

that as the seed is relatively small it only needs to be drilled to a depth of 1cm. He says: “It needs good seed to soil contact, so we advise it needs to be well rolled.” Weed control options are limited, If any bare patches appear Mr Ruffley sometimes overseeds these with red clover.

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FODDER CROPS Chris Ruffley

RESOLUTE STANDING TALl

but Mr Wixey says that once the legume crop is established there should be limited problems with weeds anyway. However, he adds it is not a suitable crop for all farms. “It is not right for every soil, and while it can be grown on heavier soils, it is important they are free-draining. It will not stand its feet being wet. “It needs a pH of 6.2 or above, and P and K levels need to be good. However, once it is established it just grows and grows.” It can be cut every four to six weeks during the peak growing season, but it does have a big potash requirement to keep it going. Potash Mr Wixey says: “It needs 30kg potash for every tonne of dry matter [DM] which is taken off. It will yield about 10-12t DM/ha/year, so it does require large amounts of potash. But most farms where it is grown, like here at Harper, will have muck.” One of the benefits of lucerne is its ability to find moisture due to its deep tap root, which Mr Wixey says means it will keep on growing even when grass slows up.

He says it is a phenomenal source of protein, coming in at about 19-21% protein of the total DM, and also has the ‘scratch factor’ from the fibre in the stem, which helps keep the rumen healthy. This, he adds, really differentiates lucerne from high quality grass silage. He adds: “It is a good alternative to perennial ryegrass, but it should be noted that it is not as versatile as a ryegrass. You do have to mow it, and while it can be grazed, if doing so it is important not to take it down to the crown, which will cause lasting damage.” Mr Ruffley says he aims to mow it down to about 7-10cm, and he uses a mower with rubber rollers, rather than a metal conditioner which would damage the lucerne leaf. He says: “We mow it into swaths, and then on the following day we will leave it alone and avoid tedding it as this can lead to leaf shatter. “On day three we like to row it up very early in the morning when there is still a dew on it to keep the crop together before harvesting it that same day.” Chop length should be about 20mm, and the use of a good additive is advised to help bring the pH

NOVEMBER 2021 DF Nov p60 61 62 Harper KJ MB.indd 3

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FODDER CROPS down quickly. Clamping is done the same as it would be for grass silage. Mr Wixey says it can be baled but he would advise using more layers of wrap as it can be spikey. He adds that it is not a crop that likes to be driven over in wet conditions, which can result in problems with compaction. Mr Ruffley says he is feeding 10kg freshweight of lucerne silage in the dairy cow diet, along with 10kg of grass silage and 28kg of maize. Some of the fields of lucerne at Harper have been in for up to five years, and Mr Ruffley says the crop persists well. However, if any bare patches do appear he will sometimes overseed these with red clover. He says: “We would use red clover in these situations as you can not drill lucerne into lucerne. The red clover has a good ability to fill in any gaps, and will also yield well.” High sugar Elsewhere on-farm, Mr Ruffley is growing red clover on its own. Mr Wixey explains it is more usual to grow red clover within a high sugar grass ley. He says: “This is purely red clover and, while it is more difficult to manage growing it this way, the feed it provides is like rocket fuel.”

The farm has an aim of putting between eight and 10 hectares (20-25 acres) of lucerne in each year.

The variety grown at Harper is AberClaret, which Mr Wixey says has been bred to have a slightly lowered crown, which means it can last for about four or five years. Mr Ruffley says establishment is similar to that of lucerne, with a stale seedbed key. He aims to cut and clamp it at a similar time to the lucerne and will take three or four cuts a year from it. The main difference is the ability

to put some stock on it in autumn for grazing. He says: “There probably will not be enough on this crop for a fourth cut, so we will end up grazing this with some sheep, using lambs rather than ewes. “We will aim to get them on and off relatively quickly, but the lambs will do well on it.” As well as being a good source of protein, typically yielding 15-20%

Harper Adams University vision for net zero

Ben Wixey

JProf Michael Lee, deputy vice-chancellor at Harper Adams University, explains the university has pledged to become the first net zero mixed crop-livestock farm to support the delivery of the sustainability aims set out in the university’s strategic plan and in its agreed environmental strategy.

Initiative He says this includes the development of the new ‘school of sustainable food and farming’, supported by Morrisons and the NFU. He says: “Farming which

62 DF Nov p60 61 62 Harper KJ MB.indd 4

crude protein, Mr Ruffley says it is a good crop to help the university farm integrate the sheep flock into some of the land which was traditionally just used as silage ground for the cattle. He says: “We do not want to have to use big areas of land solely for sheep grazing, so this is a good way of integrating arable/silage areas with grazing and making the ground work harder for us.”

will deliver highly nutritious food while capturing carbon from the atmosphere through soil management and plant growth define net zero farming. “One example being assessed at Harper Adams University Farm, supported by Germinal, and will be showcased at COP26 as part of the ‘image of climate innovation’, is the intercropping of maize and lucerne. “Intercropping will reduce input costs and emissions through protecting soil, reducing tractor fuel use and provide two crops from where one previously grew.”

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 14:11

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13/10/2021 12:45

FODDER CROPS This summer’s lower than average light levels have affected forages considerably but maize crops in most parts of the country have harvested well and could play a vital role in boosting energy levels in rations this year. Dairy Farmer finds out more.

Low light levels bring unique ration challenges

airy and livestock producers could find themselves leaning heavily on maize this year to boost vital energy in rations following lower than average light levels throughout the summer, says Wilson Hendry of forage specialist Grainseed. He adds that most maize crops looked promising but grass quality has been hit hard by the relatively poor conditions. “Last year’s maize harvest started early due to lack of rain in the late summer, but this year’s harvesting started at the more traditional time of mid-September and most plants reached maturity and the desired dry matter (DM) naturally,” says Mr Hendry.

Wilson Hendry of forage specialist Grainseed says most maize crops looked promising.

“Summer 2021 has been characterised by significantly lower than average sunlight with areas

in central and eastern England receiving only 75 – 80% of the 30-year average sunshine dur-

ation recorded by the Met office. “Many people in these areas

Early maturing varieties performed well JWhere early and ultra early maize, varieties such as ES Tommen, ES Lovely and Bonnie have been grown, yields and quality are generally good, says Mr Hendry. “Starch contents of up to 35% and freshweight yields in excess of 17 tonnes per acre have been recorded, so this will typically be material with a metabolisable energy of about 11.5 mj/kgDM which is ideal for high output dairy and beef production. “It is not the same situation for grassland with the low light

64 DF Nov p64-67 Fodder crops KJ MB.indd 2

levels this summer really taking their toll. “Mid-September figures from AHDB’s ‘Forage for Knowledge’ resource, for example, suggested average daily grass growth rates fell by 7.5kg DM/ hectare to 36.1kg DM/ha in comparison to the five-year average for the time of year of 43.4kg/ha. “More worryingly, the daily growth rate on September 11 was significantly lower than last year’s 62.2kg DM/ha per day and this trend continued

to the end of the month. That said, many producers did manage to take high volume cuts earlier in the season but quality is variable.

Balance “The challenge now is to balance up all these forages to make sure as much use of home-grown resources is made as possible.” For maize growers with high yields of maize it could be a good idea to up its proportion from 50% of total forage fed so

grass silage stocks are extended and overall forage quality fed, particularly energy, are increased, Mr Hendry says. “In most circumstances this will not be a problem, but if you have got higher dry matter material you need to make sure the average ration dry matter stays around 50%. “It is also a good idea to carry out regular feed analysis of both maize and grass forages so rations can be fine-tuned to deliver high energy without any potential metabolic issues.”

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 14:57

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FODDER CROPS have moved towards ‘bred for Britain’ earlier maize varieties in recent years and these require fewer heat units than traditional high yielders to mature and finish properly, so the impact of the recent challenging conditions will be limited for them.

“But producers relying on silage and grazing land that has not been reseeded recently could find the photosynthetic efficiency of their leys to have been fairly low and this will be affecting sugar production and energy yields considerably.

“Equally, growers sticking with later maize varieties in the hope of higher overall yields, could find themselves waiting for their crops to catch up and ultimately finding these have not produced as much energy and starch as they would have hoped.”

Get ready for 2022 JAs well as focusing how best to feed this year’s maize crops to best advantage, producers should be thinking forward to next season and considering cover crops where winter cereal crops

are not being drilled, says Grainseed technical director Neil Groom. He adds: “Whatever you do, it is generally now considered bad practice to leave any bare stubbles over the winter where soil is left

exposed to the elements. “Many mixed farms will drill winter wheat straight into the maize stubble and the resulting wheat crops are usually good. “Drilling conditions have been generally good during the early autumn, but if conditions get wetter, then a deep tine cultivator can be used to rectify any soil damage from trailers on headlands and gateways. “Where winter cereals are not being grown, then drilling Westerwolds, Italian ryegrass or grazing rye are good options for giving an early bite to stock next spring.

Germinate “Growing a winter cover crop also keeps soils biologically active and seeds will germinate and grow quickly in the warm soil. “Grazing rye will be the fastest to establish since it has a larger seed and will form a good robust plant over winter.”

Grainseed technical director Neil Groom.

If returning the field back to maize, then grazing the field in the spring rather than trying to take a cut of silage is best, he advises. “Grass can easily take all the winter rainfall that the maize needs to establish and therefore the risk of uneven and poor establishment of the subsequent maize crop can be the result.”

Are new ‘low light’ maize varieties a realistic proposition? JTrials with maize varieties of strikingly different plant architecture to those UK producers are used to could point the way to improving light capture in the crop, says Mr Groom. “2021’s lower than average summer light levels have again brought the relationship between light radiation and

66 DF Nov p64-67 Fodder crops KJ MB.indd 3

heat units and its role in delivering full maize maturity to the fore. “Ironically, the parts of the UK which have the lowest levels of heat units also have some longest day lengths in the country. “So, if we could improve light capture and increase the rate of photosynthesis, the

greater the opportunities for high quality forage production in areas which are currently outside the main maize production regions.” He says five high light utilisation efficiency varieties have been under analysis by Grainseed, with varying amounts of promise shown. “Some have less leaf above

the cob and others carry the cobs slightly higher so more light can get to them,” adds Mr Groom. “There is a lot of work to do, but indications are that the plants are less bulky than we are used to, allowing higher plant densities to be used before overall light capture and energy/ha is compromised.”

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 14:02

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DAIRY SHOW REPORT This year’s Dairy Show, held at the Bath and West Showground, Somerset, focused on the theme ‘facing the future together’ with the cattle show and seminars reflecting this. Katie Jones reports.

Jump on the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway

armers are being urged to get involved with the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, with the first stage due to start in spring next year. Michael Seals, chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England, said by getting involved farmers could help stop some of the losses which occur from endemic disease and in turn change the culture which says disease is acceptable. He said: “If we are going to reduce disease, we are going to

improve health and welfare and reduce the use of antibiotics. This in turn will reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance growing. And if we improve health and welfare, we also improve economically.” Intention Mr Seals said the intention was to achieve this through farm vets, who would work with farmers. The first stage of this will be a vet visit, paid for by the Government, to undertake a health and welfare review of the farm. This will include

The whole programme is based on the progress of health and welfare across the country as a whole MICHAEL SEALS diagnostic testing. Mr Seals said the initial focus would be on improving disease prevention and controlling or eradicating certain diseases. He said: “Some farmers will need more help than others, but by doing this diagnostic testing and collecting this data we will be able to see what is going on in the industry and at individual farm level. If we can do this we will start to move forward.” Farmers will then be supported in the next step along the pathway by animal health and welfare grants, which are due to be launched in

2022. These will help farmers put solutions in place. Mr Seals added a payment by results programme was also in the planning stages and would be piloted in 2023-24. This would reward farmers for achieving higher welfare outcomes by supporting the ongoing costs involved in delivery. He said: “The ambition is to take everyone who keeps animals with us on this journey. The whole programme is based on the progress of health and welfare across the country as a whole.”

Investigating the risk of people catching TB JAgricultural workers who may have been exposed to animals with bovine TB are being asked to participate in a study looking at mycobacteriumn bovis (M. bovis) infection in people. The study is being undertaken by the University of Bristol in order to gain a better understanding of the true prevalence of TB in people. Dr Ellen Brooks-Pollock, of Bristol Veterinary School, explained that M. bovis is the causative agent of bTB. While bTB can affect a range of animals, it mainly affects cattle in the UK. Transmission of M. bovis to humans results in a form of

68 DF Nov p68 Pathway KJ MB.indd 2

Dr Ellen Brooks-Pollock

TB called zoonotic TB. She said that while the prevalence of bTB in cattle was well documented, the prevalence of M. bovis infection in people was less well known,

but reported cases had doubled in the last 20 years. She said: “The vast majority of people who have the infection do not go on to get an infectious disease. In fact, it is so benign that it is estimated that one-third of the world population has TB.” Each year in the UK, about 30-40 people are diagnosed with TB due to M. bovis. Dr Brooks-Pollock added the study was aimed at finding out how many people who have the infection go on to develop the disease and whether working with cattle increases the risk of getting TB. The study will focus on

agricultural workers in the south west of the UK, which traditionally has been particularly badly affected by bTB. She said: “We want to improve public health for farmers and those working with bTB-infected cattle.”

Vaccine She said since the BCG vaccine was no longer given to everyone, the study would look at whether there was a benefit of vaccinating people who work with cattle which have TB. rFor more details or to take part, contact Dr Brooks-Pollock on 07553 785 198, or zootb-study@bristol.ac.uk

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 14:58

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Valebrook Two other calves from the Valebrook herd shown at the South West Calf Show, won their classes and will go on to compete at the All Breeds All Britain (ABAB) Calf Show. Justina, who has been showing calves since she was five, will also be competing in the young handlers section of the ABAB Calf Show. Inter-breed calf judge, Colin Evans, of Carmarthen, described

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here were no adult cattle classes at this year’s Dairy Show held at the Bath and West showground in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, and instead the organisers decided to focus on the next generation of both the cattle, and exhibitors, by having a ‘futurity’ showcase of calves and heifers. The inter-breed calf title went to Valebrook Dumble Holly, an August 2020-born Holstein brought out by Justina Langley from her family’s Valebrook herd, which is based in Bath and comprises 200 milkers plus followers. The home-bred calf, a daughter of Progresses Dumble Door, was shown at the South West Calf Show last month, where it was placed second in its class.

Inter-breed calf and Holstein calf champion, Valebrook Dumble Holly, from A.J. Langley and Son, Bath.

his winner as a ‘powerhouse’ of a calf which was well-balanced and strong throughout. Runner-up in the calf championship was the Jersey, Rivermead Matt Lets Dance from the Davis family, Tiverton, Devon. Born in November 2020, this calf has previously been shown at a local calf show, where it placed first in its class. The Davis family, which had three entries at the show, went onto take the heifer championship with Rivermead Bubba Lexi, a June 2020-born Pine-Tree Disco Bubba daughter. This heifer was later teamed with herdmate, Rivermead Casino Sunberry, to take the inter-breed pairs title.

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Reserve inter-breed calf and Jersey calf champion, Rivermead Matt Lets Dance, from the Davis family, Tiverton, Devon.

Rivermead Jerseys will next head to the ABAB Calf Show. It was a Holstein from the Miller family’s 270-cow herd at Bridgewater, Somerset, that took the reserve heifer title. Their prize winner, Stowey Altitude Glory Red, is a June 2020-born daughter of Fernear Altitude Red. It was bred by J.F. and M.J. Hill and was bought by the Millers at the Spotlight sale at Sedgemoor this summer. Her dam was classified VG86 as a two-year-old, and her next 19 generations are all EX. She will also head to the ABAB Calf Show. In the any other breed section the champion calf was an Ayrshire, Creech Hill Hawaiian Blossom, a March-born daughter of Pam Ayrs Hawaiian from the Creech Hill Farm Partnership, Bruton, Somerset. The heifer winner in this section was another Ayrshire, this time West Park Farms Alaska Pansy, shown by Amy Wonnacott, Poole, Dorset. This one, which was bred by West Park Farm, is by Oaks Burdette Alaska. The Guernsey calf classes were led by Chiddingstone Indigo Zelda, from Digby Gribble, Yeovil, Somerset. This one-year-old is by Eby Manor Indigo. Taking the heifer

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:51

REPORT DAIRY SHOW

Inter-breed heifer and Jersey heifer champion, Rivermead Bubba Lexi, from the Davis family, Tiverton, Devon.

title in the Guernsey breed was Polly Whetham with the Aprilborn Emmaeve Excalibur Rosie. Head of shows Speaking after the show, Alan Lyons, the Royal Bath and West Society head of shows, said he was looking forward to welcoming milking animals back to the 2022 show, which is due to take place on October 5.

Reserve inter-breed heifer and Holstein heifer champion, Stowey Altitude Glory Red, from R.K. and S.G. Miller and Sons, Somerset.

Results Calf inter-breed (Judge, C. Evans, Carmarthen) Supreme, A.J. Langley and Son, Valebrook Dumble Holly (Holstein); reserve, Davis family, Rivermead Matt Lets Dance (Jersey). Heifer inter-breed (Panel of judges) Sup., Davis family, Rivermead Bubba Lexi (Jersey); res., R.K. and S.G. Miller and Sons, Stowey Altitude Glory Red (Holstein). Inter-breed pairs (C. Evans) Sup., Davis family, Rivermead Bubba Lexi and Rivermead Casino Sunberry (Jersey); res., R.T. and M.S. Cox, Hinton Modesty Dolly 2, and R.K. and S.G. Miller, Moorshard Toc Fitz Amanda (Holstein). Inter-breed group of three (C. Evans) Sup., A.J. Limond, Stowey Jordy Rainbow Red, R.K. and

S.G. Miller and Son, Stowey Altitude Glory Red, A.J. Langley and Son, Valebrook Dumble Holly (Holstein); res., David family, Rivermead Bubba Lexi and Rivermead Casino Sunberry, and M. Oakes, Princesstilstar Video Belle (Holstein). Any other breed (D. Hunter, Hemel Hempstad) Calf, sup., Creech Hill Farm Partnership, Creech Hill Hawaiian Blossom (Ayrshire); res., Creech Hill Farm Partnership, Creech Hill Rebel Zara (Ayrshire). Heifer, sup., A. Wonnacott, West Park Farms Alaska Pansy (Ayrshire); res., Creech Hill Farm Partnership, Creech Hill Rebel Irene (Ayrshire) Guernsey (E. Greenslade, Cullompton) Calf, sup., D. Gribblem, Chiddingstone Indigo

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Zelda; res., R. Norman and P. Whetham, Hinton Damson 8. Heifer, sup., R. Norman and P. Whetham, Emmaeve Excalibur Rosie; res., D. Gribble, Hinton Lambeau Margaret. Jersey (D. Walters, Truro) Calf, Sup., Davis family, Rivermead Matt Lets Dance; res., M. Oakes, Princesstilstar Video Belle. Heifer, sup., Davis family, Rivermead Bubba Lexi; res., Davis family, Rivermead Casino Sunberry. Holstein (D. Jones, Monmouth) Calf, sup., A.J. Langley and Son, Valebrook Dumble Holly; res., A.J. Langley and Son, Valebrook Lambda Rebecca. Heifer, sup., R.K. and S.G. Miller and Sons, Stowey Altitude Glory Red; res., A.J. Limond, Stowey Jordy Rainbow Red.

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71 15/10/2021 09:51

DAIRY SHOW REPORT

Beating the TB lottery

any farmers will feel it is down to chance whether their cattle test positive for TB. But rather than thinking about it as a ‘TB lottery’, vet Sarah Tomlinson said there were some ways farmers could help to control the disease on their own farms. Ms Tomlinson, Kingshay veterinary consultant and TB advisory service technical director, said: “We must treat TB the same as we do other infectious diseases. It can seem difficult because of the politics which are involved in the control of the disease, but we need to go

back a step and stop it getting on-farm or do what we can to get rid of it quicker.” Ms Tomlinson said there was a number of ways to reduce the risk of disease getting into a herd. If purchasing stock, she said it was important to know the risk. “Take a look at the ibTB map, which shows every breakdown going back 10 years. “I am not saying ‘do not buy from herds which are on this map’, but I would advise trying to buy from a herd which is of lower risk than your own if you can.” She added it was important to reduce the risk of transmission via

New health approaches JA new way of approaching udder health and calf health was discussed by Andy Adler of Molecare Farm Vets. Mr Adler said this involved the use of quorum-sensing inhibitors, and he explained quorum sensing was the ability of bacteria to sense and ‘communicate’ with other nearby bacteria. He said: “If you use an udder as an example, the bacteria already present will communicate in order to change so that it creates a biofilm, which will stick to the inside of the udder, enabling it to hang around for longer.” He added that quorum-sensing inhibitors worked by preventing this communication between bacteria and allowing the immune system to work and protect the health of the animal. He said quorum-sensing inhibitors, in the form of feed supplements, could be given to high somatic cell count cows or cows with clots in their milk to help stop these cows going on to develop mastitis. However, he added that while

72 DF Nov p72 TB Lottery KJ MB.indd 2

the products could work well on some farms, they might not work so well on others. “Antibiotics will inevitably continue to have their place in acute clinical scenarios and milk sampling and pathogen diagnosis are important practices to enable accurate diagnosis.” Mr Adler said quorum-sensing inhibitors were not a substitute for good management in terms of correct housing, a good parlour routine, quality nutrition and the use of data to manage chronic cows.

Scours In addition to udder health feed supplements, Mr Adler said products to help prevent calves from developing scours and respiratory infections were being trialled. He said while this was a relatively new science and there was limited peer reviewed research on the subject, it should be of interest to both organic farmers and conventional farmers who wanted to reduce antibiotic use.

TB should be viewed in a similar way to other infectious diseases, said Sarah Tomlinson.

badgers and this could be done by making sure badgers could not access feed stores, silage pits and feed troughs. She said: “If you can, raise troughs or adapt them to prevent badgers from climbing into them. Or if that is not possible, think about cleaning them out when they are not in use so as not to encourage badgers.” She added it was about concentrating on the areas which can be controlled. She also said it was important to make plans in case there was a breakdown. She said: “You need to think about your options if you are under restriction and assess what part of the business would be most affected. “Make a contingency plan, look

up approved finishing units, find out where your local red and orange markets are.” She said when thinking about sourcing replacement stock it was important to discuss this with a vet and not forget about the risk of bringing other diseases on, such as BVD, leptospirosis or Johne’s.

Sarah Tomlinson

Financial farm management tool JA new financial farm management tool was launched by Promar International at the Dairy Show. Working in partnership with Figured and Xero, Promar’s new cloud-based system, Agstute, combines accounting, reporting, planning, benchmarking and forecasting to create a data dashboard. The system means the whole farming team can access the farm’s financial information at any time and in any place. The tool is compatible with

any device and all data can be securely shared, with multi-level protection and encryption. Neil Adams, managing director at Promar International, said: “With the Agstute platform, farmers will be able to see a complete picture of their business. “Cloud technology simplifies the core administrative tasks, such as VAT returns and managing cashflow, creating more time in the day for farmers to get on with the important farming work.”

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 12:18

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74 DF Nov p74 75 76 Milk KJ MB.indd 2

MILK prices Freshways price rise sets the pace JTempting fate is never wise at the best of times, although sometimes there is just the feeling that something needs to happen. So what of the milk price developments in the last month? Our reference on this page in the previous issue to the potential milk price moves this autumn being likely to mirror the smallest of ripples in a mill pond was at the time absolutely spot on. At best, there was about 20% chance of any milk buyer outside the major retailers being prepared to step up and help push milk prices on again as we head towards winter. The farmer pleas across the country to push up milk prices to help with cost increases on-farm were more or less becoming lost in the wave of cost increases facing the processor on virtually every form of input. The situation is being described by some as simply insane. Indeed, many were breathing a sigh of relief that Arla had actually pulled back its milk price for September. Milk price holds for both liquid and cheese for October/November were almost a forgone conclusion. That was until September 24, when Freshways uncharacteristically decided to rock up to the water’s edge with its front end loader and drop in a boulder. Ripple effect? More like a tsunami the way it caught most in the industry by surprise, not just the size of the rock (scale of the price increase), but also the company responsible for the action. As if Freshways’ out-of-the-blue announcement to increase its A litre

milk price by 1.5ppl from October 1, taking our liquid standard* up to 30ppl, was not enough to turn heads, then the company guaranteeing this price would act as a minimum for the six months to the end of March next year most certainly raised eyebrows. The company also reaffirmed its B litre pledge announced back in early July that any litres produced above an individual’s A litre allocation through to the end of December this year will not receive less than 28.5ppl, after which it will be reviewed for the new year. Milk supply It is a well-known fact through industry circles that the company is short on milk supply and, even by its own acknowledgement, it is about to embark on a producer recruitment drive for additional direct volumes. At the same time, existing suppliers who wish to increase their A litre allocation are now being invited to submit a request into the company. Some would argue the company’s actions smack of desperation as being so short of ex-farm milk. However, the fact is, the company’s actions will have helped put hundreds of thousands of additional pounds into producers’ bank accounts around the country over the next couple of months. Extra money which might have otherwise not have been a certainty, but it is much needed to help with soaring on-farm costs this winter.

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:56

Milk price analyst Stephen Bradley on the latest milk industry developments.

Muller increases a penny from November JMuller has increased both its conventional and organic Direct milk price by 1ppl from November. The increase follows the company’s 0.75ppl increase from July this year (making 2.75ppl increase for the year to date) and takes our liquid standard litre up to 30ppl. Base price This price includes the 1ppl 13th payment (paid in January 2022 on those litres which attract the discretionary base price only) for those producers who meet the conditions for the Muller Advantage programme. The company’s Direct organic milk price for our liquid standard litre also increases by 1ppl

to 41.5ppl for those Direct organic suppliers who satisfy the conditions of the Muller Direct premium. Meadow Foods is also to increase its A litre milk price to all suppliers by 1ppl from November. The flat rate increase follows the 0.75ppl increase from July (taking the total increase for the year to date to 3ppl) and takes the company’s A price for our liquid standard litre up to 30ppl. Flat rate Being a flat rate increase, our manufacturing standard litre also increases by 1ppl to 30.63ppl across all of the company’s pooled regions.

Paynes Dairies to pay 30ppl from November JFor the second time this year, Charles Payne has confirmed he is to put in back to back monthly milk price increases, with producers receiving an additional 1ppl increase from October and a further

0.5ppl from November. The increases follow the back to back increases of 1.5ppl from June and 0.5ppl from July and takes our liquid standard litre up to 29.5ppl for October and to 30ppl from November.

*Our liquid standard litre is 4% butterfat and 3.3% protein, for our manufacturing 4.2% butterfat and 3.4% protein and, in both cases, Bactoscans of 30,000/ml and SCCs of 200,000/ml, with Thermodurics of 500/ml, 1m litres/year on EODC (max vehicle accessibility) but before B pricing, balancing, profile adjustments from level supply, seasonality, monthly profile payments, capital deductions or annual/part annual growth incentive schemes or supplements not directly linked to dairy market price movement.

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NOVEMBER 2021 DF Nov p74 75 76 Milk KJ MB.indd 3

75 15/10/2021 09:56

MILK PRICES Latest milk prices from

Jun’21 4.0/3.3 Before Seas’lty

Jul’21 4.0/3.3 Before Seas’lty

12mth Ave Aug’20 Jul’21

Diff Jul’21 v Jun’21

Latest Confirmed Milk Price

LIQUID PRICES (4% b/f & 3.3% prot) Müller Milk Group – M&S ∞ Müller Milk Group – Waitrose Müller Milk Group – Tesco Müller Milk Group – Sainsbury’s Arla Foods – Sainsbury’s Arla Foods – Tesco UK Arla Farmers – Tesco UK Arla Farmers – Morrisons (Grazing) UK Arla Farmers – Morrisons Müller Milk Group – The Co-op Dairy Group UK Arla Farmers Dale Farm NI Crediton Dairy Dale Farm GB (Kendal) Blackmore Vale Dairy Yew Tree Dairy Müller Milk Group – Müller Direct Meadow Foods Meadow Foods Lakes Müller Milk Group – Müller Direct (Scotland) Grahams Dairies Paynes Farms Dairies Freshways Braeforge Simple Average Simple Average (excl. retail contracts)

(i) 33.11 33.35 32.13 31.80 31.68 31.88 33.40 33.19 32.96 30.39 31.98 30.84 30.00 29.14 29.15 29.10 28.25 28.25 28.25 28.04 28.00 28.00 26.00 25.00 30.16 28.57

(ii) 34.70 33.35 32.13 32.69 32.57 31.88 33.37 33.16 32.93 30.39 31.95 30.84 30.00 29.64 29.80 29.10 29.00 29.00 29.00 28.79 29.00 28.50 28.50 28.00 30.76 29.37

(iii) 32.87 32.60 31.43 31.32 31.20 31.18 31.06 30.85 30.62 29.87 29.64 29.07 28.71 27.72 27.71 27.38 27.23 27.02 27.02 27.00 26.92 26.79 26.54 25.69 29.06 27.46

(i) v (ii) 1.59 N/C N/C 0.89 0.89 N/C -0.03 -0.03 -0.03 N/C -0.03 N/C N/C 0.50 0.65 N/C 0.75 0.75 0.75 0.75 1.00 0.50 2.50 3.00 0.60 0.79

(iv) 35.90 34.35 33.36 32.87 32.75 33.11 32.81 32.60 32.37 32.08 31.39 31.09 30.50 29.64 29.80 30.50 30.00 30.00 30.00 29.79 29.00 30.00 30.00 28.50

MANUFACTURING PRICES (4.2% b/f & 3.4% prot) UK Arla Farmers Parkham Farms Tesco First Milk – Haverfordwest Tesco Cheese Group The Fresh Milk Company – Level Profile ‡ Barber’s Cheesemakers Saputo Dairy UK – Davidstow Wyke Farms The Fresh Milk Company (Lactalis) First Milk South Caernarfon Wensleydale Dairy Products Belton Farm Glanbia – Llangefni (Constituent) Arla Foods – Direct Manufacturing Simple Average Simple Average (excl. retail contracts)

33.23 31.63 31.43 30.78 29.83 30.65 30.05 30.21 29.93 29.85 29.45 29.30 29.00 28.37 30.26 30.05

33.20 32.25 32.00 31.30 30.86 30.65 30.85 30.73 30.50 30.60 29.95 30.05 29.00 28.37 30.74 30.50

30.79 30.57 30.41 29.52 29.49 29.40 29.08 28.95 28.91 28.79 28.51 27.99 27.91 27.53 29.13 28.91

-0.03 0.62 0.57 0.52 1.03 N/C 0.80 0.52 0.57 0.75 0.50 0.75 N/C N/C 0.47 0.45

32.63 32.38 32.50 31.55 31.89 31.15 31.89 30.98 31.00 30.60 30.42 30.05 30.00 28.37

‘B’ Price Indicators StoneXMilkprices.com UKMFE (gross) *StoneXMilkprices.com UKMFE (net) **Delivered spot milk (net to the producer)

33.88 30.18 21.76

32.11 28.50 29.85

30.75 27.22

-1.77 -1.68 8.09

Notes to table

Prices for both Liquid & Manufacturing tables paid for a producer sending 1mltrs/yr on EODC (max vehicle size accessibility) with Bactoscans of 30,000/ml and SCC’s of 200,000/ml with Thermodurics of 500/ml. Prices exclude capital retentions or AHDB levies, profile adjustments from level supply, seasonality, balancing and A&B price schemes. Excludes annual / part annual growth incentive schemes or supplements not directly linked to dairy market price movement. Liquid price for milk contains 4% b/f and 3.3% protein. Manufacturing price for milk containing 4.2%/b/f and 3.4% prot. All prices for non-aligned prices are before monthly retail supplements. (i) Jun’21 prices before seasonality or B pricing (ii) Jul’21 prices before seasonality or B pricing (iii) Table ranked on simple rolling 12mth average of monthly prices (Aug’20 to Jul’21). (i) v (ii) The difference Jul’21 compared with Jun’21. UK Arla Farmers 0.43ppl increase from Jun ‘21 includes forecast 13th payment holding on +0.851ppkg (+0.868ppl) based on our liquid std litre. UK Arla Farmers 0.44ppl increase from Jun’21 includes forecast 13th payment holding on +0.884ppkg (+0.902ppl) based on our manufacturing std litre. UK Arla Farmers 0.03ppl decrease from Jul ‘21 includes forecast 13th payment decreasing 0.02ppkg to +0.849ppkg (+0.874ppl) based on our liquid std litre. UK Arla Farmers 0.03ppl decrease from Jul’21 includes forecast 13th payment decreasing 0.02ppkg to +0.882ppkg (+0.908ppl) based on our manufacturing std litre. Crediton Dairy price includes FarmMetrics Scheme Bonus of 0.5ppl (paid monthly) and 0.5ppl 13th payment (commencing Apr’21 paid Jan’22). First Milk price includes 0.5ppl Member Premium accrued as a 13th payment paid Apr’22. First Milk Haverfordwest Tesco Cheese Group includes 2ppl retailer premium averaged as 1.5ppl based on seasonal profile. Fresh Milk Company price before Morrisons monthly cheese supplement (No payments Jun’21 or Jul’21 statements). MMG Direct price includes 1ppl Müller Advantage Premium paid annually in arrears to Direct/Organic farms meeting specific Müller Direct criteria. South Caernarfon price includes flat 0.6ppl annual member bonus. •• Milk buyers whose prices were severely impacted through the 2020/21 Covid-19 lockdown crises. •• Yew Tree Dairy 76/24 split disbanded from Jun’21 alongside 2ppl increase. ‡ Price includes 12mth average rolling profile fixed at 0.57ppl. * UK Milk Futures Equivalent (UKMFE) net to producer includes 5% processor margin and allowing 2ppl ex-farm haulage + milk testing. ** Ave delivered spot milk net to producer allows 2.5ppl covering haulage + milk testing and margin. (iv) Latest confirmed milk price at the time of going to press. N/C in this context means no change made aware since Jul’21. Braeforge price from Aug’21 includes 1ppl for participating in the Compassion World FarmingUK Arla Farmers 0.87ppl decrease from Sept ‘21 includes forecast 13th payment unchanged +0.849ppkg (+0.874ppl) based on our liquid std litre. UK Arla Farmers 0.9ppl decrease from Sept’21 includes forecast 13th payment unchanged +0.882ppkg (+0.908ppl) based on our manufacturing std litre. UK Arla Farmers 0.31ppl increase from Oct ‘21 includes forecast 13th payment decreasing 0.006ppkg to +0.843ppkg (+0.868ppl) based on our liquid std litre. UK Arla Farmers 0.32ppl increase from Oct’21 includes forecast 13th payment decreasing 0.006ppkg to +0.876ppkg (+0.902ppl) based on our manufacturing std litre. The Fresh Milk Company 0.25ppl price increase from Jul’21 to 30.73ppl for our manufacturing standard litre also acts as guaranteed minimum price to the end of Sept’21. Freshways 1.5ppl increase to 30ppl from Oct’21 guaranteed as a price minimum until the end of Mar’22. MMG Direct price includes 1ppl Premium from Jan’20 paid annually in arrears to Direct/Organic farms meeting specific Müller Direct criteria. All prices (excluding First Milk Haverfordwest Tesco at 1.50ppl) are before monthly retail supplements. Milkprices.com cannot take any responsibility for losses arising. Copyright: Milkprices.com

76 DF Nov p74 75 76 Milk KJ MB.indd 4

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:56

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13/10/2021 12:48

MILK ANALYSIS

Defra price on course to top 32p Average aligned vs. non-aligned prices (ppl) Note: Includes assessment of aligned scaleback.

Average aligned price

Average non-aligned price

33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 Nov

Jul

Sept

Mar

May

Jan 21

Nov

Jul

Sept

Mar

price increases for aligned pools. The gap between aligned and non-aligned prices is now more

May

Nov

Jan 20

Jul

Sept

May

Mar

25 Jan 19

he latest official Defra milk price for August was 31.24ppl at 4.09% fat and 3.3% protein, and 30.5p when corrected for constituents back to a standard 4% fat and 3.3% protein standard litre. The latest estimated nonaligned price for October has just topped 30p. During the year, the Defra price has averaged 1.3p over the nonaligned average, which means that by October or November, the Defra price should be more than 32p. The gap between aligned and non-aligned prices is, however, rising again, thanks to very strong milk

The latest official Defra milk price for August was 30.5p for a standard litre.

than 2ppl for the first time since March, having dropped to a differential of 1.3p in June.

EU prices soar as butter nudges £4,000 and cream £1.90 JEU and UK commodity prices surged in the week of Dairy Farmer going to press, skyrocketing to levels last seen back in 2014 for some commodities. In the first week of October, butter was at £3,450, at the start of the second week it was £3,600, by the mid-week

78 DF Nov p78 79 Milk Analysis KJ MB.indd 2

of that week it was £3,700 and by the end some traders would not even sell for the equivalent of £3,950 or even £4,000.

Cream Cream in the UK was anything between the mid£1.80/kg into the £1.90s, but was still trailing the

EU, which was at £2.15/kg to £2.20 equivalent. Converting the EU and UK prices into a farmgate AMPE price puts returns at about 33p after transport and a processor margin. The butter and SMP futures are also riding high, and resulting in farmgate equivalent prices of about 33p.

Cheddar has also started to rise on the back of the market positivity, having been stuck at £3,000 for months. It is now at £3,100/tonne for mild, with many sellers saying they would not sell for anything less than £3,250/t on the back of a very strong curd price, and strong Edam and Gouda prices.

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 09:59

MILK ANALYSIS AMPE and MCVE top 33p JThe latest AMPE figure for September is 33.85p, after 2ppl for transport but with no processor margin, which is up 1.75p on August, with MCVE at 32.43p after transport, up nearly 1p on last month.

These prices are prior to the recent surge in commodity prices, however. If we take current prices then AMPE rises to 34.5p after transport but without a processor margin, and MCVE increases to 33.3p.

UFU index touches 33p JThe Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) Milk Price Index (MPI), which estimates the returns it thinks farmers should be getting on the back of current commodity values, has touched the 33p threshold for the first time since August 2017. The UFU also says the MPI has averaged 31.57ppl for 2021, which is ‘the most sustainable level in the history of the index’.

But it warns that better returns at the farm gate are being countered by rising input prices, with prices expected to carry on rising as whole energy costs getting factored into farm accounts. With Northern Ireland milk prices being set this week, the UFU are calling on processors to factor in the rising dairy commodity returns to the base milk price to ‘relieve the price pressure on farms’.

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79 15/10/2021 09:59

NEW Products This month, we include drafting gate updates from Allflex, the details of a new genetic service from Genus ABS and a range of supplements from Carrs Billington.

Updates to drafting gate JAllflex Livestock Intelligence has announced the launch of an updated version of its automatic livestock drafting gate. It uses radio frequency identification technology to automatically segregate cattle according to preset or customisable action lists via the company’s SenseHub, Heatime Pro and Dataflow II livestock monitoring systems. rMore information from allflex.global/uk

New genetic service from Genus ABS

reeding services provider Genus ABS has introduced a new genetic service, Geneadvance, to its portfolio, which it says will aim to help dairy farmers predict and improve their herd’s future performance and make faster genetic progress.

The service works by using insights gathered from genomic testing females, which Genus ABS uses to predict their future genetic merit and rank them based on traits which are important to a particular farmer’s business goals and system. The aim is that farmers

can make better-informed breeding decisions. A personalised genetic mating plan and regular genetic reviews are also part of the offering. rMore information from absglobal.com/UK/ GENEadvance, or 01270 616 681.

A personalised genetic mating plan and regular genetic reviews are part of the Genus ABS offering.

Got a new product? JNew products are featured in each issue of Dairy Farmer. Please send details and pictures to Hannah Park at hannah.park@agribriefing.com, or call 01772 799 450.

Feeding app update and offer JAn app package for weighing and feeding animals, Cowconnect, has launched its new Cowconnect Go app on a limited time offer.

This enables users to try Cowconnect free for 30 days, set up digital feed plans, report on feed efficiency, feed cost and feed margins based on litres of

milk and at a per cow level. The package’s aim is to help farmers improve feed accuracy. rMore information from cowconnect.net

NOVEMBER 2021

DF Nov p80 81 New Products HP KJ MB.indd 2

15/10/2021 12:23

NEW PRODUCTS Pour-on fluke treatment

Carrs Billington supplement range JAgricultural supplier Carrs Billington has developed an own-brand range of nutritional supplements, including feed blocks,

mineral and feed buckets and powdered minerals. The new Vitamix, Vitalyx and Vitablox ranges come in various free-access or in-feed options and

are intended for supplementing grazing, silages and homegrown feeds. rMore information from carrs-billington.com

JNorbrook is expanding its parasiticide range to offer a single active pour-on fluke treatment for cattle. Solantel pour-on is a closantel-based flukicide, licensed for the treatment of late immature and adult liver fluke in cattle. Veterinary adviser for Norbrook Dan Griffiths says the new pour-on can be integrated into most holistic animal health plans, as well as offering a ‘much needed’ additional flukicide option for cattle farmers. It is available in three different pack sizes: one-litre, 2.5-litre and 5-litre and an appropriate dosing applicator is also available. rMore information from norbrook.com

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NOVEMBER 2021 DF Nov p80 81 New Products HP KJ MB.indd 3

81 15/10/2021 12:25

MACHINERY Saving time and labour are important on any farm and making small changes to everyday routines can pay dividends. For David Luxton, one of those changes was to his bedding up. Ruth Wills reports.

Bedding up streamlined

ince purchasing a new self-propelled bedding dispenser, David Luxton – who farms at Newlands Farm, near Bradworthy, Devon – has seen significant labour and time savings. Having completed an overhaul of the farm in 2019, moving from a 16/16 DeLaval parlour to three DeLaval robots, Mr Luxton was keen to keep improving efficiencies to maintain a good work-life balance. He says: “In October 2019 we started milking through the robots, moving from a grass-based system to a housed system, and bedding up became a bit of a bottleneck. “We were trying to get the cows up, scrape the beds off, put lime down and spread sawdust all independently – it was taking two people 45 minutes to do the job.” He tried a few different bedding machines, before settling on the AG Duo. “We tried some with engines, but

David Luxton says using the AG Duo has led to a big improvement in efficiencies.

David Luxton

as soon as we drove them into the shed the cows spooked,” he says. “There was also a maintenance side with the engines – air filters and dust do not go together well – and they are very expensive.” Mr Luxton was very keen to maintain a calm and quiet environment for the cows. “As soon as we went into the shed with the engine powered machines the cows went from one end to the other,” he says. “On a robotic system it is all

The cubicle shed has been designed to maximise cow comfort and output.

82 DF Nov P82 83 Machinery KJ MB.indd 2

about quietness, consistency and not upsetting the cows’ routine.” The shed itself contains the three DeLaval robots, which can each take at least 60 cows per day. “The shed is built for 180 cows, with 180 cubicles and locking yokes for each animal – we have put a lot of attention to cow comfort,” he says. “There are enough beds for every cow, 10cm of water trough space for each cow and rubber on the feed fence – we have done everything to maximise cow comfort and therefore maximise output too.” Capacity It was a chance encounter at LAMMA 2020 where Mr Luxton stumbled across the AG Duo. “We have always had AG Maxi dispensers, but this was the first time I had seen the Duo,” he says. He liked the fact it was battery powered, and had a brush with a big capacity. Mr Luxton was able to trial the machine, the first time it had been used on a commercial dairy farm, and he said rather than being spooked, the cows did not react to it. “Because it is battery powered there is no maintenance compared

to an engine and it has enabled us to streamline the bedding up,” he says. “You would not need to charge it every day, but we do just to make sure it is always charged.” The conveyor belt helps to keep dust levels down. “It is better than having a blower to blow the sawdust out,” he says. “It has agitators inside which keep the sawdust moving around, then the dispensers drop it on to the conveyor belt. The speed of the belt can be altered, as can the agitators and auger, to allow for different types of sawdust. “You can switch each part on independently – so I can just put the brush down and use it for sweep-

AG Duo specifications rHopper capacity: 350 litres rDistribution method: conveyor belt rSpread distance: 0.9-1.2 metres rMachine weight: 320kg rDischarge height: 0.45m rDischarge speed: 215 litres/min rWidth: 0.8m rPrice: £12,500

NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 14:04

MACHINERY Farm facts

Newlands Farm houses 200 pedigree Holstein cows.

is like handlebars of a bike – just forward and reserve, a throttle and a bank of switches for controlling the machine.”

ing. The conveyor belt can be sped up to throw the bedding further or slowed down to keep it closer. “The controls are easy to use, it

Efficiencies Using the AG Duo has led to a big improvement in efficiencies. “It is a more efficient use of time because bedding up cows on a robotic system is time critical. As soon as the feed is out, the cows get up so it is the best time to bed up,” Mr Luxton says. “If you miss that window and

they are back lying down then you are disturbing cows. “It now takes one man to bed up in half an hour.” Mr Luxton beds up once a day, adding: “In the afternoons we just scrape off anything that needs it and pull the sawdust forwards.” With every change to the business he was conscious that he wanted to future proof the farm, which he runs together with his partner Sarah’s parents – Rob and Elizabeth Haworth.

r200 pedigree Holstein cows rTMR diet comprising grass silage, maize, a blend and high energy, high starch concentrates fed through the robots r35 litres of milk per cow per day r4.3% butterfat and 3.3% protein rSupplying Saputo r121 hectares (300 acres) rAll-year-round calving

“We have improved the business for ourselves and the children, if they want a lifestyle within dairy,” he says. “The generation shift is huge. The next generations want a good work-life balance and we want to make dairy farming attractive for them.”

Combat high fertiliser prices with Edwards Advanced Seaweed with the option of N NOVEMBER 2021 DF Nov P82 83 Machinery KJ MB.indd 3

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16:16

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NOVEMBER 2021 15/10/2021 13:05

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01772 799400

Telephone: 01524 781900 Email: sales@storthmachinery.co.uk www.storthmachinery.co.uk

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GOOD Evans ‘I don’t know if the chancellor intended to subsidise Christmas dinners, but he subsidised ours’ This month, Roger Evans discusses the perils of field margins in organic farming and gives his thoughts on footpaths and the importance of visitor experience when it comes to farm diversification success.

make a conscious effort never to advocate anything in these columns. I tell you what I do and why I do it, but I never say you should do it as well. If what I do goes wrong you hear about that, particularly. We are organic. I’m not saying you should be too, but it suits us and we are glad we are organic. But there are two issues which don’t seem to go together and I don’t think they have been thought through. Firstly, people, so we are told, just love field margins. There are six-metre margins which are optional and the 2m margins which are compulsory. People don’t talk about margins, they talk about wildlife corridors, as if these area are full of all sorts of wildlife going about their business and they couldn’t do that if it was all left to farmers. Never mind that wildlife can and does cut across any field under the cover of darkness. We park that and turn to organic farming. People seem to like that as well. It ticks lots of boxes. It doesn’t use any chemicals, which are a bad thing. It’s sustainable, whatever that means. Fight against weeds I could go on and on, and some organic enthusiasts do. But I have learned that the only weapons we have in our fight against weeds is to chop them off before they go to seed. So what do you do if you have a margin which is full of weeds, and I’m thinking particularly of thistles and docks here. It’s a dilemma; it needs thinking through and to my mind someone needs to choose if you want wildlife corridors or organic farming. On our rented land there is a good stone track which gives you access to all the fields. The trouble is that at the start of the track there are two smallish fields. They are about five acres altogether and we always graze these. If you are on your own it is usually impossible to open the gates, drive

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through and shut the gate without the cattle getting out. So everyone drives up the silage fields and now there is a clear track up through the grass. But it isn’t as bad as it first looks. That is because there is a public footpath which runs about 500 yards up these fields. I have mixed feeling feelings about spraying off footpaths. I don’t mind so much if the footpath is used. This one is, but years ago there were people going about walking obscure footpaths just to make sure you had sprayed them. They don’t seem to do that anymore. I used to hate spraying off a good crop, especially if you had never seen anyone using it. Opportunity Anyway, we have these two tracks going about 500 yards up these fields. The one track follows the footpath exactly so we would have had to spray that off anyway. There is one wheel mark which obviously runs parallel which is not really needed. I explain that by saying that this gives walkers the opportunity to walk side-by-side and at the same time remain socially distanced. As far as I am concerned this puts me ahead of the game. I bet there aren’t many farmers offering that. If I could I’d close this particular footpath and charge people to look at the views; these are spectacular and worth anyone’s money. It would be a good diversification. We recently took another couple out for a meal in the pub. She is my good friend, the singing florist, and he is also a best friend. It is he who sources our turkey for us at Christmas. The trouble is that he will never tell you how much the turkey is. We take them out every year hoping that goes some way towards paying for it. It must do because the turkey keeps turning up. We had a really cheap turkey last year because when we took them out that subsidy of £10 a meal was on. I don’t know if the chancellor

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If I could I’d close this particular footpath and charge people to look at the views

intended to subsidise Christmas dinners, but he subsidised ours. While we were out we talked about her flower shop. She is a bit of a character and I always think that you pay so much for the flowers and so much for the experience. Her shop is quite small so she is often to be found in the doorway and talking to passers-by. She loves dogs and most of the passers-by have dogs on their leads and she makes a fuss of them. She always carries doggy treats in her pocket which she gives to these dogs. She reckons that after a few treats the dogs drag their owners into the shop where they invariably buy something.

There are lots of lessons here for farmers, especially if you are considering some sort of diversification. If you are dealing with consumers make their visit to you enjoyable, so enjoyable that they want to come again. Making a difference I suspect that those people with dogs in the shop know exactly what’s going on, but they don’t mind because their dog is an important member of their family and they just love to see their dog made a fuss of. It’s all so simple, obvious, stuff, but it can make such a difference.

Browse, list and apply for hundreds of the latest roles at

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BUSINESS CLINIC Farmers need to act now to prepare their businesses for the ending of direct payments and assess how they can mitigate the impact of these changes through other avenues. Cedric Porter takes a look at the advice farmers can access now to help with this.

Producers urged to sign up to free business advice

ritish dairy farmers along with their colleagues in other sectors are facing some of the biggest changes to their businesses in more than 50 years as the government embarks on a post-Brexit policy which sees the ending of direct payments. To help farmers navigate the changes, Defra has launched the Future Farming Resilience Fund, which gives farmers free support and advice. There are 19 companies and organisations across England which have been commissioned to deliver one-to-one advice sessions as well as webinars and in-person events. Farming Minister Victoria Prentis says: “As we continue

There is likely to be a whole range of actions farms can take to mitigate the impact ROSE JACKSON to co-design and develop the future schemes, it is important the industry has access to expert support and knowledge. “So I urge farmers and land managers to sign up to the Future Farming Resilience Fund.”

Reduction in direct English farm payments from 2021 Payment band Up to £30,000 £30,000-£50,000 £50,000-£150,000 More than £150,000

2021 5% 10% 20% 25%

2022 20% 25% 35% 40%

2023 35% 40% 50% 55%

2024 50% 55% 65% 70%

Value of payments 2020 £5,000 £10,000 £20,000 £40,000 £80,000 £160,000

2021 £4,750 £9,500 £19,000 £37,500 £70,500 £134,000

2022 £4,000 £8,000 £16,000 £31,500 £58,500 £110,000

2023 £3,250 £6,500 £13,000 £25,500 £46,500 £86,000

2024 £2,500 £5,000 £10,000 £19,500 £34,500 £62,000

Many of the organisations taking part are offering on-farm visits from specialist consultants who will assess the business and then write a report, including benchmarking against other businesses and an impact assessment of the changes in support. Kite Consulting is one of the 19 organisations offering support. Senior dairy consultant Rose Jackson says: “Dairy farmers will start to see reduced farm payments from this year, with an average farm losing about 1.7ppl by 2028 when direct payments will have disappeared altogether. This will

inevitably influence the bottom line and understanding that impact now

Supports tail off from this year JFrom this year, English direct farm payments are due to be reduced, with final payments being made in 2027. Defra has announced the proposed annual reduction from 2021 to 2024. So a farm which received £40,000 in farm support in 2020 will see that reduce by 55% to £19,500 by 2024. Large payment will reduce proportionally faster than others. So a farm receiving £5,000 in payments will see a halving of support to £2,500 by 2024, but one receiving £160,000 will see a 70% reduction over the four years to £62,000.

The precise year-by-year scale of reductions from 2025 to 2028 has not yet been published. Defra plans to offer farmers lump sum payments from 2022 where recipients can take the total value of their remaining payments (2022 to 2027) in one go allowing them to invest in the business or retire. Those taking this option will receive no payments after they have been paid the lump sum. From 2024, Defra plans to delink payments removing the need to farm the land associated with the support to receive the funding.

Source: Defra

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BUSINESS CLINIC

will help you plan for the future. There is likely to be a whole range of actions farms can take to mitigate the impact of the change, including involvement in the Environmental Land Management scheme which will reward farmers for environmental work they undertake. Efficiency “There may also be business changes which can be made, such as efficiency gains or increasing output, and there may be new diversified sources of income on-farm.” She adds that the first step is arranging a free one-to-one session with an adviser who will help farmers understand how to ‘bridge the gap’. She says: “Following this, you will have the opportunity to join a free workshop where we will help you assess the impact of these

momentous changes and plan for how your business can withstand them and grow in the future.” As well as offering business advice, the Prince’s Countryside Fund will be delivering environmentally focused workshops through a network of farm support groups. Participants will also have access to online resources and follow-up workshops. Executive director at the Prince’s Countryside Fund, Keith Halstead, says: “Our business and environmental skills training for farmers makes a demonstrable difference to the profitability and confidence of farm businesses. “At this time of significant change in farming, we look forward to working in partnership with eight farm support groups in specific areas to help those farms and those

Free business advice in Scotland and Wales JFarmers in Scotland have been able to access free farm business advice for a number of years. There is online support at fas.scot and a helpline on 0300 323 0161. Farmers can also apply for one-to-one advice worth £3,700 through the service.

Farming Connect is the Welsh farm business service. It has online resources at businesswales.gov.wales/ farmingconnect. The service runs regular free in-person and online workshops and demonstrations.

families who need support to make sure they can adapt and thrive.” Consultants Promar International is another of the 19 organisations. It is using its national network of consultants to deliver the support.

are happening as a result of the agricultural transition taking place. “We will also help participants identify how, what and when they may need to adapt their business model with the opportunity to access tailored support to address these changes. The lessons learned from the scheme will feed into a secondary phase of free support which is due to run from 2022 to 2024.”

Transition Neil Adams, Promar managing director, says: “The scheme will help you understand the changes which

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TECHNOLOGY

DeLaval batch milking system.

n response to what it says is a growing demand for automation from larger herds across the world, DeLaval has unveiled its batch milking concept, which is a milking system where groups of cows are walked to a centre point with multiple milking robots working in parallel. The system does not require direct supervision while milking is taking place and multiple stations are able to be controlled remotely. Speaking in a press briefing introduction, Edouard Alix, of DeLaval, said: “Automation is increasing [on dairy farms] across the EU and wider world. In the last two years, since the Covid-19 crisis, we have seen an increase in demand for automation, especially for larger operations which want to be less labour-dependent.

Outputs “Dairy farmers are increasingly facing the challenge of needing to produce more output with less input, coupled with rising feed and energy costs and new and emerging regulation around the environment.” Mr Alix said the concept combined the consistency and routine

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Designer and manufacturer of milking equipment, DeLaval, has launched a new concept around automatic milking. Hannah Park reports.

New milking system concept of conventional milking with the technological and time advantages of robotics. He said: “The routine is similar to a parlour, but the work efficiency is much higher because the farmer can rely on the automatic arm. “A dairy farm from southern Italy is using eight VMS boxes in batch milking mode and only one employee is needed during the milking session to milk 450 cows.” Labelling it an improvement on its 2010-launched automatic milking rotary system, which were said to have challenges around scaling up, he explained the new system was designed to appeal to larger scale producers and offered more options for expansion and greater throughput potential.

Robert Jensen, large herd specialist at DeLaval, said: “When we launched the DeLaval VMS 25 years ago, the main target group was the family farm segment. For a few years now we have seen larger herd customers wanting to step into the robotic journey, but so far few have made the change because of the major changes in herd management strategy and routine required – the change in feeding strategy, reproduction management and additional cost and space required to update an existing barn can be significant.” Milking mode Dairy farmer Renato Aceto is using eight milking robots in batch milking mode. He said: “We manage more

than 1,000 cows located on several farm sites and our main challenge is related to labour availability. “We were not ready to change our herd management strategy and after some discussions with our dealer and DeLaval representative, we agreed to go for a VMS batch milking concept. Here, we combine the advantages from the milking robot and our traditional set-up. “There has been almost no change for the feeding and reproduction strategy and only a minor impact on the labour routine. After six months, we were satisfied and we have decided to update the second farm site with the concept as well. In spring 2022, we will milk more than 1,000 cows via this system.”

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Only 5% of stand space left for LAMMA 2022!

LAMMA Show will return to the NEC with full force in January. Are you promoting new products or services, looking for quality business leads or need brand exposure? LAMMA Show is the place to be.

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To book your stand at LAMMA, contact Nicky Hunt: 07971 666371 or nicky.hunt@agribriefing.com DF_11_IBC.indd 1

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D O N ’ T L E AVE MILK PRODUCTION TO CHANCE. VACCINATE AGAINST BVD. Daily milk yields increased by up to 1.8L* per cow after live BVD vaccination, in herds with evidence of circulating infection but no signs of disease1. Speak to your vet about safeguarding your herd’s productivity. Scan the code to learn more and speak to your vet about safeguarding your herd’s productivity. *during early lactation

1. Schmitt–van de Leemput et al. (2020) PLoS ONE 15(10): e0240113. Brought to you by the makers of Bovela® lyophilisate and solvent for suspension for injection for cattle. Further information available in the SPC or from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd, RG12 8YS, UK. Bovela® is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH, used under licence. ©2021 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. All rights reserved. Date of preparation: Jan 2021. BOV-0017-2021. Use Medicines Responsibly.

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