Dairy

dairy Regenerative agriculture and British Friesians

Dairy Farmers facing the challenge that is termed regenerative agriculture may fnd they have a head start if keeping British Friesians. Breeding from a proven background of grazing and grass-based systems has ensured that mobility and fertility are embedded in the genes, contributing to longer term sustainability.

The major part that our grasslands can play in the carbon capture cycle, whilst at the same time producing milk and meat, contributing to our basic nutritional needs, is immense. Trees do not produce food!

Further improvements could be made by introducing or extending rotational grazing and might be an option for those setstocking youngstock. As we know, the Friesian steer, whether crossed with Aberdeen Angus or pure bred, is highly suited to fnishing economically on an all-grass system. The good growth rate of the dairy animal combined with its ability to retain body condition is how this is achieved.

An interesting prospect is that of mob-grazing for those with suitable land. This could bring this land back into production. The longer grazing and manuring cycle contributes more to carbon capture and soil structure, including water retention. An exciting prospect for those of a technical nature would be the increasingly popular use of virtual fencing in order to manage this system.

Government National Statistics (2018) showed that agriculture contributed about 1.5% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions. Further good news is that emissions from UK agriculture have fallen by 20% since 1990. Subsequently, it has been proved that methane disperses after about 10 to 12 years and does not accumulate, unlike CO2 but, to date, Government has not recognized this. An explanation can be found in a podcast given by Prof. Frank Mitloehner (UC Davis, USA) during this year’s online Cattle Breeders Conference and can be found on YouTube.

As livestock farmers, we all need to be armed with this information, critical as it is to the defence of our industry.

PrecisionCOW: New technology collaboration from Cogent Breeding and Nedap

PrecisionCOW is the latest addition to the Cogent Precision product portfolio, helping dairy farmers run a more productive and proftable business. This state-of-the-art technology, developed and powered by Nedap, accurately monitors the fertility, health and location of each cow 24 hours a day, providing the insights needed to make informed decisions and provide peace of mind. The solution has proven itself worldwide and is known for its reliability and innovation.

Ben Hogg, National Business Development Manager for Cogent, explains “Cogent is continuing to drive new product developments and improvements to farming processes, one of which is supplying a high-quality herd heat and health detection service through PrecisionCOW. Supplying the best products to our customers further illustrates our commitment to driving genetic gain and,therefore, profts on farm. We are pleased to work with Nedap, with their track record for quality health and management systems for farmers.”

“Advanced herd monitoring and management technology has become a vital element for successful dairy farms across the UK and the entire globe,” adds Bas Driessen, Business