Cowmanagement June 2020

J U N E 2020

‘Reset’ could help to

future proof dairy businesses

Milk price update and the impact of the COVID-19 crisis

Low-cost ideas

to boost cow comfort

GET THE LATEST NEWS AT WWW.C OWMA NAGEMENT.CO.UK

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CONTENT FEATURE S

5 7 10 16 21 29 39 43

From the editor Cow talk Value added: milk vending Roger Evans CRV Avoncroft Breeding Information Boehringer Ingelheim Health News NMR Dairy Management News ForFarmers Nutritional News/ Thompsons Nutritional News 46 Events and contacts

main article home-grown forage

MAIN A RT IC L E

8 Cash in on cereal crop flexibility REPORT

12 Change is the only constant for one Lancashire-based herd BREEDI N G

14 Genetic benchmarks at your fingertips 44 Breeding for efficiency is key to profitability FEEDIN G

18 Break crop provides invaluable forage/ Utilise data to help future-proof your business

8 special housing

series dairy resilience

SPECIAL H O U SIN G

23 Low-cost improvements and cow signals HEA LTH

36 Keep subclinical milk fever signs in mind DA IRY MA N AG E M E N T

32 Take steps to build business resilience 40 Demand will be key to market recovery

JUN E 2020

to ‘Reset’ could help

future proof es dairy business

e Milk price updat of and the impact is the COVID-19 cris

.COW MAN ST NEWS AT WWW GET THE LATE

AGE MEN T.CO

23

32

Ruari Martin:

Jo Speed:

“COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of stress testing our business”

“Ask questions, do some detective work, and solve problems”

Low-cost ideas

to boost cow comfort

.UK

ON TH E C OV E R

Tucking in: turnout means access to plenty of fresh grass for these ladies Picture: Kristina Waterschoot

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26 cowmanagement JUNE 2020

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The power of real-time events Use Herd Companion to enter your data straight into NMR

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Access Farm Assurance information to complete your Herd Health Plan

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FROM THE EDITOR

Unprecedented times highlight

producer resilience As we go to press, COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are slowly easing, but there’s a long way to go yet – for both the UK and the dairy industry. The short-term pain of severe milk price pressure – for some producers’ milk wasn’t even collected – has lifted, with a little stability back in the market. But prices are still low and are expected to remain under pressure for some time.

Producers will have to dig deep and draw on their personal resilience – and determination – to come out the other side and into the ‘new’ normal. No one really knows what that’s going to look like but, like my grandad used to say, people will always need to eat.

He also used to say that the difference between a good haircut and a bad one was about two weeks. Things can, indeed, change quickly so producers need to plan and take decisions carefully.

On a positive note, the pandemic has given some consumers a renewed appreciation of where their food comes from.

The importance and value of fresh milk is certainly

driving consumer demand for the producer featured in our Value Added column in this issue. He’s recently set up two milk vending machines, outside mini-marts in Wales, and there are more in the pipeline. See page 10.

We also take a closer look, on page 12, at how one Lancashire-based herd is dealing with the coronavirus crisis and what impact it has had on their business.

We spoke to a leading dairy market analyst to get the lowdown on the impact, so far, of COVID-19 on farm gate milk prices and what’s to come. There is some good news in there, we promise.

‘Control the controllables’ is all anyone can do at the moment. So, as always, we have a plethora of articles that all offer indepth technical information – on health, nutrition, breeding and management – to help you to continue to manage your herds as efficiently as possible.

Whatever is going on in the world, or with the weather, technical performance is something that producers do have control over.

RACHAEL PORTER

cowmanagement JUNE 2020

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COWTALK

Take steps to safeguard dairy workers as restrictions ease The government has issued new guidelines for producers, as COVID-19 restrictions are eased, to ensure that workplaces are as safe as possible. Issued in mid-May, the guidelines detail specific steps that farm workers, including seasonal labour, should adhere to, to help protect them from the risk of COVID-19.

RABDF has summarised the 31-page document, which is specific for construction and outdoor workers, into nine key steps.

These include: assessing risk, determining

who can work, implementing social distancing, managing common areas and external visitors, and the of personal protective equipment and masks.

While cases of coronavirus continue to drop, producers have a legal responsibility to protect workers and others from risk to their health and safety.

This means that they need to think about the risks they face and do everything reasonably practicable to minimise them, recognising that

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you cannot completely eliminate the risk of COVID-19.

It is important that all employers and employees follow the guidelines to safeguard themselves and their workers. This includes protecting contractors such as those coming onto the farm during the silage season and trying to implement social distancing where possible.

Details on the nine steps can be found at https://bit.ly/2X9JnW4 .

Dried lucerne option to fill forage gap Producers facing the prospects of lower than anticipated grass silage yields are being advised to consider dried lucerne as an alternative forage this winter.

Dengie Crops’ Trevor Rees says that early indications are that first cuts in many parts of the country are lighter than anticipated, while the dry weather since early May is having a knock-on effect on aftermaths and second cuts.

“It is possible that some producers will end up with less grass silage than expected. And, while wholecrop and maize offer some FarmAccounts AccountsSoftware Software Farm alternatives, producers should consider other

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options to bolster forage stocks. Providing a cost-effective supply of digestible fibre will help ensure improved rumen function to get the most from the total diet.”

Rumiplus dried lucerne is high-temperature dried and chopped to between 2cm and 4cm, ready for adding to rations. It will balance fibre levels and, at 10ME and between 17% and 18% protein, it will not significantly reducing nutrient density. “The pH of dried lucerne, at between 6.5 and 7, makes it a natural rumen buffer and the structure of the fibre promotes rumination and saliva production,” he says.

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MAIN ARTICLE HOME-GROWN FORAGE

Cash in on cereal c Making the right decision about when and how to harvest and preserve your cereal crop this summer will help to bolster winter rations and should also improve margins.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

T

he wet autumn in 2019, followed by a waterlogged and then extremely dry late spring, has caused serious issues for arable and dairy produces alike.

Those who have managed to establish an autumn or spring-sown cereal crop for use as home-grown forage are about to discover just how flexible they can be, according to Lallemand Animal Nutrition’s Roy Eastlake. “And how particularly important it will be this year to make the most of any crops grown.

“It is highly likely that producers will be faced with the combination of squeezed milk prices and increased purchased feed costs this winter. This means the focus will have to be on maximising production from forage while controlling feed costs where possible,” he says. “At the same time, with reduced cereal planting, this year straw prices could increase.”

Rumenation Nutrition Consultancy’s Hefin Richards says that producers are indeed facing a ‘testing’ season – on many levels. “Producers need to assess what they have in their clamps and what they’re able to produce and be prepared to be flexible and ‘juggle’ to ensure that dairy rations remain consistent.”

He says that producers who were unable to sow winter cereals, due to the wet autumn, and also struggled to find a suitable spring window, again due to the appalling weather, may have even opted to grow more maize this year: “I have seen this, even after the issues that many producers had trying to harvest their maize crop in 2019. Thinking was that some producers would shy away from growing maize, but faced with bare land, some are actually increasingly their acreage.”

Some producers with lighter land did get in with the

Roy Eastlake: “Producers could also choose to split the hectarage – flexibility is a plus point” 8

drill and sow a cereal crop. “But now they’re faced with a lack of moisture for good growth. It will be a tricky year and producers should take great care to make the most of what they can grow successfully.”

Several options The good news is that a cereal crop – once it’s up and growing – offers many options; an important one being that producers can delay harvesting to suit their changing requirements.

“The first option, earliest in the growing season, is to cut as wholecrop – at between 40% and 45% dry matter – which on most units will be towards the middle of July,” adds Mr Richards. “So this still allows plenty of time to assess forage stocks and analyse grass silages to aid good decision making.”

Cereals – barley or wheat – taken as wholecrop will increase forage stocks and allow higher intakes.

Otherwise the crops could be crimped to provide a quality, rumen-friendly energy source to replace purchased feeds while also producing straw.”

Mr Eastlake explains that key to making the best decision is to review first-cut silage production, revise the winter forage budget and have a clear understanding of forage stocks. “Only then can

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al crop flexibility Hefin Richards: “Weigh up the options and carefully calculate your next move with this year’s cereal crop”

producers decide if cereals will contribute most effectively as a source of forage or as a purchased feed replacer. Calculate the weight of first-cut silage and analyse it to work out the tonnes of dry matter produced, so far, and the tonnes still needed to hit or exceed the planned daily forage dry matter intake during the coming the winter.

“If there’s a chance that you will be short of forage, then wholecrop will be the sensible choice.

Conversely, if forage stocks look plentiful then making crimped grain could be the best economic decision. Producers could also choose to split the hectarage, taking some as crimp and some as wholecrop depending on forage stocks. This flexibility is a real plus point.”

Mr Eastlake adds that fermented wholecrop can be made with any of the principle cereal crops and will usually yield between 20 and 30 tonnes freshweight per hectare, depending on the crop grown. “It is typically harvested at between 35% and 45% dry matter, as this maximises the yield and nutrient content.

So, to summarise, wholecrop is a high energy forage that is rich in slowly fermenting starch. When combined with effective physical fibre from the

straw, this makes it an ideal rumen friendly forage.

It also complements young, high energy, high digestible fibre grass silage. “Crimp should be considered as a high energy, moist concentrate replacing combined cereals in the diet. As the starch in crimp is more slowly fermented, it can be used to increase cereal inclusion rates without increasing the acidosis risk, says Mr Eastlake.”

A crop destined for crimping will usually be harvested at between 60% and 75% dry matter, around three weeks ahead of typical harvest and yield between 6.7 and 8.3t DM/ha. It is then passed through a crimping machine, which fractures the seed coat to expose the starch prior to treatment with an inoculant and ensiling.

He says that both wholecrop and crimp need to be ensiled with a specialist heterofermentative inoculant to improve aerobic stability, inhibit the growth of yeasts and moulds, and reduce heating.

Lallemand Magniva Platinum Wholecrop and Platinum Crimp contain a unique combination of bacteria which deliver the exceptional stability required with drier, high starch feeds.

Straw prices The wholecrop option would allow 5kg DM/day for a 150-cow herd for a 200-day winter, boosting forage intakes or allowing less concentrate. The crimped crop would allow 3.75kg DM/cow/day, displacing up to 4.75kg of fresh weight cereals or equivalent.

“Growing 15 hectares of cereals could produce around 150t DM of wholecrop. Alternatively they could produce around 113tDM of crimp, plus 55 tonnes of straw,” he adds. Straw prices are a consideration here. “If it’s looking likely that it might be in short supply this year, which is how things are certainly looking at the moment, then combining could be a shrewd move,” adds Mr Richards.

He stresses that decisions will have to be made on a unit by unit basis: “But it’s important that producers weigh up their options and calculate their next move when it comes to cereal crops this year. Once cut, you can’t go back. So make sure you assign the crop to the place you most need it and cut accordingly so you can provide the herd with a balanced ration – and possibly some extra bedding – this coming winter.” l

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VALUE ADDED MILK VENDING

Name Glenn Lloyd Herd size 170 cows Adding value milk vending

Llandyssil

Vending and trending COVID-19 has seen one Welsh producer fast track his plans to sell milk direct to customers through a vending machine, which is based at a local mini supermarket. The first one went live in April with a second one opened in May. Glenn Lloyd runs a 170-cow organic herd, in partnership with his father Mike, near Llandyssil in mid Wales. The seed of their on-farm processing and direct selling idea was sown in spring 2018. “But we ramped this up in spring 2019 when our milk buyer was hit by a serious milk price reduction, as a result of Brexit. With hindsight, something positive came out of that – we began planning for selling direct then. So when COVID-19 also put a spanner in the works this spring we were already close to selling direct.

“We’ve just brought our plans forward slightly, speeding up the process and have actually sited the first vending machine outside a mini supermarket – a branch of Tuffins/Nisa – eight miles east of the unit, close to Welshpool,” explains Glenn.

The first machine was due to be launched during the weekend of the UK lockdown announcement at a local farm shop. “But the owners didn’t want to put more pressure on staff, as the machine was going inside shop. So we built a bespoke shelter that could go outside and made provision for contactless payments. And we found another willing ‘partner’.”

He says that this added costs to the project: “But we are pleased with the outcome – I think we’re the first forecourt vending machine

10

in the country. And we’ve had a lot of interest on social media, with much of that turning into sales.”

Glenn had to find a vending machine that was practical off farm.

“We’re too far off the beaten track to set one up on the farm – we wouldn’t get the customers.” He found the Daisy vending machine, designed and made in Somerset. “And, by way of co-incidence, our milk is branded ‘Daisy Bank Dairy’. The machine does what we need it to do, with a few bespoke tweaks.”

Milk, which is pasteurised on farm, is transported in 200-litre wheeled barrels. Glenn says that he’s visiting the site every day to check everything is working as it should be. Sales, just four weeks in, were close to 100 litres a day. “At £1.30 per litre, that’s well worth the capital outlay and additional labour. When established, visiting every other day with a fresh barrel of milk should be enough.”

That’s good news as the second machine is now running at a mini-mart, eight miles west of the dairy unit. “I’m planning to install another two machines during the next 18 months, but finding the right site is important. We’re looking to sell around 10% of our milk direct – to avoid selling to our buyer on a B-litre ‘spot market’ conventional milk price,” says Glenn, adding that some milk is also supplied to a local milk delivery company.

“We’re not looking to make a fortune, but my partner and I have said that it would be nice to see a return on the investment and to make enough to go on a nice holiday once a year. So far so good.”

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Support rumen function and feed intake

Supports milk yield and components

Restores electrolyte balance

Helps regulate core body temperature

Helps maintain fertility

Keep her cycling all season long As temperatures rise fertility is always the first performance measure to be affected. Fluctuating temperatures in spring and summer (14-22oC) cause 20% of cows to slip a cycle, costing ÂŁ84 per cow affected.

Cargill Animal Nutrition, Provimi Limited, Dalton Airfield Industrial Estate, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3HE

www.provimi.eu/uk-coolcow @CargillAnimalUK

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T (01845) 578125 E customerservices_dalton@cargill.com

27-05-20 14:35

HERD REPORT MYERSCOUGH COLLEGE

Change is the only constant As the COVID-19 crisis continues to create a range of issues for many producers, we spoke to Myerscough College about the impact that the virus has had on its herd.

TEXT JAMIE PERRY

R Next generation: keeping heifers on target, to calve at 24 months old, is key to maintaining herd and business efficiency

12

eassessing staffing level and putting additional biosecurity in place are just some of the measures being taken by the team managing the dairy herd at one of the UK’s largest land-based colleges.

Ruari Martin oversees the enterprises at Myerscough College & University Centre, based near Preston in Lancashire, and he says that, like most dairy units across the country, its herd is fairly resilient and used to frequent change – whether it be due to drought, floods, market fluctuations or this recent coronavirus outbreak.

“We can usually find some way to be flexible and cope but, that said, the COVID-19 crisis has been quite unique. It’s presenting a wide range of situations and problems across different units, which have many influencing factors,” he says.

“We were in the middle of lambing the college’s sheep flock when the main restrictions impacted. This immediately caused a casual-staffing pressure, as people were pulled from our dairy operation to cope with this demand. All students were sent home immediately when the lockdown was put in place and no casual staff were allowed onsite during lambing, as they had, potentially, been exposed to people with COVID-19 symptoms.

“The units dairy management team, comprising three core staff, has been amazing, putting in the hours, with no days off, in the early stages. This is not ideal, but we managed to pull in some teaching staff as relief workers and have now settled into a more realistic work pattern,” adds Ruari.

Biosecurity measures Adding strict bio-security measures – such as restricting farm access to our key farm team, frequent handwashing, creating work patterns more in isolation and two metre distancing where possible – were key to ensuring staff could work safely on the unit. “We also brought more of our team onsite, by offering on-farm accommodation to those who didn’t have it. This allowed us to treat everyone as ‘one household’. We even managed to repurpose food supplies from the college to reduce supermarket trips.”

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COMPANY PROFILE

t

Company name Manager Farm size Herd size Average yield

Lodge Farm, Myerscough College and University Ruari Martin 323 hectares 200 cows, plus 100 followers 10,000 litres, at 4.2% butterfat and 3.5 protein

Lodge Farm is home to the college’s 200-cow all-yearround calving herd, plus 100 followers.

The herd is fed a PMR, utilising home-grown forage and grain, with individual cows then topped up to yield through out-of-parlour feeders. The helps produce an average yield of 10,000 litres, at 4.20% butterfat and 3.50% protein, with around 2,000 litres produced from forage, grown on some of the farm’s 323 hectares. This land also supports sheep, beef and arable enterprises.

Milk is sold to Muller and Co-op and, like many herds, the college has been asked to reduce output by 3%.

“The challenge has been to reduce feed costs to balance expenditure,” says Ruari.

“Our grazing platform was in need of some TLC, so turning cows out to reduce costs has not been an option as yet. We’ve attempted to correct this by relieving the compaction in our grazing leys and carrying out a programme of extensive reseeding. But with little or no rainfall so far this year, the growth rates and ley renovation progress has been slow,” he adds.

Culling decisions So, short term, this has meant an increase in bought-in feed costs for the herd. “But we are also fortunate that some of the cereals in the herd’s PMR are home grown – an advantage of being a dairy that’s part of a mixed farm.”

Some late-lactation cows have been dried off early to reduce milk output. Culling decisions have also been brought forward and these cows are currently housed in beef accommodation and will be sold when prices improve. Fresh cows have been given priority.

“We’re only looking for a short-term reduction in volume and income because we need to safeguard the future milking potential of the herd,” stresses Ruari.

Heifer rearing is also a priority and there’s been no compromise here. “We refuse to feed waste milk to calves because we want to maintain growth rates for calving replacements at 24 months old and finishing beef at between at 15 and 18 months.

“That said, it is something that we may be forced to consider if the milk price reduction became more severe, and or went on for a longer period.

“We also decided, in February, to forward-buy our feed on a fixed contract for the summer period, when COVID-19 first looked as it would become a serious issue.

This has really highlighted the importance of forward planning and ‘stress testing’ our business,” he adds.

Ruari and the team have also looked at the more extreme measures that they could implement if the pressure on the business increases, which include turning out low yielders to grass and milking once a day, to reduce the pressure on staff if there were further labour shortages

Preston

due to COVID-19 and/or vastly reduced demand for milk.

“We would always plan to prioritise high yielders and open cows. They would remain inside on a PMR and OOPFs, to maintain production and fertility in the longer term.”

Ruari is open about the impact and cost of COVID-19 for their operation. He estimates that a combination of increased use of contract labour and bought-in feed, combined with the reduction in output, has cost between £15,000 and £16,000 during a three-month period. “Whatever your situation is, it’s important to look at your options for cutting costs.

“For us this was attempting to look at more long-term grass utilisation by renovating our leys, fixing our feed costs to ensure that they do not spiral out of control, and using our feeding system to more closely regulate the amounts of feed provided.

“We’re keeping up to date with the support on offer and the information coming from our processor, and we’re ensuring that our cash flow is realistically forecast.

“We haven’t had the chance to properly digest everything yet, but there is plenty of help and guidance out there – whatever your situation. So, we’re tapping into some of that now.” l

Long hours: core staff worked extra shifts to cover a short-term labour shortage

COVID-19: support for producers Many producers are facing farmgate price cuts, changes to payment terms, requests to reduce milk production or, worst of all, having to pour milk away.

AHDB Dairy has provided a central point for information that will help producers face and overcome these challenges. The response from

processors will affect every dairy business in different ways and may mean that some producers need to take immediate action to change business operations.

For the latest guidance and updates visit: www.ahdb.org.uk/coronavirusdairy

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BREEDING GENETIC MERIT

Genetic benchmarks

at your fingertips

NMR and AHDB Dairy have forged a link to give producers easier access to their Herd Genetic Report through NMR’s Herd Companion. Will bringing milk records and genetic status closer together help you reap some of the estimated improvement in earnings of £15,000 through better breeding?

TEXT KAREN WRIGHT

H

erd Genetic Reports (HGRs) have been available online from AHDB for the past 10 years, but only a third of producers take advantage of this valuable and current information on their herd’s genetic merit and its ranking for key traits. In a joint collaboration, NMR and AHDB Dairy have developed a secure link from NMR’s Herd Companion and the HGR on AHDB’s website.

Herd Companion is the dairy management system

Marco Winters: ”This valuable link makes the Herd Genetic Report more accessible for recorded herds” 14

available free to all NMR customers and where most access and manage their herd’s data.

AHDB Dairy’s head of genetics Marco Winters was particularly keen to work with NMR in developing a link that enables NMR recorded herds to access their Herd Genetic Report seamlessly from Herd Companion.

Available free of charge, producers have previously accessed their HGR by registering with AHDB and signing in as users each time. “This is still available, but I think that those who can get the report through Herd Companion, simply by clicking a tab, can get more benefit,” he says. “It’s a secure link, and it does away with passwords and user names, making it easier for producers to review their Herd Genetic Report as a routine.”

“It’s a really valuable link,” adds Mr Winters. “It’s bringing herd performance and breeding data under one roof and making the Herd Genetic Report much more accessible for all recorded herds, irrespective of calving pattern and breed.”

He hopes the move will see the continued uptake of the HGR among UK producers. “We’ve definitely seen a surge in producers signing up for the reports during the past few years. This is possibly because producers are increasingly realising the value of benchmarking breeding traits in their herds and the longer-term gains from better breeding choices.”

Financial gains Mr Winters estimates that the value of identifying and then breeding from the best females in a 150cow herd can add between £10,000 and £15,000 to the bottom line. Genetic merit is one of the six strategic key performance indicators in AHDB’s optimal dairy system. “It’s the starting point in any herd. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses is a vital first stage in taking breeding and other management decisions,” he adds.

And it’s the access to these breeding tools, at trait and index level, for spring and autumn block calvers,

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Herd Genetic Reports highlights • Herd summary: a snapshot by lactation. We would expect to see the £PLI increase with each new generation, and the genetic merit for selected traits to improve in the younger cattle if the breeding plans are working. It can highlight areas for improvement and raise some questions too.

• Milking herd benchmarks: ranking your herd alongside other recorded herds with more than 100 cows shows up your herd’s strengths and weaknesses. Split by decile, you can see where your herd ranks for PLI, milk quality traits, lifespan, mastitis, somatic cell count, fertility, maintenance and inbreeding.

• Cow comparisons: each cow can be ranked by trait. This is a crucial breeding tool.

Ranges and benchmarks can be set for each parameter so that breeding from cows falling below this level can be avoided. While not every measurable trait is listed, the key factors are, which makes it a valuable selection mechanism.

• Compare the sires: access to a bull fact sheet for each sire used in the herd (and those you might be thinking about using).

This is one of the simplest bull fact sheets available and a highlight on the HGR because, regardless of supplier and country of origin, the information is consistent and provides a good overview on each sire.

• Youngstock report: a dedicated youngstock listing with the same functions as the milk herd report so young stock can be ranked by trait. Producers are encouraged to breed from the best, so it’s essential they have a tool to compare young stock. While new heifers ‘should’ have higher genetic merit than older generations, this might not always be the case, especially when data gets more

precise and genomic evaluations are being used. Getting that optimal blend of the best young animals along with those great proven performers is the key to progress.

• Inbreeding checker: the HGR’s inbreeding data goes back in time through all the recorded generations, as opposed to many

as well as all year-round calving herds, that NMR’s genetic manager Richard Miller is particularly enthusiastic about.

“Until now, we have not really had any direct way of helping producers to use the spring and autumn calving indexes in making breeding choices for their block-calving herds. But now, irrespective of breed and system, producers can get breeding benchmarks directly from Herd Companion.”

Championing NMR’s genetic services, and particularly its genomic testing service GeneTracker, Mr Miller is promoting the HGR to producers through online workshops and the NMR field teams.

“Reports are based on milk recording results and driven by AHDB data that is updated at each evaluation. And it’s independent.” He also likes the thoroughness of the report when it comes to young stock and inbreeding reporting, which have a strong

other programs that only look at three generations. It’s important to delve down when it comes to inbreeding, particularly with the rapid turnover seen in male breeding lines. This tool makes it possible to review inbreeding but also to highlight potential risks.

focus on the key breeding criteria combined with simple-to-apply selection bands that will quickly identify target groups.

“My ambition is to see producers take advantage of these tools as a routine. As the breeding options increase and more producers look to genomically test their stock, the easy access to accurate genetic data will improve breeding choices and reap some of the financial gains at stake,” concludes Mr Miller. l

Richard Miller: “Easy access to accurate genetic data will improve breeding decisions” cowmanagement JUNE 2020

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A FEW WORDS FROM ROGER EVANS

Shropshire-based producer and award-winning columnist Roger Evans shares his thoughts, and fears, about the impact of COVID-19.

‘Distressed milk’ is nothing new With so much personal tragedy and so many businesses currently in serious difficulty, it is sometimes difficult to put the plight of the dairy industry into the same category. But you should only write about what you know, so I will. There can be few more heart breaking sights or nothing as hard for a dairy farmer than having to put good milk down the drain. The producer knows as do all dairy farmers, that they are only tipping that milk away so they can make room in the tank in order to milk the cows again. It is stating the obvious, but the perishability of what we produce is our vulnerability – you have to do something with milk in 48 hours or it goes sour. If you produce flowers, fruit or vegetables you are also exposed. But the exposure is usually seasonal. If you produce milk, you are vulnerable every day.

It is a bizarre situation where a producer, with a dedicated supermarket contract, may have milk worth 32ppl, yet another unit’s milk is worth nothing. I think that dedicated supplies were an NFU idea, but it seems to have conveniently forgotten about that. Milk that was tipped away was referred to as ‘distressed milk’ by commentators.

That’s not a new phenomenon. Years ago the combined capacity of the UK dairy processing industry was almost exactly the same as the volume produced in the spring flush and processing plants had to run flat out in order to cope. If a plant broke down, and if often did, tankers were diverted elsewhere and, often, there was a 24-hour queue to deliver milk. Sometimes a driver was there just to move lorries in the queue. The new dairy at Westbury, which produced powder, was a welcome addition to national capacity and put things right.

This time the markets, for some processors, disappeared overnight and other processors didn’t want the milk. They didn’t know if their markets would also disappear, and the spring flush was due and they had plenty of milk. So dairy producers took the biggest hit because they had to throw their milk away.

Seeing milk being thrown away is a bit like going to a funeral – you may have sympathy for the bereaved or you could be one of the bereaved yourself. But deep down, very deep down, you are glad it is not you in the coffin. It’s just the same with ‘distressed milk’. You wouldn’t like it to be you that’s throwing the milk away, but you also know that if your buyer didn’t send a tanker then that’s what you’d have to do. Because they can.

“Seeing milk being thrown away is a bit like going to a funeral ...”

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A recent economic analysis1 suggests that giving Bovikalc® to all cows* around calving can almost always deliver a positive financial return.

So the hurdle of identifying cows at risk of subclinical hypocalcaemia, can effectively be removed.

THE WHOLE HERD APPROACH FOR HYPOCALCAEMIA

The whole herd approach for managing “milk fever”

* Two lactations or greater.

Reference 1. McArt and Oetzel. A stochastic estimate of the economic impact of oral calcium supplementation in postparturient dairy cows.

J Dairy Sci. 2015 Oct;98:7408-18.

Bovikalc® contains calcium chloride and calcium sulphate. Further information available from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd, RG12 8YS, UK. UK Tel: 01344 746960 (sales) or 01344 746957 (technical), IE Tel: 01 291 3985 (all queries). Email: vetenquiries@ boehringer-ingelheim.com. Bovikalc® is a registered trademark of the Boehringer Ingelheim Group. ©2019 Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health UK Ltd. Date of preparation: Sept 2019. AHD 12773. All rights reserved. Use Medicines Responsibly.

Bovikalc A4 Cow Management June 2020.indd 1 CM04_p17.indd 17

27/05/2020 12:09 28-05-20 08:55

FEEDING ALTERNATIVE FORAGE

Break crop provides

invaluable forage

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With the primary aim of providing a break between grass leys, root crops have also allowed one Carmarthenshire-based business to extend dwindling forage reserves. We spoke to them to find out more.

TEXT EMILY BALL

I

ntroducing an alternative forage mix to the crop rotation has helped to provide a source of additional feed, particularly in a dry year, on Richard Cole’s Welsh dairy unit.

Richard runs a 200-cow herd, plus 180 followers, in partnership with his son, Edward, on a 162-hectare unit based at Llwyngwydd Farm, in Whitland. The herd, which calves all year round, averages 7,900 litres, at 4.2% butterfat and 3.3% protein. Milk is sold to Muller.

“We run a rotational grazing system, turning the cows out in March and they’re typically rehoused in October,” says Edward. “Grass is the key part of the herd’s ration and, to complement our spring and summer grazing, we aim to take three cuts of good quality grass silage a year.

“This is fed, as part of the TMR, with a maize and rape mixture, during the winter. Individual cows are then ‘topped up’ to yield, through the parlour, with an 18% protein concentrate.”

Renovating leys Richard and Edward were looking to re-seed some tired and poorly performing grass leys to improve the productivity of their grassland and sought advice on the best tywpe of seed mix to use. “We work closely with ForFarmers’ Michelle Cross and she walked some of the fields that we were planning to re-seed,” says Richard.

“She highlighted the risk of frit fly and leather jacket damage to the grass if we reseeded straight away and suggested that we put in a break crop before sowing the new ley. She also suggested that we opt for a root crop, which would also provide the herd with some additional forage.”

Michelle recommended Rapid Root and Winter Graze mixtures that would provide a good mix of forage rape, stubble turnips and kale. Rapid Root is a 60% forage rape, 35% stubble turnip and 5% kale mix and combines the quick establishment and high protein yield of the forage rape, while the stubble turnips provide good energy. Winter Graze, which is 60% stubble turnips, 30% forage rape and 5% kale, is ideal for sowing after winter cereals and has good winter hardiness.

“And, just as importantly, sowing a break crop between grass leys would reduce the risk of pests and improve soil structure,” explains Michelle. “The break crop also provides a potential source of extra feed for cattle and, with the hot and dry conditions experienced in previous summers significantly reducing grass growth and forage yields on their farm, I thought it wise for Richard and Edward to grow something that could be grazed later in the season and help extend his forage stocks during the winter period.”

They drilled eight hectares of the crop in April. It established well and was ready to graze just 12 weeks after sowing. “We had struggled with grass growth in

the summer during dry spells,” says Richard. “And not only because we harvested less grass silage, but also because we had to start feeding it out much earlier in the season to help maintain cow performance and cow health.

“Because we had sown the break crops, we were able to turn out around 50 of our pre-bulling heifers along with in-calf heifers and this provided plenty of good quality grazing between December and April.

“If it hadn’t been for the additional forage then we would have run out of grass silage, so it really saved our bacon.”

Regular reseeding The break crops have proven to be so successful that Richard and Edward now plan to incorporating them as part of a regular reseeding rotation schedule across the farm.

“As well as extending our forage supplies, using the root crops also freed up space in the sheds, which was very handy. So they are now firmly part of our reseeding plans going forward,” says Richard.

“Root crops seem to be a great asset to the farm; providing a break crop when reseeding grass that has more benefits than just improving soil structure and reducing the risk of pest damage.” l

Root benefits: the Coles say that sowing a break crop extends forage supplies and improves soil structure

cowmanagement JUNE 2020

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“I have been using Crypt-Occur for the past 15 months to help tackle my crypto problem in my calves. I use it as a preventative on calves from 3 to 10 days old and treat at full rate if I ever get the odd case. I have tried many other products over the years to solve this problem but they have all failed to give me the same results as I get with Crypt-Occur. It really does work.” Gethin Evans, Llanrhystud, Wales

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“I have been using Crypt-Occur for the past 15 months to help tackle my crypto problem in my calves. I use it as a preventative on calves from 3 to 10 days old and treat at full rate if I ever get the odd case. I have tried many other products over the years to solve this problem but they have all failed to give me the same results as I get with Crypt-Occur. It really does work.” Gethin Evans, Llanrhystud, Wales

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cowmanagement JUNE 2020

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BREEDING INFORMATION

Crossbreeding with Fleckvieh results in healthy cows With 41 million cows, Fleckvieh is the second largest dairy breed in the world. And CRV purchases between 40 and 45 Fleckvieh bulls per year, which makes the company one of the biggest players within Fleckvieh breeding. The breeding programme focuses on health and efficiency. Milk production is also important in CRV’s Fleckvieh breeding programme. The bulls are housed in Germany and the Czech Republic and, in those two countries, almost 500,000 straws of Fleckvieh semen are used for inseminations each year.

The dual-purpose breed is also used for crossbreeding, according to CRV’s Tobias Lerner. “Strong points for cross-breeding with Fleckvieh are: fertility; good calf quality; maternal calving ease; and udder health.”

So, what can be expected when using Fleckvieh sires for crossbreeding? “You get a healthy cow: really robust, a bit more ‘beef’ and body, and a little more type,” says Mr Lerner, who advises producers who are using Fleckvieh bulls for crossbreeding to choose bulls with high milk production and good paternal calving ease, good feet and legs and good udders.

For more information on CRV’s Fleckvieh bulls: https://www.crvavoncroft.com/sire-catalogue/ Haribo daughter Anita

Continued support to producers To adhere to COVID-19 restrictions and prevent further spread of the virus in the UK, CRV Avoncroft representatives have put a hold on farm visits. They’re currently using video meetings, e-mails, newsletters, phone calls and social media to keep in touch with their clients. “Staying positive helps here,” says CRV Avoncroft’s breeding advisor Richard Williams. “No one knows what is in store and worrying about that doesn’t make any sense at all. We have to be there for each other.

“CRV has the best offer in genetics, in terms of efficiency and health. This allows us to continue to support producers, particularly when their businesses are under pressure.”

A list of breeding advisors and their contact details are listed below, for any producers who would like to get in touch • Lizzie Bland: 07837 642225 • Alan Mason: 07494 559462 • Lili Kersey: 07969 284776 • Sam Barlow: 07818 812990

• Richard Bosley: 07970 564236 • Richard Williams: 07711 046889 • Mark Duffy: 07503 188463 • Ian Stavert: 07538 679563 • Sue Duffy: 07503 305153 • Rosie Riches: 07387 268615

Well-proven crossbreeding bulls Do you want to maximise the value of beef calves from your herd, without the risk of calving difficulties? Why not try CRV’s Belgian Blue sires, which are all well-proven for cross breeding?

Belgian Blue sire Elk 41 van de Plashoeve, by Amadeo, has a crossbreeding index based on 166 calves in 166 herds. He scores 128 for calving ease, 75 for birth weight and 93 for gestation length. This makes him suitable for use on Holstein cows.

Traitable de la Claie is another example of a Belgian Blue bull that is well-proven for cross breeding.

Based on 1,325 calves in 709 herds, he lists 114 for calving ease, 85 for birth weight and 95 for gestation length.

Meet our stars Haribo is one of CRV’s most popular Fleckvieh bulls and UK producers are pleased with his first daughters. If you want to see him then CRV Germany has made a video of Haribo, with English subtitles. And Haribo is not the only bull to star in a video. The AI organisation also presents Fleckvieh sires Raldi, Mint, Varta and Wobbler via video.

To watch the videos visit www.facebook.com/CRVavoncroft or @crvavoncroft on Instagram

For more information on products and services of CRV Avoncroft: phone: 01562 861582 www.crvavoncroft.com www.facebook.com/CRVAvoncroft/

cowmanagement JUNE 2020

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IMPROVE YOUR HERD’S REPRO and create more Alta 4-EVENT COWS s Monitor activity 24/7 s Get individual cow alerts s Generate a list of all cows in heat s Know the optimal moment a cow should be BRED s Have a more successful PREG check s Find cows with irregular, anovular, or open cows sooner INTERESTED IN MORE DETAILS? Contact Tracey 02920 617770 | tracey.gretton@altagenetics.com or call your trusted Alta advisor today! uk.altagenetics.com CM04_p22.indd 22

27-05-20 14:57

HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT 24 Low-cost improvements Improving cow comfort on a tight budget.

26 Cow signals Identify and remove ‘pinch points’ in housing.

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HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT SPECIAL LOW-COST IMPROVEMENTS

Create space and relieve pressure Many herds are now out for the summer, so what no- and low-cost changes and improvements could be made to housing to improve cow comfort and reduce pressure on existing facilities?

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

W

ith producers under intense financial pressure, any improvements to cow comfort, health and welfare in cow housing are very much about working with what you’ve got. Maybe this is the year to reduce numbers to take the pressure off buildings – rather than altering or improving buildings to take the pressure off the cows? So asks Promar consultant Paul Henman, who adds that currently there’s also a lot of pressure on staff. “Both physically and mentally. And this can be the case in any year – not just one like the one we’re facing at the moment.”

He says that on many units facilities, routines, cows and people are stretched: “Almost to breaking point. People, in particular, are ‘running hard’ all winter to keep pace with milkers who are performing well, but at a price.

And that price is hard work – to provide these cows with enough space, feed, water, milking time, good health and fertility. It’s a long and exhausting list,” he says.

Interesting, then, that when these same cows are turned out in spring, their yields often increase. “This is because they have more space to feed and to lie down. And there’s also an increase in the milk yield from forage – a high driver for efficiency.

“Which begs the question, why do so many producers run their herds in such a ‘competitive’ environment during the winter?”

He says that producers should take a closer look at how to reduce the pressure on the infrastructure and buildings that they have. “It’s about managing what you already have.”

More space Just a few extra cows creates additional competition for the vulnerable heifers and less dominant milkers in the herd. “So freeing up space, rather than creating more space, can be the answer. It doesn’t get more low- or no-cost than that.”

And this might mean reducing the pressures on housing by reducing heifer age at first calving. “Aiming to calve at two years old, rather than 2.5 or even three years, means that producers can actually reduce young-stock

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numbers on their unit. A herd requiring 50 heifer replacements each year would be carrying 100 head at any one time if calving at 24 months. But that increases to 125 head if they’re calving at 30 months: “And you’re carrying more larger animals as age at first calving increases, which puts even more pressure on housing and slurry handling facilities, for example.

“So reducing age at first calving is a good starting point.

It frees up space, which can be allocated to the milking herd, and also reduces the cost of rearing heifers.”

If the unit has a beef enterprise, it may be that producers reassess if that’s actually making a profit and if that space, again, would see a better return if allocated to the dairy herd. “And contract rearing heifers away from the farm could be another way to reduce the pressure on existing buildings and facilities.

“Freeing up space and creating more capacity is a lowcost option on many units.”

Another is making minor alterations to what’s already there and scoring ‘big wins’. Poor ventilation remains an issue in many cow houses, according to AHDB Dairy’s David Ball.

“But, when it comes to making improvements, it can be as simple as removing ridge sheets or side wall cladding.

It has to be done with care, particularly when working at height, but it’s easy to do and costs little more than time in most instances.

Fresh air Many rooves have cranked crown ridges, usually made from fibre cement. “These can be taken off, providing the gap created isn’t directly above a bedding area. This will create a much larger opening for warm and stale air to rise up and escape from the shed – creating the stack effect. And a good ridge outlet will help to draw fresh air into the shed, so make sure you’ve good inlets too and remove boarding and cladding if required.

“Another low-cost job when you’re working on the roof could be to paint any skylights with white reflective paint, to allow light to pass through but to reflect heat.

This can reduce any hotspots in the shed, which will

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exacerbate any ventilation and humidity issues,” adds Mr Ball. “For good natural ventilation, a general rule is to provide 0.1m2 of ridge outlet per cow. More accurate calculations can be done using the AHDB ventilation calculator. So check to see if your shed meets this standard.

“It’s time well spent because poor ventilation, higher humidity and damp sheds and bedding create ideal conditions for mastitis-causing pathogens to multiply.

Improve ventilation, increase air flow through the cow shed and reduce humidity and you reduce the ability of those bugs to thrive and survive. And you’ll also create a more pleasant environment for the cows to live in – and for staff to work in.”

Water troughs are another area that can often benefit from improvement – be it their position, their size and capacity, how many there are, or how fast they refill.

“Lots to think about here but, as a starting point, it’s well worth checking that you have enough water trough space for the number of cows housed in the shed,” says Mr Ball.

“Providing 100mm of water-trough space per cow will meet farm assurance scheme standards and also easily ensure that all cows have adequate access to drink.

“But also check the water pressure and filling rate.

Trough space is one thing, but it’s no use to the cow if the trough is empty when she gets there. You could have 150mm of water trough space per cow, but if flow rate is poor then that won’t be adequate. So check that – it’s something that’s often overlooked.

“And now is the time to tackle that, while the cows are out. Change ball valves, sort out pipework. Do whatever it takes to get those troughs filling quickly between drinking cows.”

He says that trough positioning is important too. “Make sure cows have good access and that they don’t create bottle necks. And it’s important to have more than one trough too. Higher-ranking cows can, literally, dominate a trough and more timid cows will be too afraid to go and drink. So make sure there’s an alternative trough that’s just as easy to get to.”

Reduce humidity Flooring is another important area to review and make any improvements while cows are outdoors. Access or movement around the shed can be hampered by damaged or uneven concrete. “Again, something that’s relatively quick and low-cost to fix. If you’ve areas where water and slurry tend to pool and the concrete needs repairing, get on and do it,” says Mr Ball.

Tackling these areas will reduce the risk of damage to cows’ feet. Sheds should be as dry as possible, to reduce humidity and the risk of diseases like mastitis and digital dermatitis. Smooth, even surfaces are easier to scrape clean and to keep well drained and dry. It is always money well spent.”

So take the time to assess buildings and make some low-cost repairs and alterations. “The small and simple adjustments and changes can make large and unexpected improvements to cow comfort and herd performance.

And that could make all the difference as we head into another period of uncertainty and potential milk-price pressure.” l

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HOUSING AND EQUIPMENT SPECIAL COW SIGNALS

Remove blinkers

to resolve bottlenecks Identifying pinch points and bottlenecks in cow housing – and taking steps to correct them – can be simple and cost free. Here two CowSignals experts offer some tips on how to spot problems and find solutions.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

A

re you suffering from ‘owneritis’? Kite Consulting’s Jo Speed says that it’s quite common among dairy producers – but can be cured. The benefits of taking the blinkers off, when it comes to really looking at what your cows are trying to tell you, can be huge.

“Most, if not all, units have ‘pinch points’ or bottlenecks when it comes to cow flow and movement around buildings. And most can be reduced, if not completely removed, once identified,” she says.

But that’s the key – spotting them in the first place.

“And it’s not as easy as it sounds. Many fail to really ‘see’ their herd and many have what we term ‘owneritis’ – they see the same thing day in and day out and, at a subconscious level, think that what they see is ‘normal’, even though it’s far from ideal.” She refers to the producers she’s visited who say things like: ‘they never drink from that trough’ and ‘cows always lay against that wall in a line’ or ‘we can never get the cows to come into the parlour’.

“Ask them ‘why’ – get them thinking about it rather

26

than just accepting it as being what it is. We ask them to ‘get their toddler hat on’. An inquisitive child would ask ‘why’. Why don’t they drink from that trough? Why are cows behaving the way that they do?”

She says, as simple as it sounds, that it can be quite a challenge. “Producers are in a routine, they’re busy and things go unquestioned. So start asking the questions.”

If cows never drink from a trough then find out why.

Is it because of where it’s positioned? Is the water dirty/ stale? Do bully cows stand guard? Is it too low down or too high? And why won’t they come into the parlour?

Is it too dark? Is the collecting yard too small? Are they picking up electric shocks?

“Whys make you wiser. So ask the question and do some detective work. Then solve the problem,” says Mrs Speed.

Top-three bottlenecks The top-three low-cost bottlenecks to tackle in dairy buildings are water, air and space. “Water is a big one for me,” says Mrs Speed. “It’s something that producers can

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Six principles of good cubicle design • Lying surface – must be soft and ‘grippy’ • Bed length – must allow for straight lying, without overhanging the curb. That means at least 1.8m (curb to brisket locator) for Holsteins • Unobtrusive neck rail – must allow cow

to stand squarely in stall and rise without hindrance • Brisket locator – must position cow correctly but be low enough to step over • Head space (lunge room or ‘bob’ zone) – must allow straight neck (for comfort and

improve – in terms of access and quality – relatively quickly and easily. And it’s key to productivity, health and welfare, particularly during the warmer summer months.”

Make sure that 10% of the cows can drink at any one time – remember they’re herd animals and like to eat and drink in groups. Drinking troughs should be easily accessible, quick to refill and the water must be fresh and clean. “I like to take a clear plastic cup and an armlength glove. I then scoop water from the bottom of the trough and I want to see clean water – something that I’d be able to drink,” says Mrs Speed. “The reality is that there’s often a lot of sludge at the bottom of troughs that smells extremely unpleasant.”

‘Waiting’ cows Vet and CowSignals trainer Owen Atkinson, from Dairy Veterinary Consultancy, says that a good rule of thumb is to allow housed cows a total space of at least 10m2 per cow. Recent work, completed by Nottingham University and AHDB Dairy, reveals that while around 20% of farms provide this amount of space, a more typical amount in UK dairy housing is 8.5m2. “But the devil is in the detail,” he adds. “It’s about how that 10m2 is used, and how the cows move around within it, that’s important.”

Producers should keep a count of ‘waiting’ cows. “These are cows that are standing – not lying or eating – and don’t look purposeful. No more than 15% is the ideal.

If feed space, for example, is inadequate, then this will be quickly flagged up.

“But it could be that they’re hesitating or unable to get to where they want to be – perhaps passageways are too narrow or congested, or cows are stuck in a dead end, or they are avoiding potential conflict in a crossover. Take some time to see what’s actually happening in the sheds and see what remedial actions are possible.”

He says that there are still sheds that have narrow passageways and dead ends, which need to be tackled, and crossovers that need to be widened. “It is not always easy to correct, particularly if you have a three-row design, but creating extra space in loafing and feeding areas outside the shed can help. Some producers, particularly those looking to reduce output to meet buyer requirements, have removed some milkers and that’s another way to create some extra space and take pressure off housing – and the herd.

“This may also allow them to remove excess beds and this could then allow them to open up a dead end or widen a crossover, by taking out a couple of cubicles either side.”

cudding) and also allow lunge room to get up and no obstruction in ‘bob’ zone • Width and dividers – must not cause injuries to cows, preferably no contact, while encouraging a straight lying position.

Jo Speed: “Get your ‘toddler’ hat on and ask ‘why’.

Whys make you wiser” Producers should aim to reduce the amount of time that cows are away from their beds and feed to less than two hours a day, and for lying times of between 12 and 14 hours per day. “If you’re doing that then you’re doing really well. Time away, for example during milking, is time on their feet and it also interferes with feeding.”

Cubicle design is key here and, as part of the Healthy Feet Programme, work has been completed on how to assess comfort and lying times more objectively.

“Cubicle comfort is key to maximising lying times and there are six principles to their design. Lying surface is the most important point, without a doubt, and it’s something that producers can improve instantly, simply by putting more bedding down. It’s a non-capital expenditure and will always improve lying times,” says Mr Atkinson.

Lunge room Number five on the list (see box), head space, is also important, yet can be overlooked. “But it’s probably one that many producers can change cheaply and easily, depending on the problem. And improvements here can see dramatic results. “It’s all to do with the room in front of the lying space – the head or lunge room, that’s also referred to as the ‘bob’ zone. It’s key to allowing the cow to stand up easily. When cows stand they throw their head up and then lunge forward, with their nose close to the floor as they rise on their back end.

“If there’s not enough room, the cows will tell you – they’ll lie diagonally in the cubicle, rather than straight, so that they can easily get out again. Diagonal lying is nothing to do with the width of the cubicle – it’s not because it’s too wide. It’s because there’s not enough space in front of her.

Sometimes there’s a wall there – either metal sheeting that forms the outside of the building or a solid wall separating the front of the cubicles from a passageway.

“The simple fix is to take out dividing walls, metal sheeting or cladding – where possible. It’s actually a low-cost and straightforward job and can make a huge difference to how cows lie in the cubicles.” l

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HEALTH NEWS

Competition winners announced The winners of the #Calfmatters’ Fine Tuning Calf Rearing competition have been announced and the top recommendations will be added to the #Calfmatters Fine Tuning Calf Rearing handy guide, which could help producers to develop protocols or serve as reminder of some of the aspects of a system or unit to re-examine.

The competition, which ran throughout February and March and asked for hints and tips to be sent in via video or photo, attracted 34 entries.

“A fantastic response,” says competition organiser Ailsa Milnes. “Making and sharing a video of what you do on your farm is not a two-minute job. And the quality of entries was amazing, with producers’ hints and tips covering a vast array of areas associated with rearing robust and resilient calves,” she adds.

Competition judges were producer and chair of Women in Dairy, Di Wastenage; producer and calf rearing specialist, Karen Halton; and vet Owen Atkinson. Entries were judged remotely and their discussions captured in short videos that will feature on the #Calfmatters social media feeds via Facebook and Twitter. The videos will also all be available to view on the #Calfmatters YouTube channel.

The overall winner was Nina Signley, from Staffordshire. Her family rears dairy replacements for its 140-cow herd. “Nina’s entry stressed consistency throughout the system,” says judge Karen Halton. “The panel was impressed with her advice on making up, timing and giving feeds – simple things like replacing teats. She has also improved

bovens bovens regel o

#Calfmatters survey 2020 Competition winner Nina Signley

cleanliness in all areas of calf feeding, which seems to be paying off.”

Nina won first prize in the competition, which is a racetrack day, at a location and date of her choice.

Some of the winning hints and tips included: • Giving calves the best possible start in life by introducing a colostrum programme and making sure the colostrum is good quality (Pembrokeshire-based producer Emma Roberts) • Drawing up a written protocol for feeding calves so whoever is feeding calves can feed the same, at the same time and in the same way (Kent-based producer Peter Boyd) • Positioning a camera in the calving pens to watch the cows (Northampton-based producer Mark Jelley) Information on all the winners, as well as their top tips, can be found at #Calfmatters Facebook page, Twitter feed @calfmatters, www.calfmatters.com and on the #Calfmatters YouTube channel. The Calfmatters Fine Tuning Calf Rearing guide can be viewed in the Resource Shed at www.calfmatters.com.

Robust and resilient calves are the key to a disease-free system where stock can truly fulfil their production potential.

And, according to the 2019 #Calfmatters survey, an increasing number of producers are seeing fewer cases of pneumonia year-on-year, possibly as a result of improved immunity and reduced environmental and disease challenge.

Although 2020, so far, has been laden with challenges, rearing healthy calves remains at the heart of a productive and efficient herd. The weather was relatively mild, albeit wetter than average, during the winter, but has this had an impact on calf health?

Has the closure of markets, and changes to cattle and milk prices, also had an effect?

Finding out how producers up and down the country are managing their calves is really important so the #Calfmatters survey 2020 will launch in June and we are looking for responses from as many rearers as possible.

It will take just five minutes to fill out the survey and 10 lucky entrants will receive a CosyCalf calf jacket.

Go to www.calfmatters-survey.co.uk

FarmComm study set to reveal future communication routes To help producers and vets going forward, both during the current COVID-19 crisis and after, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health has carried out a study into how vets and producers can work together in future.

“In just few short weeks, the approach to previously routine activities has been forced to change massively,” says Boehringer Ingelheim brand manager Matt Yarnall.

He adds that all the usual opportunities for interaction and discussion, which were previously taken for granted, have been wiped from the 2020 calendar.

“That could be routine vet visits for herd health planning, practice meetings, trips to the mart, days out at local shows, as well as national livestock shows. And, with that, the

chance for important knowledge exchange has also been lost.

“Successful farming relies on close contact between producers, vets, nutritionists and other advisers. Without this communication, businesses could struggle at a time when they can least afford it,” says Mr Yarnall.

“The FarmComm study aimed to understand how producers and their vets may work together in the future. It sought input from as many producers throughout the UK as possible and set out to understand what may work, what won’t work, and how people want to work.”

The findings are currently being analysed and more information and the results will be published soon.

For more information about Boehringer Ingelheim’s products: www.boehringer-ingelheim.co.uk www.calfmatters.com Telephone: 01344 74 69 60 Email address: ukcustomersupport @boehringer-ingelheim.com

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A big thank you to all farmers around the world! #cowheroes

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SERIES BUILDING RESILIENCE

In what are best described as exceptional circumstances so far in 2020, which have and will continue to impact on the sector, many UK dairy producers and businesses should be looking, short and long term, at becoming more resilient.

Part 1 Part 2

Reviewing capacity and resources Staff and labour planning

Take steps to build

business resilience

With many producers facing a squeeze on margins, due to COVID-19, steps are being taken to protect businesses and maintain a margin between costs income. And it could also be the ideal time to think about a ‘reset’ and to consider what can be done to add more resilience to dairy systems.

TEXT PHIL EADES & RACHAEL PORTER

T

he day-to-day challenges of managing a dairy business mean that it can be difficult to take time to review and rethink both what you are doing and why. But Promar consultant Andrew Suddes believes that it will really pay to create the space to do this now.

“Faced with collapsing milk markets, the resilience of dairy businesses has been tested once again. Challenges have been addressed with short-term measures, such as

Edward Lott: “Focus on building your personal resilience and take steps to feel in control ” 32

reducing feed rates, drying cows off and, in some cases, reducing milking cow numbers. The question now is where do businesses go from here?”

Resilience is, indeed, the key here. Producers are showing their mettle, once again, by meeting the latest challenges to business profitability head on. “Producer resilience is just as important as the resilience of the business,” adds Kite Consulting’s Edward Lott.

Perfect storm The impact of COVID-19 on demand for milk and, therefore, milk price, can be added to the pressure created due to Brexit uncertainty, higher feed prices, pressure on labour, and environmental legislation. In many ways, it’s the perfect storm and a ‘crossroads’ situation not seen since the introduction of quotas in 1984, according to many industry experts.

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“I’m in no doubt that there will be, once again, some consolidation,” says Mr Lott. Producers have already taken steps to deal with the short-term fallout caused by COVID-19, but there’s a long road back to some sort of normality. And there are other obstacles to navigate on the horizon, such as the Clean Air and slurry storage legislation. These could require significant investment.

“This is a good time to review how resilient you are, as well as your business. People are crucial to the success of any business.”

Crisis situation Mr Lott doesn’t believe that now is the time to be making key decisions or changes. “We’re still in the eye of the storm. All producers are under immense pressure and are still focused on seeing off the COVID-19 ‘crisis’, as well as managing high feed prices in what’s shaping up to be a dry and difficult grazing season in some areas of the UK. No rash decisions should be made during a crisis – manage the crisis situation first.

“But making changes to build resilience into your business are things to think about, and firming up plans, when we’re out the other side.”

Current difficulties will certainly sharpen minds. Narrow margins will widen producers’ eyes and minds to the other possibilities and ways to make businesses more efficient and, more importantly, resilient. “But now is not the time to act on any plans. For example, shifting to a tighter calving interval in the middle of all this could prove costly and disastrous. It’s important to remember that any change will always incur a cost. And we’re trying to take cost out of the business at the moment.

“So sit tight and wait. Use the time to get some advice, talk things over and avoid doing anything in haste.”

Lean management So what should producers be thinking about? Mr Suddes believes that many producers will certainly benefit from a re-tune or reset, and not just sliding back to where they were before the current crisis. “More focus on business resilience and optimising the productive capacity of their farm would be my recommendation for those with a long-term interest in dairying.

“This is in line with the LEAN management philosophy, which has filtered through to agriculture in recent years, after being developed in other industries, such as car manufacturing.”

Mr Suddes explains that assessing the resources available to the business is key to assessing the capacity of the farm. This includes auditing buildings, land, staff and even your own management capabilities (see Figure 1).

A good starting point is to look at the utilisation of buildings, which is a cornerstone of a lean management approach. Mr Suddes is a big believer in the ‘milk per shed’ model, or that the limiting factor to the capacity of a business is not necessarily the number of cows on the farm, but the environment that they are kept in.

Take two buildings on identical neighbouring farms.

Both have 200 cubicles for milkers, with a separate area for dry cows and young stock.

On the first farm, there are 190 cows in the shed and they give more milk per day than in the second shed, where 220 cows are housed.

“In the first shed, cows have more loafing area, feed

Andrew Suddes: “Many producers and businesses will benefit from a retune or reset” space, drinking opportunity and cleaner air,” he says.

“This improves herd health, the productive capacity of each cow and, therefore, of the business (see Table 1).

“Even with 13% fewer cows in the shed and producing 65,000 fewer litres, more margin can be made,” he adds.

“This is before factoring in potentially reduced milking times, lower herd replacement rates and veterinary costs, and better resource use, such as using less electricity to cool milk.”

He stresses that understanding your productive capacity is the single biggest step in making this journey, and this will be different on all farms.

“The next is understanding the capacity of the land.

Think about the yield of dry matter from each field.

Can it be better and what needs to be done? Is it drainage, re-seeding or a different approach to nutrient management? By doing this continually you keep improving the productive capacity of your land. This can then, in turn, drive investment to increase capacity in other areas.

“By reviewing the capacity of your farm, you can determine what is the optimum system. It may look very different to where you are now. But it’s certain to build more resilience into your dairy business.”

When, as this year proves, no one knows what’s around the corner, this can only be a positive move. “Everyone talks about things ‘getting back to normal’, but we all know there will be a ‘new normal’,” says Mr Suddes.

Personal resilience “And there’s a bit of a slog ahead, so focus on building your own personal resilience,” adds Mr Lott. “Get help and support if you need it. For many, reducing stress and building resilience is about feeling in control.”

Focusing on the technical side of running a business – cow health and fertility and producing top-quality milk – will all help. As will talking to your bank now. “So you know that, if it’s needed, things are in place to ensure you have, for example, some cashflow.”

He adds that if producers are in good shape, mentally and physically, then they are better able to work through the tough times. “And, once they’re through and out the other side, they’re fighting fit and equipped to take steps to build resilience into their business,” adds Mr Lott. l Table 1: Comparison of the financial results between herds with optimum and over stocked facilities

milking cows yield per cow (litres) feed rate (kg per litre) total feed cost per cow (£) margin per cow (£) margin per herd (£)

optimum

over capacity

190 9,500 0.32 760 2,198 417,260

220 8,500 0.36 760 1,864 410,069

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4 4 ways ways activity activity monitors monitors can can pay pay for for themselves themselves

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Improved labor efficiency Improved labor efficiency Activity monitoring systems can detect heats Activity monitoring systems can detect heats 24/7. Nedap CowControl can even help you find 24/7. Nedap CowControl can even help you find cows quickly by telling exactly where they are in cows quickly by telling exactly where they are in the pen. A few extra minutes here and there the pen. A few extra minutes here and there quickly add up, and saved time can be spent doing quickly add up, and saved time can be spent doing more productive farm tasks. Or even help you get more productive farm tasks. Or even help you get the kids to sports on time. the kids to sports on time.

2 2

Reduced health issues Reduced health issues Illnesses don’t wait. Neither should you.

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Nedap CowControl continuously monitors eating Nedap CowControl continuously monitors eating activity, rumination patterns and inactive behavior. activity, rumination patterns and inactive behavior.

You can quickly detect diseases days before a cow You can quickly detect diseases days before a cow shows symptoms. Finding and addressing shows symptoms. Finding and addressing potentially sick cows saves you time and money potentially sick cows saves you time and money because the cows can bounce back quickly and because the cows can bounce back quickly and return to peak milk sooner. return to peak milk sooner.

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Nedap CowControl offers insights to help you Nedap CowControl offers insights to help you improve housing, handling, nutrition and employee improve housing, handling, nutrition and employee performance. For example, if you see chewing time performance. For example, if you see chewing time drop in a whole group of cows, it could indicate drop in a whole group of cows, it could indicate their ration is imbalanced. Improvements based their ration is imbalanced. Improvements based on these insights pay off in terms of cow on these insights pay off in terms of cow production, health and longevity. production, health and longevity.

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HEALTH MILK FEVER SURVEY

Subclinical milk fever – keep the signs in mind The results of a national survey reveal that subclinical milk fever may be underestimated on many UK units. We spoke to Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health’s Kath Aplin to find out more.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

T Dry-cow management: rations should be formulated to ensure that cows are able to mobilise calcium reserves at calving

36

he National Milk Fever Survey, which was launched

by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health in 2019, has yielded some interesting findings, not least that 78% of the respondents had downer cows – cows with milk fever (hypocalcaemia) during the past 12 months.

And a third reported that this was a frequent occurrence.

Respondents were well aware of the signs of clinical milk fever, but the survey highlighted that there is a wide variation in howe well the possible consequences of clinical or subclinical milk fever are recognised.

There were also significant differences in the ways that producers tackle the prevention of milk fever.

“The survey reveals dry cow diet and management to

be top of producers’ minds when it comes to milk fever control” says Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health’s Kath Aplin, adding that several herds reported effectively eliminating milk fever from their herds.

“However, one alarming finding was the inappropriate use of calcium injections for prevention.”

The survey, which was carried out for the first time this year, was completed by 187 herds (estimated to represent around 37,400 cows), and highlights a need for increased awareness of subclinical milk fever and the signs to look out for.

On average, producers reported six cases of milk fever on their farm each year. This level of clinical milk fever

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Survey highlights • 78% of respondents saw downer cows during the past 12 months • On average, producers reported six cases per herd.

• A clinical milk fever incidence of less than 2% is an achievable target • Higher rates should be investigated –

subclinical milk fever is likely to be a significant problem • It is possible to ‘eradicate’ milk fever – to see zero cases per year • Subclinical milk fever will leave cows more prone to ‘fresh cow’ conditions, including ketosis, endometritis, retained foetal

is clearly a significant headache for those herds, but the survey results suggest that subclinical milk fever, and its possible consequences, may be having an even greater impact.

Cows with clinical milk fever are more prone to issues such as ketosis, endometritis, retained foetal membranes (RFM), displaced abomasum (LDA), stillbirth and reduced milk yield. “But the same is true for subclinical cases.

Even those that don’t go down at calving can go on to suffer from any or several post-calving conditions, which seriously impact on cow health and fertility in the subsequent lactation,” says Ms Aplin.

The survey revealed that 65% of producers knew that retained foetal membranes are associated with milk fever, but just a third recognised the link between milk fever and LDAs, and only a quarter knew the link between milk fever and stillbirth.

The majority (87%) of respondents reported at least one of these ‘fresh cow’ conditions were occurring sometimes or frequently during the past 12 months, suggesting that many subclinical cases could indeed be being missed. “This is the big ‘take home’ message from the survey,” says Ms Aplin. “These conditions could be symptoms of subclinical milk fever. Clinical cases are only the tip of the iceberg. If the incidence in your herd is more than 2%, further investigation is advised. And it will typically reveal that a large percentage of the herd has a subclinical issue. This needs to be addressed.”

Mineral balance She adds that it is important to rule out subclinical milk fever when it comes to these ‘fresh cow’ diseases. “They can be the result of other management and nutritional factors, but it’s well worth checking the mineral balance of the dry cow ration, including the DCAB (dietary cation anion balance) with your vet and nutritionist, and checking for cows that are at higher risk of milk fever.”

Certain groups of cows are at greater risk than others.

“Lame cows would be a high risk; they’re less inclined to walk to the feed trough and stand to eat, so won’t necessarily be consuming enough ration. So keep a closer eye on those cows.”

Higher yielding cows also tend to be more prone to milk fever. Almost all herds had some measures in place to prevent milk fever, the most common measures being a low calcium diet and/or magnesium supplementation for all dry cows.

Many herds were also targeting higher risk cows with calcium supplementation at calving. Calcium boluses were shown to be widely used, but a concerning number

membranes, LDA and still birth, as well as reduced milk yield.

• Calcium bolusing is an effective way to reduce the risk of milk fever, particularly in lame, high yielding and older cows (more than two lactations).

Kath Aplin, vet: “Cases of subclinical milk fever are being missed in many herds” of herds indicated that they were using calcium injections in an attempt to prevent milk fever in high risk cows. “Calcium injections are vital for treating cows with clinical milk fever, but they can be counterproductive if used as a preventative measure,” stresses Ms Aplin. “The artificial boost in a cow’s blood calcium can stop her hormonal system from mobilising her own calcium. So, after an initial rise, her blood calcium levels rapidly drop again.”

Calcium reserves “An oral bolus like Bovikalc, which contains anionic calcium salts, has a different effect. It not only provides calcium, but also helps the cow to mobilise her own calcium reserves, which is exactly what she needs to do to stay healthy in the longer term as her milk yield ramps up.”

The survey revealed that older cows were most likely to receive a bolus. Only 3% of herds were targeting lame cows with calcium bolus supplementation, and 14% were targeting high yielding cows. The survey highlights that more groups of cows might benefit from calcium bolus administration at calving to reduce the risk of them developing those costly conditions associated with subclinical milk fever.

Studies have shown that the cows benefitting most from calcium boluses are lame cows and high yielding cows, but a whole herd approach – giving a bolus to all cows above second lactation – is a simpler option for many herds and is also consistently cost effective.

“The Boehringer team will continue to share their whole herd protocol with producers along with the evidence supporting the use of calcium supplementation,” adds Ms Aplin.

“One Bovikalc bolus is given at the first signs of calving and one immediately after calving, with a further one to two given at intervals of between 12 and 15 hours, if necessary. It’s simple and could be key to producers having healthier herds, with reduced costs and improved productivity.” l

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

On-farm learning Many farm offices have turned into a classroom on Thursday lunchtimes for NMR’s TOTs (Training on Thursdays) sessions.

The initiative is going well – and is set to continue.

“Up to 120 producers have listened into the weekly sessions, which have delved into elements of Herd Companion recently,” says NMR’s software trainer Cath Smith.

“Those that miss the sessions can catch up via the recordings on the NMR website. So far, 378 producers have taken advantage of this. It’s been particularly useful during silage making times.”

While online training is the only option currently available during the COVID-19 lockdown, Mrs Smith believes it is here to stay.

“I’ve had feedback from newcomers to online training about the effectiveness and flexibility of the webinar sessions and how, in just 40 minutes, they have engaged more with their herd’s records and learned – very easily – how to make more use of them.”

Next up, in June, will be some sessions for beginners on the basics of accessing their NMR records online and on using some of the ranking and sorting options.

“I am also planning a series on software from a vet perspective and on parlour software, as part of NMR’s support and training for users of Crystal from Fullwood and C21 from GEA.”

bovens bovens regel o

Vet joins NMR board NMR has appointed James Andrews as a non-executive director of the company. A veterinary medicine and surgery graduate from the University of Edinburgh, Dr Andrews has significant experience within the dairy, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and consumer goods industries.

He is currently the CEO and director of Felcana, a company that helps vets with data analysis and tools to treat disease more effectively.

Recently, he has also been involved in a five-year strategy development and implementation planning for a leading UK dairy business.

Dr Andrews will chair NMR’s strategy committee.

Full details are available from NMR customer services and the NMR website, along with the webinar recordings for those wishing to ‘catch-up’: www.nmr.co.uk/software/ training-webinars

Three for two on genomic tests Producers are being offered three for two on Clarifide Plus genomic tests, ordered by June 15, 2020. The deal includes the Dairy Wellness Profit Index, which is part of Clarifide Plus and provides genomic details on health traits, as well as production and functionality.

The offer also includes the Clarifide support

package of an initial breeding review and a post-results discussion using results from the service’s Searchpoint platform.

Contact NMR’s genetics manager Richard Miller for more information, or to take up this offer, by emailing richardmi@nmrp.com or telephone NMR’s customer services

Electronic ID The proposed electronic identification system for recording and monitoring livestock movements, which will replace paper passports for all livestock, has had to be revised in light of the COVID-19 but there are still plans to get the new, more streamlined system up and running in spring 2021.

NMR’s cattle identification division Nordic Star is collaborating with other ear tag suppliers to work with the Livestock Information

Programme (LIP) on the best way to introduce bovine EID. The outcome of the new system would be to remove the need for paper passports.

LIP is a new organisation set up as joint venture between Government and AHDB. It is using a new database originally designed

by Shearwell Data and will eventually replace BCMS, as well as the sheep and pig traceability databases.

GeneTracker dates The next genomic sample submission and results publication dates on Herd Companion (or on Search Point) are: • June 18, published August 11 (August 12) • July 23, published September 1, (September 2) • Aug 20, published October 6 (October 7)

For more information about NMR products and services contact customer services: 03330 043 043, email: customerservices@nmrp.com www.nmr.co.uk

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MILK PRICE UPDATE COVID-19 IMPACT

Demand will be key to market recovery

The worst should be behind us. But be braced for a slow recovery and sustained pressure on milk prices, says AHDB Dairy’s market analyst Patty Clayton.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

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ack of demand – literally a huge overnight drop – due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown has hit farm gate milk prices hard in the UK and across the globe. Some buyers and processors lost between 70% and 80% of their business instantly as lockdown rules closed the food service and catering sectors.

Others have felt little or no impact, particularly those supplying retailers with liquid milk and some types of cheese, and some processors also acted quickly to divert milk into other routes. “So it’s been a mixed bag, in terms of the impact on producers and their milk cheques,” says AHDB Dairy’s dairy analyst Patty Clayton.

“Some felt that instant impact more severely than others. And although prices are still depressed they appear to have stabilised,” she says.

Spring glut Ms Clayton says that the pandemic hit at a time when milk prices are typically under pressure anyway. “Just as the seasonal spring glut takes effect, so that’s exacerbated the problem. Prices are always a little tight at this time of year and the pandemic then served to take a huge chunk of demand out of the market. This ‘black swan’ event made it a double whammy.

She says that the spot market values for milk and cream are still low, but they’ve climbed through May from the bargain basement levels seen a few weeks ago – milk was selling for just 8ppl in early April.

“Stabilisation is the result of two things. The first is an increase in retail demand for dairy – people are consuming more milk , butter and cheese at home due to the lockdown. “They can’t go out to eat or buy coffee, they’re working and schooling from home, and they’re also eating more meals, drinking and snacking at home. So that’s helped with demand.”

And the other factor that’s helped to stabilise price is that some milk buyers, for example Muller, have asked producers to cut production by around 3% to mitigate the effect of reduced demand for milk due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Other processors have also encouraged producers to reduce milk output by introducing a ‘B’ pricing system. This is, in effect, forcing some producers, indirectly, to cut production as, for many, the ‘B’ price is so low that it makes sense to simply turn off the milk production tap.”

Production peak As CowManagement went to press, the UK had just passed its annual spring milk production peak, at 37 million litres a week. This is 2% lower than production during the same week in 2019. And AHDB calculations show that April’s milk production was 23 million litres lower than expected. “And this reduction has certainly helped processors to find the capacity to handle and redirect the milk that became surplus to requirements when the food service sector was shut down.”

In terms of farm gate prices, the picture is split.

There are producers who have been severely impacted because their buyer was exposed to the

Patty Clayton: “It will take a while – for some markets more than a year – to get back to previous levels” food service sector shut down. “Few, if any, gave notice of a milk price decrease and many producers were forced to throw milk away – there were some unsavoury practices that went on, to put it mildly.”

Calculations, based on information provided by a select group of producers who’ve been hardest hit, show that they lost £7 million in April and £11 million in May. “And these producers may also be looking at losing a substantial sum during June, July and August if prices don’t recover.

“This isn’t going to resolve itself over night. Lockdown ending won’t simply see demand bounce back to where it was before – it’s not as simple as that.”

The sector may have closed overnight, but opening those restaurants and cafes and other food service outlets will be a long and drawn out process. And their customers may also be hesitant to go back.

“This business and demand will ‘trickle’ back slowly,” says Ms Clayton.

There will also be a time lag – the impact of COVID-19 has yet to really hit some processors and suppliers, and the dairy producers who fulfil their milk contracts.

Wider economy “And don’t forget that this is also having an impact on the wider economy and could reduce consumers’ income. Milk is an essential for many households, but it doesn’t have the highest margin. So sales of cheese and other higher value dairy produce could be impacted, going forward.”

There may also be a global ‘overhang’ of dairy stocks as the pandemic has had an impact on all dairy markets – most notably on some key export markets for cheese, according to Ms Clayton.

“Cheese exports are an important outlet for UK manufacturers and, outside the EU, the US is one of our bigger customers. And they’ve been hit harder

by COVID-19 than we have here in the UK. It’s devastated the country’s economy and with 65% of their cheese going into food service, compared to just 35% in the EU, there’s already a huge stockpile of cheese in the US. “It will take a while – for some markets more than a year – to come back to previous levels. There will be more hurdles to overcome and there will be a sustained pressure on milk price,” she adds.

“Hopefully we won’t see markets drop to the low levels that we saw in April again, but it’s certainly not going to bounce back up overnight. And much will depend on the outlook for the how quickly demand recovers to support the value of cheese, butter and skim milk powder.” l

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FORFARMERS FOCUS

Managing heifer growth at grass Although maintaining heifer performance at grass can be a challenge, it is possible through careful planning and feed management. In order to ensure heifers reach the correct weight and stature to calve at 24 months, an average daily liveweight gain (DLWG) of 0.80kg is required throughout the rearing period. To achieve this, heifers require a daily energy intake of approximately 70MJ. For heifers to maintain good growth rates at grass, producers should regularly measure grass cover and dry matter content. This ensures that heifers are supplied with the right quantity and quality of grazing, and highlights any shortfalls in requirements.

To buffer any shortfalls, concentrate or forage can be fed as required. It’s important to use concentrates that have been formulated for grazing heifers. Grazed grass will, typically, supply an adequate level crude protein to meet heifer requirements and so the concentrates fed will be low in protein and high in fibre.

The best way to ensure that heifers perform

well at grass is to create a grazing plan, to review it regularly, and to supplement heifer diets, where necessary, to prevent any dips in performance.

A six-month-old heifer, with a target daily DLWG of 0.85kg, requires a dry matter intake (DMI) of 4.1kg per day. With grass at 20% dry matter, that means the heifer needs 21kg fresh grass per day. A bulling heifer at 13.5 months old, with a target DLWG of 0.9kg, will require a DMI of 8.6kg per day. With grass at 20% dry matter, that’s 43kg of fresh grass per day.

The importance of vitamins and minerals in heifer diets is often underestimated. Correct supplementation at grass is vital for health and performance. Deficiencies in heifers often go unnoticed because they do not always have an immediate effect of performance.

Only when it impacts on health, growth and fertility will producers then see the problem.

For more information about heifer rearing and grazing heifers contact your ForFarmers youngstock specialist.

bovens bovens regel o

Planning wholecrop harvest Wholecrop is a flexible crop and can provide a versatile alternative source of home-grown forage, with the associated benefits as part of a rotation or break crop.

Wholecrop can be harvested at a variety of dry matters. As the crop ripens the sugars in the plant are converted to starch, and are typically fermented at one of three stages.

Using an inoculant is important to avoid problems associated with secondary fermentation and loss of valuable nutrients at the clamp face.

A dry matter of between 30% and 40% will give the maximum amount of fresh weight tonnage and is typically fed to dry and young stock. This crop ferments well and can be more aerobically unstable, so a suitable additive must be considered.

Crops cut at between 40% and 50% dry matter crops are more typical, with a better starch level for improved animal production. The crop will be drier so will be more difficult to keep aerobically stable (it’s more prone to heating up in winter) so it is more important to use a good additive.

At a dry matter of between 50% and 60%, producers looking for more starch and ‘scratch factor’ in the diet for higher production animals, particularly when other forages are low in fibre. The crop will be fairly difficult to compact. All silages should be added to the clamp in thin layers filled (between 10am and 15cm), but it is vital at this dry matter level to adhere to this practice to avoid pockets of heating and mould.

Other crops to consider include bicrops. Peas and barley are often grown for wholecrop, Lupins can also be used instead of peas. These crops tend to be fairly moist and ideally mown (without a conditioner) and wilted. This crop can be aerobically unstable so would benefit from an additive. And, because it is high in protein, it is more difficult to ferment, so an additive to help the fermentation should be used.

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HERD REPORT VROEGE FAMILY

Breeding for efficiency is key to profitability

Improving feed efficiency reduces feed costs. And that is exactly what the Vroege family is striving for. The Dutch producers are enthusiastic about breeding and data and that’s why they’re collecting feed intake information from their herd, for CRV, using forage boxes.

TEXT FLORUS PELLIKAAN

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efore the COVID-19 lockdown, the small car park at the Vroege family’s dairy unit, based at Dalen in the northern part of the Netherlands, used to be overcrowded. That’s not surprising, because local people, who want to take a closer look at how the 1,000 herd is managed, are always welcome at the farm.

“We are engaged in food production and I believe that it’s important to be transparent,” says Wilco Vroege.

“People are quick to jump to conclusions if you keep the doors closed at such a large unit, so we want to prevent that and that’s why we’re happy to show what we do.”

Feed efficiency In winter 2019, forage control intake feeders were installed at the unit so the herd could participate in CRV’s feed efficiency trial. These ‘boxes’ measure the

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feed efficiency of an ever-changing group of first-, second- and third-lactation cows.

So why did the family agree to become one of the five dairy units in the Netherlands to take part in the study?

“Breeding is our passion,” says Wilco. “We try to make progress as quickly as possible and, for breeding, it is important that data are collected. We want to contribute to that. All animals have been examined for genomics here. Using the best animals helps us to speed up the rate of genetic progress.”

Sexed semen is used on the top 70% of heifers, rated according to their genetic profile, with the rest inseminated with conventional semen. As for the milking herd, the top 5% are served with sexed semen, 25% are served with conventional dairy semen, and the remaining 70% is served with Belgian blue beef sires.

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COMPANY PROFILE Owner Number of cows Number of young stock Average milk yield Milk production per year Land in use Other activities Labour

Vroege family (pictured: Wilco Vroege) 1,040 800 10,594kg of milk at 4.22% butterfat and 3.53% protein 11 million kilogrammes 600ha, comprising 290ha grassland, 70ha sugar beet, and 45ha woodland arable farming and farm contracting 25

The family uses SireMatch to help with breeding decisions and they select sires on NVI, kilogrammes of fat and protein, longevity, Better Life Health and Efficiency, and functional type. Bulls in use include Delta Wirdum (BLE 8%), Delta Lunar (BLE 7%), Delta Mauro Red (BLE 8%), Velder Starmaker (BLE 9%), and Delta Abundant P rf (BLE 4%).

Financial advantage Participating in the feed research also has a clear financial benefit. “Our feed costs make up more than half of all our costs, because we have to buy in a lot of feed. If we can save between 5% and 10% by milking and managing a more efficient cow then we should see an improvement in our profitability,” says Wilco. “We are eager to see what the first feed efficiency figures for our cows will be.”

The family disagree with the concerns that feed efficiency could receive too much ‘weighting’ and results in a fragile cow. “You have to place feed efficiency in the context of other indexes, as happens in Better Life Efficiency, for example. This is an economically composed index, which also takes into account the longevity, the health and the length of the calf rearing period. If it were up to us, this index is going to be the main one when it comes to selecting sires,” says Wilco.

The herd’s current feed efficiency fluctuates between 1.45 and 1.55kg of milk from 1kg DM of feed. The cows up to 300 days in lactation are all fed the same TMR, which comprises 5kg grass silage, 8.2kg maize silage, 2.6kg crushed barley, 1.3kg beetroot pulp, 0.7kg wheat yeast concentrate, 2.2kg soy meal, 1.5kg Blendix and minerals. The concentrate cost is, including by products, 6.1 pence per kilogramme of milk.

The progress made in breeding can be seen in herd performance. Milk production has increased by 1,700kg (see Table 1).

Cows are occasionally flushed on request. “We know that 80% of the animal’s performance comes from management

Dalen

The Netherlands

and only 20% from breeding, but we just like the breeding side of dairying,” says Wilco’s father Aart.

Herd expansion The family has gradually expanded the herd from 500 cows during the milk quota era to the current 1,040 milkers. “We try to farm ‘sharper’ and are now trying to further optimise management. Milking three times a day has already pushed the herd’s average yield to 10,600kg of milk and we are sure that can be increased even further. As a result, we are going to produce milk more and more efficiently,” says Wilco.

New plans for the herd are already being made. “Young stock is housed in the old buildings, which isn’t a pleasant environment – for the heifers or the staff. So we’ve purchased a small farm next door to our unit and the plan is to rear the 800-head of young stock there. That also means that there will be more space here for calving cows or for cows that need a little more attention.”

The Vroege family also tries to be socially aware. For example, they open their 45 hectares of woodland with hiking and riding trails to the public. “An eye for the world around us is also a reason why we participate in the CRV feed test. We want to make efficient use of scarce raw materials and the trial helps. We are noticing appreciation for this, from both the government and our bank. There’s definitely a benefit to our business’ bottom line,” says Wilco. l

Leanne 7 (by Rocky), is a herd favourite

Table 1: Comparison of breeding performance December 2013 and February 2020

December 2013 February 2020 number of cows milk (kg) fat (%) protein (%) Better Life Efficiency cows Better Life Efficiency calves

441 8,814 4.18 3.56 — —

1005 10,594 4.22 3.53 6 9

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SHOWS AND EVENTS Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and subsequent lockdown, many of 2020’s technical dairy events and shows have been cancelled. We’ll resume publishing event information as and when show organisers make plans to reschedule and dates are confirmed.

Keep an eye on the CowManagement website for the most up-to-date news.

COMING UP

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JULY MILKING EQUIPMENT July 10 – Our next issue will focus on milking and dairy equipment, and we’ll also have the second part in our series on building dairy business resilience.

CONTACTS CowManagement is published eight times per year by CRV BV, Publishing Department Editorial team Chief Editor Jaap van der Knaap Editor Rachael Porter Phone: 01394 270587 E-mail: rachael@reporterjournalism.co.uk Editing, design and production CRV Publishing Contributing writers Emily Ball, Phil Eades, Roger Evans, Charlotte Grime, Allison Matthews, Florus Pellikaan, Jamie Perry, Inge van Drie, and Karen Wright Publisher Rochus Kingmans Chief editor’s address P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands Phone: 0031 26 38 98 821 E-mail: cm.office@crv4all.com CowManagement online Facebook: www.facebook.com/CowManagementUK/ Twitter: @cowmanagement Website: www.cowmanagement.co.uk

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27-05-20 15:38

Target 24 Hitting 24 months age at first calving is worth over 1.0 pence per litre for the average farm.

Heifers that calve at 22-25 months of age have demonstrated superior productivity and longevity.

Our team is here to help you hit your targets.

Contact us today to book a visit from your local Youngstock Specialist.

Call 0330 678 0982 Visit www.forfarmers.co.uk/target24

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