CowManagement march 2018

V O LU M E 16 N O 2 MAR CH 2018

IN THIS ISSUE

GR A S S - B AS E D S Y S T E M

C O W H EA LTH

G RA SSLA ND & FORAGE

We profile the 2017 NMR/ RABDF Gold Cup winning herd

Mastitis: the latest thinking on treatment decisions

Multi-cut pointers to maximise forage quality

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CO NTENT

FEATURES

Cow Talk Value added: ice-cream processing Roger Evans CRV Avoncroft Breeding Information ForFarmers’ Forage Focus/ Thompsons’ Nutritional News 41 Vet column: uterine prolapse 47 NMR Dairy Management News 50 Events and contacts 5 11 19 35 39

REPORT

12 Winning team put grass-based systems firmly on the Gold Cup map FEEDING

16 Multi-cut converts/Feed for rumen health BREEDING

44 Breed cows to suit your system

Rich Norman “Our herd management system is fit for the future” 12

Editor Rachael Porter Spring focus

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s CowManagament went to press, parts of the country were facing the coldest week of the winter. And others had already turned cows out to grazed.

Spring, believe it or not, is just around the corner and that’s why our focus for this issue is on grassland and forage.

We take a closer look at multi-cut silage (see page 28) and zero-grazing systems (see page 30), weighing up the pros and cons and offering some practical pointers for the season ahead.

We also take a look at white clover, which is often overlooked in favour of red varieties. It has plenty of benefits to offer in terms of soil fertility, grazing yield and value, and silaging. Find out more on page 26.

The winners of the 2017 NMR/RABDF Gold Cup talk about their achievement on page 12. The Norman brothers have broken the mould this year. Theirs is the first herd to be managed on a grassbased system to scoop the prestigious prize. And we have plenty of farm facts and information about how they did it

and what their plans are for the future.

Key to their success is team work.

Without a strong and dedicated team, few dairy units would perform to their potential.

And sourcing labour is becoming increasingly difficult for the industry.

We have the first article, in a series of four, that focuses on this issue. Our first instalment takes a closer look at how the labour crisis has come about and includes data from a recent RABDF survey, which highlighted the problem.

The second article, which will feature in our April issue, will take a close look at recruiting and retaining staff in a competitive job market.

Our vet column takes a timely look at a condition that can occur just after calving – uterine prolapse. And it offers tips on prevention and stresses the need for prompt treatment.

Roger Evans shares his ruminations as we head towards spring. He should just about be shaking off his January blues.

Find out why on page 19.

Main article Staff shortage

Health Johne’s disease

Special Grassland & forage

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Sourcing dairy staff is becoming increasingly difficult

Revealing results prompted rigourous approach to disease control

We look at white clover, multi-cut silage systems, and zero-grazing benefits

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O W

TA L K

Grass-based herd wins industry’s most coveted title Brothers Chris and Rich Norman, and their team based at Pembridge in Herefordshire, have won the 2017 NMR/ RABDF Gold Cup. And this year’s runners up and recipient of the NMR Silver Salver are James and Eleanor Tomlinson, who farm in partnership with James’ parents David and Sheila, at Bilsborrow in Lancashire.

The Normans were nominated for the Gold Cup by their grazing discussion group Wye Graze. This was the first year that nominations for the Gold Cup were invited from national and regional discussion groups, allowing them to compete alongside milk recorded herds that met the qualifying production, health and genetic merit criteria required for entry.

We have a full report on the Normans and their herd, which starts on page 12 of this issue.

Runners up for the third time, James Tomlinson and his wife Eleanor have

taken over the day-to-day management of their family’s 260-cow pedigree Holstein herd. They look to maximise the potential of the Bilsrow herd genetics in a natural way that enhances herd longevity, while providing milk and young stock that meets their customers’ requirements.

In contrast with this year’s winner, it is a high production herd, with an average yield of 11,386kg, at 4.27% fat and 3.16% protein on twice-a-day milking.

They also sell 50 heifers a year and 25 stock bulls. A regular cattle breeding columnist, James has a holistic approach to breeding his cows, focusing on a combination of health, fertility and life span traits and production.

The winner of the 2017 Lilyhill Cup, for the highest placed Jersey herd in the Gold Cup competition, is Thomas Dickinson, from Scaftworth, Doncaster.

Thomas, with parents John and Susan, runs the 270-cow Thurlstone Jersey herd

Runners up (from right to left): RABDF president Lord Curry; James Tomlinson, with wife Eleanor and parents Sheila and David; and NMR’s Trevor Lloyd

supplying milk to Longley. A small amount is also sold locally through a milk vending machine. Cows on this 163-hectare unit calve in two blocks, spring and autumn, and yield 5,675kg of milk at 5.6% fat and 4.0% protein.

Around 60% of milk is produced from home-grown forage.

Timely weed control will yield a worthwhile return

Reducing grass weeds by 10% can deliver an extra 10% of grass dry matter to producers. Yet only around 5% of UK grassland has a herbicide application in

any given year and only a few producers treat more than 10% of their pasture. So say the results of an independent survey, commissioned by Nufarm.

Every 1% increase in weed ground cover will result in a 1% decrease in grass growth. So controlling weeds such as docks, nettles and thistles in a grazing sward with 10% infestation levels could improve yield from 10t DM/ha to 11t DM/ ha, according to the company’s Simon Bishop. “And this improves grazing availability and subsequent stocking rates to deliver a 14:1 return on

investment. Similar results can be achieved from grassland for silage.”

He stresses that correct timing of application is everything. “Herbicides applied too early or too late will not work as effectively, if at all. Applications should be made when weeds are healthy and the leaves are actively growing.

“Once stem extension starts, leaf growth is insufficient for the herbicide to work effectively. And weeds in reseeds are best controlled when the grass is at the two to three leaf stage. Clover safe options are also available.”

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Staff shortage is a real threat to indu

‘Labour’ m Staff-shortage solutions This is the first article in a series that will take a closer look at dairy labour. Many UK producers are facing the increasely difficult challenge of finding staff to manage and run their herds and businesses. But why is there a labour shortage and what are the industry and individual producers doing about it?

Part 1: Dairy labour: why there is a shortage?

Part 2: Recruiting and retaining staff Part 3: Inspiring the next generation Part 4: Success stories – training and apprenticeships

Sourcing dairy staff is becoming increasingly difficult and some UK businesses are facing a labour crisis.

We spoke to a consultant, a recruitment specialist, and a producer to find out more. text Rachael Porter

A

possible ‘cliff edge’ shortage of labour for UK dairy farms of all sizes is predicted, with a recent survey commissioned for RABDF’s Dairy-Tech event suggesting that more than a third of the UK’s milk is produced on farms that employ foreign staff, almost all of whom could move or return to EU countries post-Brexit.

This latest survey of more than 1,000 UK dairy farms, sponsored by Kite Consulting and carried out by Ian Potter Marketing Services in the final quarter of 2017, also indicated that more than half of dairy producers are having trouble at some level with recruiting staff – a quarter to a significant degree.

The dairy farms surveyed produce more than 2.23 billion litres of milk – 15% of the UK’s overall annual volume – and have between them nearly 270,000 cows. While a total of 11% of employees were non-UK nationals (521 from 4,635 total employees including family labour), almost 17% of dairy businesses have foreign workers within their workforce. More than half of these non-UK workers John Allen: “Labour is at the top are in skilled positions of of the list of challenges facing herdsmen or herd managers.

UK dairy businesses” “Any shortage of labour from overseas following Brexit would affect all sizes of farm,” says Kite Consulting’s John Allen. While larger farms would be most affected, the survey indicates that 40% of farms with five employees or fewer currently rely on at least one non-UK worker in their

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Vital resource: finding and retaining dairy staff is becoming increasingly difficult in the UK

team. And most of these experienced difficulties with recruitment.

He adds that labour issues have shot to the top of the list of challenges for many dairy producers after the Brexit referendum. “A significant proportion of our milk is dependent on foreign workers, and more than 25% producers say they have problems recruiting. It is already one of the key limiting factors to growth, and to the effective operation of dairy farms. A ready and steady supply of skilled, dedicated foreign workers is critical to the success of the sector, and to its long-term prosperity.”

Labour gap LKL’s George Gordon says that the increasing difficulty in recruiting for UK producers is not only due to Brexit.

“Sourcing dairy labour has become gradually trickier during the past 20 years – it hasn’t happened overnight.

Staff from Poland and Romania, for example, have been

VCE O E TWEM E LA TN AJ A GN EM U AE R N IT 1M/ A 2 R2C0H0 92 0 1 8

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at to industry’s long-term prosperity

r’ manifesto

RABDF’s Matt Knight agrees that the survey highlights the urgent need for the Government and industry to work together urgently to remedy a labour shortage in the sector.

“Government first needs to recognise the specific needs of the UK dairy farming sector for permanent year-round semi-skilled and skilled labour. And it also needs to accept that these roles are not going to be filled from the domestic workforce in the immediate future. A survey of the UK public conducted in 2017 revealed that just 4% were willing to consider the type of jobs found on a dairy farm.

“The dairy industry also needs to take collective and cohesive action to improve the image of dairying and the attractiveness of the sector as a career option to the domestic workforce.”

But there’s no quick fix to solve the worsening labour crisis, according to Mr Gordon. “This problem has been on the cards for a while – we’ve just delayed it reaching this crisis point by George Gordon: “There’s no quick having access to EU labour.” fix to solve the worsening labour The good news is that the crisis faced by the industry” number of students studying agriculture-related courses is growing year on year. “So the interest in, and passion for, dairying is there. The trick is to make sure that the positions on offer when they leave school or college are attractive.

And I’m not talking about pay – I’m talking about conditions and opportunities. Jobs in dairying – be they milking or managing – are well paid. But long and unsociable hours mean that other jobs outside agriculture can be a more attractive option. Lifestyle is important.

“We need to slow the rates of people leaving the industry and retain the skilled staff that we have. And we need to attract new blood too.”

Trainee route

plugging the labour gap on many units during the past 10 years or so.”

He says that some workers have since returned home as their countries’ economies and job prospects have strengthened. “Brexit has compounded that. Some feel that they’re no longer welcome or that there’s no job security.

Others have simply found better paid positions elsewhere.”

One option for UK producers is to look outside the EU to source labour: “But dairy farming isn’t on the recognised shortlist of occupations that people can easily travel to the UK to do. We’d like the UK Border Agency Immigraton points system to be changed so that people from outside the EU can come and work on dairy units.”

He adds that it’s vital that the industry lobbies the Government for a change in the list. “The UK is short of dairy staff, so it should be on the priority list. Raising the Government’s awareness of the problem would be a good start to solving the issue in the short to medium term.”

Evolution Farming’s Tom Rawson says that, in his experience, the most notable shortage is in herd managers: “We take on trainees and hope that, after two years, they decide to stay on and progress up the dairying ladder.”

His company employs 24 staff across five dairy, beef and sheep units and positions are advertised – typically through Facebook and/or Twitter. He says that he attracts at least eight strong candidates to choose from. “I think this is because we have addressed some of the issues that were, traditionally, making dairying jobs unattractive. We offer good pay, holidays and working conditions, as well as Tom Rawson: “We train our own training and opportunities to herd managers to fill the void” take on more responsibility.

“I do know units, however, that are struggling to recruit and retain staff. And I don’t think it’s just that there’s a staff shortage or even an unwillingness among UK nationals to fill dairying roles. In some instances, the employers are simply not selling the opportunities that they have to offer employees.” l

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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VA L U E

Name: Location: Herd size: Adding value:

A D D E D

Will & Helen Taverner Exeter, Devon 360 milkers Ice-cream processing and farm-gate sales

Will Taverner: “We take a ‘calf to cone’ approach with our ice-cream”

Cool approach to business text Rachael Porter

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he cross-bred herd, which comprises South Devon bloodlines, suits the icecream business run by Will Taverner and his parents Robert and Helen. Will has been working on the family unit for 18 months, involved with both managing the herd and making ice cream. Not only does the high butterfat content of the milk result in a tasty product, but the autumn block-calving system complements the seasonality of the business. And the breed also inspired the brand. Orange Elephant is the name of their ice-cream, which comes from the nickname given to the somewhat thickset cows kept by Will’s great grandfather.

“My father thought the name ‘orange elephant’ would make for an unusual and catchy brand name for ice-cream, and he was right.”

Ice-cream production began at the farm in 2005, using some of the 2.4 million litres of milk produced by the herd. The rest is sold to Arla. The mark up is well

worth the effort and demand continues to grow, year on year. The farm also has a courtyard and play area, to attract families to the ice-cream parlour. Will and Helen manage the ice-cream side of the business, which is seasonal, running from March through to October.

Prepping for the spring and summer icecream season starts in early March for Easter opening, which is on March 29 this year. “We’re an autumn-calving herd, so I can focus on the ice-cream business in summer and then I’m free to focus on calving and winter feeding come November.”

A new counter is being installed in the ice-cream parlour, so 36 of the 50 flavours they make can be displayed.

The award-winning elderflower and lime yogurt flavour is a customer favourite, as are vanilla and strawberry.

Will says that, as well as the excellent quality ice-cream, a welcoming and easily accessible set up is vital to attract passing trade.

He is also charged with promoting

the business through social media and he says that this plays a key role in advertising and increasing brand awareness. “We added 2,000 followers to our Facebook page in 2017. And we had several thousand visitors, who came and bought icecream, in the summer.”

Some ice-cream is also sold wholesale.

“But the majority is straight from the farm gate. This keeps costs down.

Putting a van on the road to deliver to local shops, restaurants and other retail outlets may be cost-effective one day, but not now.”

His focus is on ‘organic’ growth and doing what they’re already doing, but ‘better’ and more efficiently, rather than going out and pushing sales. “For now the return on investment is supporting the dairy business and providing extra income for both me and my parents.”

To find out more about the Taverners’ business, visit: www.tavernersfarm.co.uk

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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H E R D

R E P O RT

Winning team put grass-based systems firmly on the Gold Cup map

Chris & Rich Norman Brothers’ grass-based herd is the 2017 NMR/RABDF Gold Cup winner. Team work and a system designed to weather volatility are both key to success.

Herd size: Average yield: Milk from forage: Calving interval:

Low cost, high calibre herd Two brothers have made NMR/RABDF Gold Cup history,

Pembridge

scooping the top prize with a herd that’s managed on a ‘low input low output’ grass-based system. We spoke to them to find

600 5,536 litres 73% 374 days

out more about their unit and what the win means to them. text Rachael Porter & Karen Wright

W

inning the 2017 NMR/RABDF Gold Cup marks the start of what’s set to be an extremely busy year for Herefordshire-based producers Chris and Rich Norman. Not only are the

brothers busy managing two dairy units – and setting up the management system for a third that they’ve just taken on in neighbouring Gloucestershire – but they’ve also planning and preparation

for the annual and obligatory Gold Cup winner’s open day, scheduled for June, to do.

“But what a problem to have, hey,” says Rich, still reeling and excited about

Grazing system: the cows are typically turned out to grass in February

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Winning team: (from left to right) Chris and Rich Norman and dairy manager Krisztian Takacs

winning the industry’s most coveted trophy, which was presented at DairyTech in early February. “We were shocked by our win, but when you look at the possibility of a block-calving grassbased coming top it shouldn’t be such a surprise. We’re running a system that focuses on low-cost production to weather market volatility. We manage the herd on a system that’s fit for the future.”

Increasing the scale of their dairy business and productivity are just two factors that wowed this year’s NMR/ RABDF Gold Cup judges. Already a successful dairy unit, established by parents Tony and Barbara, progress has been particularly rapid on this 162-hectare farm during the past eight years, in a bid to generate a return to support three families.

New ideas “We’d also been to college and then worked off the farm and had new ideas and ambitions,” says Rich, a Wye College graduate who was then a farm business consultant before coming home to farm.

Meanwhile Chris had left Seale-Hayne and spent seven months working in New Zealand on dairy herds.

“We both brought skills back home,” explains Rich, admitting that it was something of a Eureka moment when Chris returned from New Zealand and realised that a block calving and paddock grazing system would work well at their unit, based near Pembridge.

The pair set about shifting the all-yearround calving herd, into a tighter autumn block, and maximising the use of the farm’s grassland, so that stocking rates could be increased. Cow numbers increased gradually from 150 cows and in 2005 a 50-bale rotary parlour and cubicle housing for 400 cows was added.

With light soils and plenty of rainfall, as well as a grazing block close to the farmstead, The Leen is ideal for an autumn calving paddock grazing system.

“We’re in a rain shadow,” adds Chris, “which is why we calve in a block in autumn.”

In 2013 the business made its next major leap forward with the addition of a 200,000-bird broiler unit and a 500kW

anaerobic digester. “The poultry gave us another income stream without taking land out of the dairy unit. But it also meant that the muck from the poultry could be fed in the digester. This generates energy for the farm, with 80% sold to the National Grid. A byproduct in effect is the digestate that is a fantastic fertiliser for grassland.”

Unfortunately, using this digestate on the grassland and the dairy unit’s projected stocking rate to accommodate the larger herd size of 600 cross-bred Friesian Jersey cows did not meet organic regulations.

“So, with a heavy heart, we switched to conventional production,” says Rich, adding that they had learned a lot from the organic system. “We’d become less reliant on antibiotics, particularly for dry cows, and we were very much in the mindset that prevention is far better than treatment.”

And there is clear evidence that this has paid off with somatic cell counts averaging 97,000 cells/ml, down considerably from the average five years ago. “We got a New Zealand vet to train us. He set us the target of 100,000 cells/ ml average and laid out protocols to follow covering milking and udder care, milking machine maintenance, milking hygiene and cubicle cleanliness. It all seemed a tall order. But we all followed instructions and, sure enough, within two years we achieved our target.”

Conscious of the health risks of running a dairy unit – the farm is in a bTB restricted area – they aim to minimise any risks by using BVD Tag and Test for calves at birth and blood testing them at six months old then monitoring the milking herd using a milk sample.

They also vaccinate for IBR, BVD and Leptospirosis.

Skilled staff The skilled dairy team is one of the Normans’ priorities. They know that the dedication of the staff is paramount to the success of their dairy herd, which averages 5,536kg of milk at 4.99% fat and 3.7% protein, with a high health status and a calving index of 374 days.

Led by dairy manager Krisztian Takacs, who joined them in 2008, the team of three full-time stock people and two trainee part-time helpers undergoes regular training both on and off the farm. They are all trained to use the fork lift, stock trailer, and in first aid.

“We invite the vet in for more specific training in calving, calf rearing and drying off,” adds Chris, who splits his

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H E R D

R E P O RT

Feeding time: cross-bred heifer calves from the block-calved herd

time between the milking herd at The Leen, the AD plant and a further 242 hectares of rented land that includes a young stock unit and a spring-calving dairy unit run under a contract-farming agreement.

Regular reviews of work patterns keep the work-life balance in check on the dairy unit, an area Krisztian believes is important to his team.

“Krisztian’s strength is to take new ideas and concepts on board and see them executed on the farm,” says Rich. “He is a perfectionist and he also gets the best out of his team, so time off and a break is important.”

And there’s no denying that workloads can be heavy, particularly during calving, serving, and throughout the grazing season.

Calving pattern Autumn calving starts on September 4 and continues for 10 weeks. In 2017, 360 cows calved in the first 22 days and they aim to calve 75% of cows in six weeks – which typically means these cows catch the autumn flush of grass.

Heifer calves also take advantage of the autumn conditions and after four days they are turned out in groups of about 40 and fed whole milk twice a day. “We weigh them every six to eight weeks to

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make sure they’re keeping on target. We want well-grown heifers that can calve down successfully at 24 months.”

The next peak in workload comes in late November when AI starts. All cows are inseminated with a dairy bull and the aim is to achieve pregnancy rates of 88% at 10 weeks. In 2016, 68% of cows were in calf by 42 days.

Early turnout Turnout is as early as possible in February and the grazing platform is split into about 50 paddocks that are measured weekly, for about 35 weeks.

It’s an eight-kilometre round trip for Krisztian who monitors growth and records the data on AgriNet and from this he gets the weekly grazing plan.

“We aim for 12.5 tonnes of dry matter per hectare,” says Rich, adding that this year, 2017, they will exceed this thanks to the digestate applications and improved grazing management by Krisztian.

“We’re looking to produce 73% of our milk from forage and keep in-parlour feeding to a flat rate of 950kg per cow fed in early lactation. Once cows are indoors, from the end of November, they are fed grass and maize silage. We try not to feed cake in spring but to rely on grass.”

He adds that maximising the use of grass and keeping cost of production ‘sensible’ is the way that they can break-even, even when prices are low as they were in 2016. “We’re seeing milk price volatility as we’ve never seen before, so costs have to be under control.”

Despite a lot of on-farm recording, they are anxious not to get out of kilter with other farms in the area – and also to learn new ideas so they can keep improving their system. This is why they are active members of the Wye Graze discussion group. “This benchmarking is a main driver in our business,” says Rich. “We can see how we’re doing compared with others in the area.”

They also aim to maintain a sustainable dairy system that offers them a good work and life balance. “And we also want a business that will attract the next generation into dairying and I think this kind of block-calved system has the potential to do just that.”

He also thinks that their win could also encourage more producers to take the low-cost, grass-based route. “I think it could result in some people taking a closer look and questioning what they are doing. But block-calved systems are not for every herd, farm or producer.

And really, it’s not about the system – it’s about doing it well.” l

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Reaping the rewards from moving to a multi-cut approach

Multi-cut converts For one Dorset-based dairy business, taking a multi-cut approach has resulted in a 5% increase in milk produced from forage in just 12 months. And it has also helped to lay the foundations for further efficiency gains in the future. text James Marshall

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unning a successful multi-cut silaging system takes hard work, commitment and attention to detail, but it has its rewards. So say brothers Spencer and Ralph Mogridge, who switched to multi-cut silaging in 2017 in a bid to improve their milk from forage.

“I visited the Netherlands to see how producers were taking smaller, more frequent cuts and making a lot of high quality grass silage,” says Spencer. “We felt that a similar approach would work well, in conjunction with our paddockbased grazing system, so we gave it a go.

The results have been fantastic and we are already feeding 1.5 kg of concentrate less per cow than we were in 2016/2017

because grass silage yield and quality is so good.”

Spencer and Ralph run a 180-cow herd, on 112 hectares, at Thornton Farm in Sturminster Newton, Dorset. The herd is averaging 9,000 litres, at 4.4% butterfat and 3.4% protein, and milk is sold to cheese makers Barbers.

Cows are fed a TMR, all year round, comprising 7.5kg of blend, 0.5kg of straw, maize silage and plenty of grass silage. “We don’t change this ration throughout the year, which keeps the cows’ rumen environment consistent and helps with feed utilisation,” says Spencer. “Cows are turned out as early as possible in the spring and rotationally

graze, with seven grazing blocks in place that are grazed for a day at a time.

“We bring the cows in at night to maintain good feed intakes, as well as making it easy for us to collect the cows for the morning milking at 2.30am.”

The brothers’ focus has always been on maximising milk from forage and this is the main reason behind adopting a multi-cut approach. “We decided to aim for five cuts of silage in the 2017 season, but we were aware that extra work and initial expense would be required to make this work,” explains Spencer. “In order to get more out of our silage leys, we knew that managing leys correctly and making sure that they were receiving the right inputs would be vital.”

Soil analysis Spencer sought advice from ForFarmers’ forage specialist Chris Woodget. “He suggested that we analyse the soil of all the silage leys, so we had a good understanding of the mineral and nutrient content of the soil and its general composition. We could then

Quality forage: milkers enjoying their ration at Thornton Farm

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Chris Woodget (left) and Spencer Mogridge (right)

tailor the inputs required to maximise the performance of each ley. It’s a more targeted, efficient and effective approach compared to the blanket use of inputs.”

“You have to approach growing grass as you would feeding the rumen. You need to feed it correctly to get the best performance,” adds Chris. “Research shows that the minerals found in the soil come through in the final grass crop, which makes ‘feeding’ the soil even more important. We are setting up a trial at Spencer’s farm to help test this theory and see if the soil analysis corresponds with the nutrient composition of the fresh grass samples we will take.”

Ley productivity To help maintain the productivity of silage leys, fields are reseeded with Topgrass Silogen, which is a short-term 80% Advanced grass (Festolium) and

20% tetraploid-based seed mixture. This has been formulated for use in multi-cut systems.

Spencer and Ralph have always done their own silaging and fieldwork with help from their brother, George Mogridge, who is a contractor. So the brothers have the machinery needed to carry out the extra work that a multi-cut approach requires.

“We like to have the flexibility to go and cut grass when we choose,” explains Spencer. “And we have always invested in maintaining silage making equipment to the best condition, with regular servicing and replacement.”

Spencer acknowledges that machinery is a big cost for the business – and one that not all producers will want to carry – but he feels that it is a worthwhile investment. “We know that our kit is reliable and that we can go out and cut between 24 and 28 hectares a day with the machines we have. But we also have the luxury of knowing that in emergencies we can call on our brother, George. Investment in machinery has to be viewed as long term and if it means we can produce more and better quality silage, then it is worth it. It will reduce costs in the long run by helping to minimise our feed bills.”

Spencer and his brother are pleased with how things went in 2017. “We took five cuts, starting with 48 hectares for first cut and then down to 28 hectares

Fertiliser applications: soil fertility is key to growing quality silage

for the fifth cut,” he says. “We produced an average of 49 tonnes fresh weight of grass silage per hectare, across the whole growing season. We feed silage all year round, so it’s vital that we have good stores in the clamp. And this increased quantity hasn’t come at a cost in terms of quality. We are currently feeding fifth cut and it is producing a lot of milk – it’s like rocket fuel.”

Prize-winning silage Indeed silage quality is so good that Spencer and Ralph won second prize in the ForFarmers open silage competition for Dorset-based producers in December 2017. “The competition was a ‘blind’ assessment by independent judges who were looking at the quality and overall composition of silage samples,” explains Chris. “Their silage won second place, which is great. But what is even more impressive is that the sample he provided was fifth cut and the winner’s was a first-cut sample.”

Even with this success, the brothers are still looking to further increase the amount of milk produced from forage. “We want to ‘future proof’ our business and protect ourselves from market volatility. Reducing our reliance on bought-in feed is one way to help us do this,” says Spencer. “Ralph and I will look to take six cuts of grass silage this year and are aiming to get more than 50% of milk from forage in the future.” l

Minimising waste: a block cutter is used on the silage face

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Shropshire-based dairy producer and award-winning columnist Roger Evans shares his loathing for January and self-righteous vegans. But, he reminds us, the latter are still very much the minority.

January blues J

anuary, as a month, hasn’t got a lot going for it. I’ve never been a big January fan. It’s the month when you find out the true cost of Christmas, when your credit-card statements turn up. We still haven’t been told the cost of our turkey, but that’s been roasted and curried and is long gone.

Then there’s January weather, which is usually cold, wet, windy, raw and dark. This January has been typically miserable.

But farmers are used to these things. We may not like them but they are to be expected and, as such, we take them in our stride. What we don’t want is a benign January, which is mild and calm.

January weather will turn up at some point and the last thing farmers need is for it to turn up in March or April, when things are starting to ‘move’.

There was something about this January that I also didn’t need. I didn’t need to be vilified, day after day, by extreme vegans. Vegans are only supposed to account for 1% of the population but, boy have they made a noise. So let’s have a look at them, after all they’ve just spent a month looking at us. They’ve joined together and marched to the top of the hill and at the top they have planted the flag of self-righteousness for what they see as the ultimate of good causes.

Among their number are some of the nastiest people you are ever likely to come across. They are so unpleasant that I sometimes think that being nasty is more important to them than being vegan. They compare livestock farming to the slave trade and farmers to slave owners and I find this sort of comparison offensive and so over the top that, as far as the general public is concerned, they are shooting themselves in the foot. And, if we are patient, they will shoot themselves in the other foot as well. Let’s look a little closer.

An important part of the vegan diet are things like avocado, lentils, chick peas, and quinoa. My agronomist tells me that quinoa is from the same plant family as fat hen. (We have always been quite good at growing fat hen). These are all staple foods in places like South America and India. Vegans have increased demand.

And if you increase demand then you also push up prices to such an extent that, for example, in some countries chicken is now cheaper than quinoa and avocado. So now, if they can afford it, the poor are eating chicken instead of their traditional staple vegetarian diets. You need to think about the irony and implications of that. The vegans obviously haven’t.

If you can afford to buy chicken, you are driven even deeper into poverty. There are trees being cut down to clear land to grow more quinoa. The vegans who are at the top of the hill, on the high moral ground, need to look over the other side of the hill – or the other side of the world – to see that their health and ethics-led lifestyle here, leads to poverty elsewhere. The experts tell me that 5.9% convert to veganism every year and 5.9% of 1% is very little. You could use another two words instead of ‘very little’. I do.

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H E A LT H

Revealing results prompt rigorous approach to disease control

Johne’s: what’s the risk?

Assessing your herd’s Johne’s risk forms the basis of an effective control plan. We spoke to a vet and a producer to find out how they are tackling the disease and reaping both the health and production rewards. text Karen Bond

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aking the decision to embark on Johne’s disease control can be a difficult one, particularly on a farm with little current evidence of a problem. Yet this was exactly the situation that Adam Ball found himself in autumn 2013, when his vet suggested he should look to be more proactive about Johne’s.

“Adam had carried out a couple of processor-sponsored screens and found no positives, but I was concerned that there could be a problem lurking in the herd,” says Adam’s vet Gillian Whitehurst, of Glenthorne Vets. “So I encouraged whole herd testing to establish exactly where we were, but Adam wasn’t sure there was any need given his previous results.”

To help make the decision, a comprehensive risk assessment was carried out at Spond Farm, based near Alton in Staffordshire, using the My Healthy Herd programme. This revealed

that the risk of both bringing Johne’s onto the farm and it spreading through the herd were high across the board.

Even though Adam had not seen any positives on his previous screens he was at high risk of Johne’s becoming a problem.

Wake-up call “The risk assessment was a real wake up call for us,” says Adam, “We thought that we didn’t need to worry about Johne’s. But this assessment flagged up a lot of management practices on the farm that would spread the disease.”

“Being able to demonstrate to Adam, through the risk assessment, that his farm was high risk for Johne’s really helped him to make the decision, despite the low milk price at the time, to test the whole herd for 12 months,” adds Gillian.

“And it’s a decision he certainly hasn’t regretted.”

Using Gillian’s knowledge and experience, Adam has put in place effective measures to tackle Johne’s disease

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The testing, using NMR’s HerdWise service, revealed only one repeatedly positive, or ‘red’ cow during the next 12 months, but this could just be the tip of the iceberg, according to Gillian.” Even though there was only the one red cow at the start, due to the management practices in place we were likely to see more positives coming through during the next couple of years because they had been infected before we had started to manage the disease.

“What we really want to see are very few new calves becoming infected after the implementation of the Johne’s management plan. The HerdWise cohort monitor is really useful here because you can see the pattern of when positive cows were born, rather than just when they became positive.”

Getting the whole farm team on board to tackle Johne’s is crucial and support from the farm vet is also vital to ensure the right decisions are made and the farm is not overwhelmed by what can seem to be a daunting task. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to managing Johne’s, so veterinary advice to make sure the plan is appropriate and robust, and also to manage expectations and timescales, is essential to the success of the process.

Key areas Working together, Adam and Gillian identified key areas for change: • Quarterly testing continued with red tagging of positive animals and the HerdWise report is displayed in the office for all staff to see along with the control plan.

• A plan to cull cows with two consecutive positive results as soon as possible, ideally within three months.

• All positives were bred to a terminal sire and calved separately. There was insufficient dry cow accommodation to separate them at that stage, so there was a big focus on stocking levels and extra bedding to maintain cleanliness.

• Replacement heifers all fed milk powder and colostrum was only fed ‘mother to own calf’. Some colostrum is harvested from ‘green’ cows to be used on calves born to ‘red’ cows.

• Sick cows were not allowed in the dry cow accommodation.

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Using the My Healthy Herd software, the risk assessment from October 2013 (left) shows ‘red’ risks of spread in all categories. Now, in 2018, the changes in management practices have reduced those risks to ‘green’ and ‘amber’ (right)

“Uptake of the plan was good,” says Adam. “Everyone wanted to get involved, and while we knew it wasn’t perfect, we felt we were doing a good job.”

Despite the farm team’s hard work, Gillian soon saw a flaw in the plan.

“High risk cows were not being culled within three months of diagnosis and Adam confirmed that he was holding onto them until they started to look ill or scour. I felt that this was a big issue, particularly due to the lack of total segregation up to calving.”

To demonstrate the issue, she decided to take a take a faecal sample from a high risk cow and have it tested for the bacteria. “I told Adam that, despite her looking fine, she posed a risk to his farm as she was shedding the bacteria. We agreed that if the faecal test came back positive he would cull her straight away and if it was negative I wouldn’t charge him for the test.”

The cow in question was number 906,

pictured below. She had been consistently positive on the HerdWise test for two years, but she was a condition score 4 and not scouring. In March 2017 she was dried off early as her milk had dropped off and came back positive on faecal PCR in May 2017.

Infectious animal “When the result came back I was shocked,” admits Adam. “Gillian asked me whether I was happy to have this cow walking round the farm spreading infectious material that could potentially survive for up to a year. Of course when you put it like that the answer is obviously ‘no’ and 906 left the farm the next day to be culled.”

This set in motion a big shift in mindset on the farm about culling positive cows.

InterHerd is now used to highlight any production issues in those positive cows and make the decision to cull. “I’ve noticed that a lot of the positives make

their own way onto my culling list and this has given me more confidence to cull sooner,” says Adam.

A recent plan review, including a whole team farm walk, shows that things have moved on yet again. There is a new dry cow shed allowing total segregation of ‘positives’ from the point of drying off; and using InterHerd+ data, Gillian has provided a list of heifers born to positive dams that will be identified and fattened rather than being retained for breeding.

Adam is glad that he took Gillian’s advice and tackled Johne’s.

“In hindsight it was a much bigger problem than we initially thought. We worked out practical solutions to the problem and now feel much more on top of the problem. And with Johne’s contributing, as it did, to the cull rate, we’re confident we made the right decision for improvement in long-term herd performance. l

Despite looking healthy, cow 906 was consistently positive on milk tests and shedding bacteria

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01-03-18 12:40

G R A S S L A N D

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Legume benefits: white clover has plenty to offer both conventional and organic systems. Page 26 Multi-cut silage: how-to guide to making better quality forage. Page 28 Zero grazing: the pros and cons of taking grass to the cows. Page 30

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White clover offers rewards for both conventional and organic systems

Rolling in clover benefits White clover is playing an increasingly important role in both conventional and organic dairy systems, but it needs managing well to accrue all the benefits. We spoke to a grassland specialist and a producer to find out more about this versatile legume. text Sara Gregson

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peak to any grassland agronomist and they will tell you that white clover is the most flexible perennial forage legume, providing reliable companionship to grasses in both grazing and silage leys.

And its creeping growth habit gives it the ability to self-repair, infill and spread throughout the sward.

As a feed, white clover is a good source of protein and minerals and retains high digestibility throughout the growing season, as there is continual renewal of leaves and little stem development. It will increase the crude protein content of first-cut silage by 1% for every 10% increase in the amount of clover in the sward.

The other important feature of white clover is the ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates in the soil which feeds the companion grasses – up to as much as 150kg N/ha. So, how can you make sure that your herd and business harnesses some, if not all, of these benefits?

Variety selection There are three main groups of clover, categorised by leaf size. The most popular groups for dairy swards are medium- and large-sized leaf varieties, such as Buddy, Iona and Violin.

Clover likes soil pH to be between 6 and 6.5 and phosphate and potash indices should be above 2. It should be sown into warm soil from April to August.

“Clover seed is very small and prefers to be surface sown onto a firm seedbed,” says Oliver Seeds’ Rod Bonshor. “When it is in a grass seed mixture, aim to sow within the top centimetre of soil and pass with a Cambridge roll to finish.”

After sowing, protection against slug attack is essential – particularly during the first three months. “During the past three years, there has been an increase in Sitona weevil attacks with small semi-

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Rod Bonshor: “Clover prefers to be surface sown, onto a firm seedbed”

Graham Tweddle: “We produce high-protein silage across three cuts”

circular ‘bite marks’ seen,” adds Mr Bonshor. “The larvae also attack the roots and the clover will not perform as it should. Poor field drainage and compaction can also inhibit clover growth.”

additional 163 hectares of neighbouring arable land was added as a Farm Business Tenancy two years ago and this will allow the herd to expand up to 500 milkers.

The farm entered organic conversion in 1998 and stopped growing maize to establish clover-based leys under peas.

This was successful but resulted in heavily rutted fields. Different mixes of grass and clover were trialled, but during the past 18 years the farm has seen the benefit of specialising in late perennial ryegrasses and white-clover swards.

The silage fields are given a dressing of composted manure or slurry, ideally in early March. Compost is applied at a rate of 20t/ha and slurry at 42m3/ha. In recent years the farm has also used polysulphate organic fertiliser on silage ground.

The grazing fields are given nothing apart from what the animals return and what is fixed by the leguminous clover – potentially worth up to 150kg of nitrogen per hectare.

The cows are now a three-way cross of Dairy Shorthorn, Swedish/Norwegian red and Meuse-Rhine-Issel (MRI), producing what Mr Tweddle calls a ‘Ford Mondeo’ of a cow. Strong and fertile with good feet, they average 7,000 litres of milk a year

Nitrogen fertiliser The optimum amount of clover in a field is 30% of the dry matter of the total sward. To reach 30% clover, the swards needs to look more like it comprises between 50% and 60% clover at its peak growth, in August.

“One of the biggest factors affecting the level of clover in a grass sward is in the amount of fertiliser nitrogen applied,” says Mr Bonshor. “High rates of more than 100kg of nitrogen per hectare, applied in one go, will speed the grass plants forward and suppress clover growth. So little-and-often fertiliser applications work best.”

White clover drives the performance of Graham Tweddle’s family business, which produces, processes and retails organic milk. Based on the edge of the A1 at Darlington, he runs 300 cows on 122 rented hectares, owned by the Church Commissioners for England. An

Consistent silage: Graham Tweddle’s milkers tucking into their TMR

predominantly from forage. “The cows are not fed in the parlour. They’re given a TMR comprising grass silage, ground maize flour, an 18% crude protein pellet, and wholecrop for fibre. This year we are also going to make some hay to provide more fibre,” adds Mr Tweddle.

“We produce consistent, high protein silage across three cuts. But with the high proportion of clover in the silage we need additional fibre to slow down digestion.”

The cows are turned out in March and housed in the third week of October. A level milk profile to supply the family’s Acorn Dairy is vital, so the cows calve all year round.

Regular reseeding Each year approximately 30 hectares are reseeded after wholecrop barley and peas. The peas provide nitrogen for the barley and leave some for the following grass crop. At the same time the peas provide a ‘smothering’ effect to prevent weeds establishing in the open soil.

After the barley/peas are harvested in July, a stubble cultivator is used on a weekly basis to catch germinating weeds and create a sterile seedbed. Even after this, if conditions require, it may still be ploughed. After rolling, the seeds mixture is broadcast with an air seeder on a grass harrow and then rolled again. Sheep graze for five weeks during the winter to encourage tillering and help with weed control.

On the newly rented land, Oliver Seeds Organic Century has been sown. This mixture comprises five late perennial ryegrasses including Pastour, Romark and Maurice, with 11% Timothy and 10.5% white clover blend of different sized leaf varieties, including Buddy, Violin and Iona. Mr Tweddle also has Tonic plantain and Choice chicory added to the mix.

This produces excellent D values and palatability for optimum intakes and performance throughout the season.

Surplus growth makes excellent silage, and 2017 first cut produced 14t/ha of 74 D-value silage, with 11.8 MJ ME at 17.5% protein and a pH of 4.2.

“Many producers think about red clover for use in silage crops, but we have proved that white clover is just as good, and can produce phenomenal silage,” adds Mr Tweddle. l Delegates joining the British Grassland Society tour in County Durham, this July, will be able to visit the Tweddle’s farm and dairy. See www.britishgrassland.com for more details.

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Successful silaging: multi-cut approach should improve forage quality

Adopting silage-making system is improving forage quality

More milk from multi-cut The popularity of multi-cut silage making is growing, primarily as part of producers’ drive to increase milk from forage. We spoke to two specialists about the results of a recent survey and ask what steps are key to ensuring multi-cut success. text Matt Mellor

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survey of more than 150 producers, carried out in December 2017 by Germinal and Volac, found that for 60% first cuts have become earlier during the past three years and 44% said that they were also shortening their cutting intervals. And 89% of producers questions expressed a desire to

increase milk from forage, with changes in practice being linked to this priority.

“We are seeing a significant shift towards a more progressive approach to grass silage-making among UK producers,” says Germinal GB’s Ben Wixey. “Among those producers already taking more silage cuts per year, or intending to, 71% of respondents said that the top

reason was to make better quality silage.”

To make more milk from grass silage was a reason stated by 68% and to reduce bought-in feed costs was an answer given by 65%. “Far fewer, just 40%, were doing it to increase their overall grass silage quantity,” he adds.

The shift to multi-cut appears to be working well for the early adopter, but ensuring that system pays dividends for the majority, as uptake increases, will depend on how well producers adapt their management practices.

Multi-cut success “Success starts by ensuring leys are in the best possible condition and for many this will mean more frequent reseeding than is typical,” explains Mr Wixey.

“Silage fields must have the potential for

Table 1: Comparative costs of conventional three-cut system with five-cut multi-cut silage making (source: Germinal GB)

three-cut (conventional) system 1st cut 2nd cut 3rd cut 4th cut 5th cut

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area (ha) 20.5 14.5 12.0

yield (t/ha) 6.0 4.5 3.0

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five-cut (multi-cut) system

total dry yield (t) 123 65 36

cost (£/ha) total cost (£) 136 2,788 104 1,508 104 1,248

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area (ha) 18.2 16.1 13.0 13.0 12.0

yield (t/ha) total dry yield (t) 4.5 82 3.0 48 3.0 39 2.1 27 2.1 25 221

cost (£/ha) 136 104 104 104 104

total cost (£) 2,475 1,674 1.352 1.352 1,248 8,101

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return additional cost of silage making (220 tonnes DM) target improvement in ME extra energy in the clamp (220 tonnes DM) extra milk from forage (5.3MJ/litre) value of extra milk from forage (26ppl) ROI (extra milk from forage minus extra cost)

£2,557 +1MJ/kg ME 220,000MJ 41,500 litres £10,800 £8,243

Table 2: Return on investment

early season growth of high D-value grass, so leys should comprise modern perennial ryegrasses, selected with the right attributes from the Recommended Grass and Clover List. Then it’s about ensuring that every step of the process maximises the potential of turning quality grass into high energy forage.”

Volac’s Jackie Bradley says that while some of the basic steps of making good quality silage won’t change if taking the multi-cut approach, some will require greater focus.

“By cutting earlier with a multi-cut system you’re trying to capture grass when it has a higher digestibility and metabolisable energy content, as well as a higher protein content,” she explains.

“So you don’t want to see those nutrients going to waste. When wilting, for example, I’d still urge producers to wilt as rapidly as possible to a target dry matter of between 28% and 32%, with the aim of achieving the optimum balance between minimising crop losses in the field and minimising effluent losses from the clamp – just as if using conventional cutting.

“However, as the yield of individual cuts is likely to be lighter you may find you can quickly wilt down to this dry matter.

That’s a benefit, but it is important not leave it to wilt longer than necessary, because nutrients could decline.”

Mrs Bradley adds that achieving good

fermentation may also need attention with multi-cut silage – owing partly to it being higher in protein. “A higher protein content in silage tends to affect the fermentation by increasing buffering. The beneficial acid produced during fermentation, which preserves the silage, tends to be neutralised to some degree.

“To avoid this, there is a strong case for including a proven silage additive to improve fermentation efficiency with multi-cut silage. And from a cost perspective, since the yield of individual grass cuts will be lighter with multicut and additives are applied per tonne of forage, the cost of the additive should be lower per cut than if using a more traditional cutting programme,” she adds.

Chop length is also vital. Grass crops that are younger and contain less stem material are generally easier to consolidate, so there is some latitude, and indeed benefit, to using longer chop lengths. “This is not only to give it structure in the clamp and to reduce the chance of clamp slippage, but also to provide some fibre back into the diet.

When it comes to feed out, the diet may also need balancing with extra fibre for optimum rumen function,” she adds.

“Other areas to check with a multi-cut system include crop nutrition. Avoid heavy slurry applications within 10

More mowing: frequent cuts result in plenty of high quality grass silage

Ben Wixey: “It’s vital to ensure that leys are in the best possible condition”

Jackie Bradley: “There’s a strong case for including a proven silage additive”

weeks of cutting. Also, with shorter cutting intervals, any slurry applications will need to be made immediately after fields are harvested. Slurry must also be injected into the soil to avoid contaminating the grass.”

Additional costs Bought-in feed costs savings are potentially significant and need to outweigh any additional costs incurred in silage making. “There are, without doubt, going to be higher costs involved when you move from a conventional two- or three-cut system to a multi-cut approach, with five or more cuts,” says Mr Wixey.

“We estimate that the cost of making silage could increase by between 40% and 50%. But by increasing the energy content of silage, by just 1MJ/kg ME, we believe the extra milk production from forage can deliver a three- or four-fold return on that investment.

“A more progressive approach to silage making, which means cutting the grass before it diverts energy into seedhead production, also means that leys will last longer. The investment in reseeding will pay, in any case, due to the extra production per hectare achieved, so adopting a management practice that extends the life of the ley is an additional bonus.” l

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Dinner is served: cows tuck into fresh grass at the feed fence

Cut-and-carry benefits can soon recoup investment in machinery

Grass ‘meals on wheels’ Zero grazing can reduce waste and increase grass dry matter

specialist and some producers who have adopted the system

diet. “This can help to reduce the cost of bought-in feed and grass silage requirements, which can have a positive effect on the cost of production by increasing milk from forage.”

with considerable success.

Dry-matter intakes

intakes – and much more besides. We spoke to a leading grass

text Rachael Porter

A

s with any management technique, there are pros and cons to zero grazing. And it’s not something that makes practical or economic sense on every unit.

But where it could be successfully adopted, there can be a myriad of benefits. So says Limagrain UK’s grassland specialist Ian Misselbrook.

“To start with, there’s less waste.

Leys are not being trampled or soiled

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by livestock when grass is cut and fed direct to the cows,” he says. “Zero grazing also gives producers control of how much grass they feed to cows, as well as potentially increasing the longevity of leys. And producers have access to grass in fields that cows may not easily be able to graze – they may be too far away from the unit or across busy roads.”

He adds that zero grazing also offers the potential to feed cows a more consistent

Mr Misselbrook cites figures from SRUC Crichton Royal work in 2016 that shows that he cost of milk production could be reduced by 7ppl in zero-grazed herds.

“Dry matter intakes increase too. When cows graze grass, dry matter intakes are typically around 15kg DM/day. But with zero grazing dry matter intakes are between 18kg DM and 19kg DM per day.”

So, what’s stopping more producers from making the switch? “Topography and soil type are limiting factors on some units,” he adds. “And others are also put off by the capital outlay required. It’s a major investment in specialist kit.”

2018

01-03-18 09:10

That said, he says that this cost can be offset, and quickly, by reduced requirements for bought-in feed and grass silage, and lower cow track maintenance costs.

Hybrid mixtures “It’s important that producers opting for zero grazing invest in cutting leys – correct choice of grass species and good coverage are key to zero-grazing success,” adds Mr Misselbrook. “Hybrid mixtures work well – leys that are designed for both cutting and grazing. And species that will ‘stand up’ to the mower.”

He says that it’s advisable to talk to your local grass seed merchant: “They should be able to supply you with a bespoke blend to suit your specific needs.”

As for zero grazing itself, he says that producers should cut once a day when the grass is dry and sugar levels are at their peak – typically from late morning to midday, or in the afternoon. “The sugars are at their highest then and any moisture will have evaporated.”

With more than eight years’ zerograzing experience under his belt, Alex Robertson knows a lot about how to ‘cut and carry’ successfully. He’s the manager of the 500-cow herd at Coopon Carse Farm, in Wigtownshire.

The catalyst for the move to zero grazing back in 2010 was spiralling protein prices, but he’s seen so many other benefits from adopting the system, aside from reduced feed costs, since then.

It’s the unit’s high rainfall, cow numbers and heavy clay that lend themselves to zero grazing, according to Mr Robertson.

“It’s not a good combination if you want to graze cows. Zero grazing is a far better way for us to utilise grass, and the lighter soils, at our unit – particularly

Alex Robertson: “We have reduced our bought-in protein feed costs”

Ian Misselbrook: “Zero grazing reduces waste and can increase dry-matter intakes”

when the only thing that grows really well here is grass.”

Mr Robertson has been using Sinclair McGill’s Scotsward mixture for silage for many years: “Because it gives us a good cutting window and doesn’t head too quickly. It also produces a dense sward, which stands well and lends itself to cutting. And we see strong regrowth too,” he adds.

“Sometimes we’ll cut a field up to seven times during the growing season and we always see good regrowth.”

Mr Robertson begins zero grazing in mid-April and continues through to early September, depending on the weather. He cuts two loads of grass each day, anytime between 10.00 am and 11.00 am: “This allows the sugar levels in the grass to rise a little.”

Upright sward This mixture comprises mid-season and late perennial ryegrasses, as well as a white clover blend and Timothy grass.

“The latter helps the sward to ‘stand up’ to the mower,” says Mr Misselbrook. “It’s a medium- to long-term cutting mixture, developed for either zero grazing or silage, but it also offers grazing qualities and the clover contributes to a good aftermath,” he adds.

“It’s a mixture that was designed to thrive in the slightly harsher climate of Scotland and Northern Ireland, but producers further south are also sowing it, particularly on zero grazing units.”

Feeding out: ensure that fresh grass can be easily placed along the feed fence

Wet conditions He weighs it as he harvests it, using a Lely mower and a Schuitemaker forage wagon with weigh cells, ensuring he doesn’t waste grass by taking more than he needs. He mows around 5kg DM per cow per day – that’s between 35kg and 37kg fresh weight per cow, depending on how wet conditions are, and it weighs in at upwards of 15 tonnes per day. “If it’s been raining I need to cut a bit more.”

The herd is currently averaging 11,000 litres at 3.9% butterfat and 3.3% protein.

Feed conversion efficiency is an impressive 1.55. Most notable for Mr Robertson is the reduction in bought-in protein costs.

“Ensuring that the cows have access to fresh grass 160 days of the year has seen our feed bill for concentrate alone fall by around £60,000,” he says.

His latest figures show a cost saving of £1.00 per cow per day – or 3.3ppl on 30 litres – by feeding fresh grass. “And we’re also saving on making silage to feed them through the wetter or slower grassgrowing periods during the summer.”

Mr Robertson adds that it costs him £4.65 to feed cows a tonne of fresh grass, compared to £11.26 to feed a tonne of silage. “That’s more than twice the cost of zero-grazed grass and fresh grass also has a higher ME and more protein than silage.”

Ayrshire-based producer Colin Murdoch has also seen cost savings on his unit since he began zero-grazing his 200-cow Holstein herd. “The cost of producing a litre of milk during the summer is now between 4ppl and 4.5ppl, compared to between 9ppl and 10ppl in the winter.”

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Fresh feast: cows take a little longer at the feed fence to eat grass, compared to a TMR, so make sure they have plenty of space

Wet weather and the low milk price were catalysts for the switch in system in 2014. “Grass was ready to graze in March, but wet weather meant we rarely got cows out to graze before mid-May. Our ‘grazing’ window was becoming narrower and feed prices were spiralling. We knew we had to take a different approach.”

The zero-grazing wagon can go out from mid-February and cut-and-carry continues throughout the spring, summer and early autumn: “We zerograze until grass growth and quality is such that the cows are better off on a grass silage-only ration,” he says.

Summer 2017 was exceptionally wet and the zero-grazing system really came into its own. “We still see the equivalent of a six-month ‘grazing’ season, whereas our neighbours managed just three weeks.”

Mr Murdoch invested in a zero-grazer machine, supplied by Ireland-based Grass Technology. “It’s a self-loading machine with three axles and wide low-pressure tyres, which reduces sward and soil profile damage. And it cuts the grass and lifts it straight into the trailer. There’s little, if any, bruising to the leaf and that helps to prevent heating and loss of nutritional value,” he explains.

Mr Murdoch adds that the machine paid for itself in just six months in reduced bought-in feed and silage making costs. “We only take two cuts for silage now. That’s 100 hectares for first cut, compared to the 122 hectares that were cut annually prior to adopting zero-grazing, and 60

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Colin Murdoch: “Our zero-grazing machine paid for itself in six months”

William Chestnutt: “Be prepared for the commitment of cutting grass each day”

hectares of second-cut silage, down from 82 hectares.”

could be on and off, due to bad weather.

“So not only were leys not being grazed efficiently, but the rations were also inconsistent. It all came to a head in 2013, when conditions were so wet that we took the decision to keep the cows inside and continue feeding their winter ration.”

Inevitably, that meant that Mr Chestnutt fed a lot of bought-in feed: “Around 3.8 tonnes per cow. And that wasn’t sustainable. So we began zero grazing in 2014 and haven’t looked back since.”

His advice to producers considering cut and carry, apart from ensuring that grass leys are suitable and being prepared for the extra commitment of cutting and carting grass every day, is to ensure that feed passageways are wide enough.

“Make sure that once you’ve hauled it back to the farm that you can easily feed it to the cows. Any waste, resulting from handling difficulties, can negate the benefits of the system. And also make sure that there’s extra feed space for your cows. It takes them longer to eat the fresh grass than it does to eat a TMR. So they need plenty of room.” l

Ley potential Portrush-based producer William Chestnutt also makes less silage since switching to a zero-grazing system. A contractor used to cut a total of 285 hectares each year for grass silage. That’s been reduced by 100 hectares since he invested in a zero grazer. “At around £150 per hectare, that’s quite a cost saving,” he says, adding that reduced bought-in feed costs and producing more milk from forage are the other drivers for adopting a ‘cut and carry’ system.

Like Mr Murdoch, he was struggling to graze cows due to wet weather conditions and felt that he simply wasn’t producing enough milk from the grass grown on his unit. “Too much was being wasted and we were not tapping into the true potential of our grass leys.”

Turnout for his 270-cow predominantly autumn-block calved herd, which he runs in partnership with his father James, was typically late May and, even then, grazing

2018

01-03-18 09:10

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BREEDING INFORMATION

Ovalert: keep an eye on your cows – 24 hours a day Increasing herd size and a drive towards greater efficiency are the prevalent trends in the dairy industry. This means that it is a constant challenge to keep account of individual animals. So how can you keep an eye on them 24 hours a day? And how can you ensure that they remain healthy with good fertility results?

Ovalert detects and identifies health and fertility issues earlier and more effectively than the human eye. Its hightech sensors detect cow behaviour, including feed intake, rumination, standing and lying times, and signs of heat. The system converts these signals into management information. The benefits of the systems including fewer health issues. Any potential health problems are detected in an earlier stage, which is particularly important in the transition period. There’s also a lower risk of disease and this results in reduced health costs and lower culling rates. It also increases the average of the herd and this results in extra milk yield, across more lactations, per cow, as well as improved efficiency.

For more information visit: www.crvavoncroft.com/service/ovalert

CRV representatives Several new representatives have recently joined the CRV Avoncroft sales team.

Not sure who your local representative is? Then take a look at the map below.

For more information visit: www.crvavoncroft.com North Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway: – Lizzie Bland (07837 642225) South Cumbria: – Alan Mason (07494 559462) Lancashire: – Tim Martin (07969 284776) Central & West Wales, West Midlands: – Richard Williams (07711 046889) Somerset, Devon and Cornwall: – Emma Beckley (07387 268615)

Lizzie Alan Tim

Apina Norman daughters Apina Norman’s first daughters are now calving in the UK and they look promising. Six were recently classified from the Sherdon Holstein herd, based at Chawleigh in Devon. All were classified VG: one at 87 points, four with 86 points, and one scored 85 points. So it’s little wonder that the Palmer family is pleased with this Numero Uno son.

Norman is out of Ramos daughter Apina Nadja (EX90) and he is the former number-one sire for PLI and now scores 576 PLI.

Tour of Germany A group of UK producers visited Bavaria, in the southern part of Germany, in February. They spent time at several units with Fleckvieh herds, as well as CRV’s bull station and an auction.

Delegates were also given an informative presentation on CRV’s Fleckvieh breeding goals and cross-breeding possibilities.

“It was also great to visit herds that are using the same bulls that are on offer in the UK,” says CRV Avoncroft’s Alan Mason. “We saw some Wobbler heifers that were milking well and they had good feet, legs and udder attachment – both front and rear. They also had great teat positioning.”

Richard B.

Richard W.

Emma

East Midlands: – Richard Bosley (07970 564236)

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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FORAGE FOCUS

Slow-release phosphate to maximise spring grass yield Advanced grasses boost productivity

Phosphate plays a key role in energy supply, root growth and tillering, and its availability is crucial for grass growth in the spring. Grass’ requirement for phosphate (P) is small when compared to nitrogen but availability is essential.

Availability is reduced by low temperatures in spring and grass uptake in April and May can reach 0.6kg per day. At this rate of uptake, the release of P from soil reserve is insufficient, so mineral sources are necessary to top up these reserves to maximise yield and herbage P concentration.

Phosphate in fertiliser is made up of 100% ortho-P or water-soluble P. This, however, creates its own problems.

When water soluble phosphate is applied to soil it becomes ‘locked up’ by iron and aluminium, with a significant portion fixed just two weeks after application.

YaraMila NPKS products overcome this problem, as they contain both water

soluble phosphate and P-Extend. The phosphate in P-Extend is not fixed by the soil but becomes available over time as its availability is triggered by root exudates.

This ideal combination of two phosphate fractions, rather than one, results in superior availability of P during the peak grass growing months of April, May and June.

YaraMila Stock Booster S and Silage Booster compound prilled NPKS fertilisers, available from ForFarmers, also contain sodium and selenium for use on grazing and silage grassland to help dry matter yield, grass protein quality, and animal fertility.

YaraMila Actyva S is recommended for use on newly-sown leys.

For more information on fertiliser recommendations, please contact your ForFarmers account manager or ask to speak to one of our regional forage specialists.

Telephone 0845 070 6280 or email info.forage@forfarmers.eu.

Figure 1: Phosphate levels in soil solution fall sharply after a short period

soil solution P concentration

ortho-P (water-soluble)

Advanced grasses, which are included in many ForFarmers TOPGRASS mixtures, are created by crossing fescues with ryegrasses to create a grass variety with high forage quality combined with good persistence, stress tolerance and disease resistance. Trials have shown yield increases of between 10% and 50%.

Fescues are deep-rooting so they are good for dry ground as the roots grow outward looking for moisture and in wet conditions, as they absorb more water making them highly stress tolerant.

Advanced Italian grasses are Italians crossed with a fescue and the latest varieties, Perseus and Perun, perform well where Italian leys would typically be sown. Ideal for short-term mixtures, they will persist for up to four years, compared to the typical one or two years for standard Italian mixes.

Perseus and Perun are quick to recover after drought or wet conditions.

Regrowth is much quicker, providing the optimum cutting height has been used. These varieties can replace Italian ryegrass in silage and aftermath grazing mixtures.

The Advanced hybrid variety Lofa has the attributes of a hybrid ryegrass, but exhibits improved persistence and stress tolerance compared to standard hybrid ryegrass varieties.

Advanced grasses, pictured on the right, offer higher yields

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Ambic is a world leading specialist in the development and production of innovative, udder health and dairy hygiene equipment.

Visit our website or contact us for further details.

Ambic Equipment Limited 1 Parkside, Avenue Two, Station Lane, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 4YF, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1993 701936/7 Fax: +44 (0) 1993 779039 Email: sales@ambic.co.uk

www.ambic.co.uk

NEW

Low Level Alarm System

Flash’n’Text™ is an electronic low level alarm which operates in conjunction with float switches to detect low levels of chemical in up to six chemical containers simultaneously. When the level of one or more of the chemicals falls below a pre-determined level the device sends out an sms text message to up to 5 preprogrammed mobile phone numbers identifying the container and type of chemical which is low to initiate a replenishment of supplies.

The system can be programmed individually via a laptop computer or PC to send a customised message specific to each of the six channels. A reminder is also automatically generated at timed intervals until the text message is acknowledged.

An external aerial is available as an option to boost the signal in remote areas or areas of weak signal strength.

Teat Spraying • Teat Foaming • Teat Dipping • Chemical Dosing • Chemical Dispensing • Cow Positioning • Udder Health

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Standard-motor and energy-saving motor New start function: START by rotation of brushes Flexible and robust in all directions Information, pictures, video: www.schurr2brush.com

NEW DESIGN: 2-brush-system for calves, goats, pigs!

Schurr Gerätebau GmbH +49 (0) 7374 / 91160

MAKE SURE THAT IT‘s SCHURR.

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Office 01635 865882 or Jeremy on 07768 233004 sales@lojerproducts.co.uk www.LojerLedLighting.co.uk

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F R O M

T H E

V E T E R I N A RY

P I E R S

P R A C T I C E

P E P P E R E L L

Dairy vet Piers Pepperell, from Somerset-based Mount Vets Farm Practice (part of the XL Vet Group) takes a look at the cause of uterine prolapse and what can be done to treat and prevent it.

Optimising body condition score is key to preventing uterine prolapse

Avoid ‘fat’ and ‘thin’ cows U

terine prolapse only occurs after calving and is typically the result of cows being too fat. If the cow’s body condition score is too high at calving, excessive fat in and around the pelvis and birth canal can mean that there’s less space for the calf. This can result in a difficult calving and cause excessive bruising and irritation.

It’s this irritation that causes the real problem because it stimulates the cow to keep pushing, even when the calf has been born. As a result, she can push out her uterus.

It’s a particular problem in cows and heifers with a BCS of 4.5 or more, so it’s vital to keep BCS at an optimum during the dry period. But cows that are excessively thin, with a lower than optimum BCS, can also suffer from this condition. They too can have a difficult calving due to a shear lack of muscle strength along with a weakness in the ligaments that holds everything in place. However, most cases in the UK are seen in ‘fat’ cows.

Treatment must be prompt. Uterine prolapse is an emergency; not due to the risk of infection but because the cow is at risk of hypothermia and damage to the exposed uterine tissue. Once outside the body, the cow will work hard to keep the uterus at body temperature. Because it is very large after calving it loses a lot of heat very quickly. In addition to this, just the sheer weight – between 25kg and 20kg – could cause a tear in the artery leading to the uterus. So if you see it, act quickly.

Remove the afterbirth, cover the uterus with a clean towel, or similar, to protect it and keep it warm, and call the vet. Keep the cow still and, if she’s on her feet, keep her standing. This will make replacing it that much easier.

The encyclopaedia Uterine prolapse Causes Uterine prolapse is typically seen in ‘fat’ cows post calving and caused by excessive ‘pushing’, stimulated by bruising and damage to the birth canal during a difficult calving. Can also be seen, occasionally, in cows that are too thin at calving.

Treatment Speed is key. Keep the cow still and the uterus warm and clean. Vet will wash the

uterus and administer an epidural before manually manipulating the uterus back into place. Pain relief should then administered. This reduces the irritation caused by the difficult calving and blocks the urge to strain and then push the uterus back out. Oxytocin is also given, to help the uterus to contract. On-going TLC plus a bottle of calcium is recommended, as this can also aid muscle contraction.

Prevention Dry cow management is key. Ensure that cows don’t get too fat, or are too thin, during the dry period. Aim for a body condition score of 3 to 3.5 at calving.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Ovalert detects and identifies health and fertility signals earlier and more effectively than the human eye.

It functions as your sixth sense to make your herd more efficient and easier to manage. Ovalert in a nutshell:

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B R E E D I N G

Five-step approach to draw up a plan to suit your unit

Breed cows to suit your system CRV has introduced a system to help producers breed the right cow to suit their management system. We spoke to a breeding specialist to find out more about this tailored approach. text Rachael Porter

T

o get the best performance from any dairy management set up, breeding cows to suit a particular system is the way to go. And, recognising this, CRV has introduced its ‘farming systems navigator’. This outlines a five-step approach to help producers draw up a breeding plan that fits their specific farming system. It recognises four different systems: grazing, semi grazing, semi mixed ration and mixed ration.

So what is the ideal cow for each dairy management system? “Let’s start with grazing, where cows produce milk from a ration of almost exclusively grass and forage,” says CRV’s breeding specialist Peter van Elzakker. “As the cows are predominantly kept and grazed outside,

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supplement feeding is kept to a minimum.

And production efficiency and the lowest costs of production are the main focus.

The aim is maximise output, be that milk volume or milk solids, per hectare of grassland and to also reduce cost of production and increase efficiency.”

The ideal ‘grazing’ cow, which best suits this system offers, among other attributes, high output (solids or litres) per kilogramme of body weight (see box on page 45).

Semi-grazing system The second of the four systems outlined

by CRV’s farming systems navigator is the semi-grazing system, which is probably most applicable to the UK.

“Cows produce milk from a ration of predominantly grass that is supplemented, usually all year round, by silage and other bought-in feeds,” says Mr van Elzakker. “Units managed on this system have the infrastructure for feeding and housing and production efficiency and flexible cost of production the main focus. And producers are aiming for a balanced output per hectare and production per cow – be that milk volume or fat and protein.”

This system also has built-in flexibility, to increase farm output when milk prices are high and decrease costs when milk prices are low. “It’s designed to weather market volatility, which is vital if the business is to remain viable and sustainable in the long term.”

The ideal ‘semi grazing’ cow, to suit this management system, offers high yields and is relatively trouble free or ‘invisible’ within the herd.

The third system option is the semimixed-ration system. In this system, cows produce high volumes of milk or solids, from a predominantly total mixed

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Peter van Elzakker

weather conditions are conducive.

“Producers managing their herd on this system are aiming for maximum feed efficiency, resulting in a positive margin over feed and optimum cow health.

The system also tries to optimise grazing utilisation, when available, without sacrificing output,” adds Mr van Elzakker. The ideal ‘semi mixed ration’ cow has a high lifetime production and offers good feed efficiency.

Feed efficiency

ration (TMR), which can also include grazed pasture. Cow are predominantly housed but are grazed when field and

The fourth option – the mixed ration system – sees cows producing high volumes of milk or solids from a carefully formulated ration while permanently housed.

“This system has become increasingly popular in the UK during the past few years, as average herd size has expanded and land available has stayed the same,” explains Mr van Elzakker.

He adds that producers managing cows on this system are looking to maximise feed efficiency, which results in a positive margin over feed and optimum cow performance.

“It also allows cows to realise their genetic potential.”

Again, the ideal ‘mixed ration’ cow has a high lifetime production yield and good feed efficiency.

Once producers have identified the type of cow that best suits their management system CRV’s farm system navigator then highlights the breeding goals and traits, which require attention and selection, to produce the different cows that are suited to each of the four management systems.

“For grazing systems, for example, the navigator outlines three breeding schemes: Friesian, Jersey and crossbreed.

The latter mixes Friesian and/or grazing Jersey bloodlines with Holstein Friesian,” explains Mr van Elzakker.

“For mixed ration systems, at the other end of the herd management scale, three breeding schemes using Holstein and US Jersey bloodlines are most suitable for producing cows and heifers, which will thrive and produce milk efficiently in a high-input situation.”

This navigation tool is designed to help producers breed cows that will perform best in their particularly management system – and the type of cows that they prefer to milk. Not all producers will want to go down the Jersey route – even if they’re running a grazing-based system.

“This development from CRV is about offering choice, without compromise.

And, with many decades of breeding expertise, and experience on a variety of dairy units in both the UK and the rest of the world, we think that our knowledge and technical tools can do just that.” l

Cow characteristics to suit the four different herd management systems typically seen in the UK Grazing

Semi-mixed ration

• High output (milk yield or constituents) per kg of body weight • Trouble free and easy calving • Robust and good feet and legs • Aggressive grazer – eat a lot of grass and quickly • Fertility – to calve within a block each year • Relatively low body weight of less than 500kg LW

• High lifetime production • Good feed efficiency • Flexibility when it comes to feed intake (TMR or grazing) • Robust, good feet and legs and good udder quality • Good disease resistance • Medium to high body weight of more than 500kg LW

Semi grazing

Mixed ration

• High output (milk yield or constituents) per kg of body weight • Trouble free • Easy calving • Good longevity and fertility • Good udder – particularly fore and rear attachment • Medium body weight or less than 550kg LW

• High lifetime production • Good feed efficiency • Good udder, strong feet and legs, robust • Good health/strong immune system (trouble free) • Higher body weight (more than 550kg LW) compared to cows bred to suit other management systems

C O WCMOAWN M AA GN E M AG E N E M T ESNE TP TME A M RB CE H R

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

Scottish herd stays on top

Survey shows positive trends Improvements in cow health, fertility and lifetime production are reflected in the latest key performance indicator (KPI) report, published by the University of Reading. The report, now in its eighth year, analyses data from a cross-section of 500 NMRrecorded herds “We’ve seen a marked increase in fertility from 2010 to 2017, with an increase of 8% in cows pregnant by 100 days post calving,” says James Hanks, who co-authors the report with Mohamad Kossaibati.

Looking at herd average cell count, the mid point across the 500 herds is now 179,000 cells/ml, down from 210,000 cells/ml in 2010. “The top 25% of herds are now achieving an average 145,000 cells/ml.”

Equally impressive is the reduction

from 14% to 10% in the proportion of ‘chronic’ high SCC cows kept in herds – those with cell counts above 200,000 cells/ml in consecutive recordings.

Lifetime daily milk per cow per day, which includes the rearing period, has improved by 1.8kg from 2010 to 2017.

The mid point is now 12.3kg/cow/day with the top 25% of herds achieving 14.4kg/cow/day.

Data from the KPI report are used by producers, advisers and vets to benchmark individual herd performance for key parameters against that of the 500 study herds, as part of NMR’s InterHerd+ dairy management program.

Targets are based on the levels achieved by the top 25% of herds.

The full report is available: https://www.nmr.co.uk/software/interherdkpi-study-2017

Messrs Harvey from Beeswing, in Dumfries, have retained their position as top Holstein production herd in NMR’s latest Annual Production Report for the year ending September 2017.

In the Shorthorn listings, JS Knowles from Yorkshire retains top place. Leading the Ayrshires is the Tinklers’ Park Head herd, also based in Yorkshire.

P L Boam’s herd from Derbyshire moves into top place in the Jersey rankings and the Griffins’ herd from the Isle of Wight is the top production Guernsey herd.

Nerewater Farm’s herd, from Cumbria, is first placed British Friesian herd.

The report, with national and regional rankings, is available to NMR customers and can be accessed on the website with an individual password available from NMR customer services.

HerdWise walk

NMR Chairman Anglesey-based producer Trevor Lloyd has succeeded Philip Kirkham as NMR chairman, having previously been the vice chairman. This succession follows Philip Kirkham’s announcement in October 2017 to stand down. Philip will remain on the NMR Board as a nonexecutive director for a short time to ensure a smooth hand over to Trevor and the NMR’s recently appointed non-executive director Mike Gallacher.

The 2017 winner of the NMR HerdWise best practice award, Tim and Louise Downes, will host a walk at The Farm, in Longnor near Shrewsbury, on Thursday April 19, 2018. The winner of the 2018 award will also be announced at the walk. The event is open to all producers. Preregistration is required. Please contact herdwise@nmr.co.uk.

Business manager Vicky Ellis is NMR’s new business manager in the south west. Based in Truro, she is responsible for NMR’s field team and for its milk recording and disease testing services in Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, and part of Somerset.

From a farming background, Vicky grew up

in Cornwall on a beef and sheep unit. She studied at Bicton College and was a member of the Young Farmers Club, representing Cornwall YFC and winning a YFC scholarship to Ontario in 1991.

Vicky has a career spanning 12 years in the dairy sector in national and regional roles.

For more information on NMR products and services contact customer services, 03330 043 043, NMR web address: www.nmr.co.uk, NMR email address: customerservices@nmr.co.uk COW MAN AG E ME N T

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IDENTIFY HEALTH EVENTS BEFORE THEY BECOME A PROBLEM! “We now exactly know a cow’s eating behavior after calving. Before we just had to guess. Now we use the rumination and inactivity features to analyze a fresh cow’s health and will keep a cow separated longer if needed. We are now able to monitor our fresh cows better, resulting in 2 additional litres per cow per day in the first 60 days of their lactation.”

Marcel Rijkers (Manager Koepon dairy farm)

OPTIMUM TIME PER DAY SPENT BY A COW

EATING & RUMINATION HOURS RUMINATION MEALS

HOURS EATING

7-10 9-14 4-6

STEPS & LYING TIME

12-14 11 2500-3000 HOURS LYING

LYING PERIODS

STEPS

Grant, R., Albright, J.2001. Effect of animal grouping on feeding behaviour and intake of dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science. 84(E. Suppl.): E156-E163

INTERESTED?

Call 01727 884534 or mail george.collins@altagenetics.com

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Progression through innovation

COATINGS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL CC Feedline Coating For increased feed intake

CC Wall and Floor Coatings Robot Rooms - Milking Parlours - Dairies

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MAY 4: HOUSING / EQUIPMENT Book your advertisement now! Deadline for reservation: April 23

Call: Jonathan Davies, 07970 017243 COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS

2018

First bite: some cows are already out and grazing early-spring leys Picture: Mark Pasveer

March 10: May 10: May 16-19: May 30-June 2: June 7-9: June 21-24: July 4-5: July 10-12: July 23-26: September 12: September 13: October 3: October 30:

Borderway UK Dairy Expo, Carlisle, Cumbria Grassland UK, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Balmoral Show, Balmoral Park, Lisburn Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Royal Cornwall Show, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, Cornwall Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Scotland TotalDairy Seminar, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Stratford-upon-Avon Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, Powys UK Dairy Day, Telford International Centre, Shropshire Westmorland County Show, Crooklands, Cumbria The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen

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

Editorial team

Chief Editor Jaap van der Knaap Editor Rachael Porter Phone 01394 270587 E-mail rachael@reporterjournalism.co.uk Editing, design and production Veeteelt Contributing writers Emily Ball, Karen Bond, Roger Evans, Sara Gregson, James Marshall, Allison Matthews, Matt Mellor 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 internet www.cowmanagement.co.uk

Subscriptions

CowManagement is available free of charge to customers of NMR, Avoncroft and Thompsons.

If you think you are eligible, please contact: National Milk Records plc, Fox Talbot House, Greenways Business Park, Bellinger Close, Chippenham SN15 1BN Phone 03330 043043 E-mail customerservices@NMR.co.uk www.isubscribe.co.uk

Advertisements

Jonathan Davies, NMR. Phone 07970 017243 E-mail jonathand@nmr.co.uk Marco Jansen, Froukje Visser P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands, E-mail marco.jansen@crv4all.com

Illustrations/pictures

Photographs by Veeteelt Photography and Eveline van Elk (8).

Disclaimer

Alta ...........................................................48 Ambic ....................................................7, 40 Animax ......................................................52 ARK Agriculture .........................................18 Astrotracks ................................................10 Berry Agriculture........................................49 Biotal .........................................................24 Cogent UK ..................................................4 Concept Cowhouse Ltd. ......................20, 49 Cosy Calf ...................................................36 CowCare Systems ........................................7 CowManagement......................................49 Cowsfeet ...................................................38 CRV Avoncroft Ltd./CRV .....................21, 42 Dairy Spares ..............................................18 DP Agri................................................20, 38 Elanco AH..................................................15

Farmplus....................................................37 ForFarmers/Thompsons .............................33 Intershape .................................................37 Limagrain UK...............................................5 Lojer LED ...................................................40 Micron.......................................................34 Mole Valley Farmers ..................................10 MSD AH ......................................................2 NMR .....................................................6, 51 Quicktag ...................................................46 Quill Productions .......................................37 SecureCovers .............................................38 Schurr Gerätebau.......................................40 Spinder Stalinrichting .................................40 Teemore Engineering Ltd. ..........................20 Volac .........................................................10 Zinpro........................................................43

COMING UP

H o u s in g an d eq u ip m en t sp ecial April/May (May 4) – We focus on housing and dairy equipment in this issue’s special and we will also feature the second article in our staff-shortage solutions series.

CowManagement does not necessarily share the views expressed by contributors. No responsibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers. No responsibility can be accepted by CRV Holding BV for the opinions expressed by contributors. Whilst every effort is made to obtain reliable and accurate information, liability cannot be accepted for errors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

Printer Stephens and George Ltd. Phone 01685 352097 ISSN 1570-5641

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NMR Protecting your asset page advert FINAL.qxp_Layout 1 26/06/2017 16:20 Page 1

Are your future assets protected?

Ensure you are aware of the challenges they face using NMR HerdWise and protect your investment by making informed management decisions.

Quarterly screening for Johne’s disease using NMR milk recording samples.

For more info call 03330 043 043 www.nmr.co.uk

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