Cowmanagement May 2019

M AY 2019

Preventing heat stress:

tips and ideas to keep cows cool

Bull-proof run highlights and breeding watch points

British Friesians dominate at one Norfolk-based dairy unit

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CONTENT FEATURE S

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From the editor Cow talk Value added: outdoor-event catering Roger Evans NMR Dairy Management News ForFarmers Nutritional News/ Thompsons Nutritional News 39 CRV Avoncroft Breeding Information 43 Boehringer Ingelheim Health News 50 Events and contacts

main article heat stress

MAIN A RT IC L E

8 Act now to pre-empt heat-stress issues REPORT

14 British Friesians are the one constant at a family-run dairy unit HEA LTH

20 Plan parasite control – improve performance SPECIAL

23 Cow grooming, heat-stress solutions, and product news FEEDIN G

8 special housing & equipment

feeding grazing crops

32 Multispecies leys add width to grazing shoulders 40 Avoiding the ‘dilution factor’/Rumen health should be monitored all year round BREEDI N G

36 April bull proofs 44 Tapping into true heifer potential 48 Modern breeding facility offers high quality genetics

MAY 2019

Preventing heat stress:

tips and ideas l to keep cows coo

Hefin Richards:

Margaret Burroughs:

“Changes to feeding management can help to keep cows cool”

“British Friesians outperform the other breeds that we have in our dairy herd”

ed at one Norfolk-bas dairy unit

and breeding watch points

AGE MEN T.CO

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British Friesians dominate

Bull-proof run highlights

.COW MAN ST NEWS AT WWW GET THE LATE

23

.UK

SPRING GRAZING

Cows are out and enjoying fresh grass and the sun on their backs Picture: Els Korsten

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14 cowmanagement MAY 2019

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FROM THE EDITOR

It’s ‘go’ for grass –

but say ‘no’ to heat stress The unseasonably warm weather at the end of April not only produced some welcome rigorous grass growth but – as evidenced by numerous posts on Twitter – also spurred producers on, in some parts of the UK, to take their first silage cut of the season.

With an increasing number of herds looking to reap the benefits of adopting a multi-cut system, here’s hoping that the warm and dry spell is followed by a period of showers and that this perfect grass growing weather pattern continues throughout the 2019 season. Again, images posted online also provide evidence that some grassland is still parched after the 2018 drought and more rain is definitely needed to get that back into full production and reseeds off to a flying start.

With another nod to summer 2018, we’ve two articles on heat stress in this issue. One takes a look at the impact that the hot weather has had on herds, even six months down the line. And what producers can do

to mitigate the risk of heat stress impacting on yields, health and fertility this spring and summer. The second article, which is part of our housing and equipment special, looks at no-cost and low-cost options to keep cows cool as temperatures rise.

We also have articles that take a closer look at gut worm control, balancing grazing to protect rumen function and butterfat production, and the breeding benefits of genomic testing heifers.

Two-time NMR/RABDF Gold Cup runner up James Tomlinson shares his thoughts on the latest bull proof rankings. Our regular ‘value added’ column has a summer feel, featuring a Somerset-based producer who has diversified into catering at large outdoor events, including many key music festivals.

And Roger Evan’s shares what he learnt while eavesdropping at his own kitchen table and stresses the importance of regularly changing milking liners – not least to maintain milk and udder hygiene standards.

RACHAEL PORTER

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COWTALK

Prize winner’s calf hutch ‘gift’ Lancashire-based producer Emma Wilkinson is the proud owner of a new VDK CalfOTel calf hutch and pen – first prize in CowManagement’s snowball throwing competition at Dairy-Tech 2019.

The hutch was actually won by student

Nicole Welch, from Hurst Green near Clitheroe, who works as a relief milker for Emma and her family. Nicole gave the hutch to Emma as a gift. Pictured are VDK sales manager Ceesjan Huiden and Emma.

Congratulations, Nicole and Emma.

Forage guide highlights summer options The hot and dry summer in 2018 has encouraged producers to look at a wider range of forage crops. And all the latest options are included in Limagrain’s 2019 Essential Guide to Forage Crops.

“We’ve recently seen more interest in summer forages that can be sown from May to August,” says Limagrain’s Martin Titley.

“Many producers are interested in lucerne and the guide highlights a new variety Mezzo, which has a dormancy rating of 3.6. This means that the crop can now be considered for more northerly areas of the UK.” The forage guide ranks growing costs, sowing times and feed value for nine key forages.

“Producers can use this information and also refer to the varieties within each species, so they can select those best suited to their specific growing conditions and uses,” adds Mr Titley.

He draws attention to stubble turnips, hybrid brassicas and forage rape that can be used within 12 weeks of sowing. “Some varieties are suited to summer grazing by cattle, including the hybrid brassica Skyfall. The rape/kale hybrid Interval is an ideal forage for autumn and winter.”

For your copy of the guide, call Emily Short on 01472 370117 or email her at emily.short@limagrain.co.uk.

Princess Royal Award winner announced Andersons consultant and dairy producer Tony Evans is the winner of this year’s RABDF Princess Royal Award, which he was presented with by Her Royal Highness at Buckingham Palace. Mr Evans is recognised on a national level for his work in setting up discussion groups, business courses and joint ventures.

Other notable achievements include organising Nuffield dairy study tours and the Entrepreneurs in Dairying courses, which are run by the RABDF in conjunction with Andersons, AHDB Dairy and the NFU. Receiving the award for his lifetime contribution to, and outstanding achievements in, the dairy industry, Mr Evans said it was a great honour to be chosen and hopes his work will help to nurture the next generation – the future of the industry. “One of my main concerns is how we are educating youngsters. As an industry we focus too much on technical excellence when, instead, we should be looking at real business sense – it’s vital to remember it’s not about producing more, but utilising capital better.”

Mr Evans employs eight staff, across his three farming enterprises.

He was chosen as the recipient of this award, by the RABDF Board of Trustees, who recognised his dedication to dairying and the role he’s played in educating the next generation of producers.

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Monitor milk and fine-tune feeding Paying closer attention to milk test results, and using the data to adjust feeding strategies, is critical if feed efficiency and milk income are to be maintained during the grazing season.

“Responding to changes in either can produce relatively quick returns,” says KW nutritionist Anna Sutcliffe, who adds that milk fat content and milk urea levels are both key indicators for herds looking to maximise utilisation of grazed grass.

Butterfat drop-off through spring and early summer can exceed 0.2% – equivalent to losing 0.7ppl on some milk contracts. Higher milk ureas can indicate poor utilisation of grass rumen degradable protein (RDP), with lower levels also linked to reductions in early embryo loss of up to 20%. “If butterfats are dropping then focus on maximising fibre digestion in the rumen to boost the supply

of the acetate needed for milk-fat synthesis,” says Dr Sutcliffe. “Swap rapidly fermentable starch for more rumen-friendly options, like sodawheat, increase the supply of digestible fibre from feeds, such as soya hulls, and consider adding a rumen-conditioner, like Acid Buf, to reduce acidosis.”

She adds that milk urea levels above 0.030% (30mg/l, 300mg/dl) suggest that more rumen fermentable energy is needed. “Traffordgold wheat-gluten moist feed and low-protein liquid feeds, like Lactoboost, are good options that also improve ration palatability.

If more rumen-bypass protein is needed to balance high grass RDP levels, Dr Sutcliffe suggests feeding the heat-treated rapeseed expeller NovaPro. “It’s a better option than soyabean meal – both in terms or DUP:RDP ratio and cost per tonne.”

Optimise rumen development through early calf nutrition Investing in high-quality calf starter feed from three days of age can significantly reduce the cost of rearing and improve weaning success.

So says Wynnstay’s Eimear Diamond, who adds that it’s vital that calf growth and development in the first few months of life, particularly in heifer calves, is optimised to boost lifetime potential and protect future profits.

“This requires a particular focus on rumen development,” she says. “The calf’s digestive system contains all four chambers at birth, but it’s undeveloped and the abomasum is the only active compartment.

“The rumen, reticulum and omasum are inactive, and require nutritional input to

develop in order to establish a rumen microbial population and increase rumen volume.

“If we don’t put an emphasis on correctly developing the rumen then this will have a knock-on effect throughout the animal’s productive life. It will reduce growth rates, increase the number of days to service, and lower milk-yield potential.”

Miss Diamond adds that feeding highquality starter feed helps to stimulate rumen development and rumen microbial proliferation. “A calf starter feed should be introduced from three days of age to accompany water and milk replacer.”

She explains that starter feed should be

palatable, highly digestible, provide optimum levels of starch and natural sugars, and have high levels of undegradable protein.

“Other key components to look out for include essential minerals and vitamins along with a rumen specific live yeast.

“On-farm research also supports the inclusion of nutritionally improved straw,” adds Miss Diamond. “Start ‘n’ Wean calf starter feed contains NIS, which supports rumen development to boost feed conversion efficiency.

“Fed alongside high-quality calf milk replacer, this starter regularly delivers calf daily live weight gains of between 0.75kg and 1kg per day.”

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MAIN ARTICLE HEAT STRESS

Act now to pre-empt h

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cowmanagement MAY 2019

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pt heat-stress issues Many herds are still feeling the effects of summer 2018’s heat wave.

We find out why and get some pointers on how to keep cows cool – and eating – as temperatures begin to soar.

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educed dry matter intakes and yields, restless cows, panting. All signs of heat stress – and telltale signs that that producers have been a little late off the mark in tackling it.

Most herds, to a greater or lesser degree, will experience heat stress every year. Even if it’s just for a few hours a day, perhaps while standing in the collecting yard, during the hottest part of the summer.

“Because heat stress isn’t just related to temperature, but also humidity, cows can actually start feeling the effects of heat in the spring when temperatures are relatively low,” says Rumenation Nutrition Consultancy’s Hefin Richards.

He adds that summer 2018’s heatwave highlighted the issue of heat stress in dairy herds, but the reality is that many suffer from it, to a lesser degree, every summer.

The heat stress experienced by a cow depends on temperature and relative humidity. The temperature humidity index (THI) takes account of the link between the two. A THI of 68 or above indicates that a high yielding dairy will typically experience heat stress.

This THI is already reached with a combination of an ambient temperature of 22°C and a relative humidity of 60% (see Figure 1). “Cows are happiest at between 6°C and 7°C and they’re equipped to deal with cold weather – they’ll just eat more. They can generate a huge amount of heat – about 1kW of energy – and much of this is due to the process of rumination,” says Mr Richards.

Reduced intakes “So, the first thing that a cow will do when she’s heat stressed is to stop eating. And second thing she’ll do it stand – she won’t lie down. She’ll move to find shade or the coolest part of the shed to create an updraft of air movement around her body,” adds Mr Richards.

If she’s not lying down then she’s not cudding and rumen function is impaired. It’s a ripple effect and everything grinds to a halt. And that is why heat stress is such a huge problem – particularly for transitioning cows – and lost milk yield is just the tip of the iceberg.

“A heat stressed transition cow is already ‘nutritionally’ stressed. So this will exacerbate the negative energy balance. She’s more likely to develop production diseases, such as ketosis and LDA, and fertility will also suffer.”

Changes to feed management – and indeed feeding itself – can help during high-risk periods. “I know producers who kept cows in during the day during the summer’s

temperature (ºC)

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

19.5 20 20.5 21 21.5 22 22.5 23 23.5 24 24.5 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 relative humidity (%)

Figure 1: Heat stress boundary with temperature humidity index >68

heat wave and turned them out after the afternoon milking, when temperatures started to fall.

“The success of this, of course, depends on cow housing, which should be well ventilated. But if it’s been empty overnight, the shed should be cool when cows come in after the morning milking and it will offer them shade and a place to rest and eat during the heat of the day.”

Heat-stress pointers and tips Reduce the risk of heat stress

• Good cow house ventilation • Ensure that plenty of fresh feed and clean water is available 24/7 – and that access is good

Look for

• Cows standing for long periods and in cooler corners of the cow house or at water troughs • Cows sweating or panting • Inconsistent faeces • Increase in milk urea and a decrease in milk protein

Nutritional measures

• Use a more nutrient dense ration, with increased levels of metabolisable protein and glucogenic precursors • Feed yeasts to aid rumen function or a specific rumen buffer, such as Equaliser CoolCow, in early June and throughout summer

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MAIN ARTICLE HEAT STRESS Where a TMR is fed, it may be prudent to alter mixing and feeding out times, to avoid feed spoilage. “In warmer weather, don’t out feed along the fence until just before the cows will be coming in to eat it. And push it up regularly to help maximise intakes and reduce waste.”

Aerobic spoilage Preservatives, to help combat aerobic spoilage in warmer weather, are available. And, when it comes to cow nutrition, rumen buffers, including yeasts and products that have been specifically developed to replenish mineral and electrolyte losses, can also be added to rations.

These specialist products can help cows to keep cool and to maintain feed and water intakes. They should be included ahead of the likely heat stress period – they are more effective than waiting to add them once symptoms of heat stress are seen.

“But at around 10p per head, producers will easily recoup the cost in most herds. If producers do nothing, they risk losing milk yield – thousands of litres in some cases.

“In cows that calved or were close-up between July and late September 2018, peak lactation yield was lower and it was typical to see average yields fall by between 800 and 1,000 litres. And that was due to heat stress. Peak daily yields were down to around 40, rather than 45 litres. Producers lost a lot of milk and it was valuable seasonal milk too.”

Reduced fertility Heat-stressed cows are less likely to show signs of being in oestrus, so reducing the opportunities for breeding.

Heat stress can also affect the quality of the reproductive cells and cause reduced fertility and a decline in pregnancy rates.

The financial losses due to heat stress are significant. A conservative estimate of the financial implications of heat stress in moderate climates is a milk production loss of around 90kg per cow during a typical summer. Combined with losses due to reduced fertility, this can amount to a loss of between £5,500 and £12,000 for a 150-cow herd.

Cargill’s Philip Ingram agrees and emphasises the need to be ahead of the game when it comes to alleviating heat stress, rather than wait until it takes a hold. He says that herds should be prepared for increased summer

Hefin Richards: “Changes to feed management – and indeed feeding itself – can help during high-risk periods” temperatures – even in moderate climates. And he adds that cows subject to heat stress can be prepared by using specific feed additives. “Cargill has developed a product with internal cooling elements – aptly called Equaliser CoolCow – which is specifically geared toward mitigating the effects of heat stress on production and fertility.”

This has been available in warmer European countries since 2017 and was launched in the UK in 2018.

“The product is a complete package of heat stress relieving ingredients. It includes buffering components to support rumen function and helps to keep the cow hydrated while replenishing mineral and electrolyte losses, as well as allowing the cow to maintain feed and water intake.

The combined effect is better control of core body temperature,” says Dr Ingram.

And making nutritional adjustments has to pre-empt any signs of heat stress. “Cow may not be heat stressed every day during the summer period, but weather data from the past five years shows that the risk period is between May and August. “So, depending on the system and unit, it may be advisable to feed an additive to aid rumen function and help reduce the impact of any heat stress during that period, either through a buffer feed or a TMR, if cows are housed all year round.” l

Philip Ingram: “Nutritional adjustments have to pre-empt any signs of heat stress”

Summer 2018 heat stress still impacting productivity Recent analysis of TMS data for 2018 has revealed that cows were impacted by heat stress for a full six months and fresh cow lactation performance is still affected.

Using the standard temperature humidity index (THI) and 72 THI as a cut-off point, the data recorded heat stress from April to September inclusive and its implications are still impacting metabolic disease incidence, fertility and milk yield.

“When cows are hot, they simply stop eating in an effort to cool themselves,” explains Premier Nutrition’s Mark Hall. “Unfortunately, the knock-on effects for this drop in nutritional

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intake, particularly if it lasts for a while, are an increased risk of ketosis and acidosis, as well as fertility issues and, obviously, reduced milk yield and constituents.”

However, recent work suggests that producers should also be concerned for the in-calf cow, as well as fresh cows. “Heat stress is a driver for ‘leaky gut’ syndrome,” says Mr Hall. “This is when tight junctions between cells in the gut regress back into the cell, which opens up small gaps and this allows nutrients to ‘leak’ from the gut.

“These nutrients are lost in terms of their effectiveness and it essentially means the calf

is nutritionally compromised in utero, as the cow is using everything she has to counter her own heat stress while maintaining milk yield.

“The real impact comes post-birth though.

The calf has effectively had to adapt to ‘starvation conditions’ in utero. When this is followed with extremely high-spec milk powders they struggle to cope with the insulin levels the high plain of nutrition brings about.

It’s the equivalent of feeding a gourmet meal to a person who has been starved for a period of time. The body does not have time to adapt to the huge change in nutritional status.”

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VALUE ADDED OUTDOOR-EVENT CATERING

Name George Portch Herd size 180 cows Adding value outdoor-event catering

Bruton

Going the whole hog What began as providing food for a music festival on a neighbouring farm has seen one Somerset-based producer move into event catering on a large and successful scale. And the said festival – plus another – has since moved to his family’s organic unit, which is also the base for a successful mobile composting toilet business that also supplies key festivals and outdoor events.

George Portch farms in partnership with his father Andy and his brothers Sam and Ollie. “Dad and Sam focus on the cows,” he explains. “And Ollie and I are in charge of the catering business and the composting toilets. And the two events – the two-day FarmFest and the five-day Shindig Festival – are managed and run by all of us.”

The catering side of the business started as a hog-roast, using a few pigs fattened on the farm, and burgers from home-reared cattle.

“That was 15 years ago and we mainly catered for weddings and smaller events. The offer of catering for FarmFest, when it was held just up the road, was back in 2007. And that’s when we started to think bigger,” says George. “Not least because we had more experience at that point. We know what sells and where and we have a good handle on quantities and serving speeds too. If you’re paying thousands of pounds for a pitch at a large festival,

you need to be able to supply what people want – in our case a top-quality product – and be able to serve a lot of customers quickly for the figures to stack up. Large queues are bad – people don’t want to wait too long and they will just wander off to another food stand.”

Gilcombe Farm catering has regular pitches at, among other key events, Reading and Glastonbury festivals. “We applied for everything to get our foot in the door and it worked – possibly too well. In 2018 we went to more than 100 events between April and the end of September.

“We spread ourselves too thinly. So this year we’re working at between 30 and 40 events. It was good to do what we did in 2018 – we know which events were worth the effort and which were not. We’re in a better position to pick and choose now.”

At a typical festival, George and his team will serve upwards of 1,000 people a day with their top-end pork rolls and beef burgers.

“Quality and provenance are our USPs,” he explains. “We offer whole pigs, roasted on a spit, and fresh bread rolls. Festival goers are familiar with us now – as are the event organisers or the agencies that book their catering – so we have a lot of repeat customer, on all levels. We’ve got our foot in the door. And we have to make sure we live up to our reputation.

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HERD REPORT BURROUGHS

All change – except for the British breed British Friesians are the one constant at a family-run dairy unit that’s seen considerable changes and investment during the past five years.

We visited the UK’s most easterly-based herd to find out how the breed forms to basis for a business fit for the future.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

T

he Burroughs family has been extremely busy.

Based near Beccles, in Norfolk, the family-run unit is the most easterly dairy herd in the UK and has been altered and expanded beyond all recognition during the past five years, apart from its solid core of pedigree British Friesian cows.

Investment in a new unit and a change in management system, from all-year-round to autumn-block calving, as well as the addition of on-farm processing with raw milk being sold from the farm gate, all mean that the business is now fit for a sustainable and profitable future. The 387-cow predominantly pedigree British Friesian herd and 300 followers, at Oakland Farm in

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Aldeby, is owned and managed by brother-and-sister team Margaret Vale and David Burroughs. David’s wife Joanna, as well as son James and daughter Lindsay, and Margaret’s husband and daughter, Graham and Andrea, are also involved in the business. Together they make a dedicated, diverse and extremely busy team. “We all have our strengths and role to play in the success of business,” explains Margaret.

Around 80% of the milking herd (250 head) is British Friesian. The remainder comprises a mixture of breeds, including Jersey, Brown Swiss, Holstein and Ayrshire, as well as a few crosses. “And we cross those back again to British Friesian. That’s the breed we’re most passionate

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COMPANY PROFILE Producers Burroughs family Herd size 387 milkers plus 300 followers Average yield (British Friesian herd) 7,252 litres, at 4.27% butterfat and 3.36% Calving interval 380 days

Aldeby

From left to right: James, Andrea, Margaret, Lindsay and David

about,” she says. “The other breeds, to be honest, have been added by my daughter and niece out of interest more than anything else. We see the herd as British Friesian, first and foremost.”

David agrees – he’s the driving force behind herd breeding and is extremely passionate about the British Friesian, just like his sister and their late father Edgar.

Separate recording The cows are run as one herd, but NMR recorded as two groups: one comprising the British Friesians and the other a mixture of breeds and the cross breds. “We started doing that just two years ago, mainly because we thought it would give us a better picture of how the British Friesians were performing and we’d also qualify for a place in the breeding rankings,” says Margaret, adding that they already know that the British Friesians outperform the other breeds in their herd.

The rolling average yield for the Oakalby British Friesian herd is 7,252 litres, at 4.27% butterfat and 3.36% protein, with a calving interval of 380 days. The average yield of the ‘second’ herd at the unit stands at 8,730 litres, at 4.16% butterfat and 3.26% protein, with a calving interval of 415 days. Milk is sold to Arla.

“Yields are comparable, particularly when you take constituent levels into account. The British Friesian herd is also ‘young’ – we brought in a lot of replacements when we switched to a block-calving system. That said, we also have many British Friesians that have completed eight or more lactations and are still producing phenomenal amounts of milk,” she adds.

Rotary parlour: milking time has been significantly reduced

In fact an eighth-lactation British Friesian – Oakalby Vienna Debbie 22 EX91 – was given an honourable mention at the recent UK Dairy Expo. And fifth-lactation Oakalby Rebel Cherry 115 EX90 produced 10,430 litres of milk in her most recent 305-day lactation. “We’ve also a cow that’s in her 12th lactation. She calved in early November and she’s currently producing 30 litres a day.

She’s produced 92 tonnes of milk so far and we’d like to see her break the 100-tonne barrier.”

Good longevity This ability to mature and endure is what the Burroughs really like about British Friesians. “You feel like you’re investing time and money into an animal that’s going to have a long and productive life,” says David. “But you have to be patient. You almost need to ignore the first lactation – it won’t be before the third or even fourth lactation before you see what a cow can really do. That’s when they come into their own.”

“Our father milked British Friesians. He liked the look of them, and he could also see that they were healthy, robust cows that were good grazers. And that’s what we see too,” says Margaret. “We are very much a grassbased herd, so our cows have to be able to walk to the paddocks – and some are up to a mile from the central unit,” adds David.

“They just suit our system and our farm, with its low rainfall and mixture of marshy land and dry sandy soils.

They also have a good cull and calf value.” – He adds that he can also put a pure Holstein sire on a British Friesian if, say, he wants to add a little more milk Bulk tank: the majority of the milk is sold to Arla

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HERD REPORT BURROUGHS

Cow comfort: the new unit has sand-bedded cubicles

Next generation: calves from the predominantly British Friesian herd

yield. And then he can cross back to British Friesian again. “I can get that magical hybrid vigour without losing the pedigree breeding. It’s the best of both worlds.”

Sexed semen is used on heifers: “But there’s not a lot of choice when it comes to British Friesian sexed semen and I am very particular. So I’ll use conventional semen if I can’t find the sire I want to use as sexed,” says David.

Bull calves are reared on the unit and grazed during the summer, before being sold as stores in late autumn.

The switch to autumn calving was made in a bid to command a better milk price.

“It’s been a gradual process – we started to move towards block calving back in 2014 and it’s only really begun to tighten up properly during the past two years,” says Margaret.

New unit The new unit, which is about two miles from their original farm, has sand-bedded cubicle housing and a 54-point DairyMaster rotary parlour. It’s also surrounded by grazing land with a good network of cow tracks.

The new parlour replaces a 28 year old 8:8 herringbone system, which just wasn’t up to the job anymore. “Not least because we now have so many more cows. We were spending eight hours a day in the parlour,” says Margaret. “Now it’s closer to four, with each milking taking just two hours.”

Expansion was a big decision, taken by the whole family.

“We’d just been through a period of extremely low milk prices and the cows were just not paying their way. And we also have a team of five families to support.

“We all agreed that we want to increase the size of the herd and commit to the business. So we’ve sold land, built new facilities, increased cow numbers, changed management systems and Lindsay is also bottling some raw milk and selling it direct from the farm gate. To say that it’s been a busy time is an understatement.”

Lindsay bottles and sells raw milk from the farm gate.

She began in 2013, but it became a full-time enterprise in 2015. Milk is also sold at local farmers markets and to people using the business’ holiday lets, which are close

16

to the farm and managed by Joanna. “We’ve also just invested in a pasteuriser – to help open up our market a little,” adds Lindsay. “We’ll then start selling to locals shops and cafes.” Milk is sold at £1.20 per litre – a considerable mark up, which makes the enterprise worthwhile.

Maximising forage has also been a job in itself. James has overhauled the herd’s grazing system, switching to a New-Zealand style paddock set up in 2014 across the unit’s 400 hectares.

This comprises 70 hectares of permanent pasture, as well as temporary leys and maize silage. Other arable crops are grown under a contract-farming agreement, on the unit. Cows are turned out in early March, although there was an early bite of Westerwolds (midFebruary) this year.

“Like many producers, we were hit hard by the drought in summer 2018 – even with some of our more marshy grassland,” explains James. “By the end of August we were short of forage, so we reseeded around 12 hectares with Westerwolds and cut and clamped that at the end of September. We then took an early bite in February, by strip grazing it. And that land will now go into maize.”

Early turnout Annual rainfall at the unit is around 535mm, so it is fairly dry. And the marshy grassland is below, with the dairy unit situated just above, sea level.

“We’re aiming to start grazing much earlier now. We used to graze from May through to October. Now we’re looking at March through to early November, although cows will be housed as they calve. The calving block starts on September 1 and we should be finished by December 1.”

More changes are afoot. The future should see them push cow numbers up to around 600 head: “But not before we’ve consolidated and dealt with some of our or ‘pinch points’,” says Margaret. “We also need to invest in additional calf housing and this is one of the consequences of moving to a block calving system. We can have between 200 and 300 to house at any one time.

“Once we’ve done this, we’ll be in a position to push up cow numbers again.” l

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23-04-19 16:35

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1. McPherson et al. Proceedings of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. 44th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Abstr. 28, 1999.

2.Verschave et al. BMC Veterinary Research (2014) 10:264.

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24/04/2019 09:02:24 24-04-19 10:10

A FEW WORDS FROM ROGER EVANS

Award-winning columnist and Shropshirebased producer Roger Evans has been eavesdropping across the kitchen table.

Stupid questions I’m sitting at the kitchen table and opposite me are my son and Dominique, our vet. They are discussing somatic cell counts and I am eavesdropping. We have had trouble with our cell counts during the past few months. We tried lots of things to sort it out, even some culling, but eventually the cause was found to be a shortage of trace elements in the diet. We weren’t best pleased about it, but that’s another story.

Most of the conversation across the table is about dry cow therapy.

We have been using antibiotic dry-cow therapy selectively for some time and we aspire to eventually become antibiotic-free, which is part of being organic. My son and our vet decided that it is best to treat all cows that need it until the herd’s cell count comes down to a more acceptable level.

I’ve always thought that most of the antibiotic-resistance problems in humans can be found in a doctor’s waiting room on Monday morning, but what do I know. The vet runs through all the other routine things we should be doing, like teat wiping and dipping. There is nothing new here, but it never hurts to be reminded. I always think that the worst part of a cell count problem is when you are already doing everything you should, and you still have trouble.

The conversation opposite me is drawing to a close, but not before the vet asks how often we change our liners. We subscribe to a liner replacement scheme, we have two sets of teat cups and one set is sent away to have new liners fitted. They work out how many units, how many cows and, therefore, how many milkings before the liners need to be changed. Then, in due course, the shells turn up complete with new liners fitted. The condition of your liners is vital – they are probably the most important pieces of kit on the farm.

Years ago I was involved in a milk cooperative and it had a liner replacement scheme. I clearly remember sitting down with two members on our stand at a show. One of them saw the liner display and asked how it worked. I told him as much as I’ve told you. He told me that he thought it was too expensive and that he changed his liners once a year. I knew how many cows he had and how big his parlour was and some quick mental arithmetic told me that this was way over the top with regards to milkings per liner. The farmer nodded at his companion: “And when I fit new liners I sell the old ones to him, and he uses them for another 12 months.” I could have asked them what their cell counts were like, but their relaxed demeanour and instinct told me that it was probably about 100. Experience has taught me not to ask questions that turn out to be stupid.

“Milking liners are probably the most important pieces of kit on the farm”

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HEALTH PARASITE CONTROL

Plan parasite control – improve performance

Parasitic infections can result in significant dairy production losses. But implementing parasite monitoring techniques, and following effective treatment strategies, means that heifer performance can be optimised.

TEXT REBECCA DAWSON

I

nfection by gastrointestinal nematodes, or gutworm, even in the absence of clinical disease, can result in significant productivity and economic losses for UK dairy businesses.

Depending on the level of infection, gastrointestinal nematodes, more commonly known as gutworm, can reduce feed intake and weight gain, and impact on milk production and fertility.

“Parasite control strategies should start as soon as calves are turned out,” says Boehringer Ingelheim Animal

Sioned Timothy: “Growth rates during the first grazing season are a useful indicator of effective parasite control” 20

Health’s ruminant technical manager Sioned Timothy.

“The difference in weight gain in treated versus nontreated calves can be significant,” she explains.

“In studies comparing treated and untreated first-season grazers, the treated calves grew between 150g and 315g more each day. And the impact was greater in the face of high larval challenge.

“Vigilance and good parasite control will help to reduce lifetime losses and improve productivity across the herd,” she adds.

A recent review of UK dairy cattle data demonstrated that an earlier age at first calving (AFC) is associated with: an increase in lifetime average daily yield; reduced average first-lactation somatic cell count; a shorter average calving interval, between the first and second lactation; and a higher likelihood of calving for a second time (see Figure 1). These factors, as well as increased rearing costs, can add up to significant losses.

To achieve a 24-month average age at calving, heifers must reach approximately 60% of mature weight by 14 months of age.

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This requires an average daily weight gain of between 0.7kg and 0.8kg during the period between weaning and bulling. This focus on growth must be maintained during pregnancy. A continued steady weight gain is required if heifers are to calve at 90% of their mature weight and transition well into lactation.

“Heifers have specific nutrient requirements as they grow and prepare for calving,” says Ms Timothy. “Due to their direct impact on growth, gastrointestinal parasites may contribute directly to a delayed AFC. “A high gutworm burden may, therefore, reduce the animal’s productive life and result in economic losses. So it’s important that parasite infections are diagnosed and treated if necessary.”

The benefits of effective parasite control in replacement heifers is also supported by studies showing increased mammary development and earlier onset of puberty in strategically wormed heifers, in comparison to those left untreated.

Setting targets “Before considering the type of parasite control required, it is worth reviewing the performance of the stock during the previous grazing season and how it compared with expectations or targets,” says Ms Timothy.

“Growth rates in calves during their first grazing season are a useful indicator of effective parasite control. Losses in live weight gain due to poor parasite control during a heifer’s first grazing season will not be recouped during the second year at grass.

“Affected animals may not catch up and this could result in an increased age at first calving.”

She recommends that, to help ensure that targets are met, producers set growth milestones and track performance of young stock at grass: “Manage and feed appropriately, utilise grazing management strategies to reduce parasite exposure, and target anthelmintic treatment at animals that are not reaching growth targets.”

Effective anthelmintic treatment during the first grazing season has been shown to result in additional weight gains of up to 315g per day, compared to untreated cattle in the face of high parasite challenge.

This suggests that failure to effectively manage the parasite risk could result in lost growth potential of approximately 50kg during a five-month grazing period.

Pasture management Seasonality will inevitably impact on grass growth, pasture management, cattle husbandry, farm management, housing, and parasite challenge. And these factors must be considered when planning a parasite control strategy.

Parasite exposure typically begins when cattle are moved to spring pastures and increases up to mid-summer. Once cattle start to graze they quickly acquire new infections, initially from larvae released from eggs laid in the previous year.

Grazing high-risk young stock on low-risk leys, for example reseeded ground or fields not grazed by cattle the previous year, will minimise the risk of gutworm.

According to research, producers can, in some instances, improve their economic performance by postponing their herd’s turnout date, resulting in higher technical efficiency and milk production.

Tips to get the best from parasite-control products • Maintain all equipment and cattle handling facilities • Choose the most appropriate product for the parasites present • Administer products at the correct dose • Store and handle products safely and correctly • Consult the label and/or datasheet before using a product

But ensuring that cattle are turned out worm-free, by treating at winter housing, will also lessen pasture contamination and parasite challenge later in the grazing season, according to Ms Timothy.

“The sustainability of parasite control products is vital to the cattle industry,” she warns. “To achieve this we need to move away from routine whole group treatments. Not only will this ensure that cattle are not treated unnecessarily, but it will also reduce the risk of selection for anthelmintic resistance.”

She adds that producers and vets need to work together to agree goals and priorities so that parasite control strategies can be better targeted. “A ‘one size fits all’ approach is not sustainable in the long term.”

Monitoring levels Monitoring parasite infection levels, to ensure that cattle are only treated when productivity targets are affected, will provide effective gutworm control and reduce the reliance on wormer treatments.

To slow the likelihood of wormer resistance, all parasite control products must also be used as recommended by a suitably qualified person (SQP) or a vet.

“Accurate dosing can only be achieved if producers have accurate weights for every animal to be treated. So do not compromise on dosing equipment or scales to determine live weights.

“Targeting the right parasites at the right time will give predictable results and may mean re-treatment is less likely to be required,” adds Ms Timothy. “And it will result in a more sustainable and profitable dairy business.” l Table 1: The impact of age at first calving (AFC) on production parameters

age at first calving

production parameters

22 month 42 month

lifetime average daily yield 15.25kg 11.87kg

21 month 41 month

average first-lactation somatic cell count 73,000 cells/ml 99,500 cells/ml

23 month 41 month

average calving interval between first and second lactation 401 days 416 days

22 month 41 month

likelihood of calving for a second time 84% 67%

cowmanagement MAY 2019

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HOUSING & EQUIPMENT 24 Cow grooming Brushes offer more than just a good scratch.

26 Heat-stress solutions No- and low-cost ideas to keep cows cool.

29 Product news A selection of the latest kit to be launched to market.

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HOUSING & EQUIPMENT SPECIAL COW GROOMING

Brushing benefits are more than skin deep Brushes enrich the cow environment, providing a purpose-built scratching post for them to express natural grooming behaviour. But cow brushes can also offer other health benefits, according to research.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

F

ew things are more fascinating or satisfying to watch than a cow having a good scratch while ‘playing’ with a brush. They enjoy grooming – it’s a natural behaviour that’s key to good health and welfare.

And work has revealed that it’s about so much more than just ‘scratching that itch’. Grooming, or ‘scouring and scraping’, is essential for removing fleas and other parasites, as well as promoting blood flow. “It’s a natural instinct. If cows are in a field

24

they’ll rub up against hedges, gates, posts, trees – anything that offers some resistance,” says Dairy Spares’ Tim Evanson.

“If they’re inside then troughs, railings, walls – anything solid – will also take the brunt of their grooming behaviour. And, if cow brushes are fitted, these will obviously be put through their paces.”

He says that brushes will be particularly popular with cows at this time of year, as they’re losing their winter coats.

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Study highlights cow-brush health and production benefits DeLaval carried out a study on swinging cow brushes, that looked at milk production and mastitis incidence.

The US-based work showed that secondlactation cows produced 3.5% (1kg) higher daily milk yield. And clinical mastitis was reduced by 34% in the cows in second and higher lactation in the cow-brush pens.

The work also revealed that cows in a pen with a mechanical brush increased their grooming time approximately five-fold compared to a pen without such a brush.

The researchers concluded that a grooming device helps to satisfy the cow’s need for grooming while at the same time improving cow cleanliness.

“They’re itchy and need to stimulate hair shedding and blood flow.”

A good brush will not only stimulate blood flow, but also allow the cow to groom parts of her body that other ‘scratching posts’ can’t reach. “They certainly enrich the cow environment. It’s clear to see that cows get a lot of pleasure from the brushes. And the fact that there are also health benefits is the icing on the cake really – and another good reason to consider investing in brushes.”

Mr Evanson adds that for brushes to be effective, bristle strength has to be good: “Too soft and they just won’t do the job. Remember, you have more than 650kg pushing up against it, so it needs to be able to stand up to that pressure.”

And there’s no need to take his word for it. In a trial, cows were monitored three months prior to brush installation and for a further six months after brushes were fitted.

“The time cows spent grooming was more than six times greater than before the brushes were installed,” says Mr Evanson.

“And ask any producer who has fitted brushes and they will tell you that the cows never leave them alone – they’re almost in constant use.”

Mechanical brushes Work has also shown that cows are more active in systems where brushes are fitted. “Particularly mechanical brushes,” says Mr Evanson. “Once cows have been to groom themselves they are more likely to visit the feed fence or the water trough. The brushes have been shown to increase milk yields in some cows.”

Siting is important to get right. “The brushes, as you can imagine, remove a lot of dust and dirt and hair.

So next to water troughs is not ideal for that reason alone. And it’s also important that they’re placed away from water troughs and feed fence access. Care must be taken to avoid disrupting cow flow.”

Mechanical brushes begin to rotate once a cow presses up against them, and some contra-rotate too.

But because they’re run with electric motors they should be sited indoors. “Some producers do install them outside in yards, but they should ideally be in the cow shed.”

Non-mechanical ‘swing’ or ‘sprung’ brushes siting is

Both these factors (better ‘welfare’ and cleaner cows) may have an impact on disease occurrence and on milk production.

And the increased activity of the cow may lead to less metabolic diseases, better digesting and eventually in higher milk production.

Tim Evanson: “Improved cow health is another reason to consider installing cow brushes” not as stringent. “They should be installed where the cows will use them, when they’re housed or when they come inside during the summer for buffer feeding. Cows love to use them and regular cleaning and maintenance to help reduce wear is important.”

Good position He recommends taking advice on exactly where to site them in the cow house. “The traverses between beds can be a good place, if they’re wide enough. But if you’re not sure, ask a consultant or the company you’re planning to buy the brushes from. They should have the knowledge and expertise to get this right on your unit.”

Cow flow can also suffer if there are too few brushes installed. “It can actually serve to create stress, rather improve cow welfare and comfort, if the brushes themselves are a ‘pinch point’. Cows queuing to use the brushes, or dominant cows preventing others from using them, may become an issue where there aren’t enough brushes to go around.”

For that reason, Mr Evanson says it’s not a good idea to just put in one brush to ‘see if the cows take to it’.

“Believe me, they will. And they’ll fight over it and it will get ‘hammered’. It will appear to keep the cows happy and busy for so long, but then it will break.”

One mechanical brush should cater for between 50 and 60 cows: “That’s the limit – they will still work it hard and it will run for most of the day with that number of cows.”

A non-mechanical non-moving brush installed on a wall or rail cannot offer all-round access and so will service fewer cows. They’re robust pieces of kit and, if the brushes are routinely cleaned and the key moving parts are greased regularly, they should provide a good service. l

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HOUSING & EQUIPMENT SPECIAL HEAT STRESS

Keeping cool – on a budget

We highlight some typical heat-stress ‘hot spots’ and offers some no-cost and low-cost tips and ideas to help keep your cows cool, on a budget, this summer.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

26

U

K dairy units are not set up for extreme weather conditions – be they hot, cold, wet or dry. So when temperatures soar, as they did in summer 2018, heat stress can be a significant problem for many dairy units. In fact, the impact of 2018’s heat wave were still being felt by herds six month on (see our feature on page eight).

That said, it wasn’t a typical summer and, although heat stress can still be an issue in the UK at relatively

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identify areas of the system, and times of day, when cows may be subjected to heat stress. What are the ‘hot spots’ in your system?” asks Cheshire-based vet Stuart Russell, from Nantwich Farm Vets.

He says that the collecting yard is typically a place that generates a lot of heat and, therefore, heat stress.

“Cows are tightly packed and there’s not a lot of air movement to remove that heat.

“Even if that’s the only time of the day that cows feel heat stress, it’s probably one of the worst times because you want them to leave the milking parlour and go back to the feed fence or pasture to eat or graze.

“So, with that in mind, it’s well worth taking steps to tackle heat stress in the collecting yard. And it can be as simple as just milking half the herd at a time, to reduce the number of cows in the yard at any one time,” he says.

Bottle necks “Take a look at the milking routine and cow flow, and tackling any bottle necks, to speed up the milking process and reducing the amount of time it takes to milk and, therefore, the time that cows are stood waiting in the collecting yard.”

This will, by default, create more space for air movement. But producers can also install high velocity fans into collecting yards and, if they want to take it a step further, a sprinkler system.

“But never the latter without the former. Sprinkling water without adequate air movement will simply ramp up the humidity in the area – it would become a sauna and make the heat stress problem worse.”

A sprinkler system with high velocity fans will also help to deter flies – they don’t like moisture or high wind speeds. “And this also has benefits for staff in the parlour, helping to keep them cool and keeping nuisance flies to a minimum,” says DairySpares’ Tim Evanson.

Misting system

low ambient temperatures, depending on humidity, it’s difficult to justify significant investment in more sophisticated climate control buildings and equipment.

But there are plenty of no- or low-cost options to take the heat out of the situation without spending huge amounts of money. Heat stress is something that producers should be thinking about now, even while temperatures are relatively low. “It’s vital to

Wiltshire-based producer Richard Nevill installed two DairySpares misting kits in his 350-cow unit’s collecting yard in the summer. He already had one large fan in there, but it was just blowing hot air – it wasn’t cooling the cows and Richard could see they were heat stressed.

“The cows were lethargic and panting and milk let down was also poor when they came into the parlour,” says Richard. “And then, after milking, they’d lost their appetite and intake were also suffering. So it was a lose-lose situation.”

Something had to be done, so in early August he installed another large fan, at the other end of the collecting yard, and added misting kits to both fans.

“And the difference it made was instant and noticeable. Cows were congregating under the mist and seemed happy and chilled in there. And you could see the heat and moisture rising up through the ridge in the roof.”

“The air movement in there is spot on now and it’s also helping to keeping the nuisance flies away. They

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HOUSING & EQUIPMENT SPECIAL HEAT STRESS

Dave Turner: “A planned approach is key to success with fans” don’t like the air flow or the moisture,” says Tim. Richard adds that it was a low-cost solution to solve a heat-stress ‘hot spot’ on his unit and it was also easy to install. “It just required a few cable ties and a water supply – we fitted it easily ourselves. And when temperatures start to creep up this summer, we can just switch it on.

Cow comfort “It’s now a cooler place where the cows want to be.

And the only down side is occasionally having to fetch cows in from the collecting yard to be milked, because they’re enjoying the cool comfort of the misting system too much,” Richards says.

“So much of mitigating heat stress is about creating air movement,” says Stuart Russell. “And that can be something as simple as reassessing your farm buildings and removing some boarding. But it has to be done with care.

“I’ve seen units where the wrong side of the shed has been opened up and sun has streamed in and actually created more heat, rather than alleviating the problem.

“As a rule of thumb, boarding could be removed from north and east facing sides of sheds. Get some advice if you’re not sure.”

Building survey

Cooling cows: fan size and positioning play a role in optimising air movement

28

Advice is also essential when looking to buy and install fans, according to Stamford Agricultural Services’ Dave Turner. “To ensure that you’re buying the best fans and installing them in the optimum places to maximise air movement, it’s vital to carry out a proper survey,” he says.

“If not, chances are that, whatever you spend on the fans, you won’t get the effect you’re looking for – or value for money.

“To maximise the return on your investment, the fans have to work well to improve ventilation and keep the cows cool. And that’s not just about the type and size of fan – it’s also about where they’re positioned in the cow house and collecting yard.”

He says that he saw a lot of producers putting up fans in summer 2018, in a bid to tackle heat stress during the hot weather. “But not only were the fans not designed for the job, they also positioned them in random positions. That’s a lot of time, energy and money wasted. It’s important to take a planned approach to make sure you get the biggest bang – or blow – for your buck.”

The good news is that any well-planned investment will pay dividends in terms of improved ventilation and cow house conditions – and cow health and welfare – even in a typical spring and summer.

Exceptional weather “Summer 2018 was exceptional, but even during a more typical year there will be times when cows are at risk of heat stress. Remember it doesn’t have to be particularly warm for that to occur. Humidity also plays a role and housed cows can begin to feel heat stressed at temperatures in the low teens.

“Good ventilation and air movement, facilitated by fans where and when needed, in the cow house and collecting yard are important all year round – not just during the summer.”

He says that he’s recently helped to install systems in robotically milked herds, which are housed all year round. “Cows were feeling the effects of heat stress, even at low temperatures, and this was making them lethargic and they were visiting the milking robot less frequently.

“Installing the fans has improved air flow, cooled the cows and made the cow house environment more comfortable. And cow visits to the robot – and milk yields – are back up where they should be.”

He says that in herds milked through conventional parlours, the equivalent could be less time visiting the feed fence and water trough.

And cows may even spend time standing to cool down, rather than lying down. “All will impact on milk yield, as well as cow health, welfare and fertility.”

Even after the summer’s scorching temperatures, when most herds were, to a greater or lesser degree, affected by heat stress, Mr Turner estimates that just 20% of producers would consider installing fans.

“I’d recommend starting in the collecting yard – that can be an eye opener. Seeing the difference in cow behaviour – in the yard and milking parlour and also after milking – is often enough to convince producers that fans should also be installed in other parts of the unit, particularly in the cow house.

“That’s the great thing about installing fans – producers can invest a little and add more later, once they’re convinced of the benefits.” l

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HOUSING & EQUIPMENT SPECIAL NEW PRODUCTS

What’s new?

We round up some of the latest equipment, designed to improve cow housing and aid cattle handling, that’s been recently launched.

1

Purple ear tags raise awareness

UK-based ear tag manufacturer Allflex is using its distinctive range of purple secondary ear tags to show its support for mental health charity, The Kaleidoscope Plus Group. And, with a penny from the sale of every set of cattle tags with a purple secondary tag being donated to the charity, the company hopes to raise £10,000.

The Kaleidoscope Plus Group works to promote positive health and well-being in communities – including those in remote and rural settings – and to provide appropriate services and support for people experiencing ill health.

One of the charity’s key goals in 2019 and beyond is to raise awareness of the impact of mental illness in farming communities and to help those affected.

“The agricultural community suffers one of the highest suicide rates in the UK, with loneliness, isolation and the lack of opportunity for communication all being contributing factors,” says Allflex UK’s Ashley Musgrave.

The purple charity tags are available now and can be ordered from local agricultural merchants or through Allflex representatives.

1

2 Motor-less cow brush offers lower-cost grooming

Dairy Spares has launched a motor-less swinging brush that it claims will help cows to satisfy their need to scratch and groom themselves.

The Jolly Cow brush hangs down, vertically, and moves mechanically 180° through one plane. Cows push it against gravity to groom both the top of their backs and along their sides.

The absence of motorisation means that this brush can be easily sited. And it has a much lower purchase and running cost compared to motorised brushes.

Installing brushes inside a shed allows cows to rub, scratch and groom themselves, providing many benefits for their health and welfare.

Studies have shown cows have less stress, fewer cases of mastitis, and improved milk yields.

The brush is 90cm x 40cm in size and should be fixed so the bottom of the brush is 80cm from the ground.

Installing one per 50 cows is recommended and each brush costs £595 +VAT.

2

3

Portable handling system

A portable cattle handling system has been launched by Arrowquip. The Q-Catch 86 Series, which comprises a crush, race and pen, has been designed for ease of transportation, and to help producers to meet the latest low-stress cattle handling guidelines.

Rubber floors ensure that cattle have sure footing and also eliminate noise as cattle enter the crush.

The cradle-shaped Easy Flow adjustable cattle race keeps cattle moving in single file and can handle livestock of any size. And new electric jacks add to the ease of operation of the system.

They can lift or lower the unit in 90 seconds and can ready the unit for transport in less than two minutes.

The equipment also has a new cowflow system – the 3E BudFlow. The 3E stands for ‘easy entry and exit’.

Cattle enter at the front of the pen, rather than the back, and this allows them to turn back to where they entered.

This minimises stress by using natural cattle behaviour to create flow.

3

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cowmanagement MAY 2019

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

Happymoo project NMR, along with partners in north west Europe, has embarked on a project to identify early indicators of disease, stress and hunger from milk recording data.

‘Happymoo’ is a €4 million project, partfunded by Interreg North-West Europe, to demonstrate and roll-out tools for dairy producers and vets to monitor cow welfare, and freedom from disease, hunger and stress.

The aim is to address the increasing concern regarding animal welfare and causes of economic loss in the region, that produces around 60% of the EU’s milk supply.

NMR gathers large quantities of high-quality data that can be used, with the use of advanced machine learning and prediction modelling, to help identify key biomarkers in milk and other digital data. These can be used as early indicators of issues as they develop on farm.

Happymoo builds on NMR’s use of spectral data and uses its experience in standardising milk quality results gained from previous EU project work. This standardisation of data further enhances the consistency and accuracy of NMR’s milk testing services.

Heat and health collars come up trumps Devon-based producer Darren Furse recently demonstrated his SenseHub collar system during a workshop on his 314-cow unit near Holsworthy. He’s been using SenseHub, in conjunction with UniformAgri software, since November 2017 to identify heifers in heat.

Pleased with pregnancy rates to date, and encouraged by the added benefits of monitoring heifer health through the system, Darren now uses SenseHub collars on his milking herd. He has a single data entry point through the integration with UniformAgri, which also provides data analysis and real time reports.

Dales dairy day diary date The winner of the 2018 NMR/RABDF Gold Cup Philip Metcalfe is hosting an open day on June 18, 2019. Sponsored by Barclays, early risers – who have pre-registered – can arrive in time for a bacon roll, courtesy of Kite Consulting. Talks will reveal how Philip and his 35-strong dairy team have developed the 1,300 pedigree Holsteins to become one of the top performing herds in the country.

Speakers include The Dairy Group’s Ian Ohnstad, KW Alternative Feeds, Premier Nutrition, and Rumenation. The farm’s vet, Bishopton Vets, will look at herd health on the farm.

NMR’s Richard Miller will also conduct two sessions on the benefits of genomic testing.

Register at: www.rabdf.co.uk/gold-cup-open-day

Five-digit line numbers NMR can now provide line numbers with five digits to accommodate larger herds and herds that find advantages of using the same line number and eartag number.

“Easing herd management and potentially reducing errors is a key driver to this change,” says NMR’s national field manager Jonathan Davies.

“Animal identification will be a key topic during the next three years, as the new Livestock Improvement Programme, to be run by DEFRA and AHDB, replaces the BCMS system, and the anticipated move to bovine EID.”

Royal Warrant NMR is proud to announce that, by command of Her Majesty The Queen, National Milk Records plc has been appointed into the place and quality of Milk Recording Service Provider to Her Majesty’s Jersey herd at Windsor for a further five years having been reviewed by the Royal Household Warrants Committee.

“NMR has had a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HRH The Queen since 2005, in recognition of the service we provide,” says NMR’s managing director Andy Warne. “This is a great honour for NMR.”

GeneTracker dates The next three dates for submitting tissue samples for genomic testing through NMR’s GeneTracker are: • May 23, with results on July 2 • June 20, with results on August 13 • July 18, with results on September 3.

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

Philip Metcalfe

cowmanagement MAY 2019

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FEEDING GRAZING CROPS

Mixtures add width to grazing shoulders With summer 2018’s dry conditions in mind, there could be an important role for multispecies leys on many UK units, particularly for those producers looking to eke out forage supplies or extend the grazing season in drier areas.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

S

ummer 2018 served to really focus producers’ minds on forage, with many looking at alternative sources of feed to help alleviate the pressure on drought-hit grass leys, allowing them longer to recover.

Multispecies mixtures, which typically include three or more grass species and a mix of legumes and herbs, could be just the solution. And not only because they are more drought tolerant than grass and grass/clover swards, but also because they can offer more feed value at times during the season when more traditional leys may be experiencing a decline.

“They can certainly add some ‘resilience’ to forage production systems, offering a top-quality grazing sward for young stock or dry cows,” says independent grassland adviser Liz Genever. “There’s untapped potential here, although the persistency of these multispecies swards is still an unknown. Dairy trials are ongoing to determine this. Much of the work carried out to date is on sheep and beef units.”

That said, they are comparable with well-managed grass

Ian Misselbrook: “These mixtures offer so many benefits that they’re hard to ignore” 32

and grass/clover leys, in terms of their productivity, according to Dr Genever. “And the real benefit, aside from offering quality and drought resistant growth during drier periods, is the reduced requirement for nitrogen fertiliser.”

Multiple benefits The nutritional, health, economic and environmentally friendly characteristics of these types of mixtures begs the question: why are they not more widely used?

“Even on the most intensive dairy units these leys have a place, be it for young stock or bringing dry cows back into condition,” says Limagrain’s Ian Misselbrook.

“Perhaps one thing curtailing their use is that they are virtually impossible to treat with herbicides. But the experience of growing these swards, at low- or nonitrogen levels, demonstrates that the diverse genetics and competitive nature of the sward is highly effective at out-competing emergent weeds,” he says.

“The deep-rooting herbs not only draw up minerals and trace elements essential for animal health, but they also resist drought and condition the soil. These mixtures offer so many benefits that they’re hard to ignore.”

To date, these mixtures have worked well in sheep leys and in many cases have been utilised successfully to finish lambs. “Trial results at UCD, run as part of the Smartgrass project – showed that the dry matter yield of some multispecies mixtures receiving 90kg N/ha can be similar to, and in some cases better than, perennial ryegrass swards receiving 250kg N/ha,” says Dr Genever.

The trial compared yields from ryegrass swards with

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mixtures containing various levels of diversity. The multispecies mixtures included perennial ryegrasses, cocksfoot and Timothy, and forage herbs such as chicory, ribwort plantain and yarrow, as well as the legume species red and white clover and common birdsfoot trefoil.

Multispecies mixture facts

‘Right’ mix

mixture, but the cost is easily offset by lower growing costs (less fertiliser) • Provide ‘shoulders’ on the grazing season – ideal for grazing young stock and dry cows • Drought-resistant • Good soil-improvers, with deep-rooted species and nitrogen fixing legumes. And when ploughed in, add significantly more organic matter to the soils than grass leys

But multispecies mixtures need to have both the ‘right’ species and the correct proportions of each. “Key is having some early and some later maturing species, to ensure a longer growing season. This gives some ‘shoulders’ to the sward, which is particularly good for grazing young stock,” adds Mr Misselbrook.“The grasses in these mixtures have been formulated to offer the longest possible grazing season from early in the spring to late autumn.”

Limagrain has introduced a multispecies grass mixture this spring, designed for grazing swards for cattle and sheep. Part of its Sinclair McGill range, Castleherb combines 40% grass species with 30% each of legumes and herbs. “The grasses are made up of intermediate and late perennial ryegrasses. These include a matrixenhanced ryegrass that is mix of perennial ryegrass and meadow fescue, with an extended grazing season and very rapid regrowth, and the early growing species Timothy, that starts growing in early spring, before the ryegrasses, then has another growth surge in mid-summer when ryegrasses slow down,” explains Mr Misselbrook.

Red- and white-clover varieties are included in the mixture and contribute to the mixture’s protein, trace elements and minerals feed value as well as providing valuable nitrogen-fixing attributes typical of legumes.

The legume content included in Castleherb reduces or eliminates the need for nitrogen applications.

This mixture also includes the forage herbs plantain and chicory. These herbs are deep-rooted making them relatively drought-resistant and with the potential to draw up more minerals. They provide a mineral-rich feed for livestock.

“It is a four-year ley with a long growing season and

• Sown in spring or autumn • Typically more expensive than a ryegrass/clover

low running costs. Like most multispecies mixtures, it needs limited or no fertiliser applications. And the combination of species provides a protein, trace element and mineral rich feed,” adds Mr Misselbrook.

And the drought tolerance of these mixtures makes them ideal for lower rainfall areas – particularly during dry and hot summer. “I think that, particularly once more is known about the persistency of these leys – and producers learn more about how they can fit into their rotation, they will increase in popularity,” adds Dr Genever. l

Liz Genever: “The real benefit is the reduced requirement for nitrogen fertiliser” cowmanagement MAY 2019

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23-04-19 16:22

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FORFARMERS FOCUS

Time to assess grass-silage strategy Now is the ideal time to finalise grass-silage strategies for the coming season. With every additional 1,000 litres of milk obtained from forage reducing production costs by as much as 2ppl, having a clear plan to maximise grass silage volume and quality makes good business sense.

While there are some external factors, such as the weather, that are beyond producers’ control, it is possible to control cutting schedules and harvest timings. Both can positively affect silage yields and end quality.

Producers should consider taking an earlier first cut this season to improve overall silage performance. While total tonnage harvested may be low compared to a later first cut, quality will be higher and further silage cuts will achieve better yields.

Frequency of cuts should also be considered, with a multi-cut approach often leading to higher D value silage. When fed out, this more digestible silage can result in cows achieving higher forage intakes and improved milk yields.

Timing can also have a significant impact on grass digestibility and subsequent cow performance. To ensure the highest quality, grass needs to be cut before heading and should be harvested either mid-morning or early afternoon to minimise moisture levels and maximise sugar content. Regular checks on silage fields to assess grass growth need to be factored into day-to-day work schedules. To improve dry matter content, producers also need to factor in a 24-hour wilting period before picking up grass.

Additives and clamp management As well as cutting frequency and timing, the use of silage additives and good clamp management has an important role to play in not only improving overall silage quality but also its longevity.

“The influence that producers can have on the quality of their grass silage doesn’t just stop when grass has been cut and harvested,” says ForFarmers’ Brian Doran.

“If used correctly, silage additives can not only improve grass silage quality, stability and preservation but also significantly reduce dry matter losses.

“Look for inoculants that meet the requirements of individual forage crops at silaging time, focusing on a crop’s dry matter content and fermentation profile. If, for example, grass crops are low in dry matter, below 27%, and a poor fermentation profile, then an additive to aid a rapid drop in silage pH and prevent secondary fermentation is required,” he explains.

“For silage crops with aerobic stability issues

and higher dry matter values, greater than 27%, an additive needs to prevent the growth of mould and yeast, as well as reduce heat and energy loss.

“Significant dry matter losses during fermentation, and from heating and waste after opening, can be reduced by up to half when using a silage additive.

“Choosing the best-suited silage additive to add the right inoculant to a grass-silage crop can mitigate against potential problems and help boost silage performance.”

Good clamp management is also vital to prevent silage spoilage and waste. Before ensiling, clamps need to be cleared of any sources of contamination, such as mud or left-over silage from previous seasons.

To improve consolidation and preservation, clamps should be filled gradually in thin layers of grass, at a thickness of around 30cm, and then rolled thoroughly before a weighted top sheet and side sheets are fitted to create a good, airtight seal.

bovens bovens regel o

Invest in overseeding With forage stocks low during winter 2018/2019, the requirement to maximise grass productivity and quality should be considered at every opportunity.

Overseeding is a cost effective way to boost the production of a ley once the sward becomes open and weeds and unsown species start to invade.

Overseeding maintains the productivity and quality of a sward.

A three-year-old ley can contain up to 30% weed grasses. Overseeding trials have resulted in up to 40% more grass yield in the following year, together with improved nutritional quality.

Fertiliser efficiency can also be improved because perennial ryegrass will respond to nitrogen more effectively than weed grasses.

Overseeding is suitable for leys where the existing swards still contains a good proportion of sown species. To achieve the maximum success, overseeding is best completed when a sward has just been cut or grazed.

This will reduce the competition to the new seed. Using large grass seed varieties, such as tetraploids, works best as they compete better with the existing grasses.

Using Topgrass Leybooster Dual Purpose mix, coated in Pronitro, will also improve the success of overseeding with an average of 30% more viable plants.

The precision-targeted fertiliser coating feeds only the sown seed and not weeds and weed grasses. This coating also increases the size and weight of the seed, which improves establishment vigour and seed contact with the soil.

cowmanagement MAY 2019

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23-04-19 16:30

BREEDING BULL PROOFS

Extremes make for another

disappointing run Renown pedigree breeder and two-time runner up in the NMR/RABDF Gold Cup, James Tomlinson shares what he thinks are the highlights in the latest bull proof run and he’s particularly interested in the genomic list.

TEXT RACHAEL PORTER

T

he latest bull proof rankings make for similar reading to December’s run – not a lot of movement in the proven list and domination by extremes, particularly in PLI terms. “I was disappointed again – it’s the same story really. The proven ranking is full of extremely high PLI sires. And that’s the problem – it’s all about PLI and they’re too extreme on their linears for me. I can honestly say that I won’t be using any bulls from that list,” says James.

Balisto sons That’s not to say that Larcrest Commend, who maintains his lead in the proven-sire ranking with a Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI) of £767 isn’t impressive.

He offers exceptional milk components, as well as high daughter Fertility Index (+10.1) – typical Balisto-son trademarks. “But he, like all the other sires in the top 20, at least, are just too extreme when it comes to their linears for me. That’s just my personal preference,” says James.

Balisto is doing well. There are five Balisto sons in the top 10 and Commend is followed closely by another Balisto son ranked second, Cookiecutter Harper, with a PLI of £752. Now with 100 UK daughters contributing to his production proof, Harper climbs from fifth place in Mocon ranks number seven for PLI

36

December, and further improves on his impressive protein transmission (+36.1kg).

View-Home Littlerock climbs up to third position and scores well for Lameness Advantage (+3.0) and daughter fertility (+11.4). His PLI is £719. And moving into the top 10 is De-Su 12272 Apex with a PLI of £712.

This son of Cashcoin (there are two in the top 10) transmits good maintenance feed costs (–23), excellent udder health (–29 SCC, –4 Mastitis), superb calf survival (+4.6) and one of the highest lifespan scores in the top (+0.7).

Good linear The familiar Hoanster Zanzibar ranks in equal fifth position, now with 235 UK daughters in his production proof. And also equal fifth is the new entrant, ABS Crayon (PLI £708), another son of Balisto with tremendous milk yields and protein (+1,023kg and +38.5kg respectively). However, at –0.18% fat, he may transmit less than optimal milk quality for some producers.

“That said, he’s probably the only sire in the top 10 that caught my eye and I will be taking a closer look at him,” says James. “His linear is pretty good – there’s just a slight minus on for udder support.”

View-Home Littlerock climbs up to third position

There are five Balisto sons in the top 10

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More depth Maintaining his top 10 placing is seventh ranking Wilra ABS Amplify (PLI £836). “He looks good and I’m going to look again – in more depth.”

But skip to eighth place and you’ll find the sire that’s really got James’ attention. Peak Alta Leap is an outstanding udder health bull (–31 SCC, –4 Mastitis), as well as an excellent transmitter of daughter longevity (+0.8 Lifespan).

“He’s the one of me, this time around, I think. I’m going to use him on my herd. His figures have held well since

James Tomlinson: “Balisto sons are dominating the proven rankings”

the previous run and he has lots of appeal,” says James.

“He’s out of a strong cow family – his grandam is a Supersire. And he’s plus for teat length and more than plus two for type. He ticks all the boxes.”

Two UK-bred maternal half-brothers run neck and neck just six £PLI points apart, to round off the top 10. And both have our breeder’s attention.

Bred by the Boghill Glamour syndicate from the north of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, leading the duo is Boghill Glamour Persuade (PLI £833) by Westcoast Perseus, ahead of Glamour Boghill Victor by Pine-tree Verona.

Their dam is a Cogent Supershot daughter from the well-known Larcrest Cosmopolitan family.

“It’s really great when home-bred genetics can compete in the global market, so it’s good to see them in the top 10 and I’m certainly interested to see if they have a place in my herd.

“They’re both decent for type and I have more digging to do. I think their dam only classified GP81 but I think I’ll be sufficiently swayed to add them to our AI flask.” l

Table 1: Top 10 genomic and top 10 daughter-proven sires available in the UK ranked on PLI (source: AHDB Dairy and Holstein UK)

udder

1.46 1.53 1.47 1.33 1.47 1.24 1.39 1.25 0.47 0.85

0.80 1.22 2.45 0.01 1.37 0.76 1.16 1.87 1.41 1.03

1.38 1.81 2.50 0.33 1.83 1.36 1.54 2.13 1.26 1.11

1.01 0.38 1.38 0.49 0.96 1.53 0.73 0.43 1.12 0.83 0.17 1.42 –0.55 0.62 1.17 –0.63 –0.21 0.33 –0.48 0.17 0.89 0.45 1.64 1.04 –1.12 0.84 0.77 0.91 0.42 1.83

1.13 2.09 0.93 0.45 1.66 0.14 0.45 1.57 1.48 2.06

63 +1027 +42.5 +31.9 +0.02 –0.01 863 3 –30 63 +671 +44.3 +25.6 +0.21 +0.05 861 –12 –22 63 +627 +39.6 +26.2 +0.18 +0.07 856 -5 –22 64 +720 +33.4 +33.1 +0.06 +0.11 846 –16 –20 64 +742 +44.8 +29.8 +0.18 +0.07 842 –4 –25 64 +887 +45.7 +30.1 +0.12 +0.02 837 4 –20 63 +625 +41.7 +28.1 +0.20 +0.09 836 1 –23 64 +758 +30.9 +31.4 +0.01 +0.08 833 7 –31 64 +958 +29.0 +33.5 -0.10 +0.03 833 –2 –26 64 +967 +32.3 +33.9 -0.07 +0.03 827 –4 –28

0,7 0,6 0,7 0,6 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,7 0.6

8.4 0.0 12.5 0.5 13.5 0.1 9.7 1.5 5.7 0.8 11.2 0.3 9.9 0.0 8.6 –0.8 11.6 0.3 8.4 –0.8

3.3 0.22 1.5 0.76 1.2 0.80 0.3 0.00 2.0 0.01 2.9 –0.35 1.2 0.41 2.8 0.12 2.7 –0.07 2.9 –0.14

Balisto x Robust Balisto x Epic Cashcoin x Robust Cashcoin x Numero Uno Balisto x Armitage Armitage x Bowser Morgan x Snowman Robust x Planet Balisto x Supersonic Balisto x Robust

Genus Genus Semex UK Genus Genus Semex UK Bullsemen.com UK Sires Direct/AIS Genus Genus

85 +424 +33.9 +27.0 +0.21 +0.16 767 84 +775 +35.3 +36.1 +0.06 +0.13 752 87 +788 +23.0 +28.9 –0.09 +0.04 719 75 +646 +17.0 +20.3 –0.10 –0.01 712 80 +1023 +24.7 +38.5 –0.18 +0.06 708 92 +593 +30.7 +22.9 +0.09 +0.04 708 79 +819 +25.2 +28.5 –0.08 +0.02 707 95 +646 +39.5 +23.9 +0.17 +0.03 703 78 +390 +35.5 +28.9 +0.25 +0.20 702 82 +733 +29.1 +29.2 +0.00 +0.06 693

0,3 0,4 0,5 0,7 0,4 0,4 0,7 0,3 0,4 0,3

10.1 –0.1 5.8 –0.1 11.4 0.6 11.1 0.6 7.8 0.1 16.1 –0.1 5.8 0.5 3.4 0.8 3.1 0.0 9.6 1.0

1.9 0.9 2.7 4.6 0.8 3.0 2.2 4.2 1.4 0.3

-5 6 –10 –23 18 12 –17 –19 9 0

–19 –15 –18 –29 –23 –22 –23 –11 –23 –21

dCE

Genus Genus Genus Viking Alta/Global Gen. Genus Genus Alta/AI Services Genus Genus

SCC

Charley x Rubicon Achiever x Mr Delta Achiever x Mr Dozer Bosman x Sergio Topshot x Cabriolet Matters x Rubicon Achiever x Hotshot Quantum x Alta Spring Perseus x Supershot Verona x Supershot

£PLI

supplier

TM

F&L

milkin g spee d

calf su rvival

fertility ind.

lifespa n

maint.

% prote in

% fat

kg pro tein

proven sires Larcrest Commend Cookiecutter Harper View-Home Littlerock De-Su 12272 Apex ABS Crayon Hoanster Zanzibar Mocon Co-Op Robust Cabriolet Cottonabbotts Jester Larcrest Collude

kg fat

genomic sires Denovo 14566 Crosby Denovo 7921 Atrium De-Su 14673 Appeal cd VH Bosman Bahrain Bomaz Alta Cabot Denovo 8084 Entity Wilra ABS Amplify Peak Alta Leap cd Boghill Glamour Persuade Glamour Boghill Victor

sire x mat. grandsire

kg mil k

name

conformation

functional traits

production

rel.

r

James is more taken by some of the sires in the genomic listing. The new number one genomic sire is Denovo 14566 Crosby, one of the highest production sires of the Holstein breed, and predicted to transmit 1,027kg milk and combined fat and protein of a massive 74.7kg.

“He’s a good cross with a modern sire stack. He looks interesting, but his minuses are not ideal and he’s not for me – particularly due to the minus on his pins. But I can totally appreciate how he got to the number-one spot – he is a tremendous sire.”

Crosby replaces the former number-one sire (Pine-Tree CW Legacy), who has been taken off the list due to unavailability in the UK. Remaining in second place is Denovo 7921 Atrium (PLI £861), also from the Denovo breeding programme.

“But he’s a ‘no’ for me because he’s minus on teat length, as well as stature and body depth,” says James.

In third place is the second new entry since the December release, De-Su 14673 Appeal (PLI £856).

“But he doesn’t appeal to me because he’s nearly minus two for teat length – the worst in the top 10.”

cowmanagement MAY 2019

CM03-BullProofs.indd 37

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23-04-19 16:31

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CM01_p52.indd CM03_p38.indd 52 38

@NationalMilkRecords @NMRgroup

17-01-19 23-04-19 13:33 14:26

BREEDING INFORMATION

Ovalert demonstration draws crowds A recent Ovalert demonstration day, held on the Galbraith family’s unit near Kendal in Cumbria, was a huge success. Craig Galbraith pointed out that the Ovalert system had picked up cows that he had never seen in heat. But it also identified cows with health problems by monitoring eating and rumination behaviour. “We can treat these cows, before they become a bigger issue. It certainly helps you focus more on the health of the cows when you receive an early alert. But, most importantly, it gives us, as busy people, peace of mind.”

Ovalert can help you to manage your herd, resulting in better fertility and fewer health

issues. Are you also interested in Ovalert?

Please contact your local breeding advisor.

New breeding advisor

Haribo maintains his ranking Haribo (Hutera x Rurex) has maintained his ranking among the daughter-proven Fleckvieh bulls. The second breeding value estimation, based on his daughters, shows Haribo daughter Angelika

that he transmits good milk production (+1,154kg) and persistency (113). Haribo is an excellent choice for use on maiden heifers (119).

Daughter-proven sires Wobbler, Mint, and Remmel continue to show their high level of quality. Wobbler (Watnox x Mandela) offers 958kg of milk and scores high on Better Life Efficiency (+8%). He is an excellent udder health transmitter, with 115 for udder health and 116 for somatic cell count.

Hongkong PP (Hoffnung PS x Polarbaer) is one of the most interesting genomic sires currently available. He is an outcross homozygote polled bull. Hongkong transmits good milk production, high milk components and great efficiency. Sexed semen from Wobbler and Hongkong is also available.

Lily Kersey joined CRV Avoncroft in early April, taking the role of breeding advisor. She will be responsible for sales in County Durham and Yorkshire.

Lily grew up on a farm in Cumbria.

Together with her father, she runs a small beef suckler herd of 35 cows and followers, mostly Limousin and Belgian Blue, with a few Salers and two rare breed Albions.

Lily recently graduated from Harper Adams University with a BSc Honours in Animal Management, Health and Welfare. She has worked as assistant herdsperson on a 1,300-head unit, for the past 16 months.

Lily Kersey

Top three Brown Swiss bulls from CRV Avoncroft CRV Avoncroft has top bulls from several breeds available. If you’re looking for a breed with excellent feet and legs and high protein milk, then Brown Swiss might be a good choice. CRV Avoncroft has all of the top three Table 1: Highest available Brown Swiss bulls from CRV Avoncroft

ranking

bull name

£PLI

1 2 3 6 8 9

Vanpari Harrison Verdi Vintage Hacker Prossli

424 357 338 309 272 259

and six of the top 10 £PLI ranked Brown Swiss bulls (see Table 1).

Vanpari is the new number-one for Brown Swiss in the UK. He offers 482kg of milk with outstanding components (26.9kg of fat and 19.9kg of protein). This Vasir son, who descends from the Huray cow family, breeds cows that are not too large. His maintenance score (–2) is relatively low and he is strong on fitness with positive figures for fertility (6.9), somatic cell count (–4) and mastitis (–1).

Vanpari is followed by Harrison and Verdi, who are in second and third place respectively.

UK-proven Hacker, a Huray son, already has 119 UK daughters in milk, as well as almost 3,000 in Germany. Hacker is one of the best

bulls for daughter fertility (+12.3) and scores high for overall type at 1.5, with an impressive 1.6 for feet and legs. As well as conventional semen, CRV Avoncroft also has sexed semen available of several bulls.

For more information, contact your local breeding advisor.

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

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FEEDING MILK CONSTITUENTS

Avoiding the

‘dilution factor’ Adding an amino acid-based product to rations has helped one Staffordshire-based dairy business to increase milk yields while also maintaining butterfat levels. We visited the herd to find out more.

TEXT EMILY BALL

I

ncreasing yields without incurring a ‘dilution factor’ on butterfat levels and fertility is the aim of one Staffordshire-based dairying family. And the Royalls know that in order to achieve this goal, they need to pay close attention to both the cows and their diet.

James Royall runs the 250-cow herd – in partnership with his brother Michael, father Martin and uncle Christopher – near Alsagers Bank. Managed on an all year-round calving system, the herd is currently averaging 10,500 litres at 4.0% butterfat and 3.3% protein. Milk is sold to Tesco, on a Muller contract.

Cows are fed a simple diet comprising grass silage, straw and forage balancing concentrate in the feed trough.

And a 17%-protein high-energy balanced blend is fed to yield in the parlour.

Cows are strip grazed during the summer, but are buffer fed when grass growth slows. Milk yields have steadily increased during the past few years, due to better genetics and improved silage quality. But yields leapt up during the winter after a revised feeding regime was implemented.

High-quality silage “The altitude here – 200 metres above sea level – can mean that grass growth is slow to get started,” explains James. “But we took first-cut silage a week earlier than usual in 2018, in the middle of May. Second cut was hit by the hot, dry weather and we round baled that for dry cows and young stock. But the quality returned for our third cut.”

The result has been high quality, more palatable clamp silage, with values of 10.9 MJ/kg ME, 14.3% CP, and 68% D value, at 32.9% dry matter.

“You can see the structural fibre in the silage grass. It smells good and you can really tell from the intakes that the cows love it,” explains James.

“During the winter, cows were fed a diet, comprising 36kg grass silage and 0.5kgs of straw and concentrate, which had a total protein content of 25%. This provided maintenance plus 24 litres and they were then topped From left to right: James Royall, Clive Slawson and Christopher Royall

40

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up to yield with concentrate fed through the parlour.”

But as the milk yields increased the Royalls were worried about the ‘dilution factor’ on milk constituents and so James spoke to ForFarmers’ Clive Slawson. “We analysed the silage, using dry NIR, and used this information to help build a diet that supported butterfat production as milk yields increased,” explains Clive. “Milk fat is affected by a number of dietary factors, including fibre digestion, rumen activity and fat content. Ensuring that cows have enough structural fibre by including, for example, hay or straw in the ration, is important, as is checking that there is enough of the right type of fat in the diet.

Yield increase “While producing and feeding top quality forage is vital, rumen protected fats can play their part in helping to support milk constituent levels. Products that we had tried at Waste Farm during the past year had little impact. But in the autumn we added ForFarmers’ FatBoost and saw yields increase and fat percentages remain strong.”

Increasing the intake of rumen protected fats, such as C16, and increasing dietary fibre levels are the common nutritional recommendations when trying to reduce milk fat depression. “But FatBoost is an amino acid feed product that can also help influence milk butterfat levels by limiting the negative effect that polyunsaturated fatty acids can have on rumen bacteria.”

Clive monitors cow health, welfare and performance

using ForFarmers’ Visiolac milk analysis and insight reports, which use NMR data.

“We’re keen to optimise rumen function,” adds James. “We want the cows to produce the butterfat.

Soon after adding this amino-acid product to the ration, it was easy to see that rumen function was improved. Dung was looking smoother and showed signs of better digestion.”

Feeding for fat: milk constituents have remained strong during the winter

Calving index Cows milked really well during the winter, with yields up by an average of 10% and butterfat percentages remaining strong at more than 4% fat.

The Royalls have also cut some of the less effective and economically viable fats from the herd’s diet, while keeping Lintec for high omega three levels.

And they are confident about pushing yields even further. “I definitely feel that we have the room to go higher,” says James. “We’re currently installing a new parlour, which will cut milking time in half, reduce standing time for the cows, and free up more time for feeding and ruminating.”

The family also wants to focus on reducing the unit’s calving index – from 402 to 380 days. And a new calf shed has been built with automatic feeders. The family is looking to automate some of the other jobs on the farm, such as pushing the feed up to the barrier.

“With the investments we’re making in infrastructure and the continued development of the cows’ diet, I know that we have the potential to increase yields even further without effecting fat and protein levels,” says James. l

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HEALTH NEWS

Early turnout presents parasite risk Westpoint Farm Vets’ Tim Potter says that there is an increased risk of parasitic disease in young stock this season, as turnout has been brought forward. And warm spring temperatures will accelerate worm larval stages on the pasture.

“The pressure on conserved forage this winter and the recent upturn in the weather has seen many producers rushing to turn out cattle.

Those without a plan for parasite control may experience greater parasite challenge and subsequent production loss,” warns Dr Potter.

At turnout there are likely to be some overwintered parasite larvae on the pasture, providing a natural challenge to cattle – unless they’re turned out onto clean pasture.

“We have been experiencing temperatures in the mid-teens and, at these temperatures, we will see worm larvae go through their pasture lifecycle stages more rapidly,” says Dr Potter.

“This means that the risk of cattle ingesting infective stage larvae from the pasture is likely to be increased at turnout, with a higher level of pasture contamination that’s earlier than usual.

“The time it takes gastrointestinal parasites to reach maturity, and start producing eggs, will also be accelerated.”

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health’s Sioned Timothy says that producers should have already decided whether to adopt a strategic

or targeted approach to parasite control for their first and second season grazing cattle.

“If they haven’t, it’s important to do this now, and remain aware of the risks during the grazing season. The main focus should be to reduce the worm larval burden that builds up on pasture by implementing measures that seek to minimise it.”

Reduce the challenge to growing cattle by preventing pasture contamination, strategic dosing (depending on the system and advice from your vet or animal health advisor), adopting good pasture management techniques, such as strategic use of aftermaths, and prioritising clean grazing for cattle most at risk of disease.

Meetings promote calf health The Women in Dairy initiative was set up in 2015 and is currently being sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. As part of the company’s two-year sponsorship, the vet support team has worked with the group to provide calf health meetings across the country. To date, there have been nine group meetings, which have examined a number of topics and included farm walks, seminar-type sessions, and vet talks.

Calf health has been a central focus and is a key area for the Boehringer team under the #Calfmatters umbrella. The dairy heifer calf

is the future of the herd and the impact of disease, particularly bovine respiratory disease (BRD), is a huge cause for concern for both welfare and economic reasons. “It’s often the herd manager’s or producer’s wife who has been responsible for calf rearing, and many of the meeting attendants revealed a significant level of knowledge and understanding of calves’ needs,” says Boehringer vet Ailsa Milnes.

“Mortality figures for heifers must improve, with 7% of live born calves dying before three months of age and 15% of heifers failing to reach first lactation. Add to this the fact that 20% of calves are treated at least once for pneumonia and calculations show that poor calf performance is likely to cost the average herd 1.8ppl. And if the affected animal makes it into the herd, early pneumonia has an impact on lifetime yield and life expectancy. For every additional 100g of average daily weight gain during the first two months of life, about 225kg of additional milk in the first lactation can be expected.”

#Calfmatters website re-launched Boehringer Ingelheim has relaunched its #Calfmatters website, making it even more valuable and useful for producers, advisers and vets.

Since it was launched two years ago, #Calfmatters (www.calfmatters.com) has grown from an educational web resource into a real force for change with leading vets, policy-makers and producers all engaging with its campaign.

“Highlights would be: its stakeholder roundtable meeting in 2018; the Calf Health and Welfare Blueprint, which was launched at Dairy-Tech; the #Calfmatters survey, which took place in August; and numerous meetings up and down the country,” says Boehringer’s Mathieu Maignan. #Calfmatters will remain an educational resource for anyone with calves, be they specialist calf rearers, dairy or beef producers.

“We are striving to make #Calfmatters owned by its users,” he adds. “So we carried out a nationwide producer survey in 2018 to find out what people wanted to improve, develop and share information on. This has driven the new #Calfmatters website.”

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

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BREEDING GENOMIC TESTING

Tapping into

true heifer potential Genomically testing heifers is the surest way to invest in the best stock says NMR’s Richard Miller. Too many producers are, unknowingly, breeding replacements from lower-genetic-potential cattle that don’t ‘make the cut’ and hold back progress.

TEXT KAREN WRIGHT

“O

ne of the main ‘bugbears’ has been relying on parent averages in heifers and on assuming that most heifers are better than the cows in the herd,” says NMR’s genomic services manager Richard Miller.

But he points out that not all heifers will have a better profitable lifetime index (PLI) than the rest of the herd. “There will be an overlap, with some cows ranking better than some heifers.”

The second point is the difficulty of selecting the best heifers by relying on parent average PLIs. These are

Richard Miller: “Improved accuracy is where genomic tests score” 44

only 30% reliable, as opposed to 65% for heifers with a genomic PLI (gPLI). “This improved accuracy is where genomic tests score,” he explains. “It gives heifers a PLI that is on par with older herd mates, which have their own production records and additional ancestral data.”

Based on NMR’s analysis of 1,000 heifers with genomic and parent average PLIs, the error rate was 15%. “This means that those using parent average PLIs will mis-breed 15% of heifers,” says Mr Miller.

From the analysis, there was an average £127 per heifer improvement in PLI by identifying heifers to breed from using gPLIs. “Animals with a higher PLI have been shown to have greater performance and lifetime productivity. Improved lifetime milk value alone can justify genomic testing.”

He adds that gPLI is a good initial breeding screen for most herds. “The finer details come later, where producers and their breeding advisers can select for specific traits. But it’s best to do this from a sub set of animals that meet the herd’s PLI benchmark.” l

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Genomic journey for Wiltshire-based producer Producer Liz Birkett is on the brink of breeding from her first batch of genomically tested heifers. The heifer average PLI for her 160-cow Holstein Friesian herd, based at Rookhaye near Salisbury, is £400, compared to a herd average PLI of £193. But heifer PLIs range from £250 to £550.

“We started genomically testing heifers soon after birth in January 2018, so we can improve our progress by identifying and breeding from our best heifers,” says Liz who runs the mixed farm working with fulltime herdsman Paul Aylen.

“We’re still ‘genomic’ novices, but we can already see which heifers have the best gPLIs. The added reliability gives us more confidence in our breeding decisions and it means that we will be more discerning when it comes to those few at the lower end.”

Liz is currently breeding most of the heifers to a dairy sire and sexed semen is used across the herd. “We want to sell more surplus pedigree young stock,” she says.

“Genomically tested heifers with a more reliable proof should be attractive to buyers.

“We use PLI as a first screen and don’t breed cows to a dairy bull with a PLI of less than £200,” she explains, admitting that there can be the odd exception where Paul recognises an animal as a good, healthy cow that gets back in calf easily. Cows with a PLI of less than £200 are bred to beef.

“There’s no substitute for good stockmanship and for keeping cows that fit into our highinput high-output system, even if their PLI doesn’t stack up.”

High yielders in this all-year-round calving herd are housed and grazing is kept for lower yielders, young stock and dry cows on this chalkland unit, which is prone to drying out. Milked twice a day, average yield is 10,500kg at 3.89% fat and 3.29% protein and milk is sold on a Sainsbury’s contract through Medina.

A recently installed parlour ID system, linked to Uniform software and NMR records, will allow Paul and Liz to monitor progress more accurately. “And I hope that we add to this accuracy with genomic tests on young stock so that we can increase our selection

Why drive for more £PLI?

Young stock may not always be best

There is a clear relationship between lifetime daily yield (LDY) and PLI. Figure 1 shows how LDY varies with £PLI for third-lactation cows in an example herd. Each point represents a cow, and the trend line shows the ‘best fit’ between £PLI and LDY (kg/day). The higher the PLI, the better the LDY. So, a third-lactation cow, who is 1,800 days old with a PLI of £300, will have produced 1,800kg more milk than a similar cow with a PLI of £200. Based on a milk price of 30ppl, for example, that is an extra income of £540 so far.

Producers should not assume that all their heifers are genetically superior to older cattle. Figure 2 shows a typical UK Holstein herd, where the top 50% of heifers and firstlactation cows are of higher genetic merit than the top 25% of almost all other age cohorts. But there are cows in lactations one to four of higher genetic merit than the lower quartile of the heifers.

Figure 2 shows the effect of setting a benchmark of £300 for breeding

top 25% 25-50%

replacements using sexed semen. This will include 75% of the heifers, 23% first lactation cows, 21% second-lactation cows and some third and fourth-lactation cows.

The average dam PLI of the group to be bred with sexed semen would be £356.

Bred to sires with an average PLI of £600 would result in an estimated average, just based on parental PLIs, of £478. This is a major improvement on the current heifer group.”

50-75% bottom 25%

benchmark example of PLI £300 for breeding replacements

500

22

400

20 18

₤ PLI

LDY (kg/cow)

intensity,” says Liz. “The aim is to pull up the rear and breed a more consistent and sustainable herd.”

Figure 2: Typical £PLI spread in a Holstein herd

Figure 1: The relationship between £PLI and LDY (kg/cow)

16 14

300 200 100

12 10 0

Liz Birkett and herdsman Paul Aylen

0 50

100 150 200 250 300 350 ₤ PLI

5+

4

3

2

1

heifers

age or lactation no.

cowmanagement MAY 2019

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BREEDING DAIRY BREEDING CENTER

Modern facility offers

high quality genetics

Around 80% of sires bred by CRV are from embryos from animals at the company’s Dairy Breeding Center. The modern building plays a prominent role in its breeding programme. Embryo production has been streamlined from start to finish.

TEXT INGE VAN DRIE

I

t’s impossible to miss. The Dairy Breeding Center at Wirdum, in the north Netherlands, is a striking and modern sight. With specially designed animal routes (both inside and out), climatologically optimised housing, and a logical layout of laboratory and office spaces, the center is fully attuned to the activities taking place.

There is a special ‘sky box’ for visitors, from where they can see the embryo donors. The viewing box is behind glass, because biosecurity comes first. Every year many visitors from across the Netherlands and abroad visit the facility.

Embryo ambition The building plays a prominent role in CRV’s breeding programme. “The more embryos there are available, the higher the selection intensity, and the greater the chance of breeding a top-class animal,” says head of embryo production and bull units Jakomien Noordman, briefly explaining why the centre is so important to the company.

CRV currently produces 11,500 embryos annually, but the ambition is to produce 20,000 per year in Wirdum.

“Here we assemble a group of the female animals with the highest genetic predisposition,” says CRV’s head of product development Jaap Veldhuisen. “We want to get as many offspring from these animals as possible, so that we can select well. Our aim is to have the best bulls available, so that every producer can meet their breeding goal. And that should be the case whether it is a black-and-white, red-andwhite, or polled sire.”

So what does the embryo production process look like in Wirdum? Every year around 160 genetically high-quality animals enter the core breeding farm, also known as the ‘nucleus’. These heifers are, on average, five months old when they arrive and once they reach between 10 and 12 months old, oocyte collection starts.

Nucleus sires When donors are six months into their gestation, they move to one of CRV’s test farms. CRV only puts the best donors – between 10% and 15% of those that have become milking cows – back into service as donors again. “We work mainly

Many visitors, from across the Netherlands and abroad, visit the facility each year

48

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CRV breeding programme flowchart

Batch housing: cattle are grouped, depending on age

breeders at home and abroad – the so-called EuroDonor programme – based on pedigree, genomic-breeding value and the individual performance of the dams.

The 12,400 embryos that CRV uses on the Delta Satellite farms resulted in about 2,800 heifer and 2,800 bull calves (see illustration). From the 2,800 heifer calves, CRV selected 170 to come into the breeding center. CRV selects 110 bull calves each year, out of 3,800 for rearing. And 80% of those come from the embryos produced in the center. All bulls that come from the donors at the facility are recognisable by the Delta prefix. Bulls, for example, including Delta Reloader, Delta Magister, and Delta Bouncer.

Cow families

with heifers,” says Mr Veldhuisen. “Not only because they have a higher genetic predisposition, but also because, thanks to the genomic selection of heifers, we now know as much as we used to from a cow with three lactations.”

Every year donors from the ‘nucleus’ produce about 11,500 embryos. And CRV also buys around 900 embryos from

The national top 20 NVI scoring female animals include 16 animals from the CRV satellite programme. Some of them are already in Wirdum, the rest are still on the satellite farms. And that does not detract from the fact that each year CRV also buys about 20 female animals from breeders throughout Europe.

“We have an open programme and go for the very best.

In that way, we also bring in new cow families,” says coordinator of the Delta breeding programme Marcel Fox. He determines which 160 animals will come to Wirdum each year and ‘promoted’ to embryo donors.

Although, admittedly, the selection is based on breeding values, Mr Fox is regularly in Wirdum to look at the donors in real life. “And there are, fortunately, many heifers that fire my enthusiasm.”

One of the embryo donors he is particularly excited about is Overzicht Delta Jina. In her first lactation, this red-carrier daughter of Delta Incentive produced almost 11,000kg of milk with 4.51% fat and 3.64% protein. She is the dam of Delta Jacuzzi who is currently by far the highest redand-white bull for milk production and is used as an international sire of sons. Jacuzzi daughters require relatively little feed to fuel their high milk production. This is apparent from a score of +21% for Better Life Efficiency.

Delta Bouncer is another good example of the success of the Delta programme. He is the tenth generation with the Delta prefix. Bouncer is extreme in components with 0.10% fat and 0.12% protein. He combines this with good milk production and high longevity. And he’s also a specialist in udder health.

“Our Delta nucleus is crucial to the success of our breeding programme,” says Mr Fox. “It is the source of more than 80% of the bulls that we breed each year.” l

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JUNE/JULY UDDER HEALTH June 28 – We’ll report from the UK’s driest dairy unit, based in Essex. Other topics covered in this issue will include mastitis prevention and treatment, and PPE for producers.

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

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Illustrations/pictures Photographs by Veeteelt Photography, George Portch (13), Rachael Porter (14 to 16), Mark Pasveer (40) and Eveline van Elk (24).

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