Cowmanagement april/may 2014

V O LU M E 12 N O 3 APR IL/MAY 2014

IN THIS ISSUE

H O U S IN G

H EA LTH & SA FETY

PRE VI EW

Tips for renovation and maintenance

Managing risk during the silage-making season

Reasons to visit this year’s Grassland & Muck event

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CO NTENT

FEATURES

Cow Talk Overalls off: firefighter Roger Evans Avoncroft Breeding Information/ Thompsons Nutritional News 45 NMR Dairy Management News 51 Business basics: milk-quota madness 54 Events and contacts 4 12 20 37

REPORTS

14 Easy-to-manage Ayrshires are key to the success of the Windel’s herd BREEDING

38 April bull-proof rankings MANAGEMENT

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Use your head at turnout Bug patrol improves hygiene plan Preview: Grassland & Muck Event Block-calving benefits

Mike Windell “Our ranking success is a ‘side effect’ – but a very happy one” 14

Editor Rachael Porter Spring obsession

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’m sure you’ll forgive us if we’re a little ‘grass heavy’ in this issue. It is the time of year when many producers become a little obsessed with the green stuff and little wonder as, not least, it signals the end of a busy winter feeding period.

There’s also the rewarding sight of cows heading out to graze for the first time in five or more months. Our Facebook page, which you can find at www.facebook.com/cowmanagementuk, has a link to a film, taken from the air, of a herd being turned out to grass after winter. ‘Joyful’ is a word used to describe it by many who’ve seen it. Visit our page and take a look for yourself.

The lovely ladies on page 14 should also put a smile on your face and their owners certainly have plenty to be happy about. Their herd has just topped the NMR annual production ranking for the Ayrshire breed.

We also have features focusing on grass-based, block-calving systems. One asks if it’s a system that could suit every herd and unit. The other looks at the benefits to be had from making the switch and the important role that genetics play in the success of such a system.

The month of May means ‘first-cut silage’ for many producers, so we also have a timely article on health and safety. This offers advice and reminders to help you, and your contractor, minimise the risk of injuries – or worse – during what’s always a very busy period in the dairy calendar.

Here’s to a successful grazing and silage-making season.

Main article Management Grass-based systems Safer silage making

Special Housing

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Do grass-based, block-calving systems suit every dairy business?

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Minimising the risk of injury during the silage-making season

Renovation: timely tips for repairing, maintaining and improving cow housing

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O W

TA L K

Dairy industry should be more bullish Speaking at the NMR and University of Reading conference – Healthy Cows, Healthy Humans, Healthy Planet – chairman Patrick Wall encouraged the dairy industry to be more bullish and show more confidence in their products.

“It’s a good industry to be in with a bright future – the removal of quotas in 2015 will bring more opportunities,” said the professor, who is a qualified vet and doctor of medicine from University College Dublin. “But its success relies on the participants being more bullish, a greater degree of collaboration and cooperation, and compliance across the board. One shady operator can easily mess it up for the rest.”

He referred to the food scares that have affected the food industry and the untold damage caused to suppliers. “Improved tracking systems can certainly pinpoint scares but it’s not easy – finding a needle in a haystack often means recalling the whole haystack and this is costly and damaging to the industry.

“Think of tests on raw materials for animal feed – only a tiny proportion is tested so the risk is there. We have to establish trust in the main.”

Reassuring though, Professor Wall drew attention to the improved capabilities of testing laboratories and the vital part

they play in the whole food production chain.

“Laboratories can do far more for us – disease monitoring is a big growth area where there’s a lot more on offer. In the dairy sector, genetics create the potential and nutrition can realise that potential, but sub-optimal animal health can undermine both. So if we get cow health wrong we’re in bother.”

With disease testing and surveillance services in place for dairy cow diseases then it suggests producers are well advised to take advantage of these.

One of the greatest challenges faced by the dairy industry is its perception by the general public. He urged producers not to believe their own propaganda.

“We need to get into the ‘space’ of the public and see what’s going on. “There are celebrities advocating veganism and there’s a fashion for children to sport a range of food allergies.”

Instead Professor Wall highlighted the outstanding properties of milk and dairy products – a valuable food stuff to support all ages and one that could be marketed accordingly.

“Milk and dairy products could be marketed as part of ‘life stage’ nutrition.

“Nutritional requirements for babies and toddlers are different to those for

Patrick Wall: “Industry has a bright future”

pensioners, but there are great products in the dairy portfolio for all these groups.

“Dairy can help reduce osteoporosis, for example. In Korea, baby milk is marketed as ‘Einstein’ milk! The industry should be getting these and other health benefits across,” he said.

And there’s plenty of evidence to support dairy as part of a healthy diet. “We put a lot of effort into feeding our animals properly to keep them healthy and prevent disease – sadly the same isn’t true in humans and a lot more could be done to promote healthy eating patterns in the young that they can carry forward into adulthood.”

He reminded producers, and the whole dairy industry, that they are all in the human health business – producing milk for humans not milking cows.

Tackle acidosis to maximise grazing performance Optimising rumen health at grazing will be essential if yields from forage are to be maximised. So says Biotal’s Roy Eastlake, who advises the inclusion of rumen-specific live yeast in cows’ rations.

“Large-scale studies in southern Ireland and Australia have shown that rumen acidosis and sub-acute rumen acidosis (SARA) are significant issues in grazed cows, even when very low levels of concentrate are offered,” Mr Eastlake explained.

Both occur when the pH in the rumen drops below 5.8, and are due to rumen microbes fermenting sugars and starches to produce large amounts of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and lactic acid at a faster rate than cows can utilise them.

Diets low in NDF and high in rapidly fermentable carbohydrates, such as sugars and starch, can lead to problems with acidosis.

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“Lush, fresh pasture is high in sugars that accelerate VFA output,” he said. “Starchy concentrate feeds also produce higher levels of VFAs. Even low quantities of concentrate fed at milking time can increase the acidosis risk at grazing.”

The consequence of acidosis will be reduced milk yields, poorer fertility and an increased risk of lameness so Mr Eastlake urges producers to take steps to reduce the risk.

He advises increasing levels of physically effective NDF in the diet, possibly by feeding straw or, if available, by buffer feeding with maize or wholecrop silage.

“Another proven approach is to feed a rumen-specific live yeast. This will help to stimulate the lactic acid utilising bacteria in the rumen and remove the acid build up,” he added.

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Dosing system cuts chemical usage Many producers over-use hygiene chemicals by up to 15%, but a new automatic dosing system promises more accurate chemical delivery at each and every wash.

Available from Progiene dairy chemical supplier Nettex – a division of the Rumenco Group – the new Autodoser offers producers the opportunity to use dairy chemicals far more cost-effectively.

“At its most basic level the low maintenance, durable and easy-to-clean stainless steel system ensures costeffective delivery of cleaning chemicals,” claims the company’s Alison Clark.

“Its high-output pumps also ensure that every cleaning dose is dispensed quickly, which reduces the drop in water temperature that allows fat and protein re-deposits to build up on equipment surfaces.

And its closed system minimises chemical wastage through ozone degradation, as well as preventing the

poisonous gas emission danger from accidental mixing.”

She adds that the doser also allows for more cost-efficient bulk product buying and extends chemical and liner life.

“Producers can purchase larger chemical volumes, often at a cheaper price per litre. What’s more, with no need to dispense chemicals into jugs once it is installed, there are time and labour savings too.”

The doser also prevents any underdosing issues. “Bactoscans can easily increase if too little chemical is used,” says Ms Clark. “For every 100 cows this could mean the difference between receiving a bonus of £5,000 or a potential penalty of more than £15,000.

“The doser’s three-pump system also allows the use of a final rinse disinfectant, to help reduce thermoduric bacteria that can survive pasteurisation and cause milk spoilage and shorten endproduct shelf life.”

High-quality starch feed launched A highly palatable alternative to cereals for producers, which will drive intakes and production, has been launched by KW. Severn Starch is a high-starch moist feed and will be available year-round in the west Midlands from May 2014.

Offering 13.5MJ ME/kg DM and a dry matter of 30% or above, the product can be included in total mixed rations, as part of a moist blend or top-dressed onto other feeds.

A co-product of potato processing for the human food industry, it can be fed at up to 6kg/day to milking cows.

“This moist feed is a highly cost-effective cereal replacer, and will be a great alternative for producers in the region looking to boost ration starch and energy levels,” said the company’s Matt Stearn.

“The extra palatability of a moist feed will also promote higher feed intakes.”

Grazing trace-element status is cause for concern Producers could face significant herd health and fertility problems this year as a result of low soil indices of vital trace elements, warns James McCulloch from trace-element specialists Agrimin.

Levels of some key nutrients are at critical levels following high levels of rainfall during the past two years and exceptionally wet conditions at the start of 2014.

Cattle fertility will be affected most with low levels of nutrients such as copper, selenium, iodine and cobalt contributing to poor fertility, low birth weights

and reduced calf vigour. “We’re getting many reports of residual levels of trace elements in the soil being exceptionally low,” he says. “The problem is that these low levels could persist for a considerable time and both grazing and forage from pasture could be deficient in vital trace elements for many months.”

ADAS nutritionist David Peers says the most common trace element problems are with copper, selenium and iodine with some areas needing to think about cobalt too.

“Very wet weather creates ‘soil splash’ on the bottom of plants, which contains iron and molybdenum, both of which ‘lock-up’ copper and make it unavailable to the animal.

“The effects of this are difficult to see, but sub-clinical levels of copper deficiency tend to be picked up through fertility issues such as cows not coming into heat and poor holding to service.

“Selenium is another trace element that can become unavailable and iodine deficiencies can be a problem, particularly in fast growing pasture,” he adds.

“Iodine deficiencies tend to show up through the summer grazing period and often when levels appear sufficient in

James McCulloch:“Soil indices may be low”

the soil, they can be low in the plant.”

James McCulloch says the only way that these nutrient shortfalls can be corrected efficiently is by sustained and controlled release of the missing nutrients into the animals’ bloodstream.

“Some boluses are too ‘hit and miss’ in their nutrient delivery, mineral blocks are not usually used by all animals and drenches do not supply a sustained supply.”

He adds that the 24.7 Smartrace bolus – which contains copper, iodine, selenium and cobalt – is proven to release vital nutrients in measured amounts into the bloodstream during a 180-day period, via innovative controlled erosion technology.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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M A I N

A RT I C L E

The grass-based management system is in crea

Grass-based system: n A wide range of dairy systems are now acknowledged as being successful and profitable and there’s been a recent resurgence in grass-based, block-calving systems. So we ask if it would suit every dairy business. text Rachael Porter & Karen Wright

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ould – and would – the current trend towards grass-based systems carry on indefinitely?

What about domestic milk production and supply?

And what is needed to support successful grassbased systems?

DairyCo’s grass specialist Piers Badnell says that, with regard to ‘could’ more producers benefit from switching to a grass-based system, most producers could indeed increase the amount of milk their herd’s produce from grazed grass and forage. As for ‘would’ they make the switch, he says it’s probably a ‘no’. “We have an exceptional climatic advantage in the UK – we can grow very good grass. But success with this grass is very much about management, infrastructure and the sheer will to do it and do it well. Not all units and producers have all those things.”

For some units, such as those split by main roads or with land that’s a long way from the main farm buildings, a grass-based system may be out of the question. But for others it may just require minimal investment. “If producers want to get more from grass and invest in infrastructure – which on most units means good cow tracks – they will undoubtedly see financial benefits.”

The right genetics Mr Badnell adds that the right genetics are important too. “Look at the cow – not just the system. Will she produce efficiently on a grassbased system? Or is she better suited to a more intensive management set up?

“A Holstein herd averaging between 8,000 and 9,000 litres could be run on a grass-based system. An in-calf cow that’s producing between 25 and 30 litres a day is a grazing cow. Cows not in calf and giving more than that could take around 25% of their daily requirement from grazed grass so would also need supplementary feeding.”

Simple system: maximising milk production from grass

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is in creasing in popularity, but is it for everyone?

m: niche or mainstream?

So, switching to a grass-based system is not simply a case of turning out high performance, large Holstein-type herd to grass. Neither is it true that you have to exclusively breed a small, lower milk production cow to thrive on an extensive grazing system, according to Geno UK managing director Wes Bluhm. “But what is true is that you need to breed the right cow for the job. If you do this the whole system is easier and more profitable. If you have the wrong cow you’re always fighting against the system.”

Those adopting grass-based systems typically look to maximise milk from grass.

“To accomplish this they must have a tight calving pattern.” he adds. “And this means we need fertile cows that get back in calf. This is why we’ve seen many grazing based herds switch to cross breeding where they can reap the benefits of the more fertile breeds like the Scandinavian breeds. The yield and improved fertility complement the traditional breeding.”

Wide variation But on any unit the grazing area and therefore the number of animals is limited. “We refer to this as the ‘grazing platform’. In most cases the limitation is getting enough quality grass off the available area. The only way to move forward is to increase production and to get more solids per cow within this platform while maintaining fertility and health. And for this reason we’re seeing a three way cross working well.”

An example might be the Norwegian or Swedish Red, Jersey and the Holstein. This combination typically brings a herd of hard-wearing cows with good health and fertility and good yields.

Mr Bluhm also stresses the importance of careful bull selection within the breed too. “There’s wide variation within any breed and it’s important that producers get help from advisers that are familiar with the particular breeds.”

As to how sustainable any system is though depends on the individual. “Only the producer can tell you this and every unit is different. In April 2013 the grazing-based producers were shovelling snow before they could milk cows but they did it and knew that their system was making money.

DairyCo data shows that the grazing people can have a higher ppl net margin so with the right help and right cows a grazing based dairy system can be highly successful.”

Mr Badnell says that a block-calving, grass-based system also offers ease of management. “If all your cows are in calf at the same time, it makes no

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Grazing girls: consider herd genetics when contemplating a switch to a grass-based, block-calving system

difference if you have one or 300.

They’re all being managed in the same way at the same time. So yes, there are times of the year when you’re extremely busy, but there are also times when there’s very little to do and producers could even take a well-earned extended break away from the farm.

“The opportunity to take some time out should never be underestimated.

Coming back to the business feeling fresh and with a clear perspective offers business and financial benefits of its own,” Mr Badnell says.

Grass variability That said, it’s not for everyone. “Simply, because not everyone wants to manage their herd in this way. And the will to run such a system is key, since the success of such a system hinges on the person – or people – managing it.”

Mr Badnell says he knows of two units that are similar in their size, cow numbers and set up. But benchmarking shows a difference in margin per litre of up to 20ppl: “And this is down to the person managing the unit.”

He adds that the focus should be yield per hectare – not yield per cow. “The latter will tend to be lower on a grassbased system, but milk yield per hectare should be higher if it’s managed well and producers focus on soil pH, P and K and producing more grass.”

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It’s for this reason that Mr Badnell believes that a shift towards more grassbased systems should result in sustained UK milk production – not a decrease in domestic supply.

For those who are still not convinced, or are concerned that grass growth and quality tend to be variable on their unit, Provimi nutritionist Philip Ingram says that it does not need to be a question of ‘to graze or not to graze?’

“Many dairy systems can incorporate grazing at different levels of intensity.

Daytime grazing with night-time indoor feeding is also very prevalent.”

He explains that this allows cows to graze when the grazing platform is insufficient to support full time grazing, and aids performance when cows are of high genetic merit and struggle to meet their needs from grass.

“It is particularly helpful in difficult grazing conditions. High production cows can be grazed in their late lactation group. And for most cattle access to good, well managed grassland for a proportion of the feeding will help intakes and milk output.”

Nutritionally speaking, Dr Ingram says that a major downfall is that producers are often over-ambitious when it comes to predicting intakes from grass – particularly in early and late season.

Recent economic modelling work shows that ‘moderate systems’ are actually the

most financially robust – they’re more adaptable to the highs and lows of volatile markets. “A ‘moderate system’ is one where yields average between 7,000 and 8,000 litres and where cows are grazed and supplemented as required to sustain yields,” he says.

Financial reward Dr Ingram explains that the ‘polarised’ set ups are less flexible. “Grazing systems, which are focussed purely on maximising milk from grass, can be held back when milk markets are good because their limited output means they cannot reap rewards in a good economic climate.

“Similarly, dairies focussed purely on maximising milk yield per cow are stuck with high input costs that they simply cannot avoid when economics are not so good.”

So, it seems that a ‘grass’ focus has benefits to offer most, if not all, producers. Whether you go all the way and adopt a spring block-calving system depends very much on your unit’s suitability and your interest and ability to grow and utilise the green stuff. But those that do take the plunge and are committed to making it work through the system and through breeding, as many have and continue to do so, can rest assured that they will see a financial reward for their efforts. l

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O V E R A L L S

Name: Location: Herd size: Pastime:

O F F

Paul White Devon 114 cows Volunteer firefighter

Paul White: “When I’m paged, it’s a case of ‘down tools and run’”

Fire duty text Rachael Porter

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ire fighting is a term used by many dairy producers, possibly to describe tackling a nasty outbreak of mastitis. But for one Devon-based producer it has a more literal meaning. For the past 17 years Paul White has been a volunteer firefighter at his local station in Kingston.

The station is manned solely by volunteers – just one of a handful left in the UK that is run this way. Kingston station is just three quarters of a mile away from the family dairy unit, which is home to a 114-cow pedigree herd, plus 200 followers.

“It takes me just seven minutes to get to the station,” he says.

Paul is on call when he says that he’s on call. “We have an ‘availability system’ so, for example, I can say that I’m ‘off’ between 6.00 am and 9.00 am and between 5.00 pm and 7.00 pm.

That’s when I’m milking and can’t just drop everything.”

The rest of the time, if the pager that all the volunteers carry goes off, he says that it’s a case of ‘down tools and run’.

Paul farms in partnership with his parents Philip and Eve, so they, and Paul’s wife Alice, take up the slack while he’s ‘out on a shout’.

But that’s not that often, he says, just 20 times a year. “But we still have to keep up-to-date with training. Using breathing apparatus, first aid, practicing confined space rescues and driving – they’re all important skills that we need.”

He says that they need a minimum of five people to take the engine out. “So at any one time there are six of us on call.”

Paul says that he enjoys the team work and gets a lot of satisfaction from giving something back to the community.

“Farming can be quite isolated, so it’s good for me to do something that gets me away from the cows. That said, I’d never want to be a full-time fire fighter,” he says.

One of his most memorable ‘shouts’ was on the eve of the new millennium in 1999. “We were at a fancy dress party – all dressed up as glamorous women – and we were called out at 11.45 pm to tackle a flood. We changed into our uniforms, but many of us still had nail varnish and make up on – it was very bizarre!”

Because he’s a volunteer fire fighter – not retained – he’s only paid for the work that he does. He’s paid an hourly rate and this equates to a total of between three or four days a year. “So I obviously don’t do it for the extra income,” he says. “But I do enjoy it and I would recommend volunteering to anyone, if it’s at all possible. Your distance from the station is key here.

“We’re always looking to recruit. It’s a great way to learn new life skills.”

Kingston station is looking for more volunteers, so if you’re interested visit www.dsfire.gov.uk, call 01392 872 200, or visit the station on drill night – Tuesdays at 7.15pm. Or contact your local fire station.

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H E R D

R E P O RT

Careful sire selection and precise feeding are key to maximising production

The Windel family Long lasting, easy-tomanage Ayrshires are key to the success of this Wiltshire-based herd. And the family that runs it is totally dedicated to the breed Herd size: Average yield: Average milk price: Somatic cell count:

Purist’s passion breeds success Wroughton

101 cows 8,215 litres 35.47ppl (2012/2013) 97,000 cells/ml

What does it take to rise to the top of NMR’s annual production report rankings? We spoke to a leading Ayrshire breeder to find out his – and his herd’s – secrets to success. text Rachael Porter

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his year sees a new herd shine at the top of NMR annual production report rankings for the Ayrshire breed.

The Windel family’s pedigree Wroughton herd, based near Swindon in Wiltshire, has moved around in the top 20 or so herds for the past 30 years or more and even headed the list back in the 1980s. But this year it moved from eighth position to first and Mike Windel is obviously delighted.

“We set out to produce as much milk as we can, as cost effectively as possible. Topping the ranking for the Ayrshire breed is just a ‘side effect’ of that, but a very happy one.”

He says that secret to the herd’s success is a mixture of close attention to detail and good genetics.

“Everything came together for us in 2013. We calved down a nice group of heifers and they all milked very well. I think that, and the excellent silage that we made in 2012 despite the difficult conditions, gave us the edge,” he says.

Full control Mike, who farms in partnership with his wife Rosemary and son Russell, explains that they make all their own silage, as well as working as contractors on other units. “We consistently produce good forage for the herd, whatever the weather throws at us, and I think that has really helped milk yields during the past few years.”

Key to success is being able to make silage at exactly the right time:

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Sure footing: strong feet and legs contribute to a long and productive herd life

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Easy on the eye: these girls have beauty and plenty of brawn when it comes to milking well – and lasting for several lactations – in the herd

“We’re not at the mercy of contractors – we can go when conditions are optimal and we can get the job done in three or four days.”

Three cuts are taken each year off 48 hectares at the unit and a further 20 hectares of grass keep. “We like to chop it quite long – we don’t want ‘minced’ grass – and all silage is clamped, with the exception of a few square bales that are made from third cut.”

Mike says that silage always analyses well. “In fact our second cut was better than our first cut in 2013 and even in the wet summer of 2012 we made some good silage.”

This silage is fed as part of a mixed ration, which also comprises a blend, a moist feed called ‘forage boost’ and molasses. An 18% crude protein concentrate is fed to yield through outof-parlour feeders (OPFs) and a 16% crude protein concentrate is also fed in the parlour, at a rate of 2kg/head.

“I think using out-of-parlour feeders is a key ingredient in our herd’s success.

We’re feeding them little and often, so there’s not digestive upset. We can ease up individual feed rates slowly and we’re not wasting concentrate by chucking it in a mixer wagon and feeding it to the wrong cows,” says Mike, who has been using OPFs on his unit for 30 years.

Impressive yields The average yield for the 101-cow herd was 8,215kg of milk at 4.10% butterfat and 3.27% protein for the ending September 2013. Heifers averaged an impressive 7,281kg of milk at 4.55% butterfat and 3.43% protein. Milk price averaged 35.47ppl for 2012/2013.

“We’ve had a run of good luck with heifer calves – we’ve produced plenty of them. So we’ve quite a high percentage of heifers in the herd – at least 25% at the moment.”

Mike explains that these are all homebred pure Ayrshires using sires from the UK’s Ayrshire Cattle Society (ACS), some from Canada and his own bull.

His passion for the breed stretches back more than 40 years. His father began dairying with Ayrshires back in the 1940s, before slowly switching to British Friesians. It was in 1972, when Mike’s family moved to the tenant farm where the business is still based today, that his uncle gave him nine Ayrshires. “And it all snowballed from there. I decided that Ayrshires were the way I wanted to go.”

Today about 10% of the herd is served by the home-bred bull, with AI used on the rest. Mike uses some young bull semen from the ACS and he still has some Winston in the AI flask: “But I have to use him with care to avoid inbreeding.

I also use some Belgian Blue semen on the lower genetic end of the herd.”

Long-lasting cows “I select for type, so that they last for several lactations in the herd. I don’t set a minimum for yield. I believe that if they’re fed well then we’ll get results as far as milk production goes.”

That said, it’s a ‘milky’ herd with some exceptional cow families, including Diane and Janet. One cow – Diva – has broken the 10,000-litre barrier and quite a few produce more than 9,000 litres in a 305-day lactation.

Health and fertility are good. Partly due to the Ayrshire breed, says Mike, adding

that feet are extremely strong. “We don’t push the cows to get back in calf – we calve all year round to satisfy our milk contract to supply Waitrose – so we’re not too worried about the calving interval.”

This stands at 417 days. The rolling average somatic cell count is 97,000 cells/ml and mastitis incidence is low – just a couple of cases each month.

The herd attracts attention from across the UK and abroad. Semen from Wroughton bulls has been exported to the US, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Switzerland. “The first Ayrshire calf from a UK sire for 100 years was born in Switzerland in 2013 and that was by our bull called Lord Winston.”

He’s no longer alive, but Wroughton Ridgeway, who replaced him, is also proving popular with Mike and other breeders.

Pure approach “For me it has to be pure Ayrshire and that’s why my cows last so long in the herd. Eight or nine lactations are the average,” says Mike, who also likes to show his cattle at local and national shows when he has the time.

One of his cows – Wroughton Alice – held the world record for lifetime yield for a pure Ayrshire at 128.4 tonnes in 12 lactations. “I think she still holds the UK record. And I’ve some cows in the herd at the moment that are getting close to breaking the 100-tonne barrier.

“For me, that’s what it’s all about – cows that produce a lot of milk during several lactations. It’s very rewarding, on a jobsatisfaction level, to milk healthy, troublefree cows that get back in calf easily. And it makes good financial sense too.” l

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Careful planning and communication are key to reducing risk

Safer silage making It’s one of the busiest times of the year and one of the most risky in terms of health and safety. So we spoke to one of the UK’s leading safety professionals about minimising the risk of injury – or worse – during the silage-making season. text Rachael Porter

T

ime is money and never more so than during silage making for many producers. With an eye on the weather – and the clock – it’s all hands on deck to get grass cut, tedded, picked up, and clamped or wrapped as quickly as possible.

Top-quality forage is key. But some

producers and contractors have paid the ultimate price for all this rushing around. Unguarded PTO shafts can cause, at best, life changing injuries and, at worst, death. And tipping trailers under overhead power cables has also proved fatal on some units.

So what steps can you take, as a producer,

PTO guard: make sure all equipment is well maintained and safe to use

to make sure that you or one of your colleagues doesn’t become another statistic?

“Agreeing a safe system of work with your contractor, before any work begins, is vital,” says Alastair Mitchell, one of the Health and Safety Executive’s agricultural inspectors.

“Remember, some contractors will be working on farms for the first time and won’t be familiar with the layout or the land. So make time to sit down with the contractor and discuss where the power lines are and agree a safe route in and out of the farm. Setting up a one-way system for traffic is one way of reducing risks from heavy machinery, as is making the farm yard a ‘no-pedestrian zone’ for the duration of the work.

Children should most definitely be kept well out of the way,” he adds.

Blind spots “People being run over by tractors and trailers and telescopic handlers are all too common. There may be blind spots and operators can’t always see exactly what’s behind them. And, because it’s an extremely busy time, people are very focused on the job in hand.”

Starting with mowing – which some producers will do themselves and then use a contractor to pick up, cart and clamp – he says that it’s essential that the power-take-off (PTO) shaft from the

Safe stacking: store bales in an area that’s level and offers easy access for handling

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mower to the tractor is properly guarded.

“There are no excuses for this – we all know how devastating the consequences of getting caught in a rotating shaft can be. Yet we still see unguarded PTOs in use on farms and sadly we also still see horrific accidents that often result in a fatality,” says Mr Mitchell.

“This equipment may not have been used for some months, so it’s important to ensure that it’s well maintained and fit for use. Don’t take an ‘it’ll do’ approach, far better to adopt a ‘see it, sort it’ attitude. And don’t forget to practice ‘safe stop’ before intervening with a machine for any reason.” See pictogram and remember brakes on, controls into neutral, switch-off, and put the key in your pocket.

Tipping trouble Tipping trailers to fill the clamp can also pose a risk if there are overhead power (OHP) cables on the farm. “Always try to avoid working near power lines where you can,” says Mr Mitchell. He stresses that, once again, producers must point out exactly where the OHP cables are on the farm – if there are any. “Assess the risks, agree a safe system of work with the contractor, and make sure that everyone knows about any possible hazards.”

Overhead power cables must stand at a minimum height of 5.2 metres above the ground, for an 11KV line. “But many selfpropelled harvesters’ discharge chutes are more than six metres tall. That poses an immediate problem.” If you have any doubts about working near power lines then speak to your local distribution network operator. They can arrange for

an engineer to come out and measure the height of the lines. In some situations it may be possible to arrange for the power to be switched off or have the lines diverted.”

Mr Mitchell adds that it’s important that workers know that if their machine hits a power line, and they can’t move it away, they should stay in the cab and use their mobile to call for help.

“If they need to get out of the machine – perhaps if it catches fire – they should jump clear, making sure they don’t make contact with the machine and the ground at the same time. If they panic then they may not remember that there’s a safe way to dismount, so remind everyone of this if there are OHP cables on your unit.”

Sight rails, to indicate the edge of the silage clamp, are also important and should be fitted before rolling begins.

“Rolling is a job for the experienced tractor driver – it requires skill. It’s not a job for a novice.”

Stack safely For producers making silage bales, safe stacking and handling is something else to focus on. “Accidents involving all types of bales are quite common, but easily prevented with careful planning and the right equipment,” says Mr Mitchell.

“Handling attachments must be suitable for the job and well maintained. Stack bales on a level site that offers good access for machinery and plenty of space for turning. Avoiding areas with OHP lines is a must here too.”

Since 2000 there have been 19 recorded fatalities resulting from people being struck by bales. “They’re extremely

Always practice ‘safe stop’ before you intervene with a machine: 1. Apply brakes, 2. Controls neutral, 3. Switch off, 4. Key out

heavy – up to half a tonne – and should be moved with care.”

Again, he says, there’s a degree of complacency leading to many accidents.

“And there’s a tight window to work in – particularly when making silage – so people may be tempted to cut corners when they’re under pressure.

“But it is important to make some time to plan any job carefully to minimise the risks. Follow HSE’s guidance to help make this a safe silage-making season.” l For more information about these safety topics, visit the HSE website at http://www.hse. gov.uk and select ‘agriculture’

Skilled job: only experienced drivers should roll the clamp

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Award-winning columnist and Shropshire-based producer Roger Evans talks about ‘pinch points’ and past purchasing decisions. He’s also pleased to say that being patient has finally paid off.

No regrets T

here are two challenging times during a typical year, due to the way we manage our dairy cows. If you and I were into jargon then we’d probably call them ‘pinch points’. But we’re not into jargon, so we won’t.

One is our cow housing. It’s half cubicles in old buildings, a quarter are loose housed and the rest are in very old kennels. It actually works quite well, but we aspire to keep 180 cows and the whole system is stretched, particularly from Christmas through to turnout, if there are 160 or so in milk. We have tried to mitigate this problem by calving and drying cows elsewhere a batch of cows in February and March so that in this vulnerable period we have a good number of cows dry and elsewhere.

The other ‘vulnerability’ we have is a dry summer. Our average rainfall is around 750mm. We have 33 hectares at home here but if you take out the yard, buildings, chicken sheds, all that bloody lawn, it comes to closer 28 hectares. What we don’t want is 160 cows on that 28 hectares in a dry summer, eating a bit of grass and lots of next winter’s silage.

Once again we have used calving patterns to mitigate this by having another batch of cows calving in September and dry elsewhere. I can’t put a specific date on this so I won’t try, but several years ago 40 hectares of land adjoining us came up for sale. This, in grandchildren speak, was a ‘no brainer’ at first look.

I had a good look. Not at the land – I’d been looking over the hedge at the land for years – but at the figures. This was in the era of leasing and buying quota. We had been hard hit by quota allocation, our quota was about half of what we produced. My bank manager reckoned the end was nigh for small milk producers like me.

The only way I could buy the land was to increase milk production.

I couldn’t buy both land and quota so I had to budget to lease it. I did a budget that leased quota at 6ppl. There was no money for any capital expenditure, but I was quite prepared to spend longer hours in the parlour and to make do with what I had.

The figures were so marginal that they were scary and I didn’t make a bid. As it turned out, quota leasing averaged 19ppl that year so that was a lucky escape. But there’s no doubt that the quota regime cost me the opportunity to buy extra land. I have nothing to show now for all the money I spent on quota and what I spent on quota would have bought the land.

I don’t feel bitter about it, just a bit pissed off. But time goes on and the neighbour the other side who bought the land has decided to step back a bit and the land has been let by tender as grass keep. It’s been let to us.

There are about 14 hectares that we can walk the cows to. It’s only for one year and it’s a big stretch for our cash flow because we weren’t really expecting it. But with just a stroke of my pen in my cheque book we have extended our grazing platform and have hopefully taken away one of our challenges. You just have to be patient in life.

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M A N A G E M E N T

Base grazing decisions on the bigger picture – not just tradition

Use your head at turnout

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Many producers are ruled by their hearts when it comes to liters/day

turnout. Tradition is often the basis of management decisions,

5

We spoke to two leading nutritionist to find out more.

0 April

text Allison Matthews

May

June month

July

August

Figure 1: Milk from forage (2013) based on Thompsons’ Milk Manager data

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ows are being turned out across the country as weather conditions continue to improve. But are we using upto-date systems that enhance profitability?

Or are management decisions being based on the tradition that turnout is a high point in the producer calendar?

Thompsons’ nutritionist Mary-Jane Robinson acknowledges producers’ instinct to get cows out to grass, but in some cases questions the motivation.

“Poor grassland management can have an impact on swards and the amount of milk that grazed grass can produce,” she says.

Figure 1 shows that milk from forage yields from monitored herds are well below what is expected. “Unfortunately many producers have a preconception that grass can sustain in excess of 20 litres, meaning cows are underfed as the nutritional value of the grazed grass is overestimated.

“The management of grass can cause additional work, but benefits are achievable if a paddock plan is put in place and managed accordingly.”

Rotation length and stocking rates are important and in a previous CowManagement article financial consultant Jason McMinn discussed how a 200-cow Table 1: Flat rate versus feeding to yield

May July September total conc/cow

average

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rather than nutritional and milk production considerations.

concentrate allocation

top 25%

15

flat rate feeding

fed to yield

5.2kg 3.7kg 3.0kg 480kg

up to 10kg up to 7kg up to 5kg 480kg

Data from trial with herd calving mid December and a yield range of between 22 litres and 47 litres. Group average yield was 31 litres/day at grass (source AFBI).

Table 2: Effect of buffer feeding on full grass-based systems

supplement

grass DM intake

grass silage maize silage whole crop concentrate

0.78 0.67 0.44 0.17

grazing additional time ME intake 36 mins 26 mins 24 mins 14 mins

1.6 MJ 3.2 MJ 4.0 MJ 11.0 MJ

herd can be accommodated on the same land as 150 cows, assuming the housing and parlour can cope.

“While we should not discount this information as soon as the sun comes out, we must take time to assess everything we know about our capabilities and make sure decisions are based on that,” says Ms Robinson.

“In the early grazing period, rotation length should be no more than 20 days, extending to 25 days as the season progresses. Stocking rates during this same period need to be at least five cows per hectare, reducing to four cows by mid-to-late summer.

“As more producers go with their heads, not their hearts, we have seen a trend towards partial or totally housed systems, with weather, land prices and available ground to rent all having an impact on decision making,” says Ms Robinson.

Management matters “But irrespective of the system it is the management within it that really matters.

Realistic feeding, according to both the stage of lactation and the capabilities of the grass, is central in maximising profit.”

Studies have shown that flat rate feeding from May to September equates to the same amount of concentrate usage when cows are fed to yield (see Table 1).

“As a guide, if the top third of the herd peaks above 33 litres and weather conditions are poor then grazing may not be the place for these cows to maximise litres, hold body condition score and ensure fertility is not compromised.

“Cows at this level of performance would be best suited to a completely housed ration,” says Ms Robinson.

“For herds where computerised parlours are not in place, and to avoid the batching of cows, the use of tail taping is a simple approach to allow the top up of cows in the parlour, depending on the stage of lactation.”

She adds that low yielders cost more to feed in a housed system and inefficient use of feed can usually be blamed on

this batch of cows if they are over-fed.

A reasonable level of concentrates and high quality grass will maintain the yield of these cows to match that of mid to late lactation animals.

Buffer feeding “In periods of wet weather it may be necessary to increase the concentrate feed level by one or two kilogrammes until grass dry matter intakes increase,” she stresses.

“The use of buffer feeding, particularly in mid- or late-lactation cows, should be a last resort, with forage substituting grass intake both in real terms and time spent grazing.

“The use of concentrates should be the first choice as they offer less substitution of grass while improving nutrient intake as seen in Table 2.”

As Zinpro’s ruminant manager Jonathan Huxtable explains, balancing the diet at this time of the year can also prove difficult.

“In addition to trying to maximise the use of grazed grass, balancing the cow’s requirements in terms of protein and energy and mineral requirements can be a challenge.

“Minerals at grass can have an impact on animal performance and a recent study – which fed zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt in the form of Availa 4 protected minerals – found that cows produced more energy and fat-corrected milk than control cows,” adds Mr Huxtable.

“Potential grazing platforms, the quality of swards, the accessibility of fields and the existing housing and parlour all need to be considered before deciding the plan of action for the summer months,” says Ms Robinson.

“When this is balanced with what the producer expects from milk yield and quality the best system will be apparent.

“Potentially the difference between good and poor grazing can equate to a loss of five litres if the diet is not manipulated to compensate. Improving the performance of forage will ultimately improve profitability.” l

WM M AA NN AA GG EE M M EE NN TT AS PE RP IT LE /MMBAE YR 22 00 10 49 CC OO W

CMUK03_Thompsons feature.indd 25

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Renovation: Timely tips for repairing, maintaining and improving cow housing. Page 28 What’s new? We round up a few of the latest cow housing products. Page 30

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Maintain cow housing – inside and out – to maximise cow comfort, health and productivity

Home improvements Wind, rain and severe flooding, in some areas of the UK, could mean that cow housing renovations and repairs will be on top of many producers’ ‘to-do’ list this spring and summer. But where do you start? We spoke to two buildings experts to find out more. text Rachael Porter

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ow housing took a battering this past winter on many UK units – and not just from its regular residents.

Extremely wet weather highlighted areas that were far from water tight and gale force winds whipped up anything that wasn’t nailed down – including many shed roofing panels.

Flooding also wrought havoc in cow

houses and other dairy buildings in many areas, particularly the south west of England.

Spring turnout presents an opportunity to carry out any housing repairs and annual maintenance, as well as to make improvements to cow accommodation.

“The wind has caused problems, with roof sheets being cracked or torn from

buildings,” says senior dairy husbandry consultant Brian Pocknee. “But because it’s also been wet and mild, he says that the windy winter has been a blessing in some respects.”

“We had very few still days, which meant that airflow through the damp and humid conditions in many cow houses has been better than usual and probably helped to keep respiratory and other health issues, like mastitis, under control in what could have been a problematic winter.”

He adds that ventilation is still an area that could benefit from considerable improvement on many units.

Poor relative Rain has also caused problems where ‘rain water goods’ have been lacking.

Down pipes and guttering are essential to direct water into drains and away from buildings. “But these are often seen as the

Cubicle comfort: research has shown that cows will chose dry, clean beds when they have a choice

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poor relative of building maintenance, so they’re either missing or broken and this allows the water to run into the cow house. The result is often wet cubicles or soggy straw yards.

“In a recent US trial, where cows were given a free choice to lie in wellmaintained, dry, clean cubicles or more typical slightly damp and soiled beds they always chose the former.

“In a typical cow house, there will always be cubicles that are cleaner and drier than the others and cows will seek these out.

But there’s not always a choice.”

Dr Pocknee says that keeping beds dry is also vital to keep cow house humidity as low as possible. “Cow housing is prone to becoming humid because the cows themselves create so much heat, giving off at least 1kW of heat all the time. For a 100-cow herd, that’s 100kW.” Add moisture to this heat and you create the perfect environment for pathogens, including mastitis bugs, to thrive. “So it’s well worth fixing that cracked roof sheet or broken guttering that’s allowing rainwater to run into the shed.”

Changing bulbs Some herds are housed all year round, but spring turnout is the perfect opportunity to assess any damage or look for and tackle any areas that require maintenance and improvement.

“Look for your housing’s ‘pinch’ points – you’ll see the greatest improvements and returns for your efforts here. Once these have been tackled you can work your way down the list of other jobs – there are usually quite a few!, says Dr Pocknee. “Just spend a couple of hours at a time – here and there – and make sure that everything is fixed down properly, guttering hasn’t been displaced and brackets are not broken. Those jobs don’t cost a lot of money – just a bit of time. But the wet bedding that can result can end up costing you a lot in lost milk production, labour, vet and medicine bills.”

Now is also an opportune time to turn your attention to lighting. “They can be tricky to get at when the house is fully stocked in mid winter and in some large houses changing bulbs can be a cherry picker job. So get on and do it now while the girls are outside.”

DairyCo extension office Richard Davies agrees: “I’m seeing quite a lot of producers completely updating their cow-house lighting and opting for a system that provides 200 lux for 16 hours and 50 lux for the remaining eight hours each day,” he says.

Light-bulb moment: a new lighting system could increase milk yields (top) Air flow: housing experts agree that ventilation needs improvement (bottom)

Research has shown that the figures stack up.

“There’s some serious science behind this that shows that milk yields do improve, so there’s a significant financial benefit to be had from such an investment. I’m seeing these modern systems being installed in new housing, but I’m also seeing them retro-fitted in existing buildings.”

Minimal investment Ventilation is another area where he believes there are significant gains to be had with minimal investment and effort. “Most cow houses ‘could do better’ when it comes to ventilation.

But I don’t think producers are always at fault here. I still see new buildings going up that are ‘wrong’ in terms of ventilation. The manufacturers and people who build the sheds are to blame here. These tend to ‘off the peg’ buildings.

“Bespoke buildings usually have good ventilation because the producer is given an exact specification.”

Brian Pocknee adds that around 50% of new houses fail to comply with the minimum standard for cattle housing, mainly in the ventilation department.

“That means that 50% are not fit for purpose – that’s shockingly high.”

They may comply with structural regulations, but not BS5502 (part 40 2005). The main concern here is poor ventilation.

“If you’re putting up a cubicle building, for example, make sure it’s designed for housing cattle. You’re investing a lot of money, so make sure it’s fit for purpose.”

Improving ventilation in an existing building is not always about spending money. “Sometimes is can be as simple as using a chainsaw to cut out a few panels of wood.”

He says the key is to ensure that air is drawn through the building. “The inlets into the building need to be twice the size of the outlets. Use smoke bombs – in the middle and at each end of a building – to check air movement and identify any problem areas.

“Occasionally fans may be needed to aid airflow, but in my experience that’s usually a last resort.” l

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S P E C I A L

New products and equipment to ‘make their house a home’

Refurbish and renew We showcase a few of the latest products designed to help producers take the pain out of repairing, maintaining and improving cow housing and facilities during the next few months. text Rachael Porter

Simple-fix sheeting Older buildings, with aging walls and roofs, took a battering on many units this winter and Cembrit may have the solution for producers looking for a suitable replacement material for asbestos corrugated sheeting. The company’s corrugated sheeting – Cemsix – has a standard imperial

six-inch corrugated profile, which is the perfect match for traditional asbestos. “This is not only important from an aesthetic point of view, but also simplifies the fixing process,” says the company’s Ged Ferris.

“With an identical profile all that is required is for the existing fittings to be loosened. Purlins will not need to be repositioned so there is no need for any additional work, except for drilling, mitring and sliding the replacement sheet in place.

“If several sheets need replacing, a whole column of sheets can easily be removed and replaced without damaging the integrity of the whole roof,” he adds.

He also urges producers not to take risks when working at height: “We can recommend your nearest farm builder or sheeting installer for the repair and upgrade of damaged buildings.”

The corrugated sheeting is available with a range of accessories enabling you to refurbish the building’s perimeters, which are often the most vulnerable areas.

This includes barge boards, crowns and open-vented ridges.

Update footbathing facilities Summer presents producers with a window to improve footbathing facilities – and hoof health.

An automated spray system, which is designed to wash hooves with a measured dose of water and solution is now available from Coventry-based Pre-Treatment Solutions.

“Every cow’s hooves are cleaned with

the most effective amount of water and a cleaner solution, while reducing the possibility of cross contamination, from cow to cow,” says the company’s Barry Clements.

The Aqua Hoof Cleaner is manufactured to using stainless and galvanised steel and he adds that it is a low maintenance, self-cleaning unit.

“It’s also easy to install and offers low water and hoof care solution usage,” he says.

The ‘footbath’ is 2.4m long, 0.97m wide and two metres high and requires a 400 volt, 16 amp electricity supply.

Compressed air is also required to clear water from the pipes in freezing conditions.

Alloy hooks for hanging feeders Alloy hooks for attaching Milk Bar feeders over rails have been introduced to provide stronger support for the larger models of the range, which is marketed by Dairy Spares. The hooks are fitted to the 10-teat compartment model and 12-teat ‘open’ model, and

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can be adjusted to fit four different rail sizes. Both models come fitted with Milk Bar’s patented teats, which make calves ‘suckle not guzzle’ and help to reduce the risk of scours.

The 10-teat feeder costs £232.50 + VAT and the 12-teat feeder, £208.95 + VAT.

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Routine testing steers hygiene advice and regimes

Bug patrol improves hygiene plan It makes sense. Check out the bacteria in the bulk milk, investigate activities on farm and modify the hygiene programme to target challenges. Putting this into practice and advocating routine surveillance of the raw milk is at the core of a new initiative from Deosan Farm Intelligence, Diversey’s farm consulting service, and National Milk Laboratories (NML). text Karen Wright

“W

e’re encouraging more producers to follow routine surveillance of mastitis-causing pathogens on their bulk milk,” says Diversey – part of Sealed Air – technical hygiene specialist Alison Cox. “There are great benefits in getting regular results so we know what we’re dealing with at any one time. But there’s just as much benefit in building up a history of the unit so we have a picture of trends and patterns to support our advice on farm.”

Diversey hygiene specialists are working closely with producers to interpret results both from PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests that detect the DNA from a range of mastitis causing pathogens and Bacto-breakdown bulk milk samples to assess levels of specific plant hygiene pathogens.

“Routine bulk milk microbiology tests can identify a range of bacteria,” says NML director Ben Bartlett. “Some of these may be cause for concern or the root cause of a problem – or potential problem – while others are of little concern.

“It is important that this service is used alongside specialist advice where the hygiene specialist or vet, with the producer, can work out the best course of action.”

Mr Bartlett stresses the importance of careful interpretation of PCR and culture results. “We can see seasonal trends in certain pathogens and the hygiene and control measures that work at one time

34

of the year may not work at another time.

“For example, some bacteria don’t grow at low temperatures so in mid winter they are of little threat to the well-being of the unit. And some might thrive in high temperatures. Humidity can have an effect too as well as the management system, stocking rate and parlour layout.”

Seasonal bugs Alison Cox has seen at first hand this variation in mastitis causing pathogens.

“Some bugs are more prevalent on some units and at certain times of the year,” she adds. “And this is why more formal surveillance testing and monitoring is beneficial. We can begin to identify seasonal trends and the influence of weather conditions so we can start to pre-empt potential problems.”

Mrs Cox sees value in a more accurate log of pathogens when it comes to recommending protocols and products on farm. “Regular information and a background of knowledge encourages more focused dialogue on farm and our aim is to convert this into cost effective operational changes and successful long term results. We can use the information to assess the risks and challenges to milk quality and udder health and target specific cost effective products as part of the hygiene control programme.”

Deosan Farm Intelligence incorporates NML’s bulk tank PCR Mastitis-ID, and

Results from milk tests can be used to assess risks to udder health

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Alison Cox: “Identifying bug trends means problems can be pre-empted”

Peter Strudwick: “Modifying our hygiene procedure with confidence”

the more traditional Bactobreakdown testing services. Results are sent back to the producer and the hygiene specialist to support investigations into herd udder health, teat condition and Bactoscan.

“Although results are mere snapshots of the pathogens in the milk on the day of the test, the results can begin to map out targeted hygiene routines, particularly where bulk milk samples are monitored quarterly.

“And it’s very easy for producers to use this milk testing service as NML already collects bulk milk samples from the majority of UK farms for testing for payment purposes.

These samples can be used for micro tests.

“We don’t have to hassle the producer to take more samples and send them off to the lab – even the scheduling is built into the system. I think this will be a big contributor to the success of the service.”

results to fine-tune our dairy hygiene operations,” he says.

Despite no obvious problems in udder health, the first PCR test results at Downs Farm confirmed environmental organisms including Strep. uberis. This led Peter and Steve to focus on the loose housing, bedding management and teat preparation.

“We made some changes that included treating the bedding with a drying bedding powder,” adds Peter. “We also moved from a dual pre- and post-teat disinfectant to separate more specific pre- and postformulations at milking time. And we made sure teats were disinfected, clean and dry before milking.”

Early adopter An early adopter of the Farm Intelligence service is West Sussex producer Peter Strudwick. Peter farms 607 hectares with his brother and milks 175 Friesian cows, twice a day, through a 18:18 herringbone parlour. Cows are loose housed on straw yards.

Keen to maintain long term herd health and stay in the top quality band for his milk, the idea of routine ‘bug’ testing appealed to Peter.

“We’re busy here and so a test that can happen automatically and does not involve us taking extra samples is ideal, particularly as the results can accurately identify pathogens or pick up trends.

“With our Diversey hygiene consultant Steve Soffe we use the

Quick improvements A high level biocide and emollient post milking combination in the Deosan Super Excel disinfectant was introduced after milking to rehydrate the teat skin and protect the udder from environmental challenges once the cow had returned to the accommodation.

“The tests have led to better identification of the bugs in the bulk milk. This has given us the confidence to modify our protocols and the products we are using and although we did not expect to see immediate changes to hygiene and udder health results, we have seen a quick improvement in teat cleanliness and skin condition, which can only be of benefit to long term udder health.

“Routine NML bulk milk testing and regular hygiene reviews has put us more in control of herd health and milk quality and, if any issues do arise, we get an early warning and can take action before there are any real problems.” l

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BREEDING INFORMATION

Straight from the Roxy family With an interesting pedigree for redand-white breeders, Texel Beauty Debutant weighs in with £235 PLI (2,201 TPI) +590kg of milk, +24.5kg (+0.01%) of fat and +24.3kg (+0.06%) of protein. He is easy calving with –14SCC, +0.5 Lifespan, +2.3 Fertility Index and a Type Merit +2.01.

Already very popular as a sire of sons, this red-and-white son of Dakker (ManO-Man x Mac) comes straight from the Roxy family. Debutant’s popularity is no surprise with his breeding values on a US base and the great cow family

from which he descends. His dam is Texel Beauty Desiré RC, a daughter of Superstition and Scientific Gold Dish Rae RC (VG 88), a famous Goldwyn daughter and the full sister to Destry, an international sire of sons.

After daughters from Durham, Jubilant, ME Tony, Triple Treat and Elevation, the name of the queen of the breed comes from the pedigree: C Glenridge Citation Roxy (EX 97). Debutant is available priced at £30 straw or £26 for 50+ straws.

Texel Beauty Debutant

Super genomics with proven reliable cow families For the first time this April, CRV Avoncroft has genotyped young (InSire) selected bulls officially on a UK base.

Heading the list with production, health and longevity is Bouw Rocky who is one of the world’s highest ranked Shamrock sons. He has inherited all the positive traits of his predecessors with a superb family line tracing back to Ralma Juror Faith on the maternal side.

Rocky has £272 PLI (2,347 TPI) +743kg of milk, +32.9kg +0.04% of fat and +27.3kg +0.04% of protein. Rocky has a +3.21 Type Merit, –21 SCC, +0.5 Lifespan, +1.0 Fertility Index Bouw Rocky

and is easy calving. Rocky is available priced at £30 straw or £26 for 50+ straws and is also available sexed priced at £45 straw.

World-wide sire of sons and ‘noise maker’ Vekis Chevrolet (Freddie x Planet x Ramos, an outcross dam line) needs no introduction with £255 PLI (2,347 TPI). He has become famous for his high milk inheritance (+1,038kg) with +60kg of fat and protein. Combined with his excellent management traits a +0.6 Lifespan and a Fertility Index of +4.4 with +2.02 Type Merit, Chevrolet is an immensely popular InSire bull. Chevrolet is available priced at £28 straw or £25 for 50+ straws.

Delta Bookem Danno has a £254 PLI

(2,329 TPI) +898kg of milk, +30.9kg –0.05% of fat and +32.5 kg +0.04% of protein with –16SCC, +0.3 Lifespan, +0.5 Fertility Index and a Type Merit +2.48.

Danno is a Bookem from a Bolton from an O Man and will breed all round healthy cows with high lifetime production.

Danno is available priced at £28 straw or £25 for 50+ straws.

A top daughter Fertility Index of +7.0, +0.6 Lifespan and £218 PLI (+1,961 TPI) with extreme calving ease makes Apina Health (Levi x Ramos x O Man) a very attractive young bull. Health is available priced at £18 straw or £15 for 50+ straws.

For a full list of InSire bulls call CRV Avoncroft, for free, on 0800 7831880 Vekis Chevrolet

Delta Bookem Danno

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B U L L

P R O O F S

Mainstream Manifold

De-Su Observer

New ‘ground breaking’ sires top the rankings

All change at the top We spoke to renowned dairy breeder and former NMR/RABDF Gold Cup finalist Willy Ley to find out which sires caught his eye in the April 2014 bull proof run. text Rachael Porter

T

here’s plenty to get excited about in both the genomic and daughterproven sires rankings this time around.

Not least is the fact that the £300 Profitable Lifetime Index (PLI) barrier has been broken for the first time in the April 2014 DairyCo Breeding+ genomic indexes rankings for young Holstein sires.

Topping the list, with a PLI of £302, is Seagull-Bay Silver, a newcomer by Mogul (himself still a young sire by Dorcy and no longer available in the UK) and out of a Snowman dam from the same family that bred the popular Seagull-Bay Supersire, (who is in fourth place).

“We’ve not used him yet, but we probably will. I need to take a closer look, but with a PLI of more than £300, he can’t be ignored,” says Devon-based producer Willy Ley. “He’s the kind of bull that you could use 10 or 15 straws and be guaranteed a clutch of good heifers.”

Predicted to transmit an unprecedented weight of fat (49kg), with good lifespan (+0.4), he is also remarkable as the highest type sire in the genomic top 20 with a Type Merit of +3.81.

Also attaining a PLI of £300 and ranking

38

second is former number-one sire, DeSu RB Moonray. “We have used this grandson of Planet, but we’ve no calves on the ground just yet.”

Improved performance Moonray strengthens his position thanks to an improvement in the index of his sire, Roylane Socra Robust, who has added more daughters in North America to his index. In fact, Robust – a bull that was never sold in the UK – is the sire who is shaping the top of the rankings more than any other, according to DairyCo Breeding+, boasting five sons among the top 10 and even an early grandson, all of which benefit from his own improving performance.

The third ranking young sire is both British housed and owned. Cogent Supershot makes his debut on the official rankings with a PLI of £290, while his Lifespan Index of +0.6 is the equal first in the top 10. A son of Supersire and out of a Charlesdale Superstition dam, Willy says that Supershot brings together solid production, type and fitness. “There’s been a fair amount of publicity about him, so I’d heard of him and been

Willy Ley

waiting for him to appear. Yes, I’ll probably use him. But I’ve not bought any semen yet.”

Exciting time Willy says that this is an exciting time for Holstein breeders and he’s fascinated by this next generation of bulls, not least because they’re all by sires that have themselves yet to be daughter proven.

“It’s a lottery really, but so far so good.

I’ve certainly not had my fingers burnt yet. I trust the figures and I’ve no reason not to. In fact, looking at the daughterproven rankings, many sires are not only matching their genomic figures once they get a proof, but many are also improving on their genomic proof.

“That’s very reassuring and I shall continue to use genomic sires. Many offer different bloodlines and also compliment the cows and heifers that I have in my herd.”

Looking to the daughter-proven rankings, Willy says he was pleased to see Ladys-Manor RD Grafeeti take the

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+0.03 +0.05 +0.05 +0.13 +0.07 –0.04 +0.02 –0.02 +0.05 +0.03 +0.00 +0.01 –0.03 +0.03 –0.05 +0.12 +0.09 +0.08 +0.09 +0.10 –0.04

TM

0.5 6.9 0.7 0.3 1.4 1.2 0.4 4.4 2.4 0.4 8.4 1.1 0.4 –2.4 –0.1 0.2 –0.6 1.9 0.2 2.3 1.7 0.6 5.6 1.5 0.5 2.3 –0.7 0.4 8.4 1.0 0.6 2.3 1.5 0.3 7.4 2.2 0.4 2.7 1.0 0.4 4.5 1.6 0.5 –0.4 1.8 0.2 1.9 1.1 0.3 3.0 0.2 0.3 4.5 1.5 0.0 3.9 2.0 0.2 3.1 0.6 0.5 1.2 1.9

udder

–24 –19 –17 –10 –9 –26 –10 –20 –14 –14 –11 –9 –14 –25 –5 –7 –1 –11 –7 –20 –12

dCE

255 253 250 246 244 240 238 237 235 234 233 232 230 229 228 228 225 222 221 219 219

fertility

42 55 51 51 56 56 55 40 44 41 40 46 44 43 46 55 51 45 54 50 39

F&L

ind.

% +0.16 +0.09 +0.10 +0.19 +0.24 –0.04 +0.12 +0.05 +0.09 –0.07 –0.12 +0.05 +0.04 +0.06 –0.15 +0.37 +0.25 +0.17 +0.25 +0.17 –0.11

protein

fat%

prot. kg +16.9 +26.6 +24.0 +21.3 +22.1 +31.4 +25.4 +19.7 +20.7 +24.8 +26.2 +23.0 +22.3 +21.5 +30.7 +17.4 +18.9 +18.8 +20.8 +21.4 +24.8

lifespan

78 +444 +31.1 80 +675 +34.7 83 +611 +32.7 77 +333 +29.0 97 +494 +39.6 95 +1084 +39.3 83 +718 +38.4 83 +662 +30.0 82 +500 +27.1 81 +684 +20.9 85 +800 +21.2 99 +688 +31.8 98 +765 +33.5 79 +586 +27.8 98 +1075 +28.6 99 +229 +38.7 94 +344 +34.4 99 +373 +28.7 98 +408 +36.9 80 +416 +30.2 85 +863 +24.9

SCC

Cogent Viking/Nordic Gen. Genus Bullsemen.com Cogent Genus Cogent Bullsemen.com Bullsemen.com Cogent Cogent Semex Alta Viking/Nordic Gen. Cogent Genus Genus Genus Alta Viking/Nordic Gen. Cogent

conformation

£PLI

Goldwyn O Man O Man Manat Major Goldwyn Goldwyn Ramos Goldwyn Goldwyn Ramos BW Marshall Ito O Man Amel Lynch Zelati Durham Mark Sam Lukas O Man

functional traits

£PIN

Ladys-Manor Rd Grafeeti Freddie VH Tirsvad Goldwyn Grafit Goldwyn Morningview Levi Buckeye Lynbrook Jancen O Man Cogent Twist Shottle Ballycairn Oman Pello O Man Bakombre Baxter Kings-Ransom Erdman Planet Welcome Glenton Planet Hammer-Creek O Man Kody O Man De-Su 521 Bookem Planet Mainstream Manifold O Man Regancrest Alta Iota O Man D Mason Mascol Ensenada Taboo Planet Taboo Ufm-Dubs Ellrod O Man Sherdon Irresistable Maestro Morningview Legend O Man Ufm-Dubs Alta Esquire O Man D Omar O Man De-Su Observer Planet

mat. grandsire supplier

fat kg

sire

rel.

name

milk

production

2.34 3.03 3.34 2.34 1.09 1.82 1.86 0.76 1.31 –0.54 –0.13 –0.22 2.28 0.98 1.57 1.47 0.85 1.20 2.01 1.43 1.79 1.23 1.23 1.40 2.58 2.04 2.51 0.90 1.87 1.93 2.73 2.70 3.09 0.14 1.91 1.47 1.29 2.31 2.33 1.77 0.44 1.11 1.90 1.94 2.09 0.49 1.09 1.01 0.96 0.85 1.05 2.02 0.85 1.38 1.29 1.28 1.46 0.71 0.22 0.52 1.56 3.30 3.25

Table 1: Top 21 daughter-proven sires available in the UK ranked on PLI (source: DairyCo breeding+ and Holstein UK)

number-one slot in the Holstein proven sire ranking.

“He succeeded as a genomic young sire – a lot of UK producers have used him, including me. We’ve some calves due and I’m expecting some nice heifers by him.”

The reliability of his index rises to 78%, which means it is still early days for Grafeeti, and his PLI is an impressive £255. A son of Badger-Bluff Fanny Freddie, a bull that was never available in the UK, Willy says that he’s also proved to be a fertile bull. “He’s certainly got a lot of my herd in calf.”

Second ranking Danish-bred VH Tirsvad Goldwyn Grafit is another bull who started his career early based on high genomic predictions. Willy is yet to use

him: “But he’s caught my eye, so I may have a dabble. As I say, with every bull proof run, there are so many good bulls to choose from and it’s not possible to use them all. But I will give him a closer look.”

And so he should, considering his good all-round transmitting pattern, which is typical of his familiar Goldwyn x O Man pedigree, that earns him a PLI of £253.

British bull The highest ranked British bred bull is Cogent Twist who adds 149 second-crop daughters to his index and confirms his high butterfat genetics with a massive 39.6kg (+0.24%) fat.

Willy is milking several Twist daughters: “They really are the business. Their fat

and protein yields are amazing,” he says, adding that he has 10 in their first lactation and more to calve. “He’s an ideal match for many of my Planet daughters.” This Shottle son still ranks as the highest butterfat producer of the daughter-proven bulls and weighs in with a PLI of £244.

Regaining his top-ten position is Bakombre, a Baxter son, who increased his PLI by 18 to £238 due to improvements in production and several of his fitness traits. “There aren’t too many Baxter sons around – that’s what attracted me to this sire. I used him when he was a test bull because he’s a bit different and I have heifers by him that are about to come bulling,” says Willy. “He’s proved to be an excellent out cross bull.” l

Jersey reshuffle and Ayrshire domination A significant reshuffle has occurred within the Jersey breed where the addition of UK daughter information for DJ Hulk sees this high butterfat bull regain the number one position. He now has a PLI of £221.

Fellow Danishbred DJ Zaga also adds daughter information and climbs up to second position (PLI £220) while former number-one sire, DJ Broiler, now ranks third with a PLI of £219.

A new entry in fourth position is VJ Linx (Legacy x Q Hirse), a bull who transmits

superb daughter fertility (Fertility Index +11) and has a PLI of £218.

DJ Lix rounds off the top five Jersey with a PLI of £212.

The Ayrshire rankings are dominated by newcomer, R Yrite (Ooppium x V Record), a Finnish Ayrshire with a solid all round proof and a PLI of £206.

Swedish-bred Gunnarstorp remains in second position with an unchanged PLI at £184, closely followed by his stable mate, Pel Pers, who increases his PLI to £183.

Gunnarstorp

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CRV AVONCROFT

YOUR PARTNER FOR UK PROVEN TOP GENOMIC BULLS

VEKIS CHEVROLET (Freddie x Planet)

• EFFICIENCY: +10% • HEALTH: +4% • WORLD-WIDE SIRE OF SONS • GPLI £255, GTPI 2,347

Dam Chevrolet Larcrest Chenoa

BOUW ROCKY

(Shamrock x Goli)

• EFFICIENCY: +7% • HEALTH: +5% • PRODUCTION, HEALTH AND FERTILITY • GPLI £272, GTPI 2,347 Dam Rocky Goli Flower

DELTA BOOKEM DANNO (Bookem x Bolton)

• EFFICIENCY: +8% • HEALTH: +5% • HIGH LIFETIME PRODUCTION AND HEALTHY COWS • GPLI £254, GTPI 2,329

Dam Danno Walrich Delta Riant

Rocky, Chevrolet and Danno: top bulls for health and efficiency

You do not want to worry about the health and efficiency of your herd. But how do you know which bull can contribute to this? The breeding values will tell you a lot, but not which bull scores best for health or efficiency. CRV’s Better Life Health and Better Life Efficiency will tell you. Better Life Health is a unique breeding indicator, based on the total breeding values of the bull. And what do we see? Rocky, Chevrolet and Danno score very high for both health and efficiency: an attractive conformation and high longevity. A superb combination resulting in an impressive lifetime production.

ALL SALES INQUIRIES: FREEPHONE 0800 – 783 1880

BETTER COWS | BETTER LIFE

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G R A S S L A N D

Practical demonstrations, technical forums and a wealth of advice

Grassland & Muck – a must-see event Have you booked your ticket for this year’s Grassland & Muck Event? Here are just a few reasons why you should. text Rachael Porter

T

his year’s Grassland & Muck Event promises to be the biggest and best yet, according to the organisers, showcasing the greatest working display of grass and muck equipment across a 77-hectare site.

Attracting around 15,000 visitors from across the UK and Europe, the triennial Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) event, partnered with Yara, covers every aspect of grassland management,

from varieties and establishment to harvesting, baling, ensiling and feeding.

With every major manufacturer exhibiting, it offers a unique chance to see all the latest machines in action, including muck spreaders, soil aerators and feeding equipment.

The main themes this year are valuing grass, best practice techniques, and, ultimately, maximising returns from the

crop. “We have extensive practical demonstration areas, including muck spreading, silage harvesting and compaction alleviation,” says RASE’s David Gardner. “There is also a packed forum programme, sponsored by Keenan, which will feature leading speakers on animal health and nutrition, soils, and grass establishment.”

Visitors can earn four BASIS CPD points for attending either day of the event, which takes place on Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 May at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. l For more information or to book tickets, visit www.grasslandevent.co.uk.

Campaign to get more milk from grass Britain’s largest grass seed company DLF Trifolium is launching its ‘More milk with DLF’ campaign on the back of a £3 million investment in new processing facilities, at this year’s event.

Two thirds of the grass-seed sown by UK producers has been bred by DLF, including top perennial ryegrasses like Cancan, Kintyre and Boyne, and novel new species such as festulolium, which copes well with a wide range of growing conditions without losing yield or feed quality.

The ‘More milk with DLF’ campaign sets out to help producers take full advantage of these new grasses.

“UK rotational grassland currently operates at around 60% of its potential,” says the company’s Tim Kerridge. “We want to help producers achieve the highest returns from their grass by supporting them with our expertise.”

“We are putting in place more regional demonstration centres, a ‘grass academy/ knowledge hub’ and a network of

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‘grass partners’ – 15 producers who are undertaking on-farm trials and hosting meetings to share ideas about maximising output from grass.

“At the moment selling grass seed can be

a bit like supplying an Airfix kit without any instructions. We want to cascade knowledge and ideas to producers about how to get the best out of our varieties and mixtures via our merchant network.”

Knowledge transfer: DLF will be encouraging producers to share ideas about grass

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Flexible and solar-powered fencing system A 100% solar-powered fencing system will be launched at the event by Dairy Spares. The fences three components are a Wolseley SX250 solar-powered energiser, and a Taragate reel post and 3:1 geared reel. The system is ideal for electrifying temporary fencing to divide cattle pastures and its design features make it flexible and easy to set-up, according to the company.

The solar-powered energiser is capable of electrifying 5km of single-strand fencing. The reel post doubles as an earth stake and field divider. It is unique in being free-standing, allowing the field to be split into as many as four sections. It is made of high tensile steel and hot-dipped galvanised, which make it very strong. The brackets that hold the wire are fully adjustable, giving flexibility in height and enabling single-, double- or triple-stranded electric fencing.

The geared reel holds up to 500 metres of polywire or 200 metres of polytape. It has a 3:1 gearing, which means that the user only has to turn the handle once, and the reel turns three times, making winding much easier.

The cost of three-component solar fencing system is £250 + VAT. Visitors to the Dairy Spares stand at the event can also see more fencing options from New Zealand manufacturer Taragate, which offer flexibility and convenience.

Solar powered: fencing offers greater flexibility

Remove weeds to get more from grass Producers looking to get rid of docks and thistles so they can maximise grass yields, can meet the experts from Dow AgroSciences on Stand 310 at the Grassland and Muck Event, to talk about the best options for control.

“Grass is the cheapest feed so it makes sense to remove perennial weeds as quickly and efficiently as possible,” says the company’s Robin Bentley.

“The best way to do this is to apply a translocated herbicide targeted for the specific weeds present.

“Topping is not the answer. It is a temporary solution as the weeds grow back and, in the long run, is more expensive than spraying. It is also a waste of grass.”

The company will also be presenting a herbicide for future potential use on new sown leys. In recent years, many products have lost approval for use on this type of grass, the most recent examples being MCPA and Mircam Plus. The new herbicide will control a broad spectrum of weeds, but is safe to grass even when it is very young.

Approval for use is expected early next year.

Control docks: grow more grass and reduce feed costs

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

A day NOT to miss!

The NMR/RABDF Gold Cup farm walk – held annually at the current Gold Cup winner’s farm – attracts the largest crowd of any farm walk in the UK. And this year is expected to be no exception.

The Higgins family will host the event on May 29 at Wilderley Hall Farm, Pulverbatch, near Shrewsbury (SY5 8DF).

It’s free and lunch is included but registration is essential – see below.

Starting at 10.30am, there will be a series of short presentations from companies linked to the unit plus a chance to look around this top-class herd and a large number of trade exhibitors.

The Higgins were presented with the Gold Cup in July 2013. A family business in every sense of the word, brothers Andrew and Bill, supported by parents Bill and Margaret, manage the 316 cows and 266 followers that make up the pedigree Holstein Wilderley herd.

Gold Cup judge and RABDF chairman Ian Macalpine described this herd as a shining example of attention to detail right through the dairy business. “Every aspect of calf rearing through to the milking herd’s routines is managed with great care and to an exceptional standard.”

Come and see for yourself on May 29.

Register online at www.rabdf.co.uk/gold-cupregistration or call 0845 458 2711

New Year top cows Ranked on lifetime daily yield (LDY), here are NMR’s top three cows that have achieved 100 tonnes of milk in January and February 2014.

1. Pancross Primrose 2 yielded 101,372kg of milk in five lactations and achieved a LDY of 29.55kg/day. Owned by V J Thomas and Son, Vale of Glamorgan.

2. Sorrell yielded 110,234kg of milk in seven lactations and achieved a LDY of 29.05kg/day. Owned by R & K Capsey and Son, Surrey.

3. Hockley Interrob Koosje yielded 111,614kg of milk in eight lactations and achieved a LDY of 28.17kg/day. Owned by E H Pearman and Co, Worcestershire.

NML wins industry test work

Quality up to scratch NML payment testing and disease surveillance laboratories in Wolverhampton and Hillington, Glasgow have performed very well in DairyCo-sponsored ring trial tests this year. These are a series of similar tests carried out in participating laboratories.

“Tests are quarterly and the results are compared by an independent reference laboratory allowing individual milk testing labs to compare their results with more

than 50 other labs from different countries,” says DairyCo vet Elizabeth Berry, who co-ordinates the trials.

“This gives producers and the industry confidence in the milk quality results.

Constituent values contribute towards milk payments and individual cow values are used for routine management and are also fed into the bull proofs. So it is important to know how repeatable results are within laboratories and how individual laboratories perform against others. We find that the NML results are consistently of a high quality.”

NML views these proficiency tests – which are voluntary – as an essential part of its quality assurance. “An independent test shows that we are maintaining and, where possible, improving our performance,” adds NML quality manager Paul O’Brien.

“Our quality assurance system is designed to continually monitor and challenge the laboratories’ testing operations.

Complying with the relevant international standards is paramount.”

NML and CEFAS, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science, have been awarded the contract from the Food Standards Agency to continue its work in the radiological surveillance programme. NML will collect milk samples from farms around Sellafield and transport them to CEFAS for testing.

NML has also renewed its contract with the Scottish Government for brucellosis surveillance for the next three years. This involves quarterly testing for the disease in Scottish dairy herds through the milk sample. It has also been commissioned to undertake the testing for producer retailers in Scotland.

For more information on NMR products and services contact customer services, 0844 7255567, NMR web address: www.nmr.co.uk, NMR email address: customerservices@nmr.co.uk COW MAN AG E ME N T

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S E R I E S E F F I C I E N T

D A I RY I N G

A better lifestyle and more profit

Block-calving benefits Grass-based, block-calving systems offer efficient milk production, particularly since they make use of the cheapest feed available. But there’s more to their success than grazing management. Breeding also plays a key role in reducing costs and keeping things simple.

There are financial, as well as practical, benefits to running a

Part 1: Lifetime production in the Netherlands Part 2: Efficient production in block-calving systems Part 3: Fertility: a financial point of view Part 4: Weight of fertility in block-calving systems Part 5: Dairy management in block-calving systems Part 6: Easy-to-manage Holstein cows Part 7: Benefits of reliable breeding values

It’s not for everyone, but those that do decide to change their

herd on a grass-based block-calving system. Little wonder that many producers have ‘seen the light’ and made the switch.

management system are rarely disappointed with the results. text Rachael Porter

“F

or every business that I’ve seen make the switch to a blockcalved, grass-based system, there have been financial benefits.” A bold statement from the Farm Consultancy Group’s farm management consultant Ian Browne, but it’s one he’s prepared to stand by.

All producers make the change after a lengthy and considered look at their options, and after drawing up a strong business plan to ensure that the figures stack up. It is, after all, quite a big change for any business and can require considerable investment – not least in infrastructure. It’s not for the faint hearted.

“For others who I’ve seen make the move, it was a case of ‘if we don’t do this then we’ll have to go out of milk’,” says Mr Browne. “These producers are disheartened, they’re often losing money and they have no quality of life. I guess they have nothing to lose by making the switch.”

Key incentive Indeed it is ‘the numbers’ – the financial benefits – that are the driving force behind most grass-based block-calving systems. Life style or, as many of Mr Browne’s clients have put it, ‘getting your life back’ is another key incentive. Producers who make the change often feel as if they’re taking control of their own lives again. That said, it’s hard work and

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A sire for all dairy management systems

Marchel Fire Macca

Producers looking to breed cows to suit a grass-based system should take a close look at New Zealand Holstein Friesian sire Marchel Fire Macca (Firenze x Skelton x Vic Kai), according to CRV Avoncroft’s David Matthews.

“With an almost flawless type and

requires full dedication, with at least two extremely busy periods each year.

It also needs resourcing properly at busy times and that typically means more staff, for example, at insemination and calving times.

“My clients meet the busy period head on and deal with it. It is what it is – a 10-week block of calving. So that’s three months of intensive work, including calf rearing, but then it eases off.

“If you’re getting up in the middle of the night to calve one cow, you may as well be up calving a dozen. And you’re focusing on one job at that time. You’re not worrying about heat detection or AI – just calving. You may be busy, but it’s a simple system and there’s no juggling.”

Cross breeding Still not convinced? Then let’s look at costs. Feed cost savings are considerable as grass is, after all, the cheapest feed.

Mr Browne says that a move from allyear-round to block calving will save about 2.5ppl on costs.

“And if you move from autumn to spring block calving you can save between 1ppl and 1.5ppl in addition to that.”

Producers who’ve made the switch – which can take between two and three years – find that life does get considerably easier. “Fertility and calving interval also improve, by default, and that usually adds at least another 1ppl in terms of cost savings.”

So, how do you make the switch? “I

production profile, as well as an excellent first-crop production reliability based on 825 daughters, he is suitable for use across a wide range of dairying systems, including grass based. “On the current RAS list (New Zealand’s Ranking of Active Sires) he weighs in as a top-20 Holstein Friesian, scoring 247 for breeding worth.”

Available from CRV Avoncroft, Macca is by the highly respected CRV Ambreed bull Telesis Euon Firenze – the sire of no fewer than 10 of the current top 50 Holstein Friesians available in New Zealand – and a Secret Skelton dam.

“Macca daughters have great functional type. With 65 TOP-inspected daughters, he will sire modest-sized cattle with outstanding udders great capacity and ideal rump structure that are ideal for grazing,” he says.

recommend that producers start by aiming to have a two- or three-month period with no calving. So say nothing in November, December and January.

“They can start in February and we’d try to build on that, ideally by front loading with heifers to speed things up a little.

Get them calving early in the block should help you get a tight start to your pattern.”

Even though it may take a while, Mr Browne says that producers will see a financial benefit pretty quicky, not least due to reduced feed costs.

“If the herd is being managed as one group, then they’re being fed as one cow.

If it’s spring calving, winter feed costs will be considerably reduced because the cows are dry.

“Producers won’t need to make as much silage and there won’t be as much slurry to handle either. These both represent considerable cost savings. There’s no magic to it. By saving on feed and other overhead costs, you’re saving money.”

A close look at genetics, and possibly cross breeding, is the next logical step for some producers. They want cows that are more robust and suited to a grazing system.

“There may be a yield sacrifice with cross breeding, but hybrid vigour offers improved health and fertility. What producers do often comes down to what kind of milk contract they’re on – they have to produce enough milk, and of the right quality, to satisfy their buyer.”

Mr Browne says that, in his experience,

Macca daughter Marchel Macca Eva

“He also has a good total longevity score of 267 and a negative SCC score. High milk production, with lots of extra fat and protein and high percentages, coupled with sound health traits and high fertility make Macca a highly desirable all-round bull.”

spring calving herds are almost 100% cross bred.

“These herds will average between 4,750 and 6,000 litres and are also so much easier to manage on a grass-based system.

Autumn block-calved herds will produce between 6,000 and 7,500 litres.”

Mr or Mrs Average He also believes that anyone can run a grass-based system, if they want to.

“Managing your herd in a way that will utilise more grass and, indeed, getting to grips with grassland management are all skills that can be learned.

“Mr or Mrs Average grows just as much grass as many producers managing grassbased systems. They just doesn’t use it as well,” says Mr Browne.

He adds that the producers that he has seen change to a grass-based system have, just three or four years later, businesses that have changed out of all recognition.

“These producers have no regrets whatsoever. Some have said that if they did it again then they’d just sell their existing herd and buy cows and heifers back in to block calve, to save the year or two of tightening the calving pattern.”

It’s these businesses’ bottom lines that say the most about moving to a grassbased system.

“I’m pretty bloody minded when it comes to what matters in terms of herd performance. It’s not average yield or herd size. It’s the bottom line – profit and cash. You can’t live off a lactation record book.” l

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B U S I N E S S C H A R L E S

B A S I C S H O LT

Charles Holt, an independent consultant with the Farm Consultancy Group, talks about important business issues facing dairy producers today. Here he looks at the sudden spike in milk quota prices and offers some advice and reassurance to worried producers.

Charles Holt: “I don’t believe we’ll reach quota this year”

Milk-quota madness M

ilk quota prices have leapt from around 0.25ppl up to between 1.8ppl and 2.5ppl within a week. Or at least that is what Potter, Townsends and Rostons were asking for on their websites, as CowManagement went to press, and it appears that some people are paying this exorbitant price.

There is no difference between purchase and lease price in this final year of the Milk Quota regime, although there may be taxation reasons why you may prefer to lease rather than to buy.

Why would anyone pay these prices? I don’t believe that we will reach quota this year.

But whether you think we will reach quota or not, there is a fundamental reason why having enough quota to cover production may be important to some producers.

Your milk buyer could decide not to pay you for milk sold to them if you do not have enough quota cover.

Milk buyers are required, by the milk quota regulations, to pay any super-levy due to the RPA and, of course, they have to collect it from you. If you have gone out of milk, or if you have moved milk buyer, they may not find it easy to collect the super-levy that’s due.

Avoiding risk Consequently they may withhold your milk cheque. After all, why should your milk buyer take this risk, when it is the producer who should have the quota to cover deliveries?

This lack of a milk cheque has, of course, caused cash-flow problems in the past, and could do so this year.

The solution in some cases has been to provide your milk buyer with a ‘banker’s guarantee’ and you may well find that this is far cheaper than buying or leasing quota, particularly if you think we will not reach quota this year.

There are, of course, two big fears if we do exceed quota this year. The first is superlevy, which is 27.83 euro cents per kg, or

about 23ppl, this year. The latest quota year that the RPA has an actual figure for is 2012/13, when it was 24.23p per litre, and quota was not hit in that year in the UK. Producers’ second fear is not being paid for milk. Milk purchasers have to account to the RPA for the milk that you produce, butterfat adjustment and the quota that you hold. They have to pay your levy to the RPA and then collect any super-levy from you, as mentioned above.

Calculation changes There have been a number of changes in levy calculations since we previously paid it in 2003/04. One of the major ones is that it is now done at the level of the individual producer, rather than at milk purchaser level.

Now if you are over your quota, and the country is over its total quota, then you will be liable to pay super-levy.

The second change is that the butterfat penalty has been reduced by 50%. This is, of course, a benefit to any country in a potential super levy situation.

However the concept of ‘threshold’ is still there, as nationally the quota available from those who are under is ‘reallocated’ to those who are over quota.

So even if there is a super levy because the country is over quota this year, it is certain that those who are only over quota by a relatively small amount will not have any levy to pay. The burden of any levy would fall on the shoulders of those who are most over quota.

Milk production in the UK is, indeed, booming at the moment. But, even with optimistic milk production estimates, my ‘educated guesses’ and calculations show a deficit for the year of around 660 million litres.

The butterfat penalty is now less than it used to be and this would add on around 65 million litres of milk. But this would still put our national deficit for 2014/15 at around 600 million litres, or 4%.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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One milk sample

two results NMR PREGNANCY TESTING

Save time and hassle in your milking parlour and boost herd fertility.

Using your existing NMR milk sample, you can now detect pregnancy at the same time – improving your herd’s pregnancy rates and boosting productivity.

The tests are an impressive 96.7% specific (over 40 days from service) and 97.6% sensitive (rising to 100% once past 90 days from service).

Our service includes an automatic, free, follow-up test for animals giving an inconclusive result, making it a convenient complement to your routine palpation and ultrasound examinations.

And at just £3.50 per test, this is a shrewd investment in your herd’s health and long-term profitability.

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JUNE 17: PREVIEW LIVESTOCK EVENT 2014 Book your advertisement now! Deadline for reservation: June 10

Call: Jonathan Davies, 07970 017243

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS May 14-16: May 21-22: May 28-31: May 29: June 5-7: June 24-25: June 24-26: June 27-28: July 2-3: July 8-10: July 21-24: September 17: October 1: October 14: November 19:

Cudding cows: Ayrshires enjoying spring grazing and the sunshine.

Picture: Michael Heal

Balmoral Show, Balmoral Park, Lisburn Grassland & Muck, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset NMR/RABDF Gold Cup open day at Wilderley Hall Farms, Wilderley near Shrewsbury Royal Cornwall Show, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, Cornwall Nottingham Feed Conference, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire Large Herd Seminar, Tortworth Court, Gloucester All Holland Dairy Show, Zwolle (The Netherlands) Livestock Event, NEC, Birmingham Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, Powys UK Dairy Day, Telford International Centre, Shropshire The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen AgriScot, Edinburgh, Scotland

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

Editorial team Chief Editor Jaap van der Knaap Editor Rachael Porter Phone 01394 270587 E-mail rachael.porter@virgin.net Editing, design and production Veeteelt Contributing writers Roger Evans, Allison Matthews, David Matthews 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. Fax 0031 26 38 98 839 E-mail cm.office@crv4all.com internet www.cowmanagement.net

Subscriptions CowManagement is available free of charge to customers of NMR, CRV Avoncroft and Thompsons. If you think you are eligible, please contact: National Milk Records, Customer Services, Skipton Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 4LG. Phone 0870 1622547 E-mail customerservices@NMR.co.uk www.isubscribe.co.uk

Advertisements Julia Hughes, NMR. Phone 01249 467224 Willem Gemmink, Froukje Visser P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands, Fax 0031 26 38 98 824 E-mail willem.gemmink@crv4all.com

Alta Genetics .............................................22 Ambic ........................................................16 Ancotec .....................................................36 Bayer .........................................................13 Biotal .........................................................47 Boumatic .....................................................7 Cogent ......................................................17 Concept Cowhouse Ltd .................16, 33, 46 Cosy Calf ...................................................46 Cow Comfort Slat Mat ..............................32 Cow Comfort ............................................50 CRV Avoncroft/Thompsons .................40, 55 Dairy Management Systems ........................7 Dairy Spares ..............................................23 De Boer Housing Systems Ltd ..............16, 50 DP Agri......................................................41 Easyfix .......................................................46 Enegis ........................................................32 Farmcy.co.uk .............................................21

Farmplus....................................................36 Fullwood ...................................................31 Intershape .................................................16 Limagrain UK.............................................11 Matman Rubber ........................................36 Milkrite ......................................................50 Moore Concrete ........................................33 MSD ....................................................23, 56 NMR .....................................................2, 52 Northern Dairy Equipment Ltd ...................53 Platts Animal Bedding ................................53 Quil Productiosn ........................................33 Schippers UK ...............................................6 Semex .......................................................44 Spinder ......................................................32 Teemore ....................................................23 TH White...................................................26 Vervaeke .....................................................7

COMING UP

L i v e s to ck 2 0 1 4 sp ecial June/July (June 17th) – With just two months left until the 2014 Livestock Event, we’ll have a a sneak preview. We’ll also round up this year’s NMR/RABDF Gold Cup finalists.

llustrations/pictures Photographs by Veeteelt Photography, Trevor Burrows (12), Mike Heal (14-15), Els Korsten (28) and Mark Pasveer (8-9).

Disclaimer CowManagement does not necessarily share the views expressed by contributors. No responsibility is accepted for the claims made by advertisers. No responsibility can be accepted by CRV Holding BV for the opinions expressed by contributors. Whilst every effort is made to obtain reliable and accurate information, liability cannot be accepted for errors.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

Printer Classic Printing Phone 01452 731539 ISSN 1570-5641

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• EFFICIENCY: +8% • EXCELLENT TYPE • +451KG MILK, +21.2KG, +0.04% FAT, +23.5KG, +0.11% PROTEIN Etaregge Brooklyn

Debutant and Brooklyn: top bulls for efficiency

One of the most important issues for modern breeding is efficiency. CRV’s Better Life Efficiency indicates the extent to which a bull contributes to more efficient milk production. The more energy is converted into milk, the better it is for efficiency. As a general rule, productivity combined with longevity leads to high efficiency. And what do we see? Debutant (+10%) and Brooklyn (+8%) score extremely well for efficiency: an efficient milk production, attractive conformation and high longevity. A superb combination resulting in an impressive lifetime production.

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