Cmuk june:july 2013 by CRV Uitgeverij/CRV Publishers

NAG NAG

EARS

V O LU M E 11 N O 5 J UN E /J ULY 2013

IN THIS ISSUE

BRE E D IN G

M A N A G EM EN T

LIV ESTO CK EVENT

Sexed semen strategies to generate extra income

The true cost of culling and herd replacements

Show preview and our competition launch

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One milk sample

two results NMR PREGNANCY TESTING

See us at Livestock 2013 stand BM161 3-4th July NEC

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.

Call us now on 08447 255567

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www.nmr.co.uk

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CO NTENT

F E A T U R E S

5 Cow Talk 13 Overalls off: wrestler 20 Roger Evans 39 Avoncroft Breeding Information/ Thompsons Nutritional News 41 Business basics: banking 45 NMR Dairy Management News 50 Events and contacts R e p orts 14 Top Jersey herd set to disperse in November 46 Dutch producers dairying in South Africa B reedin g

22 Chevrolet cow family is one to watch Go l d C u p

26 S ix dairy herds vie for first place in the NMR/RABDF Gold Cup final M A N A G E M E N T 42 Comparing mortality and cull rates can highlight financial losses

Su Mahon “We have always bred balanced cows with good longevity” 14

Editor Rachael Porter A great day out

ith grazing in full swing and first-cut silage already (hopefully) safely in the clamp, many producers will be tempted to take a day away from the herd and visit the Livestock Event. The organisers are keen to stress that it will be time well spent and that there really is something for everyone at this year’s two-day show. We have our preview, starting on page 31, as well as a few new products to whet your appetite. The CowManagement team will certainly be there – celebrating our 10th birthday with a caption competition – and to meet our readers. Our team are keen to hear of contacts and ideas for future features so please come along and say ‘hello’ and tell us what you think about the magazine. We’re always pleased to receive reader feed back – good and bad. It’s usually good, as our recently completed independent reader survey confirms. But we don’t like to rest on our laurels! Sexed semen is set to be a hot topic at the show. An upsurge in its use is the result of its increased efficacy and growing producer confidence. Find out, on page eight, if sexed semen could help you to boost your dairy income. NMR is launching a PD test at the event – an invaluable tool to help increase efficiency. Find out more by visiting the company’s stand. Make it later on the Wednesday afternoon and you can also find out, first hand, which of this year’s six finalists will be crowned the 2013 NMR/RABDF Gold Cup winner. This is one of the most exciting and eagerly anticipated moments in the dairy calendar.

Main article Sexed semen

Fertility PD testing

Special Livestock Event 2013

Strategies to boost heifer numbers and beef calf value – as well as dairy incomes

NMR has launched a service that can easily check if cows are in calf

Our annual preview and details of how to enter our caption competition

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Visit us on stand no. MK350.

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C O W

TA L K

‘Golden’ day attracts more than 1,150 visitors The NMR/RABDF Gold Cup open day attracted a record 1,157 visitors, plus 55 trade stands, in May when the Miller family, the current holders of the sector’s most prestigious trophy, opened their gates at Greville Hall Farm, near Evesham in Worcestershire. Following a series of presentations visitors were able to tour the unit, which is home to the commercially managed 335-cow pedigree Shanael Holstein herd. Averaging 12,100 litres, with 3.75% butterfat and 3.15% protein, the herd is managed by Michael and Shan Miller and their sons, Paul and Steve. The day was topped off with the Golden Celebration sale of 60 catalogued entries from the award-winning herd. This saw prices reach 9,000gns for a Sudan daughter – Shanael Sudan Golden. The yearling heifer was selected by the winning bidder from a choice of two

full sisters sired by the International outcross VA-Early-Dawn Sudan. Their dam, Shanael Bolton Golden-VG89, is part of the herd’s top cow family and descends from eight generations of VG and EX dams. Currently in her second lactation, she is yielding more than 70kg of milk a day. “It’s great to be able to share our success with so many people,” said Paul. “We’ve been striving to do better since 1996, when we started to expand the herd from 45 cows on our tenanted unit. The whole Gold Cup experience has spurred us on. “Some of the previous winners have really inspired us with their high standards and, since winning, we’ve had the confidence and added enthusiasm to continue the business. “Our current aim is for the Shanael herd to be producing four million litres of milk within the next two years.”

Free ‘tough’ gloves Visitors to the Dairy Spares stand at the Livestock Event, to be held at the NEC in July, will receive a free pair of the improved nitrile Glove-Plus Tuffies – believed to be the toughest disposable gloves on the market. The gloves have more than twice the thickness and double the strength of many standard gloves available, even after continued use. Now made from nitrile instead of latex, the gloves are tested and approved for use with 5% peracetic acid solution, as well as diesel and motor oil. Well suited as a general farm disposable glove, the blue gloves are also ideal for milking, hoof trimming and engineering. They are priced at £10.95 per box of 50.

Sexed beef semen boosts calf value Producers are increasing the value of their calves by using female sexed beef semen to provide replacements for suckler herds, according to Genus ABS’ Stephanie Whittaker. “There is a strong demand for suckler replacements with beef producers looking for cows with strong maternal traits. Dairy-bred female beef-cross calves have always been in demand, but the challenge has been to ensure that the beef breed traits complement the dairy traits,” she said. The company now offers female sexed semen from Angus, Charolais and Limousin sires that have been selected for strong maternal traits. “We have looked for sires that produce daughters with a good milk yield and temperament and, perhaps most importantly, score well for calving ease.

These will produce the ideal suckler cow – one that calves easily and can produce the high yields of quality milk to exploit early calf growth potential. “The use of sexed beef semen allows producers to select more rigorously for maternal traits and produce an ideal suckler replacement – an animal that will command a higher price either in market or sold direct to a suckler producer,” said Miss Whittaker. “We are seeing more beef producers looking to source replacements direct from dairy herds to help ensure high health status. This gives dairy producers an opportunity to produce specific crosses. It will also help to boost the cash value of the calf crop and give margins a welcome lift.” Read more about the strategic use of sexed semen on page eight of this issue.

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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M A I N

A RT I C L E

Sexed semen can boost income a nd im

The 13th m ilk A growing number of producers are using sexed semen. And some are taking a strategic approach to produce beef from the dairy herd or a glut of heifers to meet increasing demand – both here and on the continent. text Rachael Porter

t’s been 15 years since Cogent first introduced sexed semen in the UK and in that time the success rates achieved by producers using the product have improved significantly. With this success has come increased confidence in the product and with that comes increased and strategic use. Avoncroft’s David Matthews says that his company has certainly seen the use of sexed semen increased during the past few years. “We’re selling a lot now and I think that’s partly driven by TB – more producers want to run a closed herd and rear their own replacements.” He adds that there’s also a shortage of replacement heifers in the UK – sale ring prices show that demand for quality stock is outstripping supply. And this shortage is also being seen in Europe.

Heifer numbers Some producers use sexed semen simply to boost heifer numbers on their units, but a growing number are breeding a surplus with an eye on the stock sales market or to produce heifers from the top 50% of their herd and put the remainder to beef bulls, looking to tap into the equally burgeoning beef calf market. “The price – and shortage – of replacement heifers is driving the former,” says Genus ABS’ Stephanie Whittaker. “The use of sexed semen is growing all the time – we’ve seen yet another upsurge in usage during the past 12 months. Sexed semen currently accounts for 12% of dairy semen sales and this is increasing every year.” Breeding a ‘glut’ of heifers and selling them at calving age or freshly calved is proving popular with producers, looking to generate additional income. Some are also breeding more heifers as the end of milk quotas approaches in 2015 as that will further open up the market for stock and increase demand. “There are many large dairies being built in the Netherlands and herds here are also expanding. Demand for heifers to stock these units could mean

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me a nd improve dairy business viability

milk cheque? that the supply to the UK from Europe could tighten even further. So there’s an opportunity there for UK producers. There could even be the potential for some UK-bred heifers to be exported to Europe.” Miss Whittaker says that beef semen sales have also increased. “Some are using sexed semen on their best cows and heifers and using beef semen – predominantly Belgian Blue and Aberdeen Angus – on their lower end cows. “They’re getting the best of both worlds – they’re still breeding enough of their own replacements and they’re realising top prices for their calves at market. It’s a valuable additional source of income for many businesses and a welcome one too after such a tough year,” she adds.

Semen quality These choices are possible due to continuing progress in sexed semen quality, achieved through the on-going development of production methods and quality control procedures. “Attention to detail is essential at every stage in the process, from maintaining happy and healthy bulls through to minimising potential losses at the main stress points of freezing and thawing,” explains Cogent Group’s Andy Smith. “We are now consistently seeing 93% female calves from sexed semen, and – when the correct protocols are adhered to such as at our own Grange Farm heifer unit – first service conception rates from 65% up to more than 80% are Andy Smith: “We are seeing 93% female calves from sexed semen” achievable. “Improvements in sexed semen production methods have also seen significant reductions in sample rejection. There are now seven steps in our quality control procedures to ensure the best possible sexed semen viability.” Providing a viable product is, however, only part of the challenge. The procedures required in producing sexed semen inevitably reduce the product’s lifespan when compared with conventional semen, and so there is a need for extra care in the thawing and handling, not to mention a greater imperative on accurate heat detection and service timings. “There is nothing fundamentally different about using sexed semen,” adds Mr Smith, “but there is less margin for error, so preparation, equipment and all procedures need to be to a ‘best practice’ standard. “Basic equipment including electric semen thawing,

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M A I N

A RT I C L E

‘Beefing up’ dairy income One producer following correct procedures and seeing tangible rewards from sexed semen is Cheshire-based Ed Seaton, who farms at Kynsal Farm in Audlem. He now uses significant quantities of Cogent sexed semen on his 240-head pedigree Holstein dairy herd and benefits also from the additional income derived from quality beef calves produced from cows not required for breeding replacements. He began using sexed semen with a degree of caution, using it on limited numbers initially and monitoring results closely. Conception rates to first service of 65% for heifers and 55% for cows gave the necessary reassurance to use sexed semen more widely. “We’re now using it across the majority of our maiden heifers and selecting from cows up to fifth calving to breed replacements, choosing those with a good record for fertility and no history of milk fever, metritis or difficult calvings. “This makes record keeping very important, but if you know the cow is straight, you are not only far more likely

to get good conception rates, but you’re also breeding the type of fertile and disease-free cows you want for your herd.” Overall, sexed semen use equates to 1.72 straws per heifer pregnancy and 2.2 straws for cows, indicating that it is certainly not compromising conception rates in the herd. Carrying out DIY AI helps with timing, as service can take place precisely 12 hours after the first signs of heat. Activity monitors for the cows are also said to have transformed heat detection and are now being considered for maiden heifers too. The condition of cattle is also regarded as paramount, and both heifers and cows are indoors and settled on a stable diet before insemination. Today, around 45% of the herd is inseminated to sexed dairy semen and 55% to beef, with between 120 and 130 quality beef calves produced each year and generating a useful additional revenue stream. “We have been selling British Blue crosses

thermometer, gun warmers and a timer are not expensive items, but investing in dedicated kit and maintaining it accordingly does make a difference.” “Also give some thought to practicalities, such as easy identification of straws in your flask, to avoid unnecessary removal and delays, and the distance to your service pens. “Then there are the handing facilities, which must be capable of restraining the animal properly. Conception rates fall by

Ed Seaton: “Income is up every week”

through Market Drayton market, but we are also looking at a contract to supply Beef Shorthorn crosses to a specified outlet,” he says. “This would secure a reliable market for all our beef calves whether or not we are under movement restriction. “It’s having a big impact on income every week because we are selling calves at a premium. Instead of coming back from market with a cheque for £30 for two or three Holstein bull calves, we may have £800 or £900 for the beef crosses, which over the course of a year will make a huge difference.”

as much as 9% if a heifer is moving about when served – an easy situation to avoid in most cases,” adds Mr Smith.

Detailed guidelines Detailed guidelines on correct semen handling and insemination procedures are freely available, and with the growth of sexed semen use and the successes increasingly reported there is no doubt that these messages are being taken on board. l

Sexed semen – the lowdown The sexed semen business model is totally different from the conventional semen business. Basically all the sexing technology and machines are owned by Sexing Technologies Texas, who leases the machines to international companies like Genus ABS, Cogent and CRV. Companies sexing semen have contracts and have to pay Sexing Technologies a ‘royalty’ for every straw produced. So it’s an expensive product where supply and demand play a key part. Only large companies are financially able to enter into these contracts.

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Understandably these companies only produce sexed semen from bulls that they can sell quickly to aid cash flow. Also they can make more money from selling conventional semen from popular bulls than selling sexed semen because the sexing process is ‘rough’ and destroys a lot of sperm. Some bulls’ semen does not reach certain standards after the sexing process. The AI system in the Netherlands soon ‘flags up’ any bulls with below average conception rates. This is the reason why CRV’s Apina Curtis’ semen is no longer sexed.

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Ketosis: a costly secret Kexxtone: a novel solution ®

You can’t see hidden ketosis. But it’s there. Recent studies show it can affect around 30% of cows,1 even in well-managed herds. Now there’s a new solution to help farmers manage this hidden threat. Kexxtone is an innovative prescription-only veterinary medicine proven to reduce the incidence of ketosis. Kexxtone: 2 • Reduces ketosis* by 74% • A single bolus — easy to administer Advice should be sought from a Veterinarian prior to use.

*Ketosis: > 1000 μmol/l blood beta-hydroxybutyrate

Kexxtone 32.4g continuous-release intraruminal device for cattle. Monensin. Kexxtone 32.4g continuous-release intraruminal device for cattle contains Monensin 32.4g (equivalent to 35.2g monensin sodium). Each intraruminal device contains:12 subunits each containing 2.7g monensin (equivalent to 2.9g monensin sodium). Polypropylene* orifice cap. Polypropylene* plunger. Polypropylene* barrel and wing. Steel spring.*The polypropylene components are coloured with sunset yellow E110. Amounts to be administered and administration route: Intraruminal use. A single intraruminal device is to be administered to a dairy cow/heifer 3-4 weeks prior to expected calving, using an appropriate administration tool. Kexxtone delivers an approximate average dose of 335mg of monensin per day for approximately 95 days. Target species: Cattle (dairy cows and heifers). Indications for use: For the reduction in the incidence of ketosis in the peri-parturient dairy cow/heifer which is expected to develop ketosis. Contraindications: Do not use in animals weighing less than 300 kg bodyweight. Special warnings for each target species: Identification of animals for treatment should be at veterinary discretion. Risk factors may include a history of energy-deficiency-related diseases, high body condition score and parity. In the event of early regurgitation, identify the animal by matching the animal ID number with the number on the intraruminal device and re-administer an undamaged intraruminal device. Special precautions for use in animals: Hold treated cattle in a confined area for 1 hour after administration to observe for failure to swallow or regurgitation. If this occurs re-administer the intraruminal device if undamaged. If damaged, administer a new intraruminal device. Recheck cattle for up to 4 days after dosing to observe for signs of an intraruminal device lodging in the oesophagus. Signs of lodging may include bloat which may be followed by coughing, drooling, inappertence and unthriftiness. Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal product to animals: Exposure to the active substance may elicit an allergic response in susceptible individuals. People with known hypersensitivity to monensin or any of the excipients should avoid contact with the veterinary medicinal product. Do not eat, drink or smoke when handling the veterinary medicinal product. Use gloves when handling an intraruminal device, including during retrieval of a regurgitated intraruminal device. Remove gloves and wash hands and exposed skin after handling intraruminal devices.

Other precautions: Do not allow dogs, horses, other equines or guinea fowl access to formulations containing monensin. Consumption of intraruminal device contents can be fatal in these species. Use during pregnancy, lactation or lay: Can be used during pregnancy and lactation. Withdrawal periods: Meat and offal: zero days, Milk: zero days Pharmacological Properties: Pharmacotherapeutic group: Drugs for treatment of acetonemia, ATC vet code: QA16QA06 Monensin is a member of the pharmacotherapeutic group of polyether ionophores, speciﬁcally the carboxylic subgroup. They are the product of natural fermentation products produced by Streptomyces cinnamonensis.

EU/2/12/145/001-003 Further information is available upon request or to be found in the SPC relating to this product. Eli Lilly and Company Limited Elanco Animal Health Priestley Road Basingstoke Hampshire RG24 9NL United Kingdom Telephone: 01256 353131

Use medicines responsibly. www.noah.co.uk/responsible

Always seek advice on the correct use of this or alternative medicines from the medicine prescriber.

REFERENCES 1 Macrae, et al. 2012. Prevalence of clinical and subclinical ketosis in UK dairy herds 2006-2011. World Buiatrics, Lisbon, Portugal; Elanco Farm Audit 2011, No. GN4FR110006. Data on ﬁle. 2 CVMP assessment report of an application for the granting of a community marketing authorisation for Kexxtone (EMEA/V/C/002235). Elanco, Kexxtone® and the diagonal bar are trademarks owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries or afﬁliates. © 2012 Elanco Animal Health. UKDRYKXT00011

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Kexxtone (Farmer UK) / Dairy Update / 210mm(w) x 297mm(h)

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O V E R A L L s

Name: Location: Herd size: Hobby:

O F F

Tracy Hodge Sedburgh, Cumbria 60 cows Traditional wrestling

Tracy Hodge: “You go into the ring to win – if you don’t there’s no point”

In it to win it text Rachael Porter

racy Hodge – dairy producer and mother of two – has been wrestling since she was four years old. She took time out from the sport with a knee injury two years ago at the age of 20. But she’s determined that it won’t be long before she’s back in the ring, perfecting her ‘cross buttock’ and ‘back heel’ and flooring opponents once again. “You go into the ring to win – if you don’t there’s no point. You have to be determined in this sport and undeterred, no matter how strong your opponent appears to be.” It’s a strategy that’s paid off, as Tracy’s impressive array of trophies and awards shows, and with such a passion for the sport it’s no surprise that her four-year-old daughter Grace is as keen to get into the traditional wrestling ring as her mother was – and still is. “I’ve had keyhole surgery on my knees and they’re on the mend, but not quite ready for competition yet. It’s a shame as I’m itching to get back in there.” Tracy’s father, Trevor, sparked her interest in the sport. The traditional style of wrestling throughout England’s Lake District is believed to have been introduced by Norse and Viking invaders. The competitors wear the traditional dress of long johns and velvet trunks, known as the centre piece. These are often embroidered with district colours and other motifs. “I used to watch him wrestle when I was small,” she says. It’s obviously contagious, since Tracy’s three younger sisters – Penny, Hannah and Rosie – also wrestle. “I love taking part and it’s also a beautiful sport to watch. People think you just walk into the ring and if your opponent is bigger than you then it’s game over. But it’s not. There is a lot of strength and power involved, but speed and skill are also important.” Upper body strength is vital – breaking your initial hold on the opponent means you lose. But it’s the knees that do all the work, as Tracy now knows. “Many wrestlers injury their knees – they’re used for every move and twist.” Each bout starts with the opponents shaking hands. They then take hold of each other – the left arm over the opponent’s shoulder and the right arm under their arm. They then try to throw their opponent to the floor, without breaking that hold. She says that nothing beats the thrill she gets in the ring. “I get a tremendous adrenalin rush and a real buzz out of it. It’s also a great way to unwind – the concentration required means that nothing outside the ring matters,” she adds. Tracy is hoping to get her wrestling fix soon. “It’s hard to watch other people wrestling when I desperately want to get back in the ring myself. It makes me all the more determined to get 100% fit again.”

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A N G A

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One of the UK’s best Jersey herds is to be sold later this year

Balanced breeding and consistent management has kept one Norfolk-based Jersey herd at the top of the NMR annual

ccupying second place in NMR’s 2013 national annual production rankings for the Jersey breed means a lot to the owners of the Seethingbased 57-cow pedigree Upgate herd. Not least because Frank and Su Mahon and their daughter Louise Edwards are set to disperse their renowned herd later this year. “It’s good to go out on a high, particularly after such a tough year,” says Su, who has mixed feelings about the herd sale. She and husband Frank will stay on at the family farm, semiretired, while Louise, who lives less than two miles away, will use the farm buildings and a proportion of the unit’s 65 hectares to rear and sell freshly calved heifers, by using sexed semen.

10 Balanced cows

“We’ll just keep around 20 heifers to breed from – enough to keep us busy and to provide an income,” explains Su. “We think the remaining land will be share farmed, but we’ve yet to finalise that. But the herd sale is

production rankings for many years. But, after 58 years, the Mahons are set to sell the herd this autumn. text Rachael Porter

definitely going ahead on November 1. It’ll be sad to see the girls go, but after 58 years of dairying it’s time we had a rest.” Herd size was reduced from 120 head five years ago. Again it was proving a little too much, with Su and Frank nearing retirement and Louise with a young family to look after. But life was far from easy in 2012. Frank’s health isn’t what it used to be – he has arthritis – and the family had a bad winter following a terrible summer, just as many producers experienced in 2012. “The cows were in and out throughout the summer. Grazing conditions were awful, but we made enough forage to get us through the winter,” he says. “My poor health is the main reason we’re selling up.” The Mahons have always strived to breed balanced cows with longevity, as well as production with high butterfat and protein. Milk yield for the herd is currently running at 7,932kg with a fat-andprotein yield of 741kg. Milk is sold, on a Channel Island contract to London-based Freshways and then onto several dairies on different days of the week, including

local Suffolk-based dairy Marybelle and Peterborough-based independent dairy Meadow Foods.

Good breeding “We’ve aimed to breed a cow that will last for about seven lactations, with at least 5.40% butterfat and 3.8% protein,” explains Louise. “Good feet and legs are also a must, as is a good udder. If we’re breeding for production, we need an udder that can hold all that milk.” For this reason, a mix of Danish and US sires has been used on the herd. Canadian Bull Meadowlawn Bright Spot was also a ‘landmark’ sire for the herd, as it was shortly after his introduction to the semen flask, back in the late 1970s, that yields really started to lift off the 4,500-litre mark. US bull A-nine Top Brass, the first American bull ever used in the UK, also had a significant effect on yield. His first daughters in the Upgate herd pushed production up to about 5,500kg. Another genetic boost was given to the herd in 1998 when 18 in-calf heifers, mostly by Fyn Danroy, were bought in from Denmark. These were purchased to

57 7,932kg 82.7 points November 1, 2013

ENT

Herd size: Average yield: Average classiﬁcation:: Sale date:

Seething

The Mahon family One of the UK’s leading Jersey herds is set to be sold and a top position in the NMR annual production rankings means it’s going out on a high note.

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Golden girls: Jerseys have performed well on the Mahon’s unit for the past 58 years

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that’s what buyers will be looking for. So our breeding programme will remain the same. We’ll just use sexed semen to maximise heifer numbers.”

Impressive classification

M ENT

replace some A-Nine daughters who were sold as BSE cohorts and, once they calved, Frank, Su and Louise saw butterfats soar to above 6% – a first for the herd. “The North American and Danish sires compliment each other and are both key to the continued improvement of our herd,” explains Louise. “They helped us to continue to breed balanced cows which will perform and last. Danish sires are not so high on production, but are excellent on solids. The US bulls give us more volume, but less butterfat and protein.”

Pedigree stock: the herd performed well during a recent classification visit

Louise says that the Danish sires are growing in popularity in the UK as a whole, partly due to health reasons. The Danes are very health conscious and the cattle are disease free. They can also help to restore some of the constituents lost where higher-yielding US sires have been extensively used. She’ll continue with the same breeding philosophy when she runs the heifer rearing enterprise. “I want to breed heifers that will grow into cows that we would like to milk –

The way they were: our previous article on the Upgate herd, published in 2003

An auctioneer from Wright Manley has visited the herd and was impressed by what he saw. Little wonder when you consider the results from a recent classification. Three animals, including one bull, were classified EX and there were 12 VG, 21 Good plus and one Good. The final average score for the herd was 82.7. The rest of the herd are due to be classified before the sale. Su says that who ever buys their cattle can look forward to managing healthy and efficient animals. “It’s a fabulous breed – an aggressive feeder, intelligent, and easy to handle and calve.” She adds that they’re interesting too. “They stop and question why they’re following the cow in front and they all have their own individual characters.” Jerseys also suit Upgate Farm’s heavier land: “They won’t poach the gateways as quickly as heavier breeds and they’re great to look at. “They’re not huge black-and-white hat racks. We never wanted to run a herd of any other breed.” The family is apprehensive about the herd sale. “It’ll be tough to see the girls leave for Beeston Market. It’ll take some getting used to. “I’ll miss the milking, but I won’t miss struggling with soggy weather and the cold, early starts,” says Frank. Louise says she’ll miss the milkers too. But she is looking forward to focusing on the new heifer rearing enterprise. “The plan at the moment is to rear heifers in groups of three or four and sell them privately. “We have looked at contract rearing heifers for other producers, but we’ve always run a closed system from 2000 and have a high health status herd. “It would be shame to jeopardise that, particularly when it came to selling our own heifers. So we’re still giving it some thought.” “There’s no rush,” adds Su. “We can’t really make any major decisions until the milking herd has gone. Once we’ve cleared that hurdle and we’ll be ready for the next challenge.” l The Upgate herd will be sold at Beeston on November 1, 2013

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F E RT I L I T Y

One phone call away from auto PD testing using the milk sample

New PD milk test arrives A long-awaited PD test using individual milk samples has arrived. Recommended as a follow up to a vet PD diagnosis, the new test is hassle free for both producers and cows and is proving highly accurate. And just detecting one or two lost pregnancies in a typical herd will justify the cost involved. text Karen Wright

f making sure cows are in calf is high on your agenda – as it is with the majority of producers – then NMR’s new milk pregnancy test will no doubt appeal. It can use the sample taken for milk recording and cows can be auto-selected for testing as required, say a number of days post service. Alternatively, kits are available for ad-hoc PD testing. “Both options are non-intrusive – there’s no stress for the cow,” says NMR’s Justin

Frankfort who has been co-ordinating field trials with the new milk ELISA PD test. “And it can’t be easier for those who milk record. One call to set up the automatic testing and that’s it. Producers will get results back, normally within 36 hours of the sample reaching the lab.” Each PD milk check costs £3.50 using the recording milk sample. Alternatively, kits of 10 sample pots are available for £9 plus the £3.50 cost of the test.

“Test results come back as positive or negative,” adds Mr Frankfort. “In our trial work we’ve found that 7% to 10% of cases report a ‘re-check’, which NMR will do automatically free of charge.” Interestingly, diagnostic test specialists IDEXX, who developed the PD milk test, has seen an average re-check rate of 4% across samples from all stages of gestation with a higher number of rechecks observed, up to 12%, from 35 to 75 days of gestation declining to less than 1% after 75 days of gestation.

What’s tested? The new ELISA pregnancy test detects a protein produced in pregnancy – Pregnancy Associated Glycoproteins or PAGs. These PAGs are produced in the placenta by pregnant cows. “PAG levels change during gestation,” says IDEXX’s Hannah Pearse. “They are at their lowest level 60 days after calving then start Preserved milk samples can be used for the new PD test

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NMR’s Sue Perry takes samples from Richard Blackburn’s cows for milk quality testing then PD testing

increasing after conception. We have shown that the ELISA milk PD test is 98% accurate for specificity and sensitivity.” Around 25 labs now carry out ELISA PD tests in the US and more are being set up globally. “In most instances, and because routine milk recording samples are being used, the test is used to confirm pregnancy around 75 days or later post service,” adds Ms Pearse. “This means that the vet carries out the initial pregnancy check and then the maintenance of pregnancy is confirmed using the milk test. “The cost of the test can be easily justified,” says Mr Frankfort. “As many as 10% of cows will re-absorb embryos within 100 days of service. This milk PD test will normally pick these up before they get further into their lactation.”

Proof of the pudding NMR has trialled the new milk PD service alongside veterinary PD tests in cows in eight herds and found a 97% correlation in results. Cheshire-based producer Richard Blackburn PD tested 260 of his cows with the ELISA test and the results were enough to convince him of the benefits of this new tool. “The correlation was excellent,” says Richard, who runs a 300cow Holstein Friesian herd, averaging 8,000kg on twice-a-day milking at Baddiley, near Nantwich. “Cows are served from 50 days post calving then PD’ed by our vet Den Leonard about 32 days later. We’re calving all year round and have a routine PD session every Monday. “When we carried out the milk test on cows 70 days or more after service we

Herdsman Jon Harris, Erika and Chris Bargh: a place for the milk PD test in this 160-cow herd

found that two cows we thought were barren were actually in calf and one we thought was in calf wasn’t. Just based on these results this extra PD test will have paid for itself for the year.”

Valuable check Richard is busy expanding the herd. A new shed is being built and he’s buying in heifers with the aim of getting to 440 cows by next summer. “The most important job now and in the future is getting cows in calf,” adds Richard. “I wouldn’t wait until 70 days to PD solely with the milk test, but it’s a very valuable second check. We have a very efficient handling system built to the vet’s recommendation that minimises PD time – so for us the vet PD check is still cheaper than the milk test. “But a reliable follow up test, that uses milk samples and means less disruption for us and the cows, is perfect. We can set the NMR service to test routinely at 70 days post service and this will happen automatically.” “We expect most results to correlate with the vet’s earlier PD test, but if not we can investigate before too much time has slipped away. The quandary is any ‘re-check’ results but NMR will re-test these cows a month later free of charge or, if I pay, I could get this done by sending in an ad-hoc milk sample. There are plenty of options.”

Place for milk PD test Lancashire-based producer Chris Bargh can see a place in his 160-cow Holstein herd for PD testing his cows using the milk sample from 70 days post calving. “We are very focussed on individual cow management right through the system,”

says Chris, who runs the family farm at Osbaldeston near Blackburn. “Our vet, Norman Johnson, routinely checks cows 20 days post calving then PDs at 38 days after service. It’s a routine I value and it’s good to get the vet to check over each cow at these crucial stages.” Chris has developed a high-input-highoutput system and cows now average 11,000kg. Four years ago he installed three robotic milkers. These, and individual ration programming, have helped to increase yields. While he admits that his calving interval is on the high side at 447 days, he can see that advances in management are bringing this down and a follow up PD check could play a part. “We serve cows earlier now we are using the robotic milkers – the cow’s are under less stress so they are fit and ready for serving at 60 days after calving. This, and increased PD accuracy, should help reduce the calving interval.”

Accurate results But the focus isn’t totally on calving interval. Chris isn’t too worried about getting one of his 20,000kg cows in calf ‘on time’ if her yield and overall performance is so good. “But I do need to know if she’s in calf or not as it has a bearing on her feed and management. The milk PD test gives us this necessary extra knowledge. “Our latest milk PD test results were very accurate and it does highlight the cows we need to look at. The re-check results were of no value though so it’s essential that NMR offers a free re-check – it means that we will have a definitive answer and I’ll know just where we are with herd fertility.” l

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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F E W

W O R D S

F R O M

R O G E R

E VA N S

Award-winning columnist and Shropshire-based producer Roger Evans has spent a lot of time in his tractor cab, pondering fodder crops, the price of fish and chips, and Christmas dinners.

Fish and chips I

’ve spent a lot of time working in our largest field – 16 hectares – and we’ve sown it with five hectares of kale and 11 hectares of turnips. It was supposed to be 5.5 hectares of kale, but we all know how drilling goes. Long hours on a tractor mean long hours of undisturbed thinking. I can reflect that this is the first time I have ever sown such a large area of fodder crops. Two fields away I have 3.5 hectares of fodder beet already in. Go back a couple of years and this ground would have been sown for wholecrop wheat, but we don’t do that anymore. What cereals we do grow we now combine and sell. Prior to growing wholecrop wheat we were growing maize and we haven’t done that for several years. If this field were down to grass we would probably make silage, but three cuts of silage would cost around £125 per hectare for each cut. I know I have the cost of putting these root crops in, but I don’t have the cost of feeding the silage, bedding the cattle and moving the muck. It’s been a busy time because, in the next field, contractors were mowing our first-cut silage. This won’t have gone down very well in the pub because ‘they’ were nowhere near ready to mow. That’s because they all have sheep. It’s amazing how much difference sheep make. There’s a local lad – his parents are good friends of mine – who has ‘accumulated’ 40 Texel ewes. He asked if he could put them on land that we rent a few miles away. They were there for a month and the fields were meant for first cut but, as a result, they weren’t going to be ready for three weeks. But what sort of miserable sod would I be if I’d said ‘no’ to a youngster trying to make his way into farming? We mowed all our first cut on Tuesday and picked it up on Thursday. I told the contractor that I want to make higher dry matter silage this year. He said he can spread it out more as he mows it. How come he never told me that before? The mown grass was visibly drying in a strong wind. But at about 10am the weather forecast changed so I phoned the contractor and they were back and picking grass up by 3pm. It was the driest we’ve picked up for years and I’m really pleased. I wanted them to pick up as much as they can that day. They knew that if they worked late I’d fetch them fish and chips. I stretched the prospect out tentatively in front of them and a warm meal and a can of coke at 9pm does wonders for morale and by 10.30pm they’d done more than 28 hectares. We had heavy showers the next morning at home at the clamp, but only a bit of a dampener in the last field and it was all soon safely under plastic. Next time I’m ‘reflecting’ on a tractor, I’ll be giving thought to the headlands on our root field. We ran out of seed and the neighbours helped us out and we finished with a mix of turnip, kale, fodder beet and mangold. I reflect on the cost of seven portions of fish and chips – and I didn’t have any! But I don’t reflect for long – there are turkey eggs to take to the incubator and Christmas dinners to think of.

c owmanagement

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S I R E

R E P O RT

Top bulls produce their best offspring thanks to combinations with the Cosmopolitan family

VEKIS CHEVROLET (FREDDIE X PLANET) Genomic proof (Source: US, April 2013) Lbs m. % fat % prot. Lbs fat Lbs prot. TPI NM 2345 –0.01 +0.01 86 76 2484 $915 Productive life: SCS: Calving ease: Temperament: Milking speed: PTAT:

6.3 2.80 7 103 103 +2.02

Destined for genetic domination The Larcrest Cosmopolitan cow family stands alone in excellence – the descendants of a Shottle daughter are among the best. Breeders are eagerly waiting to see the daughter performances of her sons, grandsons and great-grandsons. text Tijmen van Zessen

osmopolitan means ‘belonging to the whole world and not restricted to one country or its inhabitants’. Jon Larson could not have chosen a more appropriate name for his Shottle daughter than Larcrest Cosmopolitan. The cow family of the brood cow Larcrest Juror Chanel has spread throughout the globe because of its high genomic figures. “Japan, Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Ireland, England, Canada and Mexico are some of the countries that come to mind but there are probably more,” says the USbased breeder. Jon runs a dairy in Minnesota with 120 dairy cows in tie stalls where the herd produces more than 10,886kg of milk

per cow. More than half of his herd descend from the Juror daughter Chanel. At 15 years old, Chanel had produced more than 113,398kg of milk and was classified EX93 points. “In the US there are 80 bulls from the family that went to AI,” explains Jon. “Chanel was the first cow on my unit for which there was AI interest, but it is her granddaughter Cosmopolitan who has really brought this family into the limelight.”

Worldwide opportunities The cow family of Cosmopolitan is quite young. While there are few daughter-tested bulls, the offspring of Cosmopolitan dominate the genomic

index lists. “Anyone who doesn’t believe in genomics will say ‘high times are always high’, but those who do trust the system see that this cow family proves its worth. If you produce the best Shottle daughter, the best Ramos daughter and one of the best Planet daughters in the world, then that says enough. “This kind of top bull has had enough opportunities worldwide and this cow family does not usually let you down,” explains Diamond Genetics’ Jan de Vries. In the male line, the same applies: the highest Planet son, O Cosmopolitan, the highest Man O Man son, Texel Beauty Cosmo, and the highest Superstition son, Larcrest Casual, originate from the Cosmopolitan cow family.

Shottle daughter Cosmopolitan with Larcrest farms in the background

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The animals are on his mind all the time. “These cows are so wide you can place a wheelbarrow between their front legs, they have so much power. They are real workhorses. I like that sort of cow, they don’t fall over,” he adds. Chenoa has various brothers and sisters with high genomic figures. Superstition son Larcrest Casual is very promising with an index of 2,410 GTPI and also Observer daughter Larcrest Cale scores above 2,400 GTPI. From the combination of Planet times Ramos, Chenoa was produced, but Ramos on the extremely large Shottle daughter Cosmopolitan was also an obvious choice. This resulted in Larcrest Crimson.

Milk production Ramos daughter Larcrest Crimson calved recently and scored EX 91

De Vries has already sold five young bulls to international AI organisations. He owns, on GTPI-basis, the highest ranking bull from the cow family. The bull, Vekis Chevrolet (from Freddie), is marketed by CRV. The semen from Vekis Chevrolet recently came out of quarantine and will be used frequently in the flushing circuit. With a score of 2,490 GTPI there is international interest in the Dutch Freddie son. In Germany, his full brother Fanatic stands an excellent chance of proving successful. “The first calves from Fanatic are expected this year, and with Chevrolet, we are now getting very busy,” says CRV Delta breeding programme’s coordinator Jaap Veldhuisen. Chevrolet and Fanatic originate from

Larcrest Chenoa, an 87-point Planet daughter. In her first lactation she produced 16,298kg of milk with 4.1% fat and 3.5%protein in 365 days. On European soil there is one female descendant of Chenoa: Bacchus Chennin. She is a full sister of Chevrolet and is owned by Dutch breeder Jan van den Braak. “She is still a yearling and has been flushed several times with, among others, Snowman son Snowmaster,” says Jan van den Braak.

‘Wheelbarrow’ width He is proud of his Cosmopolitan descendant that he bought as an embryo. During a visit to the Larcrest farm in Minnesota he saw the three generations of cows before Chennin – Cosmopolitan, Crimson and Chenoa.

Crimson recently calved again and during the first 180 days of her second lactation, she peaked at 81.6kg and is currently still producing more than 68kg per day. She recently scored EX 91 and is Larson’s favourite. “She has stolen my heart,” he says. “Crimson has everything: production, content, exterior and genomics. This combination is important, the genomics and the performance must go well together. At the moment she is the number-four cow in the world.” It’s impossible to imagine international cattle improvement without the family of Cosmopolitan. Although still reasonably new, bulls, dams, and sires very regularly come out with high numbers. The ultimate test, one of breeding values based on daughter performance must still be done, but the genomic indexes of the family do promise a lot. l

Larcrest Juror Chanel (Juror) Larcrest Oside Champagne (Outside) Larcrest Cosmopolitan (Shottle)

Larcrest Cancun (Planet)

Texel Beauty Cosmo (Man O Man)

O Cosmopolitan (Planet)

Larcrest Crimson (Ramos)

Neerduist Cherso (Planet)

Larcrest Cake (Superstition)

Larcrest Cale (Observer)

Larcrest Cinergy (Robust)

Larcrest Case (Planet)

Larcrest Chenoa (Planet)

Larcrest Chima (Planet)

Larcrest Casual (Superstition)

Bacchus Chennin (Freddie)

Vekis Chevrolet (Freddie)

Larcrest MS Chanda (Robust)

Fanatic (Freddie)

cow man ag e me n t

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13-06-13 14:19

G O L D

C U P

Which dairy business will catch the judges’ eyes and take the 2013 title?

Top class contestants vie for gold Judges have their work cut out when they visit the six NMR/RABDF Gold Cup finalists and decide who should take the industry’s top award. We take a snapshot look at each and see, in the eyes of CowManagement, what makes each one that bit special. text Karen Wright

finalist

breed

D J Tomlinson, Bilsborrow Hall Farm, Preston, Lancashire H, M & D Hodgson, Wormanby Fm, Carlisle, Cumbria Messrs Higgins, Wilderley Hall Farms, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Messrs D&S McMurran, 88 Castlevennon Road, Dromore, County Down D Ball, Kemble Farms, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire N Christensen, Steanbow Farm, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein Holstein

qualifying lactations

yield kg

fat %

189 124 230 262 585 453

10,538 10,735 12,718 10,533 11,345 10,452

4.41 3.87 3.81 3.88 3.59 3.71

prot. SCC CI % ‘000/ml (days) 3.14 3.09 3.03 3.07 3.08 3.09

118 136 68 116 166 96

438 437 433 391 395 387

PLI (£)

milk freq

LDY kg/day

51 47 53 39 37 44

2x 2x 3x 3x 3x 3x

12.86 13.79 18.31 13.27 15.39 15.49

Table 1: Production figures Gold Cup finalists

David Ball – Kemble Farms, Kemble, Cirencester Team management and clear protocols are the ingredients for success in this 800-cow herd that has plans in place for expanding to 1,100 cows within the next two years. “Increasing herd size is our route to increasing the unit’s efficiency,”

says farm manager David Ball. “We have the right staff and machinery to run the parlour 24 hours a day and our dedicated herd health team can apply their skills to more cows – and we can increase forage production utilising neighbouring

David Ball and Tim Wring

land. We currently have cubicle housing for 900 cows and an arable area that can handle the slurry.” But the expansion programme is not taken lightly and David sees importing disease as one of the greatest threats to the dairy expansion. He is keen to keep his own house in order and a thorough vaccination programme for IBR, BVD and Lepto is adhered to. BVD Tag and Test is used for all youngstock. As a result they have almost reached BVD-free status. The whole herd is quarterly screened for Johne’s disease using the NMR milk sample through the Herdwise service and they work closely with the George Veterinary Group. Tempting though it is to keep as many cows as possible in the herd to increase numbers, David won’t carry passengers. “We’re not frightened of a high replacement rate. Of course we are conscious of replacement costs, and heifer prices versus cull cow prices, but we need to keep the herd progressing and not hang on to problem cows.”

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ike any top competition – sport or business – the journey to the final stages is not easy. The Gold Cup route is tough. More than 500 UK dairy herds qualified with at least 100 cows, a cell count of 200,000cells/ml or less, and a minimum PLI for the breed – £37 for Holsteins. Entrants complete a rigorous entry form and finalists are selected by the judges, identifying those that bring an outstanding combination of management of their resources, herd performance and commitment to the industry. Want to know a bit more about each finalist? Read a full report on NMR’s website www.nmr.co.uk and see who you think should win this year’s NMR/RABDF Gold Cup.

Gold Cup ‘D’-day All six finalists will gather in the ‘winners’ enclosure’ on the NMR stand at Livestock 2013 on July 3, at 4.30pm, when the announcement of the winner and runner up will be made. Judges this year are NMR’s national field manager Jonathan Davies, RABDF chairman Ian Macalpine and Gold Cup winners from 2010 Mike and Chris King.

Neil Christensen – Steanbow Farms, Pilton, Shepton Mallet Despite this Somerset unit’s plentiful grassland, this 500-cow herd is housed all year round on sandbedded cubicles, with a loose straw

yard for calving. This suits the Christensen brothers Neil and Michael and father Finn’s ‘diversification’ – a third of their 607 hectares is taken out for the annual Glastonbury Festival from May to August each year. It also overcomes the high potassium index on the farm, which resulted in considerable problems with milk fever and cystic ovaries when cows were grazing. “We reviewed our management and the answer was to house the cows all year round, aiming for high yield and high welfare, with a change in feeding to combat the problematic potassium Neil and Michael Christensen

indices,” says Neil. “And it paid dividends – we can produce high yields throughout the year for our Sainsbury’s contract with Dairy Crest and it maximises our resources on the dairy unit.” Also impressive is the careful breeding that has avoided ‘extremes’ and the dedicated heifer rearing with an age at first calving of 2.08 years and 30% of the herd in its fourth or more lactation. “Looking forward we aim to maintain cow numbers and the simple approach to our management, making sure our nutrition is optimised with some good forage this year. And we’re also looking forward to seeing the Rolling Stones playing to a huge crowd in the next door field!”

Higgins Family – Wilderley Hall Farms, Pulverbatch, Shrewsbury The Higgins’ dairy herd is frequently in the limelight for its high production and leading management regimes. Winners of the Chris May Memorial Award for the past two years with the top herd Lifetime Daily Yield, Bill and Andrew, with Andrew, Margaret, Bill and Bill jnr Higgins

parents Bill and Margaret, are now fully focussed on the Gold Cup. Expansion during the past 15 years has led to the current 316-cow herd and 266 youngstock on the 145-hectare unit. Good bulls across the herd have been used consistently. “We want a uniform

herd not a few ‘show stoppers’,” says Andrew. But above all it’s the team that counts in getting top quality milk to Tesco through Muller Wisemans. “We have superb people we can trust and rely on to work to a very high standard. “In turn, we look after our staff and make sure they have a good package. Handling and managing our cows is a big responsibility and I’d like to think we recognise this very fairly.” Herd health also plays a big part in the success of this herd. NMR samples are used for regular Johne’s screening and bulk milk PCR testing for Lepto and BVD. Cows are also vaccinated for BVD and IBR. All cows are mobility scored every two months. “These are the routine health checks we would carry out anyway but it’s a bonus that our milk buyer rewards us for a supply of milk from a herd with high health and welfare status,” adds Bill.

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G O L D

CU P

David and Louise Hodgson – Wormanby Farm, Burgh by Sands, Carlisle Runner up in the 2012 Gold Cup, David Hodgson reports a challenging 12 months but one where he, and his father Harry

and wife Louise, have managed better perhaps than many who have much bigger overheads. “We can decide just how and where to tighten our belts,” says David. “Milk from the 150-cows is sold to Arla and supplying this large and expanding business gives me confidence. We also rear all the youngstock and sell 40 to 50 heifers a year which is another income stream.” More heifers are being sold in groups now. “I think buyers like to know where the stock is coming from for obvious reasons. Harry, Margaret, David and Louise Hodgson

The herd is vaccinated for IBR and BVD annually and screened for Johne’s disease.” Looking ahead, the Hodgsons don’t rule out increasing milk production with more cows if the figures stack up. “At the moment it makes more sense to breed everything pure and sell surplus heifers at their peak.” “We will keep working out the costs and prices of heifers versus the milk price. We’re in a good position to increase herd size by 50% in 12 months if milk prices improve, but if they don’t we will continue to sell pedigree heifers.”

Darren and Stuart McMurran – 88 Castlevennon Road, Dromore, Co Down Eight years ago Darren and Stuart McMurran walked their 70 strong herd of cows from their original home, a couple of miles down the road, to 88 Castlevennon Road.

Buying the new farm gave them the facilities that they needed to expand. Now 270 cows are kept inside 24:7 and are milked three times a day. More cows is not a practical option here. So the McMurrans aim to maximise milk output per cubicle place. “We must also get the best from every hectare that we farm,” says Darren. The vet is an integral part of maintaining the highest herd health standards and Genus has helped them improve the genetic merit of the herd. And silage Vet Cathal Grant, Stuart McMurran and Darren McMurran

making is a job they do themselves. “We make sure the grass is always harvested at the right growth stage and by cutting every five to six weeks we can ensure that the quality of the silage available to the cows is the same the year round,” says Stuart. “We have to make repayments to the bank plus generate a living for everyone involved,” adds Darren. “We have no say on the milk price. But we have total control over the management decisions we make for the farm. Becoming more efficient in everything we do is the only plan that makes sense in these circumstances.”

David and James Tomlinson – Bilsborrow Hall Farm, Bilsborrow, Preston The well-known Bilsrow herd, from Bilsborrow near Preston, is a family-run unit managed by David and son James with help in the calf house and office from Sheila. Breeding decisions have always

underpinned the progress and success of this herd. “A good balance is our guideline,” says David. “We look for type merit – between 1 and 2 – with production and avoiding extremes. Longevity and production are our main aims. We want cows to be as trouble free as possible. And we supply the familyrun cheese making company Dewlay, based at Garstang, so we want to make sure we select bulls for fat and protein.” Although surplus stock is sold – and Bilsrow animals have a good reputation – milk production is their core business and to this end James – with James From left Russell Thompson, Eleanor Drinkall, James, David and Sheila Tomlinson and James Billington

Billington – sticks to strict protocols, particularly in the parlour. “Healthy cows are essential,” adds James. “The herd is vaccinated for IBR, BVD and Lepto and screened for Johne’s. And our new calf house is contributing to better calf health and growth rates.” With cow numbers now at 230 and 210 youngstock and more land recently acquired the Tomlinsons are set for expansion. “The abolition of quotas could see cheap milk on our market putting pressure on prices so we need to be even more efficient,” adds David. “By increasing output we can gain economies of scale and be more competitive and we will continue to sell surplus stock as well as grow a currently small storage business from the farm.”

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13-06-13 09:46

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Rob Corbe is a man of many parts. As well as running Castlewood Farm, with his father Colin, he is also the owner of Castlewood Vineyard, producing 2000 boles of wine a year and manages a further 30,000 vines for Lyme Bay Winery. Which wouldn’t be possible without his Merlin Robot and Crystal herd management system. By making the most of the technology Rob is able to check in on his herd, via his ipad, wherever he is. So he can remotely segregate cows, change feed levels and make other interventions. As Rob put it, “without the ﬂexibility the Merlin Robot gives me, I couldn’t run a successful dairy farm and two other businesses as well. It’s as simple as that.”

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C OWM ANAGEMENT

JUNE/JULY

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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F E B R U ARY

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L I V E S T O C K

E V E N T

What’s on? We highlight some of the exhibits lined up for this year’s Livestock Event. Page 32 What’s new? Just a few of the new products and services set to be launched at the show. Page 34

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13-06-13 12:00

L I V E S T O C K

E V E N T

Time away from the herd will be well spent at this year’s Livestock Event

Just the ticket! There are many reasons to mark Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 July in your diary and make your way to the Livestock Event. Here are a few new exhibits to whet your appetite and highlight why you should visit this annual event, even during a busy summer. text Rachael Porter

Livestock Event features for 2013 • The latest technical developments including more than 100 new products, of which more than 30 will be launched for the first time at the event.

• Free seminars: more than 50 20-minute interactive seminars will be taking

• • •

place during both days of the event. The Feed Science Forums, Farm Health Planning Seminars and Business Debates will provide innovative and interactive sessions. Foot trimming demonstrations: showcasing the most widely used techniques and supported by independent commentary. Forage field: a brand-new feature including soil surgery, guidance on use of software to make the most from pasture, weed control, how to grow home grown protein feeds and best advice on baling and wrapping silage. Mixer wagon demonstrations: the opportunity to see how six of the leading makes handle the same dairy and beef rations. There will also be ‘refreshers’ on the correct order to load ingredients and the optimum mixing times for each model so the ration is best presented to stock and feed intake is maximised. Careers in agriculture: a new series of presentations to help guide students towards the wide range of employment opportunities available in this industry. Machinery hall: the latest machinery and equipment, including two of the UK’s major tractor manufacturers, together with up to 40 companies supplying attachments as well as mounted and trailed equipment. The National Dairy Show: a new feature organised by RABDF with seven different cattle breeds and a comprehensive range of classes.

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his year’s Livestock Event will feature more than 450 exhibitors – with 98% offering products or services for producers. These will bring together the latest technical and financial information and advice to help you to make more timely and effective business decisions. And all this is in one place across two days – it couldn’t be more worthwhile time spent away from the farm, even in the middle of busiest summer management schedule. RABDF chairman Ian Macalpine agrees and says that the Livestock Event, which is being held at the NEC in Birmingham, should be one of those days out that producers make time for. “It’s an opportunity to talk to the supply trade in one place, at one time. For me it’s a chance to place orders, pick up the best advice possible to get our farming business back on track after one of the most challenging 12 months, and to start planning ahead for next year,” he says.

Business link “The rescheduled event has a completely different offering to the other major UK agricultural shows and 100% of the Livestock Event’s stands are linked to the business of livestock farming,” he adds. “The event also comes with the added bonus of being a good day away from the farm and it offers a great atmosphere to catch up with friends and industry acquaintances.” Mr Macalpine also believes that the rescheduled event will enable producers to make more timely decisions this year. “I’m among thousands of livestock

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14-06-13 09:57

Get more from your forage Forage Field will feature six different zones: a soil surgery, advice on plate metering, guidance on use of software to make the most from pasture, weed control, how to grow home grown protein feeds, and the best advice when it comes to baling and wrapping silage. The feature will be located within the Feeds and Forage Zone and is being jointly organised by the British Grassland Society and the RABDF. Additional technical support will be provided by British Seed Houses, DairyCo, Dow Agrosciences, GrowHow, Limagrain and Volac. Take the opportunities to get to the bottom of any of your forage niggles in one – or several – of the following zones:

• Zone 1: The soil surgery This will demonstrate the different types of soil and the issues that come with each type. Soil spits of different soil types will be on the table to show that farmers can dig a spit themselves and take a look for signs of poor soil quality. For example signs of compaction, low worm number and poor drainage.

• Zone 2: Plate metering technique area Producers will be required to plate meter the four ‘fields’ and record the measurements to input at Zone 3. The area will consist of four raised beds that have been filled in with rolled out beds of grass at differing heights to be labelled as different fields.

• Zone 3: Farming software tutorial Producers to this ‘zone’ will be given a short lesson on the basics of using farming software. They will be able to use a system to produce a feed wedge, which will help in managing their feed supply. The zone will also help producers with software buying decisions and, for those who already own a system, it will give them a better understanding of what’s available if they’re looking to up grade.

• Zone 4: Feed, weed and disease Producers here will be able to discuss the importance of fertiliser application to maximise pasture potential, stay on top of weeds and diseases to grow the best quality grass possible.

• Zone 5: Alternative home grown feeds This zone will be used to demonstrate how to grow beans and winter forage as alternatives to buying in feed. The interactive portion of this zone will be showing producers the plants and technical information so they can get an idea of what other options are out there.

• Zone 6: Silage wrapping

A demonstration of best practice in making and preserving silage using big round bales.

producers facing the aftermath of an indisputably tough year and I am keen to pick up as much early advice as I can to start planning my winter feeding, housing and general management. “With Livestock 2013 being held in July, I will have the chance to be far better prepared than usual, at a time when we are making major decisions. Checking out and placing orders for feed ingredients and semen will be sorted out early, as will orders for any new kit or housing equipment. “And I can be confident it will be delivered and installed before the autumn.” “Planning ahead and buying forward can help enormously with the profitability of any farming business and with the event now in July this presents a great opportunity to get ahead of the game when it comes to making purchasing decisions.” l

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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J U N E / J U LY

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14-06-13 09:57

L I V E S T O C K

E V E N T

We pick a few of the products and services set to be launched

Making their debut Guide highlights the value of grass A guide on the nutritional composition of grass will be launched at Livestock 2013 by British Seed Houses. The publication, which has been compiled in collaboration with plant and animal scientists at IBERS Aberystwyth University, is designed as a quick-and-easy guide to assist producers in making better use of grass – the cheapest source of feed on UK farms. “A lot of information is available on the importance of reseeding and on

grazing and ensiling management, but we believe there is something of a knowledge gap – certainly among some livestock producers – when it comes to the nutritional composition of fresh grass,” explains the company’s Helen Mathieu. “This guide aims to highlight the key components and their importance, explain the reasons for the variations in quality that occur, and provide pointers as to how to achieve target values.” British Seed Houses will make free copies available to visitors to their stand.

Helen Mathieu

Mouthpiece-vented triangular liners Milkrite will be launching its revolutionary new Impulse Air triangular dairy liners, which it says can help reduce mastitis and improve both teat health and milk quality. Impulse Air triangular liners, which have already achieved a 20% market share in the US, have been widely tested in the UK and mainland Europe during the past two years. Visitors to the show will be able to see for themselves the benefits of venting dairy liners liner at the mouthpiece compared to conventional venting in the claw.

A recent independent study in Belgium has confirmed the benefits from the use of the new liners. In the study, which took place on 20 commercial dairy farms representing more than 1,500 milking cows, clinical mastitis was reduced and both teat condition and milk quality were improved. Using the right type and size of dairy liner is crucially important if a milking installation is to operate properly. Teat condition is very much influenced by the type of liner used and as herds change over time this is an area overlooked by dealers and other manufacturers.

“The highly improved condition and good milking characteristics – less slippage, less air sucked in and no milking units falling off – probably explain why the number of farmers using the Impulse Air liners in Belgium is growing,” adds Dr Maris. Producers attending the Livestock Show will have the chance to win a complete parlour set of Milkrite clusters.

Calf colostrum pasteuriser A unique pasteurisation machine, which ensures that colostrum fed to new-born calves is safer for them to drink, will be launched at the Livestock Event by G Shepherd Animal Health. The MilkWorks Gold unit removes serious disease-causing microorganisms – including Johne’s, TB, salmonella, rotavirus and mycoplasma – from colostrum. This greatly reduces the risk of transmissible diseases being passed from adult animals to their calves

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via colostrum, according to the company. The pasteuriser can chill, pasteurise, thaw and reheat colostrum within a single unit and it is different from other pasteurisers on the market because it has been specifically designed to handle colostrum in conjunction with ‘Perfect Udder’ bags. These are single-use, disposable bags, which come with screw-on nipples and feeding tubes, to improve cleanliness and simplicity of use. The 3.8 litre bags can completely thaw and reheat their contents four times faster than standard bottles, which

reduces the labour input related to calf colostrum feeding. They can be stored in a freezer, for up to six months.

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14-06-13 09:57

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C OWM ANAGEMENT

JUNE/JULY

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13-06-13 14:35

BREEDING INFORMATION

Exceptional class from red-and-white sires The red-and-white breed has added another outstanding bull in Lowlands Franklin (Mr Burns x Taco) and with him Delta Fidelity is in a class of his own. Fidelity is the most used bull in the Netherlands, both with red-andwhite and black-and-white herds. With a second-crop proof of 8,298 daughters in his production proof and 2,708 in his conformation proof, Fidelity is a rock solid choice. The Kian son from a Lightning dam is outstanding for improving milk revenues. He does this with a combined production proof of +119kg of milk, +17.7kg (+0.16%) of fat, and +15.4kg (+0.14%) protein, resulting in a PLI of £143. In addition, Fidelity is unapproachable for feet and legs improvement (116) and a locomotion score of 113. He also produces daughters with shapely and sound udders (107). His daughters will also be a joy to milk with a temperament score of 106 and

Fidelity daughter Sandra 3

a milking speed of 104. Fidelity is available priced at £19 per straw. At the top of the NVI rankings, Topspeed Kodak (Kevin x Stadel) continues to excel with plusses for almost all traits and top scores of +598 days for longevity, 111 calving ease, and 106 for both udders and legs and feet. With a production proof of +93kg of milk, +14.5kg (+0.14%) of fat, +10.9kg (+0.10) protein, and –12 for somatic cell count, Kodak also has a PLI of £143. He is available priced at £19 per straw.

Mr Frosty: the ideal bull for cross breeding

Windstar daughter Bertha 66

New blood Lowlands Franklin is the first son of Mr Burns to break through in the Netherlands and provide some new blood. At 196 points of NVI he immediately settles in the upper echelons of the rankings. Franklin has lots of milk offering +323kg with +21.5kg (+0.11%) for fat and +16.7kg (+0.11%) protein. His scores £147 PLI and is –11 for somatic cell count. He also excels with +342 days for longevity, and 109 total score for type (106 udder and 106 legs). Franklin is available priced at £22 per straw. Spencer son HJR Windstar, from an O Man dam, breeds strong cows with good width of chest and rump. With a PLI of £139, Windstar has production figures of +152kg for milk, +9.0kg (+0.04% for fat and +13.9kg (+0.11%) for protein. He has a somatic cell count score of –14, +6.9 for fertility and a longevity score of +531 days. These combine to produce daughters that are ideal for persistent and efficient production. Windstar is available priced at £20 per straw.

Newfailand Mr Frosty continues to be popular with his many fans. With his 50% Holstein: 50% Friesian pedigree he is arguably the ideal bull for those looking at cross breeding. He has 3,135 daughters in his production proof now with his daughters being well known for their milky production and low somatic cell counts. Frosty is available from Avoncroft priced at £14 per straw. Discounts are available for bulk purchases. Call for free on 0800 7831880. Mr Frosty

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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J U N E /J U LY

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13-06-13 09:31

Confirming Johne’s status in your herd should be this easy! NMR’s Herdwise Screening program has been set up to provide you and your vet with a risk-based tool to control the spread of Johne’s disease on the farm. For more information on NMR’s disease testing services call

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27/6/11 12:16:22 14-06-13 09:27

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 and sometimes tough business issues facing dairy producers today. Here he shares some tips on how to successfully secure a loan, or overdraft increase, from your existing – or a new – bank.

Thorough planning is vital – without it the answer will probably be ‘no’

Take a confident approach L

ooking to change your bank? Or perhaps you’re looking to extend an overdraft or take out a considerable loan to invest in new buildings or a milking parlour? Producers seem to be ‘shopping around’ at the moment when it comes to their financial affairs – the unprecedented pressures of the past 12 months mean that many are looking for a better deal. So, if that’s you, what can you do to take the pain out of what is, without doubt, a difficult and daunting process and make sure you get a positive outcome? It’s all down to planning and putting forward a comprehensive and honest report about you, your business and your finances. The key is to present the bank manager with a proposition that can help them to say ‘yes’. Remember, they have little power – they have to go to their manager or credit committee and put forward a case for you and your business. So arming them with as much information – in a clear and concise format – is essential. The bank has to be able to see that its investment is secure and that it will see a return.

Comprehensive plan Putting together a formal written plan, be it for a loan or to extend an overdraft, is not for the faint hearted. It can take weeks, usually with the help of a consultant or farm secretary. The bank manager needs to know what you’re trying to do and why. Are you buying some land? Are you improving cow housing? Are you increasing your overdraft and, if so, why? They need to see that you’re being realistic about the figures – do they add up? Will there be a return on the investment? Three things are essential here – a budget profit and loss, a budget balance sheet and a cash-flow budget. The farm story is also important and some historical figures will help here. If

the business has made a profit for five years in a row but 2012/2013 saw a loss or a break even due to the tough climatic and economic conditions then explain it. History is important. It demonstrates that your business can make a profit in a ‘typical’ year and that the additional overdraft you’re asking for is required to see you through what every bank manager knows was an exceptionally tough 12 months. So put that in your report. Make sure you’re honest too. If your credit report is blotted, perhaps by a CCJ, add that in and explain why it’s there. It may have been a minor dispute with a feed company, for example. That’s not uncommon. So be open about it. The bank will run a credit check and they will find out. If you’ve not been truthful that won’t go in your favour.

Estimated value Assets and collateral are important too and an estimate of your farm and business value should be included. The bank will request a formal valuation when they make you a conditional loan offer, but it needs a reference point. Bear in mind that banks will lend up to 65% of the value of the asset put forward for collateral for the loan, but between 25% and 30% is far more comfortable – for the business and the bank. People are important too. The bank manager wants to know exactly who they’re lending the money to. So include in your report details about who owns and who manages the business. Highlight skills and competences – emphasise the positive. Including a brief CV of all key staff in the proposition will also bolster the bank’s confidence. Confidence really is king. The bank wants confidence in you and your business. And armed with a thorough and well-planned proposition, there is a far greater chance that the answer will be ‘yes’.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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J U N E / J U LY

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13-06-13 14:12

M A N A G E M E N T

Comparing mortality and cull rates can highlight physical and financial losses

A matter of life and death With more dairy cows culled in April 2013 compared to 2012, some producers are obviously taking control of their herd size to help streamline production. But what leads to a more profitable herd when you consider the cost of replacements? text Allison Matthews

he statistics on mortality rates in dairy herds are vague. But they’re an important indicator of herd profitability. That’s why financial consultant Jason McMinn fails to understand why the number of cow deaths is often ignored and rarely recorded. “We know that high mortality rates cost money, but no one ever questions how much,” he says. “Every time a cow dies it would be useful to note the reason and what stage of lactation she was at. You can then measure your own mortality rate and spot any trends.”

Taking control Calving is responsible for 31% of deaths in the dairy herd and 14% are due to ‘undetermined’ causes. An increase in cull cow numbers shows that producers are taking control of their herd size, one of the few controllable elements available in a tough year. But as Mr McMinn digs deeper into the figures there is more to it than meets the eye. “There is actually a positive Table 1: The financial cost of replacements when comparing culls with mortality rates

producer A producer B herd culling rate (live) (%) 30 dairy herd mortality rate (%) 4 overall replacement rate (%) 34 cull cow price (£) 700 replacement heifer cost (£) 1,300 total income from cull cows (£) 21,000 less replacement heifer cost (£) 44,200 net replacement cost (£) 23,000

22 7 29 550 1,300 12,100 37,700 25,600

Jason McMinn: “A mortality rate of 2.6% is equivalent to 1ppl in profit”

relationship between the live culling/sold rate and farm profit per litre. The most profitable farms are also those that achieve a higher price for cull cows.” “We are inclined to think that a low replacement rate is best. But the data shows that the important figure is actually the direct replacement cost, in other words the price of changing a cull cow into a new cow in pence per litre. “When we compare profit per litre and track it against the mortality rate, the spread of figures is huge, but the best units are achieving 2% mortality. “Overall there seems to be a relationship emerging that a mortality rate of 2.6% is equivalent to 1ppl in profit. “In reality the average producer in the sample has a mortality rate of 4.5% at a cost of 1.24ppl, making the cost of changing a cull cow into a milking cow excessive in some herds.” Using the data in Table 1 it can be assumed that Producer A is ‘ruthless’ and will not tolerate ‘passengers’. Cows more than 200 days into their lactation and not

c Vco EoEww Tm EmEaa LnTnaajgan geemm uea enn rtit s1JU e/ p2Nt E2 e /m 0 JU 0b9eL r Y 22 00 01 93

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Risky business: calving is responsible for just under a third of deaths in the dairy herd

confirmed in calf are sold when they fall below economic milk production (between 12 and 14 litres). Producer B likes to ‘give them a chance’ and doesn’t mind if the odd cow slips round to the next breeding season. But some of these cows will not make it and Producer B has a higher mortality rate. Because Producer A has a more ruthless approach they are selling cows in better condition and achieve better prices. It is likely that the calving index will be improved, which has a big bearing on profit. “Producer B tends to wait until the cow looks like a candidate for the cull,” adds Mr McMinn.

Highlight patterns Thompsons’ ruminant specialist Richard Moore acknowledges the ability of recorded data to highlight patterns that can be addressed. “There will always be isolated events, such as cows becoming stuck and hurt in cubicles, and these events are impossible to eradicate. But where records exist it is possible to uncover areas for attention.” With calving being held responsible for just under a third of deaths in the dairy herd, Mr Moore believes that although this area is well documented the knowledge is not always put into practice on farm. “Sub-clinical milk fever can go undetected and go on to be the underlying cause of retained cleansings, metritis and displaced abomasums, which are all capable of leading to lost cows,” he says. There are many reasons for high mortality rates, such as overcrowding, disease, lameness, poor housing and keeping cows for too long. But simple analysis of the current situation and the ability to identify problem areas can save money in the long run, as Mr McMinn explains. “Recently a producer noticed that there were many casualties at calving time and it transpired that cows at the point of calving were being walked across a slippery yard. This might seem obvious to an outsider, but sometimes you need to take a step back and look at the whole picture.” Table 1 shows the cost differential of a low herd mortality rate with a higher cull rate. These are only examples, but what it shows are the cost implications of replacing cows. “Producers must set clear parameters around their decision on when to cull cows – and stick to them. Deciding whether to treat or cull a cow is a very difficult one, but remember that income from stock sales is not just a by-product of dairying, and can make a big difference to your profit,” adds Mr McMinn. l

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

Livestock 2013 – fat, fertility and infectious disease Producers wanting to keep ahead of dairy developments will need to visit the NMR stand at this year’s Livestock Event at the NEC, July 3 and 4. Hot topics will be the new on-line reporting of fatty acids in milk, pregnancy diagnosis using milk samples and the latest advances in infectious disease control. Milk samples can now be tested for fatty acid levels and results accessed through NMR’s iReports system, which will be demonstrated at the event. The testing, which is looking at levels of saturated and unsaturated fat, is part of the TSB funded project between NMR, retailer M&S and Scottish Colleges SRUC.

So far 250 herds have signed up to the project to analyse fatty acid levels and a significant database is developing. Research is well underway to identify how this data might be used on farm and early findings suggest there is a link between certain fatty acid levels and energy balance. Looking ahead, the project will be developing a tool to predict energy balance levels based on a cow’s fatty acid profile. Interested producers can visit the NMR stand to find out more about monitoring fatty acid levels in their herd. NMR is also featuring its new milk PD test service (see feature on page 16). Producers visiting its stand can enter a

Auto pilot from parlour Cows on heat can now be automatically segregated from the main herd as they leave the parlour thanks to a new link between NMR’s Silent Herdsman heat detection system and parlour equipment manufacturers ATL. “Our Silent Herdsman system will flag up cows for service or attention through a wireless system,” says NMR’s Andy Paine. “This can now interface with the Pegasus Three sort gate from ATL. The gate ‘recognises’ the cow needing attention and will automatically draft her out when she leaves the parlour.

Milkers top a tonne

“This has real benefits particularly in large herds or block calving herds where a lot of cows may be on heat at any one time. It takes the pressure off the milking staff and stress off the cow. Cows are directed to the right place very quietly and smoothly.” The Silent Herdsman heat detection collars record and analyse data 24 hours a day. When they detect a cow bulling, the message is relayed via antenna to a robust PC, which then sends messages to the sort gate that will direct the cow to the right place for serving.

The gate ‘recognises’ the cow that needs attention

draw for one of the 50 free 10-sample test packs on offer. Dairy vet Neil Howie will be on the stand for the two days to talk to producers about the latest developments in infectious disease control. Of special interest will be the launch of a new BVD guide published at the Event by the England BVD eradication group. Johne’s control will also be a topic that many producers will look to discuss with Neil.

The top three 100-tonne cows in March and April are now published on NMR’s website. Here are the top three cows for the two months ranked on Lifetime Daily Yield (LDY). 1. Wilderley Roy Louise – 100,863kg of milk in five lactations. LDY 31.83kg/ day (Higgins, Shrewsbury, Shropshire) 2. Anna 32 – 111,999kg of milk in seven lactations. LDY 28.89kg/day (R&K Capsey and Son, Dorking, Surrey) 3. Brookie – 100,221kg of milk in seven lactations. LDY 28.73kg/day (D Goodwin and Sons, Haywards Heath, West Sussex).

‘Gold star’ for lab UKAS has confirmed accreditation for the NML milk testing laboratory at Hillington following routine surveillance visits. The Hillington lab tests around 100,000 milk samples a month including samples for payments, herd recording and disease surveillance. “UKAS accreditation to ISO 17025 standard is a significant challenge to any laboratory organisation and NML is proud to have achieved and maintained this prestigious standard for more than 12 years,” says group quality manager Paul O’Brien.

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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The Ter Hofte family emigrated to South Africa and may move to Botswana

Survival of the fittest Extreme rainfall or drought, cows that die from snake bites, and a huge variation in milk price. Dairying in South Africa cannot be compared with running a unit in The Netherlands or the UK, according to the Ter Hofte family. They milk 1,250 cows but their sights are once more directed further afield. Neighbouring country Botswana beckons. text Inge van Drie

he rain has made large holes in the gravel road that leads to the farm of Rob, Erica, Engbert and Tes ter Hofte. In just one day 170mm of rain was more than the road system could cope with. “Even the milk tanker got stuck on the farm yesterday,” says Engbert. A day later the stress has evaporated and the young farmer seems to have everything under control again. He is used to the fact that his days do not turn out as he had expected. “South Africa is not like The Netherlands

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Engbert and Tes ter Hofte In the 1990s the Dutch Ter Hofte family bought a dairy farm in South Africa. Today they are milking 1,250 cows.

Humansdorp South Africa

Herd size: 1,250 Annual milk production: Seven million kg Herd average: 1,200kg per 100kg body weight Unit size: 580 hectares

or the UK, where everything usually goes according to plan. Here you have to be flexible and be able to change plans quickly. The politics, the climate – anything can change at any time.” The family, who originally came from The Netherlands, have 1,250 cows, which produce seven million litres of milk each year and are split between two units. Some are based at Splendora, a tenanted unit with 380 hectares of cultivable land. “We prefer to invest as little as possible in land and buildings. We primarily invest the money in the cows,” says Engbert. “Here at Splendora we have a hi-tech farm and Soetfontein is our low-cost farm.”

Cross breeding The difference is clear to see. A simple, 20-year-old swing-over milking parlour is used at Soetfontein – there’s no place here for electronics. But at Splendora the cows wear pedometers and pass twice a day through a 60-stall outdoor rotary that has, among other things, a weighing device. “Cows that, in a short space of time, lose 10% of their bodyweight or 20% of their milk production are automatically separated, just like cows with very high or low activity.” On average the cows weigh about 500kg, as shown by the measurement in the milking parlour. Engbert is pleased with this as he dislikes heavy cows. He does not express his milk production in kilogrammes per cow but in kilogrammes of milk per 100kg body weight. On

average his cows produce 1,200kg per 100kg body weight. The best South African farms score 1,400kg. A long line of cows is walking towards the milking parlour. Brown, white, black and red – the herd is a mixture of colours. The Ter Hoftes practise rotational cross-breeding: Holsteins x Jersey x Swedish red and white x red Holstein. “Holsteins are excellent milking cows, but they are too big and they cannot walk very well. We can’t have that on our farm. Every day our cows walk a long way.” The Ter Hoftes select all-round bulls with extra protein. “We supply our milk to a cheese factory. The contents contribute two thirds to the milk price and the volume one third.” The milk price varies greatly. “In winter 2011 we saw 33ppl. That is the highest we have ever had. But in 2012 we got 22ppl.”

Extreme drought

their claws rarely have to be trimmed. “The claws wear away themselves. Out of 1,250 cows we never have more than three or four cows that are lame,” says Engbert. Hoof health may be very good but the herd certainly has trouble with other health problems. Fertility, for example, is one of the key reasons why cows leave the herd. “We culled 10% of the herd in 2012 due to poor fertility. We inseminate cows only until they’re producing 15kg of milk.” In 2012 3.4% of the cows on the farm died – one third at calving, one third due to ticks, and another third due to snake bites and other accidents. “We would wish for 2%, but that’s difficult here. We select strictly by calving ease. The cows also regularly pass through a spray tunnel to control ticks. If we didn’t do that we would lose a lot more cows.” The family is also meticulous with regard to udder health. On the hi-tech

There are no subsidies from the government to rely on when times are tough. And the weather doesn’t always help. “In 2009 and 2010 we had to cope with extreme drought. They were difficult years. Here there are many units with 1,000 cows. You need these numbers, particularly at a time when margins are low, just to be able to carry on. In South Africa during the past few years hundreds of farms have given up. It really is survival of the fittest.” For the producers cash flow is the most important part of business management. “In a very bad year we can always slaughter the lower end of the herd. That immediately provides funds and we then hardly have to buy any more feed. In principle we can survive just on grass.” Engbert skilfully manoeuvres his pickup truck over the many holes in the road. The nearest village is 60km away, but the cattle breeder is now on the way to his second farm, Soetfontein, for the daily inspection. It is 12km away from the other farm. Every month some of the cows also travel this route. “If the cows are in the second half of their lactation and their production drops below 15 or 20kg of milk, they go to Soetfontein.” The cows take between three and four hours to travel the 12km journey. “The Jerseys go in front, then the crossbreeds and the Holsteins bring up the rear.” Owing to the fact that they walk a lot

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Milking time: 250 cows pass through the parlour per hour

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Buffering feeding: the cows are fed extra forage, depending on grass growth

Calf mortality: 8.5% of calves die each year

farm Engbert keeps a careful watch on the conductivity of the milk, at Soetfontein all the cows undergo a CMT test every week. You would search in vain for a cowshed here – the cows do not have a roof over their heads on either unit.

We buy all feed components separately, although that can mean that the ration varies somewhat.” Although the family is happy to farm in South Africa, it is also looking further afield. There are advanced plans to start dairying in neighbouring Botswana. “In that way we spread the risk. In Botswana the politics are different to that in South Africa. The government there welcomes dairy producers with open arms. At the moment Botswana produces just one tanker load of milk per day and the dairies buy their milk from South Africa.” A grass system is not an option in Botswana. The climate is too dry for cattle to graze. “We want to build a cubicle house and feed the cows a TMR all year round. If that all goes ahead, we won’t expand further here.” l

Tropical grass They have access to grassland 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. After twelve hours they are given a new area to graze. They’re put out to pasture with 2,500kg dry matter in front of them and graze it down to 1,500kg dry matter. “The cows eat 14kg dry matter per day – 7kg in the morning and 7kg in the evening,” says Engbert. The sward consists of a mixture of rye grass and kikuyu, a tropical grass from Kenya. It only grows at high temperatures.

From May – autumn – it is too cold for kikuyu and so rye grass is better. Producers try to limit artificial fertiliser use as much as possible. The standard in South Africa is 35kg nitrogen per tonne of harvested product, but in dairying the norm is between 10 and 15kg. “That is also shrewd from an economic point of view. Nitrogen is extremely expensive,” says Engbert, who every year, on irrigated land, produces around 20 tonnes of dry matter per hectare. The family makes as little silage as possible. “It costs a lot of money and the feed is not good quality. We prefer to buy lucerne.” Buying in feed is considered a major purchase. By keeping a close watch on the market and buying at the right time, producers try to keep their costs down. “You can gain a lot by buying carefully.

Grass based: the cows go out to pasture 24 hours a day, 365 days a year

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS June 25-26: June 25-26: July 3-4: July 9-11: July 17: July 22-25: September 12: October 2: October 15: November 20:

Nottingham Feed Conference, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire Large herd seminar, Wotton-under-Edge, South Gloucestershire Livestock Event, NEC, Birmingham Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Planning for robots seminar, Duchy College, Stoke Climsland, Callington, Cornwall Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, Powys National forage conference, Reaseheath College, Nantwich, Cheshire The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen Agriscot, Edinburgh, Scotland

2014 September 17:

Cows from the Norfolk-based Upgate herd enjoy spring grazing Picture: Rachael Porter

UK Dairy Day, Telford International Centre, Shropshire

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

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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

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Advertisements Jonathan Davies, NMR. Phone 07970 017243 E-mail: jonathand@nmr.co.uk 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

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COMING UP

F e e d i n g sp ecial August/September (August 27th) – We’ll feature our annual feeding special. And would you like to know more about genetics? Check our August issue.

Illustrations/pictures Photographs by Veeteelt Photography, Mark Harrison (13) and Han Hopman (22).

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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