Cowmanagement UK june-july 2017 by CRV Uitgeverij/CRV Publishers

V O LU M E 15 N O 4 J UN E /J ULY 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

F E RT IL IT Y F O CU S

C O W TRA C KS

BEEF BENEFI TS

KPIs to improve reproductive performance

Tips on building and maintaining grazing routes

Turning bull-calf ‘losses’ into additional income

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Give your cows a head start. Reduce negative energy balance focus on liver health

Boost cow health focus on immunity

Improve calf performance focus on colostrum quality

Increase Dry Matter Intake focus on rumen development Control milk fever focus on calcium balance

The transition phase is the most important period in the production cycle of the cow. Research shows that over 80% of health and performance problems occur due to poor management and nutrition during this period. and cost savings can be made. This could realise over ÂŁ11,000 or 1.5ppl per 100 cows. ForFarmers TRANSLAC nutrition programme and products are designed to improve performance by giving the cow and calf the best possible start.

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CO NTENT

FEATURES

Cow Talk Overalls off: Irish dancer Roger Evans CRV Avoncroft Breeding Information NMR Dairy Management News Vet column: Mycoplasma wenyonii ForFarmers’ Forage Focus/ Thompsons Nutritional News 46 Events and contacts 5 10 17 21 33 41 43

REPORTS

12 Northern Ireland’s leading knowledge transfer facility invests in new dairy unit 44 William Hoggan runs a unique Western-style dairy unit on Java FEEDING

30 Data takes the guesswork out of grassland management/ Focused approach to calf rearing doubles growth rates BREEDING

34 Tool offers solution to heat detection in a ‘quiet’ herd H E A LT H

38 Spotlight on tackling thermoduric bacteria

Editor Rachael Porter Heat waves and honours

he start of summer heralded hot and dry conditions in many areas of the UK but now, as I write, the rain is lashing against the window. Cow tracks are a boon, particularly when conditions turn wet underfoot, as they undoubtedly are at the moment. And with many in daily use, now grazing is in full swing, we have some tips and pointers on maintaining and repairing tracks – and installing new ones, if they’re required. Take a look at our article on page 6 to see what materials and techniques are working well on UK farms. With spring calving behind us, heat detection and getting cows back in calf is next on the agenda. Our special focus in this issue is fertility. We look at how best to measure your herd’s reproductive performance and ask three fertility specialists what KPIs they think offer the most accurate ‘real-time’ picture. It’s also been 12 years since the introduction of the fertility index and we ask AHDB Dairy’s geneticist Marco Winters what difference this breeding tool has made

to UK herd fertility. See page 26 to find out more. We also spoke to a vet who, after completing a Nuffield scholarship, has turned to beef production. Rob Drysdale explains how his scheme, to increase the amount of beef from the dairy herd, is not only filling a gap in the market but is also providing producers with a useful stream of additional income. Our vet column takes a closer look at a Mycoplasma infection that can manifest in cows as fly populations increase. M wenyonii produces some unpleasant symptoms and, most noticeably, a sudden milk drop. Vet Ben Strugnell tells us what to look out for and offers some tips on treatment and prevention on page 41. And, as always, Roger Evans is on top form on page 17. Actually, he’s now Roger Evans OBE and he’s hoping that Princess Anne will present him with his honour: “I met her once.” Long pause: “She fancied me.” He’s still got it! Congratulations, Roger.

Main article Cow tracks

Management Beef-cross calves

Special Herd fertility

We look at the options for improving pasture access and reducing lameness

Integrated supply chain could help to ‘future proof’ your dairy business

Pointers on how best to measure – and improve – reproductive performance

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Routine cereal analysis will help to optimise cow performance Failing to formulate diets based on the actual quality of cereals being used can have significant impacts on performance and feed costs, according to Trouw Nutrition GB. “To ensure feed formulation is as precise as possible, to maximise both animal and economic performance, it is important to monitor grain quality routinely,” says the company’s Alice Hibbert. “This is particularly important as new crop cereals begin to be incorporated into diets.” The Trouw Nutrition GB CerealWatch grain monitoring service evaluates the nutritional value of grain quality. A comprehensive nutritional profile of the grain sample is provided and includes predictions for energy for ruminants.

“Formulating with an inaccurate nutrient profile of cereals, even by a small margin, can have a significant economic impact for both feed and livestock producers,” says Ms Hibbert. “If you overestimate energy content then there is a risk that energy may be undersupplied by the diet. “Underestimation could result in higher feed costs as more energy may be provided than is required. So routine analysis is recommended to ensure nutritional values are as current and as accurate as possible.” She adds that, in 2016, new crop cereal energy values varied by 16% in wheat and 22% in barley.

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Keep heifer growth rates on track To successfully calve heifers at between 22 and 24 months of age, target growth rates of between 0.70kg and 0.85kg per day must be maintained throughout the grazing season. But with ideal grazing only able to support 0.2kg per day in 100kg LW heifers, and 0.6kg per day for heifers weighing 200kg LW, supplementation is essential. “The alternative is to calve later, which can seem attractive when looking to reduce summer feed costs but will actually cost more in the long run,” says KW nutritionist Charlotte Ward. AHDB Dairy figures show that a 200-cow herd would have to carry between 22 and 36 extra heifers if calving at 30 months old, instead

of 24 months, depending on culling rate. And ‘older’ calving has also been shown to reduce fertility, milk yields and survival rates. “It’s better to invest the necessary resources into fewer animals to maintain growth all year round and calve sooner,” adds Ms Ward. “Additional quality protein is particularly important to support lean frame growth and help avoid excess fat deposition. Cost-effective sources include high protein-to-energy ratio moist feeds, such as Traffordgold, and young stock blends, like Precision Lifetime Rearer 17. “Yes, it is a cost. But it’s typically far lower than the cost of rearing extra heifers, lost milk production and higher culling rates.”

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Low-cost and flexible options to improve

pas

On the ri gh Summer grazing means that cow tracks all over the UK are being put through their paces. What are the options for installing tracks or improving existing ones – on a budget or in a hurry? We spoke to a consultant and three producers to find out more. text Rachael Porter

ow is the time to assess your tracks – by inspecting them and watching your cows. “Your girls will soon tell you if your tracks are up to scratch,” says AHDB Dairy’s David Ball. “Watch how they walk – it should be with their heads down and at a steady pace, and without stopping. “If their heads are up, then they’re walking cautiously and picking their way rather than striding confidently. And if they’re not moving at all then there’s work to be done.” The problem may not be the condition of the track – it could be its width or route. “So assess carefully – don’t spend money on laying a new top surface just to discover that you’ve only partially solved the problem,” he says. If a track is not wide enough, for example, the dominant cows may be inhibiting cow flow and halting the herd in its tracks, literally. “If a dominant cow stops on a track that’s too narrow, timid cows will stop behind her – they’ll be too afraid to pass.” Ensuring that the track meets the minimum recommended width requirement for your herd size (see box), will improve cow flow. Sharp turns in the track can also create bottle necks, as can steep gradients – particularly if the track is made from concrete sleepers, which can be slippery.

Regular maintenance More often than not stones and potholes are the issues that need to be addressed. That was certainly the case for Cumbria-based producer Gordon Tweedie. He has now installed astro turf on some of the cow tracks at his 312-cow unit. The herd, a mixture of New Zealand Friesian and Jersey cows, is run on a New Zealand style system and requires easy access to strip graze the farm’s 110 hectares of grassland. Some of the tracks required maintenance work and Gordon had heard

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ove

pasture access and reduce lameness

ri ght track a lot about the benefits of astro and he’s also seen it in use on neighbouring units. “There is a mixture of cow tracks on our unit – stone, concrete sleeper and earth. The stone tracks were getting worn with pot holes and some resurfacing was required. I decided to give astro turf a go. It’s a cost-competitive option, particularly compared with installing concrete sleepers that are a little expensive now. But the sleeper-constructed tracks that we already have are more robust and require minimal maintenance,” explains Gordon.

Level surface A contractor delivered and laid the turf – two 2.5-metre wide rolls, laid side by side and slightly overlapped in the middle of the track. “That part of the job was quick, but preparing the track for this top layer took some time. We had to fill pot holes with aggregate and make sure that the surface was level.” Gordon is pleased with the results: “The cows definitely walk differently on the astro-covered tracks. I don’t have any immediate plans to install or renovate any more tracks, but I’d consider using astro again. “Providing additional cushioning against stones and concrete, by laying second-hand astro turf on existing cow tracks, is becoming increasingly popular, according to Astrotracks.co.uk’s Mike McCreath. His Dumfries-based company supplies astro turf, sourced from schools and other local authority sports facilities, to dairy units across the UK. “There are so many different grades of astro. It’s important that producers use one that’s tough enough for the job. Rubber- or sand-filled products are ideal. And they come, on the back of a lorry, in one continuous roll. The astro is extremely heavy and must be laid by machine. But once it’s down it won’t move – not even in high winds,” he says. The sand or rubber crumb, which is held in place by the artificial grass, means that it is free draining and it also cushions cows’ feet against stones and concrete. “And this helps to further reduce the incidence of lameness. Cows walk comfortably and, therefore, more confidently on the astro.” Second-hand astro turf is extremely cost effective at between £1 and £1.25 per square metre and it is particularly popular with producers who have stone tracks topped with quarry dust and concrete sleepers, as it reduces the need for regular maintenance and sweeping. Concrete sleepers are the way to go, if you’re looking for cow tracks that are quick and simple to lay and require little or no maintenance. So says

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Cow tracks – design pointers Positioning: avoid hollows, gullies and shaded areas. Free-draining and sunny positions keep ‘track damaging’ water away. Route: avoid sharp turns to maximise cow flow. Width: at least four metres wide, for up to 200 cows, and for every additional 100 cows add an additional metre.

Astro turf: add a top layer for cushioning

Camber: essential for good drainage. Either ensure that the centre of the track is 20cm higher than the edges or create a slope – of at least 5% – across it. Concrete sleeper tracks stand proud of the ground and will drain freely, without a camber. Gradient: no steeper than 12%, particularly on tracks with a loose woodchip or stone

Stone track: a smooth, free-draining surface

Phil Asbury, a herd manager for Grasslands Farming, who oversees three spring calving herds that are based in the Cheshire area and comprise more than 780 cows. The herds, three of six owned and run by the company, in Cheshire and Shropshire, all make use of concrete sleeper-base cow tracks – and with considerable success. The three units that Phil manages are all paddock grazed and, in total, have more than two miles of tracks, which are made up of more than 20,000 sleepers. Each sleeper is approximately 225mm wide. “We lay them directly onto the fields – there’s minimal preparation work required. It’s quick and easy and they’re moveable too. Some of our units are on a 10- or 15-year contract, so the sleepers can be moved if the situation changes,” explains Phil.

Easy maintenance The only maintenance is a once or twice yearly sweep, if required, to remove stones. “The tracks are certainly easier to maintain than the sandstone ones that we have on some of our units. They require more regular repair and maintenance, particularly if there’s no camber on them. “Water logging and pooling causes problems. But the concrete sleepers are free draining – the water passes through the gaps between them.” He says that most the sleepers in use on his units came from Crewe railway station – most are old and some are new

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seconds – ones with slight cracks or chips. “They’re between £5 and £6 each delivered and between £1.50 and £2 to lay. They’re more expensive than they used to be, but I think the ease of laying them and minimal maintenance makes it money well spent. And they’re moveable, reusable and potentially, have a resale value.”

Stone-based construction Ayrshire-based producer Robert Drummond has just finished installing an additional 1,400 metres of cow tracks, to add the 600 metres already in use on his 60-cow unit, close to Kilmarnock. “Poaching is a real issue for our spring and autumn calving herd. And the track we had only gave us easy access to about a third of our grazing land,” explains Robert. “With between 1,400mm and 1,550mm of rainfall each year, things can get extremely wet. Not only was it taking its toll on the grass leys, but feet and udders were also getting dirty,” he says, adding that building more access tracks was something he planned to do gradually, during the next few years, as financing allowed. “But securing an environmental protection grant as good as covered the cost of the whole job – about 1,400 metres. So we started work in January and we finished at the end of May.” His tracks are stone, covered with a layer of fine stone dust. “We dug down to a depth of between 200mm and 250mm. And added a membrane layer, which is a non-woven geotextile for

surface. Take care with concrete sleepers on slopes – they can be slippery. Materials: approximately 1m2 requires a tonne of construction material. This will vary, depending on materials being using and subsoil type. Heavy clay, for example, requires a deeper base layer to ensure good drainage.

Concrete sleepers: easy to lay and maintain

land stabilisation and reinforcement.” This was followed by a layer of heavy Scottish whinstone – to a depth of 250mm. And then a top layer of quarry dust – about 50mm – was applied. Both layers were compacted, well, with a vibrating roller. All the stone materials used came from a local quarry. “The terms of the grant stipulated that dimensions of the track. It had to be four metres wide, but I’d have been happy with half that. And it also had to be made from stone,” adds Robert. Cows are turned out to graze grass in a rotational paddock system from the end of March and now have multiple access to each 48-hour grazing block to avoid poached gateways. “Tracks are sited mainly across slopes, open to prevailing wind to aid drying of surface, and there are no tight corners – to ensure good cow flow,” says Robert, adding that he’s considering adding a top layer of astro turf to heavily used tracks near the cow yard. “Feet and udders a much cleaner. I’ve never had a serious problem with mastitis – I think some of that is down to genetics. “But the number of cases has been particularly low since the cows began using the tracks. And their feet are in better condition too. It was definitely money well spent.” And he says that maintenance should be minimal: “We’ll just need to ‘grade’ it once or twice a year. This means running over it with a specialist scraper blade to keep the surface camber, which is vital to avoid water logging.” l

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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O V E R A L L S

Name: Place of recidence: Number of cows: Hobby:

O F F

Aidan Garvey Newry, County Armagh 160 cows Irish dancing

Aidan Garvey: “It gives me a positive outlook on other aspects of my life”

Lord of the dance! text Rachael Porter

e’s been Irish dancing since he was four years old and, today, five-times world champion Aidan Garvey is a member of the famous Irish dancing troupe, Riverdance. Aidan also travels to the US twice a year to teach dancing – sometimes for months at a time. And he likes nothing more than to dance in team competitions, particularly when representing his local dance school where he learnt his first steps with teacher Mona Roddy. At 29 years old, he’s plenty more dancing years ahead of him and he’s fortunate that his father, Brian, and three older brothers also have a hand in running and managing the family’s 160-cow dairy herd, based at Silverbridge in Northern Ireland. This allows him the freedom to pursue his passion for dancing. “I’m spoilt really – I have the best of both worlds. If I’m not dancing then I’m working with the cows,” says Aidan. When he’s at home you’ll find him milking, feeding or carrying out other day-to-day tasks. “But being part of a large family, I do have the freedom to go off to the US once or twice a year to teach or tour with the troupe.” When he does come home, he says that the positive outlook on life that dancing gives him is invaluable. “Dancing is great for the mind – as well as the body. Not only am I fit, but I’m also positive about life. When I’m dancing I’m not thinking about anything else. I’m in the moment. And it’s incredibly life affirming. It’s the best feeling in the world, whether you’re on stage in front of a hundred or thousands of people.” Adding to his world titles, the first of which he took as a 15 year old, Aidan also has three individual and five team All-Ireland championships under his belt. He turned professional in 2009, at 21 years old, after winning his final world-title. He then began to tour the world, as part of the 30-strong world-renown Riverdance Irish dancing troupe. “I’ve been to the US, China, Russia and across Europe. Dancing has opened up the world for me and given me a broader perspective on life.” A particular highlight for Aidan is an annual summer project, Studio2Stage, in New Jersey in the US. With girlfriend Miriam Lee and other renowned choreographers, he teaches 100 aspiring professional dancers and produces a full stage-produced show in just nine days. “It’s a huge challenge – it’s great fun and extremely rewarding,” he says. “This will be the fourth time that we’ve run the project and I feel honoured to be part of it. And I’m lucky to have a big family back home to take care of the herd in my absence.”

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H E R D

R E P O RT

New unit offers greater efficiency and an unrivalled educational platform

Inspiring the next generation Significant investment in a new dairy unit at Northern Ireland’s leading knowledge transfer facility is not only benefiting its students. Cow health and productivity are also improving. text Rachael Porter

t’s with some satisfaction that Martin Mulholland surveys the dairy unit at Greenmount Campus. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) dairy unit, based in County Antrim, was finally completed 2013, after two years of planning and building. “It was business as usual for the herd, while the new unit was being built,” he explains. “As we built new buildings, the old ones were still in use. So we were never without cow housing or a milking parlour – everything carried on while the new buildings and facilities were constructed and installed.” He adds that the only exception was the ‘pre-calving’ area for dry cows, which was a completely new addition for the unit. “The old set up had been added to many times during the past few decades to accommodate herd expansion and it had become out of date. The herd had outgrown it and from both a business and education perspective, we needed something that was up to date and reflected the modern units that our students will work on when they leave the college,” explains Mr Mulholland. The college also took the opportunity to

build in some extra capacity. The herd still numbers 180 head, plus young stock, just as it did in 2011 when planning for the new unit started. “But we do have the option to increase milking herd size in the future.” The £ 2.5m investment’s biggest boon, four years down the line, has been the remodelled maternity wing. This comprises a large shed, with pens for pre and post calvers. “The previous set up had a row of eight caving pens with poor access. They were difficult to clean out, unless they were all empty at the same time,” says Mr Mulholland. “Now we have 12 pens – arranged in four rows of three – and we can clean them out easily. And having the additional capacity means that we can also ‘rest’ pens. “As a result, hygiene at and around calving is much better and disease incidence – in both calves and transition cows – is lower.”

More milk Efficiency has increased too. Milk yields have risen by more than 1,000 litres – from 7,500 litres to around 8,850 litres. “It’s due to a combination of factors, not

Maternity wing: pens offer easier access for calving and cleaning

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least tightening the calving interval and improving cow health, comfort and cow flow,” says Mr Mulholland. Lameness has also improved and more than 90% of the herd were mobility scored as 0 or 1 during the most recent check. Improved cow health and welfare, as well as increased efficiency – both in terms of cow performance and labour – were on the list of objectives drawn up by CAFRE, at the unit planning stage. But, above all else, the modern facilities had to meet student education and industry training needs – and demonstrate new and innovative technologies. As part of this, measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions were also important, as well as adopting IT, including data capture, and energy efficiency. “It was quite an extensive remit. We had to make sure that the new unit comprised ‘best in class’ demonstration facilities,” explains Mr Mulholland. These facilities, which were all designed to maximise cow flow and comfort, as well as offer good ventilation, light and plenty of access to drinking water, comprised a milking parlour, slurry and cow handling systems, housing (for milkers transition cows and calving), and a cow handling system. The maternity wing has, among other features: calving gates in each pen, a portable milker to facilitate in-pen colostrum feeding, a sand-bedded recovery pen, and a winch beam to allow downer cows to be lifted. “We designed it with every aspect of transition cow care in mind – even the

Herringbone parlour: 32:32 design also has an extra wide pit

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Greenmount Campus This new unit offers the very latest dairy facilities – for the herd and students. And both are thriving and well prepared for a successful future in the industry. Herd size: Average yield: Milking parlour: Investment:

Co Antrim

150 cows 8,850 litres 32:32 herringbone £ 2.5 million

New unit: £ 2.5m investment benefits the herd, students and the wider industry

feeding passage has a rubber grooved floor, to prevent post-calvers from slipping over. “We are particularly proud of this aspect of the unit. It’s better than anything we saw on other units, when we were researching in the planning stages,” says Mr Mulholland. The milking parlour – a Fullwood 32:32 herringbone – milks the 150-cow herd in less than 1.5 hours. When not being used for student training, two people will milk – one in the parlour and the other moving cows, cleaning cubicles and feeding calves. To accommodate

students, instructors and assessors, the pit is wider than usual, at 2.4 metres. “The parlour is a focal point for training on the unit. We teach students about the importance of a full milking routine including: fore milking, pre dipping, dry wiping and post dipping.”

Latest technology Again, for added cow comfort and to help reduce the incidence of lameness, the parlour has rubber flooring and plenty of other technology, including electronic milk meters, ACRs and automatic cluster drop. There’s a heat

detection system, which uses pedometers, three-way segregation and an automatic hoof washer and footbath. The herd management system in the parlour is Fullwood Crystal software, with a touchscreen computer in the parlour pit. “There are computer access points in the farm office, the viewing gallery and the handling area, to aid management. And the system is also accessible, via computer, to staff and students on campus,” adds Mr Mulholland. The cubicle housing has also improved dramatically. One of the biggest improvements, in terms of ease of

Cow tracks: wood chippings create a clean and comfortable walking surface

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R E P O RT

Back scratching: cows enjoy the brushes installed in the cow house

management, is that the milking cows are now housed all on one place, rather than being spread across the unit wherever there was space. The cubicles themselves are also longer and also wider, to accommodate today’s larger 650-kilogramme cows. “The cubicles are bedded with mattresses and are designed to encourage cows to lie down for 12 hours a day. And the cubicle divisions are positioned to allow natural lying down and rising behaviour.” CAFRE chose Kraiburg KEW Plus mattresses, because of the three layers that offer comfort and shock absorption. “And there was a discount for educational institutes,” says Mr Mulholland. That said, all sections of the building and development works were put out to tender. “That was the only way to ensure that we got exactly the specification that we wanted – for every part of the unit – for the best price.” For an investment of this size, the college wanted to ensure that it got the

Calving ease: pen design offers easier access

biggest bang for its buck. “We knew we were unlikely to do anything like this again for several decades. So there was an element of ‘future proofing’ the set up and careful planning was required to make sure that everything would link well together. Each individual area is part of a larger puzzle and we need to make sure we had a perfect fit.”

Minor tweaks Other interesting and up-to-the-minute tech being employed in the unit includes a JOZ robotic scraper, which cleans the collecting yard, handling area and slurry channel at the north end of the cubicle building. Cow-house lighting comprises 400W high pressure sodium bulbs, to provide 16 hours of effective daylight (200 lux) each day. And alternate lights incorporate red LED lamps, to allow animal inspection at night without disturbing the cows. Wall-mounted stainless steel tipping troughs ensure that 10% of the herd

can drink clean water at any one time. Mr Mulholland says that since the new unit came into use, in 2013, there have only been minor tweaks – such as adding some stock boarding along the sides of personnel walk ways and extending some shutters downwards to prevent drafts.

Next generations “Nothing major and certainly things that no amount of planning could have foreseen. “We’re extremely pleased with the unit – how it’s running and working and how the cows, staff and students are performing. I really can’t fault it,” adds Mr Mulholland. “And I feel like we’re more than ready to train the next generations of dairy producers and dairy health professionals here at the college unit. “And there’s additional capacity – should we wish to add any new technology or increase cow numbers in the future.” l

Herd efficiency: milk yields and productivity have improved

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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 ponders on past decisions and realises that a solution to a shortage of nearby grazing has been staring him in the face.

‘Zero’ grazing I

t’s an important part of the very essence of farming that we have to make decisions on an almost daily basis. Sometimes they are big decisions, sometimes they are small decisions. Sometimes we get the decisions right, sometimes we get them wrong. Often we get them wrong due to the vagaries of the weather or animals have contrived against us. Trying to make the right decisions is an important part of the challenge – and we enjoy the challenge. If we didn’t then we would have probably chosen a different occupation. We all think we are good at making these decisions. If we get a decision right then we may tell people. When we get it wrong it’s best to keep it quiet about it. Everybody else knows anyway. They can usually see just by looking over your hedge. Some farmers think they are so good at making decisions and they enjoy telling other farmers how to make theirs as well. Farmers like that usually carry a nickname. It is usually ‘knowledge’ or ‘ADAS’. In my lifetime I’ve known several farmers who have been called ADAS. The first time I heard it I said: “Why do you call him ADAS?” “Because he thinks he knows the bloody lot.” This probably owes its origins to when ADAS was the government advisory service. Like everyone else I think I am quite good at making decisions or ‘management’, as it’s often called. But I’m not quite as good as I thought. For as long as I can remember my biggest farming problem has been having enough grazing for my cows. These days the land you have available to graze your cows on is called your grazing platform. We rarely have enough grass to make into silage here at home and so, as the season progresses, we don’t have extra acres to introduce that extend the size of the grazing platform. Most of our land is two miles away and one solution is to have a proportion of the herd calving in the autumn so that they could be taken there in their mid-summer dry period. In dry summers this solution hasn’t been enough, so we have had to buffer feed silage to supplement grass for the milking cows. There has been another solution staring me in the face, but I’ve not thought of it until recently. There are, on the market, some very good zero grazing machines. If you are short of grass for the cows at home but you have plenty two miles away, why not fetch them a load? These machines are simply a mower mounted on the front of a sort of forage wagon. Fresh grass has a much better feed value than silage. It’s an extra cost at a time when we’re seeking to reduce costs. But then buffer feeding silage is more expensive. We all know that there’s more milk in fresh grass than in silage and there are lots of ways to compare it. One tonne of fresh grass dry matter could be worth 100 litres of milk more than silage. Clean and efficient though these machines may be, they don’t really do anything that my old Wilder flail harvester, with a trailer fixed behind it, wouldn’t have done. But, sadly, that was lifted out of the nettles and onto a scrap dealer’s lorry many years ago.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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M A N A G E M E N T

Beef calf sales could help to ‘future proof’ your business

Integrated supply gains

Beef from the dairy herd will not only bolster domestic supplies to meet consumer demand, but it can also provide welcome additional income for UK dairy producers. We spoke to a Nuffield scholar to find out more. text Rachael Porter

est Sussex-based consultant farm vet and beef producer, Rob Drysdale, has travelled the world to look at integrated beef production systems and brought what he learnt back home to devise a sustainable dairy-beef supply chain of his own. And this Nuffield scholar is certainly passionate about beef from the dairy herd. He’s now building up to running 3,000-plus head of beef cattle and, so far, the figures are stacking up for him,

his business partners and the dairy producers who are supplying bull calves for them to rear for beef. His Nuffield study, which he began back in 2014 and was the catalyst for this career ‘shift’, set out to answer the question: can you ‘chickenise’ dairy beef ? “With a contracting suckler herd and more than 55% of beef consumed in the UK coming from the dairy herd, I set out to look more closely at where beef will come from in the future,” says

Mr Drysdale. “Dairy beef is sustainable in terms of carbon footprint – every cow should have a calf each year to maximise milk production efficiency. “But calf rearing and production of beef that is both efficient and profitable has been a challenge to UK farmers, so I looked at what’s happening in the rest of the world in a bid to find out what would work best here in the UK, if we’re going to meet demand with domestic supply.”

Sustainable beef Each year there are more than 1.8 million dairy calvings in the UK. From New Zealand to Estonia, integrated systems exist that take some of the calves, seen as a by-product of the dairy industry, and convert these into consistent, ethical and high-quality beef. “But the perceived cost of production is a major blocker for UK producers. Time and again, meetings within the UK showed few beef producers

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finishers who have a ready market for their product. “Key is to find a customer and then ‘build the beef’ that they want.” And an attraction for customers or buyers is that they know this is British beef – they know where it’s come from. “They know it’s origin.” With this in mind, he’s been integral in setting up a scheme that will rear calves. He’s looking for a supply from producers, from right across the UK. This time next year, working with John Allton-Jones and his supply company Origin Beef, Mr Drysdale will be looking to supply customers with 200 head of finished beef cattle each week. “We’re building regional hubs – in Wales, the Midlands, the south west and the south east. And these will take calves, preferably in batches of 60.” He suggests that dairy producers might look at using more beef or dual-purpose sires on lower end cows. “Two-weekold black-and-white bull calves sell for between £50 and £100 per head. Use a beef bull or a dual-purpose sire and you’re looking at £150 plus. Use Aberdeen Angus or Belgian Blue semen, perhaps on the lower genetic merit cows in your herd, and you could be pocketing £200 per head. For a 150-cow herd, you’re certainly looking at an additional income of between £10,000 and £20,000 per year, depending on the type of calves you sell.”

Additional income

Steffan Richards (right) and Lorna Campbell changed their replacement rearing policy

knew the actual cost to produce each kilogramme of beef sold off their unit. “Yet, outside the UK, all the beef producers I spoke to knew their cost of production and integrated producers often knew what the minimum futures price would be for their beef.” He says that UK dairy producers see crossbred beef calves as a valuable income stream, expecting a high price from calf rearers. “But buying these crossbred dairy calves at the wrong price, within a protracted production cycle, could mean considerable losses for the rearers.

Integrated chain For this reason, Mr Drysdale says that it’s very much about developing an integrated chain – dairy producers who supply both black-and-white bull calves and cross-bred calves to rearers and

These figures worked their magic on Carmarthen-based producer Howell Richards. He runs a 2,400-cow herd, plus young stock, in partnership with his wife Susan, son Steffan and Steffan’s girlfriend Lorna Campbell. And they’ve been closed down with TB for the past 10 years. “We calve all year round and we were a flying herd – everything was put to a beef sire. But once the TB restrictions were in place, we couldn’t buy in replacements, so we had to rear our own,” explains Mr Richards. All cows and heifers were served with Friesian sires and, for a period of between 18 months and two years about 1,400 head of bull calves had absolutely no value. “That wasn’t sustainable and that’s when Steffan began to think about a different way of rearing replacements for the herd.” They worked out that they needed to produce 60 replacements per month: “But we were calving 200 head – roughly 100 heifers and 100 bulls. We only needed 60 heifer calves. So now all heifers are served with sexed semen and all cows

Rob Drysdale: “This is British beef – buyers know where it comes from”

with beef semen. The aim is to sell the resulting beef-cross calves to units that are licenced to take and rear cattle from TB restricted units,” says Mr Richards. He estimates that they’re selling at least 120 beef-cross calves each month, at around three weeks old: “And we’ve gone from making no money – or indeed losing money because we didn’t even cover the cost of semen – to securing an income of between £15,000 and £20,000 per month.”

Rearing costs The extra and ‘steady’ cashflow is a boon to the business. But what really saves money is rearing fewer heifers. Estimates put the cost of rearing a heifer at anywhere between £1,500 and £2,000. “We’re rearing 400 fewer heifers each year. So that’s where the real cost saving is – we’re not spending money rearing more heifers than we need. And it’s helped to take some of the pressure off our buildings and stocking rate.” The unit now has planning permission to erect some calf rearing buildings, one for calves up to three weeks old and one for calves up to two months old. “We’ve taken some guidance from Mr Drysdale on how to set out the sheds and how to group and manage the calves. And this will lower our stocking rate a little more.” He’s doubtful that TB restrictions will lift anytime soon, so he’s taking steps to mitigate the impact that they are having on his herd and business. “We’ve had one six-month period. It’s almost become normal for us to run the herd under restrictions, because it’s been going on so long. We’ve learnt to adapt and survive. And selling calves is a key part of our strategy.” Rob Drysdale sees great potential for Origin Beef as a nationwide scheme and a brand. “Producers need to do the sums – work out how many replacements they really need to rear and add some value to their beef calves – if they want to benefit from this sort of integrated system.” l

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F E RT I L I T Y

S P E C I A L

Measuring success: KPIs for monitoring â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and improving â&#x20AC;&#x201C; herd fertility. Page 24 Fertility index: herd reproductive performance has improved during the past 12 years. Page 26

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F E RT I L I T Y

S P E C I A L

Practical pointers to help measure true herd fertility

Real-time reproductive performance

What should UK producers be measuring to keep track of herd fertility? Three fertility experts, all speakers at the recent TotalDairy conference in Staffordshire, tell us more. text Rachael Porter

Fertility efficiency

hink of fertility and we think of calving interval, days in milk, conception rate to first service, pregnancy rate. There’s quite a list to choose from. Little wonder, then, that it can be a bit of minefield when it comes to measuring monitoring fertility. And, with so much data and different figures out there, which ones should producers be basing fertility management decisions around? US-based dairy specialist Paul Fricke, from the University of Wisconsin-

As a tool, it works extremely well in the US, with its larger and predominantly all-year-round calving herds. And most of these herds are using computerised management systems, so the calculations, which can be complicated, are done automatically.

CO WMANAGEMENT

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Madison, cuts to the chase. “None of the above. Not if you want to know what’s happening with now and base decisions on ‘real time’ information.” He explains that calving interval, for example, suffers from something he and many other fertility experts call ‘lag’. “Calving interval tells you what was happening with herd fertility nine months ago – it doesn’t give you a picture of what’s happening today. To do that, the best tool is the 21-day pregnancy rate. But that’s not without its problems,” he says.

JUNE/ J U LY

“Basically, you’re looking for a 21-day pregnancy rate of between 25% and 30%,” says Dr Fricke. But what, exactly, is the 21-day pregnancy rate, which is better known in the UK as the herd’s fertility efficiency – and what is it measuring? If you take the number of cows that are eligible to be served in a 21-day period, it’s the actual percentage that get pregnant,” explains the University of Nottingham’s John Remnant. So if, for example, you have 100 cows that are eligible for service in a given

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period, your 21-day rate is either going to be zero (no cows in calf), 33% (one cow in calf), 66% (two cows), or 100% (all three). Mr Remnant suggests another option for herds with fewer than 200 cows, which might be more realistic, is to look at submission rate (proportion of eligible cows served) and conception rate (proportion of cows served becoming pregnant) over a longer period of time. “We’d aim for the submission rate to be more than 50% and conception rate more than 40%. “But be aware that there’s still some ‘lag’, depending on how long it takes to have enough eligible cows for the numbers to be meaningful.” Another useful metric in small herds is the ‘pregnancy hard count. “This is where you set a target number of pregnancies per week, per fortnight or per month. As a rough guide to achieve a 365-day calving index, you’d divide the herd size by 12 to calculate the number of cows that should get in calf each month.”

KPI options

three-week period, you’d hope to see at least 50% in heat and, of that 50 cows you then observe in heat and serve, you’d expect slightly less than half to actually hold to service. So just less than a quarter of the 100 cows. Typically, in practical situations, the 21day pregnancy rate would be around 15%, so 20% is good in an all-year-round calving herd – it’s something to aim for, if you’re not already there.” But there is a problem with this measurement, as a monitoring tool in UK herds. Many are seasonal calving and this still works in block calving herd, but you have to start the three- week period from the first day of breeding. Also, in order for this data to be meaningful, herd size really has to be above 200 cows. The average herd size in the UK is still well below that. If you only had three cows eligible to get back in calf for a particular 21-day

Choosing the correct key performance indicators (KPIs) to track herd fertility was the topic discussed with delegates at the event by Miel Hostens, from the Belgian Ghent University. “With so many herd management software packages on the market and a huge range of data at producer’s finger tips, it can be difficult to ‘see the wood from the trees’ and decide which KPI to look at,” he says. Dr Hostens is also a great advocate of the 21-day pregnancy rate. “But, as with other parameters like calving interval and conception rate to first service, it has its pitfalls. Yes, there’s no ‘lag’, but it’s much more suited to monitoring fertility in large herds with all-yearround calving patterns.” He believes that days in milk (DIM) is one of the easiest and most effective KPIs

to monitor and should be viewed as a herd’s ‘engine rev count’. “It will tell you if the engine is turning at a smooth rate and working at its optimum. “And unlike calving interval, there are limited ways in which it can be calculated and this means that the figures are less prone to the vagaries of different management systems. A low averagedays-in-milk figure shows that a herd has good fertility.

True comparisons “Around 160 days in milk should be the average herd target for all-year-round calving herds. For seasonal and blockcalved herds this will vary considerably.” Dr Hostens also urges producers to be aware of how KPIs are calculated. “There’s not an issue with this in the US – where 80% of cows are monitored and managed using the same software package from one company. I’m not aware that such a monopoly exists in the UK or the EU. But it’s always worth being aware that some measurement may be ‘wrong’ or incomparable with those on other units. Benchmarking is a good thing – but make sure you’re making true comparisons. And he stresses not to get too hung up on figures – particularly those with ‘lag’. “Focus on now and visualise what’s going on in your herd. Using visualising tools, such as a Bray breeding board, can really help. “The human brain finds it much easier to assess things visually compared to using measurements. You can also take regular ‘snap shots’, perhaps by adopting the 21-day pregnancy rate if it works for your herd and system. “Otherwise, concentrate on monitoring for signs of heat, improving your submission rate and conception rate to first service. “And sit down regularly, ideally with your vet or consultant, and interpret that data and what it means for your herd and business.” l

Key fertility performance indicators 21-day pregnancy rate: the percentage of cows, eligible for service in a given 21-day period, who actually get back in calf. Aiming for 20% is the ideal. Pregnancy hard count: a target number of pregnancies is set per week, fortnight or month.

Total submission rate: this should be at 50% or higher to indicate strong cycling and heat detection, in other words good fertility. Days in milk (DIM): the target herd average, to indicate good fertility, should be around 160 days.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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F E RT I L I T Y

S P E C I A L

Fertility tool has reduced the UK herd’s average calving interval

Breeding index puts fertility back on track It’s been 12 years since a daughter fertility index was introduced, allowing producers to select for production, conformation and fertility. We spoke to a leading geneticist to find out what impact it has had on fertility in the UK herd. text Rachael Porter

p until 2005, producers had no information to make meaningful decisions in relation to fertility and breeding largely focused on yield and conformation. As a result, the UK’s Holstein herd, in particular, suffered

C OWM ANAGEMENT

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a significant decline in fertility. And not least because high milk yields are negatively correlated with fertility. The higher the yield, the more difficult it can be to get a cow back in calf. Calving interval for the Holstein breed

peaked at 428 days in 2008/2009, following a progressive reduction in fertility starting in the mid 1980s when breeders began pushing for milk yield.

Selection tool “We recognised this trend but we didn’t have the data or the technology to begin developing a tool to help producers select for fertility until 2000,” says AHDB Dairy’s head of animal genetics Marco Winters. “Finally, in 2005, we introduced a fertility index, which allowed producers to select sires that offered good production, conformation and daughter fertility. The full package, so to speak. A more balanced cow.

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Marco Winters: “Bulls with poor fertility have limited, or no, value in the UK”

“Since 2005 the fertility index of bulls has seen massive improvements, and this has been achieved without a significant compromise in the rate of gains in production – you have to take a hit somewhere. But it is possible to select sires with positive scores for milk and fertility and make improvements.” Figure 1 shows the average genetic merit of insemination, recorded by milk recording organisations. So this is a weighted average of all the sires used by year of insemination. The average milk PTAs have been plotted against the average calving interval – one of the two components of the fertility index, the other being non-return rate. And, as a rough guide, each fertility index point is equivalent, genetically, to a calving index improvement of around 0.6 days. Today the UK herd’s average calving interval for Holsteins has fallen to less than 410 days and still improving.

Production potential “You can see how, up until 2005, the widening calving interval was tracking the genetics of milk-yield increase in the UK herd. But since 2005 producers have been selecting sires, for use on their herds, that offer good fertility, as well as high production.” The fertility of bulls in use today is similar to that of those used in the early 1990s,

milk PTA 600

425

250

–100

–275

–2

–450

–4

–625

–6

–800 ‘90 ‘91 ‘92 ‘93 ‘94 ‘95 ‘96 ‘97 ‘98 ‘99 ‘00 ‘01 ‘02 ‘03 ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 year

Figure 1: The average genetic merit of sires used in the UK since 1990 (source: AHDB Dairy)

but with significantly higher production potential. The average genetic merit of cows, by year of birth, has also improved since 2005 due to improved sire selection. But there is an obvious time lag between improved sire selection and the effect this has on the milking herd. “This is partly due to the lag between insemination and the progeny coming into the herd, but also because the dams of these heifers have not been heavily selected on fertility yet – unlike with sires,” explains Mr Winters. “In fact, there is some indication that the heifers selected to breed replacements from aren’t always the most fertile animals. This may be because producers tend to favour the higher production heifers. That said, we can also see that the animals that remain in the herd for three lactations or more have better fertility then their contemporaries.” The average fertility index of bulls used today is more than 10 points higher than it was in 2005, at +6, indicating that bulls with poor fertility have limited, or no, value in the UK market anymore. “That’s as it should be,” adds Mr Winters. “Breed differences still exist and that’s

Table 1: Top 10 fertility index bulls available in the UK, ranked in top 300 £ SCI (source: AHDB Dairy)

bull name College Hereward VR Gunnarstorp Backen Gobel Danish VJ Hilario Catlane Caleb Catlane Cromwell Danish VJ Herodot VH Cole Clark Danish DJ Holmer Cookiecutter Petron Halogen Gopollen

£ SCI ranking

£ SCI

192 33 3 8 99 12 15 18 144 217

256 353 485 426 294 409 405 396 270 250

breed British Friesian Swedish Red Jersey British Friesian British Friesian Jersey Holstein Jersey Holstein Norwegian Red

fertility index 20.4 17.4 17.2 16.5 16.3 15.8 15.8 14.6 14.5 14.5

why cross breeding became popular a decade ago – particularly when Holstein sires that offered good fertility were not available. When the genetic information on fertility was limited, the only viable option at the time was to use bulls from a breed that was known to have better fertility. But this fertility ‘benefit’ had to be off-set against a loss in production potential.”

Fertility comparisons Today the information available on sire fertility has vastly improved and not only can producers select the best bulls for fertility within each breed, but they can also select the best across breeds (see Table 1). “The UK’s spring calving index ranking makes it possible to make direct fertility comparisons for individual bulls,” says Mr Winters. He adds that the British Friesian has an obvious advantage when it comes to fertility: “But bulls from other breeds – including Jersey and Holstein – can compete in the top 10 fertility sires available in the UK today.” Fertility is linked to health, nutrition and lifetime production. So looking at other parameters indirectly improves fertility. “The longevity index also has a positive impact on fertility,” says Mr Winters. “Fertility is key to longevity – a cow won’t last in the herd if she can’t get back in calf easily. So by selecting for longevity you are, in effect, selecting for both traits.” He adds that the addition of more breeding indexes will, indirectly, also help to improve fertility. “A lameness index, which will help to reduce lameness and improve fertility, is set to be rolled out in early 2018.” l

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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PTA milk (kg)

PTA calving interval (days)

calving interval PTA 10

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

Four vie for Johne’s award Four producers have made it to the final of this year’s NMR HerdWise competition for their commitment to controlling Johne’s disease on their dairy unit. Two herds are from Shropshire, including the 400-cow organic herd belonging to Tim and Louise Downes. This is the second time that the herd has made it to the HerdWise competition final. Johne’s disease management in this cross-bred spring calving herd is very concentrated over the short calving period and reliant on strict protocols. The second Shropshire-based herd belongs to Steve and Carolyn Cope. The 800 Holstein cows calve all year round and are predominantly in a housed system. All animals testing positive for Johne’s disease are identified and high risk cows and their offspring are bred to beef. Moving to the south west, ACF Drax Farm from Dorset is a finalist this year for a second year running. The 280 Holstein Friesian cows on this unit are run on a grass-based system backed up with a TMR. Again, red, amber and offspring from Johne’s cows are tagged and ‘green’ heifers are bred to sexed semen. The Somerset-based herd of Dan Britten also makes the final. Johne’s 2016 HerdWise winner Karen Halton follows agreed Johne’s protocols

Spring stars

Cows testing positive for Johne’s are typically identified with tags

disease management in this 270 cow Holstein Friesian herd is practical with realistic goals in view of its expansion plans and TB challenges. Cows are constantly monitored for body condition, health and production parameters in conjunction with their HerdWise results. They implement strict biosecurity when buying in stock to avoid introducing new infection. Competition judges – NML vet Karen Bond and chairman of the National Johne’s Action Group Lyndon Edwards – will visit each finalist and judge the protocols in place and the progress being made in controlling the disease. “We’re not looking for the herd with the fewest cases of Johne’s disease,” says Lyndon Edwards. “But we want to see the commitment that the unit and its team have to controlling Johne’s by using HerdWise test results and following agreed protocols.” This year’s winner will be announced at 1.30pm on the NMR stand at the NMR/ RABDF Gold Cup farm walk on June 28, 2017. The event is being held at the Bugler’s farm (2016 Gold Cup winner), Pilsdon, Bridport, Dorset. The HerdWise Competition is open to all NMR customers who use the CHeCS accredited quarterly milk screening service HerdWise.

NMR’s top cows, ranked on lifetime daily yield (LDY), from those passing the 100 tonnes of milk mark during March and April are led by Ardingly Sien with an LDY of 30.91kg. She is from D Goodwin and Sons’ herd in West Sussex and has given 106,434kg of milk in seven lactations. In second place is Lachstone Drake Lynne with an LDY of 29.98kg. From the Platt’s herd in Cheshire, she has given 107,671kg of milk in six lactations. In third place is Grosvenor Maestro Tania with an LDY of 29.32kg. She is from Grosvenor Farms’ herd in Cheshire and has given 108,063kg of milk in seven lactations. A full list of NMR cows achieving lifetime milk yields of 100 tonnes is on its web site.

NMR at the Highland Show This year NMR is a sponsor and an exhibitor at the Royal Highland Show (June 22 to 25). It will be demonstrating the merits and cost benefit of milk recording and of its broader range of services that can spin off basic recording. “Producers can rely on one milk sample for a whole range of milk quality, disease testing and valueadded services,” says NMR’s Scottish area manager Morven Watson. “Producers are welcome to discuss the benefit of these in their herds and enjoy some hospitality with the Scottish team.” Visitors to NMR’s stand number 533 can enter the NMR Highland prize draw. First prize is a night’s dinner, bed and breakfast for two in Edinburgh on Wednesday November 15 – the night of the AgriScot event. Second prize is an exclusive hamper from The House of Bruar and third prize is a 30cow Johne’s disease screening test from NML.

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

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B R E E D I N G

‘Collaring’ cows: catching cows in heat is easy with the monitoring system in place

Tool offers solution to heat detection in a ‘quiet’ herd

Turning up the heat Missing too many heats was the catalyst for investing in

spoke to him to find out more about the benefits of installing

Liam farms in partnership with his father Clive and they run the pedigree Wickster herd, close to Morecambe in Lancashire. The herd calves all year round, but with a large autumn block.

a simple, but effective, heat detection system.

Detection tool

automated detection for one Lancashire-based producer. We

text Rachael Porter

igh yields and a hectic working day were just two contributory factors to ‘weak’ signs of heat and poor heat detection rates, in Liam Baxter’s 120cow pedigree Holstein herd. “The only quiet time – when cows were most likely to show any signs of bulling – were evenings. And, by our own admission,

we were missing heats. This was compounded by the fact that any signs that they did show were not particularly strong,” says Liam. “We got the vet to check they were cycling, but we just missed them. And, as a result, the herd’s calving interval was slipping more than we were comfortable with.”

“We didn’t realise just how ‘quiet’ some of our cows’ heats were, until we had a cystic heifer, who was constantly bulling, in the herd. She was a brilliant detection tool – she picked up a lot of heats that we just didn’t, and with hindsight probably couldn’t, see. We kept her for a few months and when we finally sold her it brought it home to us that we really needed to do something to improve our heat detection rate,” explains Liam.

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He adds that during the past couple of years, heats have become ‘quieter’ and difficult to spot. “We’ve been looking, but there’s just not been a lot of activity. It could be that much of it was going on at night – once the cows had finished feeding after their evening milking and all was calm in the cow shed. We knew that the cows were cycling – the vet confirmed that. “Our vet, Andrew Rutherford, checked anything that we’d not seen bulling 60 days post calving. So we knew that the problem wasn’t with the cows – fertility was good. We just weren’t seeing any outward physical signs of heat.” Andrew and Clive decided to look at heat detection systems and that’s when CRV’s Ovalert caught their eye. “We looked at quite a few systems, but most of them had other functions as well as heat detection. We didn’t want that – we wanted something simple. Something that would do what we wanted it to do and do it well,” explains Liam. “The other systems we looked at were overly complicated, in our opinion. We wanted something that would alert us, via mobile phone or tablet, when a cow is in heat.” The price of the system stacked up too. “We felt that it offered the best value for money and we weren’t paying for a lot of ‘add ons’ that we didn’t want.”

Calving interval Although Liam only wanted help with heat detection, the system can also offer health monitoring, by recording standing, lying and rumination activity. They bought 60 collars, with transponders, for the herd and the system has already paid for itself, according to Liam, even though they only began using it in November 2016. “Our calving interval has already dropped by several days – from 415 to 410 – so we’ve already seen a return on our investment and it’s still early days.” He adds that they’re also detecting far more cows in heat and serving a larger proportion of the herd by 60 days post calving. “We’ve seen a huge difference already and, due to that, we really trust the system. “We still walk around the cow at night, just before bed, out of habit, more than anything. But we don’t need to. The system has typically picked up bulling cows before we actually see any signs ourselves.”

Before installing the Ovalert system, the herd’s rolling 12-month average for days to conception was around 139 and just 7% of the herd was back in calf, 60 days post calving. “But now we are running at an average of 115 days to conception and the herd’s 60-day pregnancy rate is 19%. That’s a huge improvement in just six months.” There have still been a few cows and heifers that the vet has needed to check, but they’ve been the higher yielders in the herd and haven’t been bulling strongly. “At 60 or 70 days in milk, they’re producing 50 litres a day. With yields like that we can let them slide a little. They’re cycling – but they’re not showing heat.” The herd’s average yield is high – around 10,000 litres at 4.33% butterfat and 3.2% protein. “And high yields can impact on fertility, in the sense that the cows don’t, in our experience, show such strong signs of heat. So, in that respect, moving to a heat detection system like Ovalert was inevitable,” adds Liam. “It was either that or someone would have to be watching the cows 24/7. But then, in effect, that’s what the system is doing.” Liam, who is in charge or running and managing the system, says that simplicity is key to its success. “I wanted something that would help us to work ‘smarter’ and help us to improve the efficiency of our herd.” And so far, he’s extremely pleased with the system. “It takes readings from the cows throughout the day – every five minutes – and sends them back to the

Liam Baxter: “We’re pleased with how the system – and our cows – are performing”

computerised control panel. If there are any sudden fluctuations, which could indicate heat, I’m alerted by a message on my phone. Then I can assess the cow and decide if I should AI her.”

Sire recommendations The system is also connected to CRV SireMatch and sire recommendations are suggested with each alert. “It allows me determine, prior to milking, which cows I need to separate for AI. Other systems on the market rely on readers in the parlour. “But it’s good to know before milking which cows need to be separated,” he explains. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what our 100-day in-calf rate is by this coming November – 12 months after installing the system. And it will be interesting to see what our calving interval is. I think we’ll be close to 400 days, if not lower.” l

Smart system: Ovalert tells Liam which cows to separate, to check and AI, via his phone

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H E A LT H

Some processors are monitoring levels to improve product quality and shelf life

Spotlight on tackling thermoduric bacteria Why are thermoduric bacteria an issue and what can producers do to prevent and tackle thermoduric problems if, or when, they arise? We spoke to a vet to find out more. text Ben Bartlett

Testing for thermoduric bacteria If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in establishing thermoduric levels on your farm, testing can be done using the routine bulk milk sample collected by NML.

Cost is ÂŁ9 per sample and full guidance notes on interpreting the results are provided. Further information on tackling thermodurics can be found on www.nationalmilklabs.co.uk

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Possible sources Thermodurics can also be an issue in infant milk formula (IMF) – so much so that the European Union has set upper thresholds for Bacillus (one of the most predominant thermodurics) in IMF. Bacillus is commonly found in IMF, but generally at very low levels. However, if stored inappropriately levels can rapidly increase, raising the Andrew Henderson: “Seek help if thermoduric bacteria problems persist”

test

result

target (cfu/ml)

total viable colony count (cfu/ml) coliforms (cfu/ml) thermodurics (cfu/ml) psychrotrophs (cfu/ml) Bactoscan (x 1,000)

14,000 43 2,700 2,700 30

< 5,000 < 20 < 150 < 500 < 30

Table 1: Results of a quantitative bulk tank analysis of a milk sample from a herd with a normal Bactoscan level

Monitoring thermodurics Unfortunately while Bactoscan is a good overall measure of the hygienic quality of milk, the Bactoscan test measures the number of both live and dead bacteria in milk and does not specify how many of the live bacteria have thermoduric properties. As a result, a specific culture based test is needed. This can be done on the bulk milk sample and takes 48 hours to complete. Data from NML shows that from a random sample of 870 British farms tested in May 2017, 20% had a thermoduric count above 500cfu per ml, which poses a risk of causing spoilage problems in finished dairy products. Of these it should be noted that 15% had Bactoscan averages of below 30,000 (see Figure 1). This confirms that while Bactoscan is a good general indicator of hygienic quality, it cannot be relied upon to identify all farms with thermoduric issues.

50 40 30 20 10 0+ ,00

00 0,0 -1

01 1,0

1,0

50 1-

150

0 1-

possibility of causing food poisoning.” Against this background it is clearly important that thermoduric levels are as low as possible when milk leaves the farm. Achieving this requires a good understanding of the possible sources of thermoduric bacteria. “Thermoduric bacteria can be found in many areas of the farm,” explains Mr Henderson. “But chronic problems tend to be caused by inadequate levels of hygiene within the plant. Failure to clean the milking parlour properly allows residues to build up within the plant, providing the perfect environment for thermoduric bacteria to thrive. As these residues build up they also provide the bacteria with increased protection from temperature and cleaning agents.” He says that there are three main areas to focus on to control the level of thermoduric bacteria in milk: maintaining high levels of cow cleanliness, following a routine for premilking teat preparation, and regular maintenance and effective cleaning of the milking parlour.

acteria levels in milk have been monitored through the use of Bactoscan for many years. Aggregate data shows that the industry has been successful in bringing bacteria levels down to well below the European average. But there’s a new challenge on the horizon for producers as some milk processors are now monitoring levels of thermoduric bacteria in milk, as well as assessing overall Bactoscan levels. So says vet Andrew Henderson, from the Evidence Group. He explains that thermodurics are a specific type of bacteria, capable of surviving pasteurisation. And some of these bacteria will not only survive pasteurisation temperatures but will also continue to grow at temperatures lower than 7°C – typical refrigeration conditions. This is worrying because it means that these bacteria may be able to grow in milk on the supermarket shelf. This begs the question regarding what the consequences are for milk containing thermoduric bacteria. “High thermoduric levels can manifest in finished product in many ways – such as reduced cheese yields, ‘off’ flavours and an issue known as ‘late blowing’ in certain types of cheese due to gas production. They have been reported to affect cream causing sweet curdling, ‘bitty’ cream and ‘off’ flavours. Similar problems are also seen in liquid milk,” says Mr Henderson.

percent of herds

thermoduric count (cfu/ml)

Figure 1: Thermoduric test results from a random selection of 880 bulk milk samples in May 2017

Further work on farms affected by thermodurics shows that there are often other bacteria lurking in the milk. Identification of these bacteria can assist in determining the cause of the problem. Table 1 shows a unit that has high thermodurics but also has a low Bactoscan. This indicates good hygiene practices, but the presence of coliforms can suggest some faecal matter in the milk. This is not enough to trigger high Bactoscans, but the thermoduric results are a problem. In this instance giving the parlour a ‘deep clean’ brought the thermodurics back under control while tighter pre-dip procedures achieved a reduction in coliform counts.

Series of investigations “We come across a range of causes of thermodurics on farm. But the source of the problem can, typically, be identified quickly by carrying out a series of investigations in the parlour,” says Mr Henderson. “Often assumptions regarding the effectiveness of boilers and water pumps are found to be false, while awareness of the risk posed by biofilms in pipework also helps.” He advocates seeking help if thermoduric problems persist. “There are plenty of organisations that are able to assist in identifying the cause of thermoduric problems. And while there may be a cost associated with this, the peace of mind associated with tackling the problem is well worth the investment.” l

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F R O M

T H E

V E T E R I N A RY

B E N

P R A C T I C E

S T R U G N E L L

A particularly unpleasant and unusual strain of Mycoplasma has been seen in some UK herds – and further cases are expected this summer and autumn. We spoke to Ben Strugnell, a livestock vet based in Co Durham, to find out more.

Control flies and administer NSAIDs to help reduce swelling

Look out for milk drop T

here have already been several cases of Mycoplasma wenyonii infection in UK herd this year – typically there are several sick cows in one herd. And not only is this infection difficult to diagnose but it is also tricky to treat. M wenyonii is not yet completely understood, but it is increasingly recognised, particularly in dairy cows, during summer and early autumn. Symptoms, which accompany a hot and swollen udder, typically include a high temperature, oedema in the hind feet and lower legs and, most notably, a severe and sudden drop in milk yield. Cows present as listless – tail swishing and foot stamping are common physical signs. They can appear unwell and go off their feed. There could be several exhibiting symptoms, but it would be unusual for the whole herd to be infected at once. This is probably a fly-borne infection, which may also be transmitted via vaccination needles and other surgical equipment, and symptoms are varied, but the combination of hind-limb and udder oedema, with fever and milk drop, should raise M wenyonii infection as a possibility. PCR for the organism performed on a blood sample from an acutely affected cow is the best bet for diagnosis, consult your vet for further information. The infection is not particularly responsive to antibiotic treatment. Anti-inflammatories are the best option, but it’s best to talk to your vet to first rule out other possible causes and then devise an effective treatment plan.

The encyclopaedia Mycoplasma wenyonii infection Cause Bacterial parasite called Mycoplasma wenyonii. Most clinical cases coincide with peak nuisance fly activity, which suggests that flies are involved with transmission.

Symptoms Udder oedema and swelling in hind feet and legs. Fever and a drop in milk yield are also seen, as well as tail swishing and foot stomping.

Diagnosis Tricky as symptoms are similar to those seen in cases

of mycotoxicosis. But cows presenting all the classic symptoms should be investigated. Blood sampling can confirm M wenyonii infection.

Treatment Speed is key and anti-inflammatories offer some success, because they can help to reduce swelling and high temperatures. Antibiotics can also be prescribed by your vet. Tylosin or fluoroquinolones are probably the most effective choices. Oxytetracycline may or may not help.

Prevention Reducing fly levels can help to reduce transmission – work towards reducing the fly population and apply pour-on fly treatments to help deter flies. Exercise extra care with needle hygiene in the face of an outbreak; consider using a sterimatic needle if not already doing so.

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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H E R D

R E P O RT

Grass and maize silage is harvested by hand for 3,500-cow herd

William Hoggan He runs a large-scale ‘western’ style unit, which is managed, successfully, with limited automation and lots of staff

Java

Farm manager William Hoggan runs a large and unique Western-style dairy unit on Java. Land is scarce on Indonesia’s

Indonesia

Number of cows: Quantity of land: Forage yield: Daily yield:

Small farming on a large scale

3,500 60 hectares 70 tonnes DM/hectare 24kg/cow/day

Suzuki pick-up truck drives onto producer William Hoggan’s weigh bridge. It is fully loaded with fresh maize plants. The driver is a local farmer from the area. He is one of the many who provide William with forage. “After weighing on this bridge, the farmers drive to the silage clamp and the maize is then chopped until it is suitable for making silage,” explains William, who emigrated from Scotland. He is not amused by the quality of his maize silage. “Some farmers take the cobs from the plants, that collect in the bottom of the truck. These are popular on Java for human consumption. We also need to make sure that they do not put heavy items on the bottom of their trailer, so that they can charge me for a bigger load.” William is the manager of a large dairy unit in western Java, Indonesia’s most populated island. The company is owned by the dairy company Ultra Jaya, the country’s fourth-largest milk buyer. Seven years ago, the company took the

most densely populated island and the growing ‘plots’ are also difficult to access with machinery. text Tijmen van Zessen

initiative to provide a steady milk supply. William had experience as a farm manager in Saudi Arabia, on a unit with 15,000 cows. He was assigned the task of directing the new company.

Staffing levels The unit comprises a herd of 3,500 adult animals and is located on a hill in the Pangalengan district, just south of the million city Bandung. A western form of dairy farming is quite unique on Java. Most ‘producers’ milk three or four cows by hand. In a way, William’s company is not much bigger. Many of the native farmers in the area provide his unit with forage or are employed there. He has a total of 150 people working for him, 60 of whom work among the cows in the barn. The others – 90 people in total – are busy with the manual harvesting of grass. The small and somewhat scattered plots are unsuitable for agricultural machinery. They are on a steep slope and difficult to access. The larger plots are intended for rice cultivation, which

High production: Ultra Jaya collects milk from the unit several times a day

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is given priority in Indonesia. William gets fresh grass delivered daily. Grass growth on Java is not comparable to that of average grassland in Europe. The 60 hectares of hillside surrounding the farm is completely covered with elephant grass – a crop that can grow up to 60cm high. Thanks to the tropical climate, the grass grows continuously. Approximately 70 tonnes of dry matter per hectare can grow annually – that’s six times as much as grassland produces in the UK. “We take between six and seven cuts a year, typically when the crop is 40cm tall and quality is at its best. But we depend on manual labour to cut it and can’t always prevent the plant from being too mature at harvest.”

Daily ration William uses a feed mixer to prepare the herd’s daily ration. He mixes 25kg of grass and 14kg of maize per cow per day, plus ingredients such as soya, wheat flour and a by-product from maize corn that is released in ethanol production. “The ration is good for maintenance plus between 23 and 24 litres per cow. But that’s too low,” he says. “I actually set 28 litres as a lower limit. But we are having fertility problems and the capacity of our 2:40 rapid-exit milking parlour is also a limiting factor. We manage 2.5 milkings per cow per day. If it was more, we’d produce more milk.” With such a huge herd, the milking parlour is running 24/7. The employees work 12-hour shifts, with three people in the milking parlour

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Fresh calvers are housed in two groups. The first three days after calving they are in the ‘colostrum group’. These cows are checked daily, including their body temperature. From the fourth day to the third week of lactation they are in the fresh cow group. These animals also receive extra attention.

Fertility issues

Feeding calves: milk is fed through an automatic vending machine

and three moving cows. “My employees prefer a 12-hour working day, because after four days they have an extra day off.” Ultra Jaya collects milk several times a day, but the unit has storage capacity for up to 30,000 litres. Producers are not paid a premium for good milk quality or higher fat and protein. “But we are penalised if tests show that there are antibiotics in the milk,” adds William.

Protocols are set in stone for most tasks on the unit. Cows with mastitis are milked through a separate milking parlour. A cow’s feet are trimmed three times during her lactation. The third time coincides with drying off. Heat detection is not automated. William uses tail dye or chalk as to help him spot heats. “We have a ‘breeding’ gate to conveniently separate cows for insemination or other treatments.”

William wants to improve herd fertility. “I want to reduce the number of involuntary culls. The herd replacement rate is more than 25% and, typically, poor fertility is the cause.” Poor fertility usually has several causes, but William believes that ration sorting is a huge factor in his herd. “The cows pick the concentrates from the ration and get fat at the end of lactation, resulting in metabolic problems in the following lactation,” he says. “LDAs are a huge issue. During the past month we’ve had 10 and some were even in late-lactation cows.” William believes that better quality forage and more thorough ration mixing should see fertility improve. “But good quality forage is difficult to get hold of on Java. We have looked at the possibility of importing lucerne from the US, but that is too expensive. At the moment, I am looking for land in the area, with the intention of growing forage maize myself.” l

Moving stock: after weaning, staff move calves to the next management group

caption

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS June 22-25: June 28: July 11-13: July 24-27: September 13: October 3-7: October 4: October 27: November 3-12: November 15: November 15: December 14: Off to work: cows head out to grazing after their morning milking Picture: Harrie van Leeuwen

Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Scotland NMR/RABDF Gold Cup Open Day, Simon Bugler, Pilsdon, Dorset Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate, North Yorkshire Royal Welsh Show, Builth Wells, Powys UK Dairy Day, Telford International Centre, Shropshire World Dairy Expo, Madison (United States) The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen Royal Winter Fair, Toronto (Canada) British Mastitis Conference, Sixways Stadium, Warriors Way, Worcester AgriScot, Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, Scotland Royal Ulster Winter Fair, Eikon Exhibition Centre, Balmoral Park, Lisburn (Northern Ireland)

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