Cowmanagement UK may 2017

V O LU M E 15 NO 3 MAY 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

HE RD R E P O RT

BU LL PRO O FS

H O U SING SPECI AL

Processing helps to ‘future proof’ an island business

Movers and shakers in April’s rankings

Low-cost renovations offer money-back ‘guarantee’

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CO NTENT

FEATURES

Cow Talk Overalls off: military tank enthusiast Roger Evans ForFarmers’ Forage Focus/ Thompsons’ Nutritional News 41 NMR Dairy Management News 45 CRV Avoncroft Breeding Information 46 Events and contacts 5 11 21 33

REPORT

12 Dairy business is processing to add value to its milk BREEDING

30 Selection indices offer real financial gains 42 April’s bull-proof rankings H E A LT H

16 Advanced activity-generated data on tap FEEDING

38 Reliable analysis offers precision/ Stay in nutrition driving seat this summer

Paul Griffin “We’re taking our on-farm processing to the next level” 12

Editor Rachael Porter Spring cleaning

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he cows are out, during the day time at least, on many dairy units. So what better time to assess housing and other herd facilities on your unit, to see if any low-cost improvements can be made during the summer.

Feed and water troughs are the main focus of our buildings and equipment special. And, according to the specialists we spoke to, there are renovations and ‘projects’ that could be carried out – all for relatively little or no cost – that could make a big difference when it comes to cow comfort, health and efficiency. Take a look at page 24 to find out more.

We also have the final part of our ‘Dairy Directions’ series, which takes a look at exit strategies and planning. Not always a happy topic, unless you’re looking forward to a healthy and happy retirement. We spoke to two leading consultants to find out how to make the process as pain free – and financially beneficial – as possible.

On a more positive note, we’d also like to hear from you, if you’d like to share

what you’re doing to make your business more robust in what will continue to be a volatile economic climate.

We have one such story on page 12. We visited a family-run unit on the Isle of Wight, where recent investment in a larger processing plant will allow the business to process more its Guernsey herd’s milk on farm. With an annual foot-fall of more than 50,000 people, owner Paul Griffin is confident that it will be a good move towards future proofing the business.

We also have an article about tagging technology and data capture, which promises to facilitate easier individualcow management, particularly in larger herds. See page 16 and find out if it’s something that you should be adopting.

With Grassland & Muck 2017 fast approaching, we highlight a few mustsee features on page 34.

And Roger Evans shares his irritation with Brexit ‘hot air’ on page 21 and contemplates getting his legs out.

Summer must be just around the corner.

Main article Exiting the industry

Special Housing

Preview Grassland & Muck

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The final part of our series examines strategies for quitting dairying

Water trough and cow-house renovation ideas, to suit a tight budget

We highlight some of the must-see attractions at this year’s two-day event

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Mastitis PTA indicates disease resistance A mastitis genetic evaluation was published

by AHDB Dairy to coincide with the issue of April’s bull proof run. The evaluation gives an indication of a bull’s ability to transmit mastitis resistance to his daughters and is expressed as a percentage on a scale of between –5 and +5.

As with the somatic cell count PTA (predicted transmitting ability) – which has been used successfully by milk producers to breed for lower cell counts for several years – negative figures are desirable for mastitis.

This means that for every 1% decrease in a bull’s Mastitis PTA there will be a corresponding 1% decrease in the proportion of his daughters expected to get mastitis.

“The degree to which any animal can be

improved through breeding depends on the heritability of the trait being improved – in other words, the degree to which it passes from one generation to the next – and how reliably we are measuring that trait,” explains AHDB Dairy’s Marco Winters.

“For the mastitis evaluations, we have used extensive national records from all the UK’s milk recording organisations to assess the degree to which each bull’s daughters can ‘resist’ mastitis and, from that information, we have established every sire’s breeding pattern.”

By using this information, it has been established that the heritability of mastitis is about 4%. This is on a par with several traits being improved through breeding.

Bring a bag of your grass

Rejuvenator speeds up work rates

OPICO will be launching a 6.3-metre hydraulic folding version of its HE-VA sward rejuvenator at Grassland & Muck 2017. Designed for overseeding grassland, but also suitable for the reseeding of cultivated ground, the company says that this wider machine,

coupled with an Air 16 seeder, enables higher work rates to be achieved.

As with the original three-metre model, this sward rejuvenator comprises an aggressive ‘Shattaboard’ with slicing plates, followed by two rows of heavy-duty harrow tines, and a heavy 600-mm diameter Prisma roller.

It folds down, hydraulically, to 2.5m wide for safe transport between fields and locations.

With an Air 16 seeder mounted, seeding rates of up to 80kg/ha are possible at normal working speeds (between 5km and 8km/ha).

The sward rejuvenator is ideal for use in poached fields requiring restoration. It also enables one-pass seeding on cultivated land.

(See our Grassland & Muck 2017 preview on page 34-35).

Glue offers faster shoe fixing An improved formula of Mootac glue – Mootac Ultra – for fixing orthopaedic cow shoes, has been launched by Dairy Spares. The two-part glue allows fixing to be done straightaway, without having to wait for the glue to ‘cure’. So it saves time for the hoof trimmer and avoids the risk of ‘hasty’ fixings leading to poor shoe retention.

Preparation remains important: the glue is heat-sensitive and should be kept warm before use, and the hoof should be made dry before the glue is applied.

The glue has been developed by the makers of the Moovers range of fully biodegradable shoes of different sizes and colour. However, it is suitable for use with all hoof block systems.

A 200ml bottle of the glue is sufficient for fixing six shoes, and retails at £24.67. The Mootac glue gun costs £35 and mixing tips (one per shoe) are 95p each.

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COW MAN AG E ME N T

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Planning is key to maximising asse

Act in haste, r Dairy directions – what are your options?

This is the final article in our series that set out to examine the possible routes for producers who are looking to build and manage a dairy business that’s better equipped to survive – and thrive – in an increasingly volatile economic climate.

Here we look at strategies if you’re looking to exit the industry.

Introduction: Take stock/assess Part 1: Improving efficiency Part 2: Economies of scale Part 3: Diversification Part 4: Exit strategies

Is it time to get out? Then have a planned strategy and take your time, say two leading consultants, to make sure that you limit stress and maximise success. text Rachael Porter

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ometimes, having considered all the options, the best decision is to exit the industry, to sell the herd and move on. But it is still important to plan the move carefully to make it as successful – and painless – as possible. So says Promar regional manager Emma Thompson, adding that there’s never a right or wrong time to leave the industry.

“Individual farm and personal considerations and circumstances have a major bearing on the process, but several factors will contribute to how smooth the exit will be,” she says. “The crucial thing is not to rush to sell up.

It is vital to plan any exit carefully – be it for retirement or a change of direction. And it is definitely a case of ‘act in haste, repent at leisure’.”

Mrs Thompson says the first step is to make sure all the stakeholders in the business understand and support the Emma Thompson: “It’s crucial not decision, pointing out that it to rush to sell up – plan carefully will be a time of considerable and take your time” strain on all concerned.

“They need to understand the decision, the implications of it, and the plan.

Farm Consultancy Group’s Charles Holt agrees: “Talk to you family and your advisors – particularly your accountant and, if you have one, your land agent. It’s important to ‘take everyone with you’ on this journey, particularly if it’s a complicated business set up.

“A sounding board is vital – it may even be a friend or

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sing asset value and minimising stress

e, repent at leisure It’s good to talk Exiting the industry could well be the last resort for some businesses, after a long struggle in an increasingly volatile market place. And some producers may feel that they’ve been defeated or have failed in some way. Many, particularly those who are forced to give up dairying due to financial pressures, will undoubtedly be suffering from the stress and strain that comes from running a struggling business and then being faced with winding it down. Having someone to talk to, who truly understands what you’re going through, can be a huge help.

The Farming Community Network (FCN) has strong and established links with the farming community and agriculture throughout England and Wales. Its volunteers are all farmers, or are associated with farming, and understand the problems facing agriculture today.

The people at FCN know how interconnected the farm business and household are and have helped thousands of farmers with business, family or health problems.

If you’d like to talk to someone, in confidence, call 03000 111999 or email chris@fcn.org.uk.

someone else outside the business. But it’s important to talk – and not only about planning an exit, but also what you’re going to do next. That may be retirement or it may be an alternative career. Stress is a big factor too, so don’t be afraid to talk to someone – like the Farm Community Network – if you’re struggling.”

When it comes to the financial ‘nitty gritty’, accountants are best placed to help producers to minimise their tax liability and land agents should offer advice on when is the best time – and how – to give up rented land or a tenancy. And when is the best time of the Charles Holt: ‘‘Talk to your family year to sell. and advisors and ‘take everyone Mr Holt remembers a client with you’” who sold his herd and moved to arable production.

“He instructed his land agent to negotiate with his landlord re his tenancy and got a decent pay out to leave the farm – more than he anticipated – because he had a secured tenancy agreement with quite a long time left to run.

His son didn’t want to take on the herd and he decided to sell up.

“An agent will be aggressive, more than a sitting tenant

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would be, in their negotiations. But they are also fair. You are more likely to get a better deal if you get a professional involved and it will certainly be money well spent.”

Future plans Mrs Thompsons adds that timing will depend on several factors: “The aim is to maximise the value of all the assets being sold, including the cows. So talk to auctioneers early in the process to decide when it is best to sell the cows.

“For a block calving herd it may make sense to sell them as dry cows, or it may be better to sell as fresh calvers. Do you want a whole-herd dispersal or to draft cows out during an extended period?”

Timing will also depend on whether the producer is a farm owner or a tenant.

She stresses the importance of checking the tenancy agreement as this will specify both the notice period and specific dates on which a tenancy can be terminated. For owners, there are issues about selling the land or developing other enterprises.

“Once you know when you can quit, you can plan back from there. It makes sense to sell the stock around a month before you are due to leave the farm, because this gives you a few weeks to tidy up and sell machinery and so on. It also adds some slack in case of unanticipated events. If the tenancy ends at the end of September, for example, then consider selling the cows in July.”

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Mr Holt says that timing will very much depend on the individual system – what’s appropriate for a more extensive set up may not be what’s best for a more intensively managed herd. And if you’re a farm owner then timing will also differ compared to tenant producers. There could be a little more flexibility. It may be that you’re staying on the farm and it’s a matter of selling the herd, young stock and any dairy equipment, fixtures and fittings.”

Be prepared Mr Holt says that preparation is key, whatever set up and system you’re ‘winding down’. With regards to the cows, there needs to be a final day – a day when you sell them all and milking stops. And the farm/equipment sale can be held after that, once the livestock have left the unit.”

As part of the planning process, Mrs Thompson says that it is also essential to decide on what life will look like after farming. “Decisions will need to be made on where you will live and, potentially, on a new career. It can be all too easy to get wrapped up in winding up the herd and to lose focus on what comes next.

But it is vital to sort out your own future home and what your next career move will be. It is essential to be realistic about the income you’ll need.

“In farming businesses a significant proportion of living costs, such as running a vehicle, electricity, water,

council tax and so on, are carried by the business. Once the business is sold they will need to be funded from income.

Well-structured plan “If you’re looking to buy a house, what proportion of the released capital will be invested in bricks and mortar and when will it be available? Will a short-term loan be required or will you rent shortterm until funds are released?”

Mrs Thompson believes that a wellstructured plan can play a crucial role in ensuring that all angles are covered and that any unexpected issues can be accommodated. “As part of the plan, make sure the business’ advisors are involved. While a consultant can help develop the plan itself and the required budgets, it will be important to keep the bank involved so they are aware of how loans, for example, will be repaid.”

“The accountant will also have a major role to play, looking at all the tax implications and tax planning to ensure the maximum proportion of the released capital is retained.”

“Once the plan is developed stick to it, but be prepared to react as circumstances develop. The advantage of a well thought out plan, which is supported and understood by all the stakeholders, is that everyone has a shared vision and deviations from the plan can be costed. There shouldn’t be any nasty surprises.” l

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O V E R A L L S

Name: Location: Herd size: Hobby:

O F F

John Dale Capel, Surrey 220 cows Military tank enthusiast

John Dale: “Sitting inside a tank is surreal – and sometimes a little sad”

Tank collector text Rachael Porter

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esearching his family tree and discovering that his great uncle, twice removed, was the first British officer to be killed in a tank battle, at Villers-Bretonneux in the Somme in northern France in 1918, is what fired John Dale’s imagination and his passion for military vehicles. “I’d always been interested in them, and in military history, but I’d never thought about buying one.

“In 1998 we visited France and the cemetery where there’s a simple wooden cross bearing my uncle’s name. By coincidence, we were there exactly 80 years to the day he died. It had a profound effect on me,” says John, adding that when he returned home his fascination with military vehicles grew.

Today he has two tanks – a WWII Russian T34, which was built in 1944, and a T55, a larger model that was built in the 1970s.

There are five other ‘jointly owned’ tanks at his Capel-based unit, which is also home to his family-run 220-cow dairy herd.

When he’s not managing the herd, you’ll find him tinkering with a tank, or any of the other military vehicles in his collection. He’s also the proud owner of a 1943 US GMC truck, a 1952 Austin Rolls Royce Champ, and a 1942 BSA motorcycle.

His latest project is a 10-tonne four-inch Navy gun. “This is mounted on a trailer so you can move it around and fire it.”

There’s a point to John’s passion – it’s not just a hobby to give him a break from the day-to-day pressures of managing the dairy business. He organises an annual charity military vehicle rally, which has been held at the farm for the past five years.

And 2016 saw 200 vehicles and 6,000 people taking part. He takes a week off prior to the event each year, which raises funds for military charities, including Help for Heroes and other local organisations.

The vehicles spend most of the year ‘dotted’ around the unit: “I like seeing them around the place – some are in sheds and others are outside – and the cows are undeterred!”

John has also been on TV in the first tank he ever bought – a 1968 British 432. “It was painted pink for a scene in the BBC series Ashes to Ashes, and I had to drive it over a car and crush it. That’s not as easy to do as it sounds – there was a lot of planning involved. But it was a great experience and good fun.”

John’s favourite tank is the T34 and he says it’s ‘surreal’ to sit in it: “And also a little sad. It certainly helps me to get some perspective on life and work. And it’s pure escapism.

“It’s vital to spend time and have thinking space away from dairying. And I mean right away from it – not at the pub or a farmer meeting ‘talking shop’.”

John’s next charity event will be held on July 1 and 2. To find out more visit: https://www.capel-military-vehicle-show.com

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Investing in processing to help secure dairying future for Isle of Wight-based Guernsey herd

Paul Griffin This family-run dairy unit has diversified to survive and a new on-farm processing plant should increase profitability and futureproof the business Herd size: Average milk yield: Processing target: Customer numbers:

Bottling to bolster business’ future One Isle of Wight-based dairy business is working hard to add Isle of Wight

value to its milk in a bid to mitigate the on-going volatility faced

140 cows (70 followers) 7,000 litres (5% butterfat) 100% 50,000 per year

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t’s a hive of activity when you drive into the yard at Briddlesford Lodge Farm, near Wootton Common, on the Isle of Wight. Not least due to the building work to add the finishing touches to the new bottling and processing plant, that’s been under construction for the past 12 months.

“We’re almost there – we’re just waiting for the filling line,” says partner in the farming business Paul Griffin, who’s charged with running the dairy herd and on-farm processing at the unit.

“We should be bottling milk in the new factory by May – or at least that’s the plan.”

He’s the fourth generation of his family to run the 140-cow Guernsey herd, plus 70 followers, at the unit. Cow numbers have been increasing slowly from 70 cows back in the 1990s, after a new cow house was built to facilitate expansion.

And that’s not been the only investment.

The old cow house has been transformed into a café and, opposite that, another barn has been converted into a farm shop, selling Briddlesford Farm Dairy’s milk, clotted cream and cheese.

by all UK producers. We visited one of the Island’s pedigree Guernsey herds to find out more. text Rachael Porter

butter and cream. It’s about adding value and expanding our capacity to do that. The new bottling facilities have

been in the pipeline for a while. So it’s exciting to finally have them up and running. We want to process more of

Grazing Guernseys: Paul is the fourth generation of his family to milk cows at Wootton Common

Adding value “We’re now taking on-farm processing to the next level,” explains Paul. “We felt that moving into bottling milk on a larger scale was more economically viable. And we’ve also started to make cheese – a Haloumi-type and a Cheddar – as well as cream and butter.

“About half the milk we process will be liquid and the other half will be cheese,

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our own milk, rather than selling it to a buyer.”

Most of the milk produced by the island’s 10 dairy herds is bought by Arla and Medina and is destined for supermarket shelves on the mainland. “And that leaves producers wide open to market fluctuations,” says Paul. “We hope to mitigate some of that and to also add some extra value to our milk.”

Indeed, the processing plant will ‘buy’ milk from the herd at around 35ppl – considerably more than the price currently paid for milk taken by Paul’s current buyer. “But it’s not just about the price – it’s also about taking back control and adding a bit of stability to the business.”

A2 milk The herd at Wootton Common has always been Guernsey. There’s a small ‘museum’ on the farm yard that visitors can explore for free, which comprises old farm implements and machinery, some old photographs of Paul’s ancestors, as well as some of the founding Guernsey

Popular destination: the farm shop and café attract 50,000 visitors each year

Dairy produce: the Briddlesford brand is already popular on the island

cows. “We’re keeping up a tradition with the Guernseys, but the breed also suits our farm and system,” says Paul, adding that the breed has a placid temperament and they’re easy to work with. Guernsey milk certainly lends itself to processing – particularly cream and cheese. And

Gold Top milk, of course. “It’s also A2 milk, which is another string to our marketing bow.”

Paul says that it’s particularly easy to select A2 sires to use on his herd because the A2 gene is prevalent in the Guernsey breed. And he tests all his heifers for the gene.

“We’ve been able to breed for a predominantly A2 herd pretty quickly.

We’ve been taking this route for six years now and progress has been rapid.

We’ve been using A2A2 sires on A2A2 females and most our herd is now A2A2 – just a few of the older girls are A1. That said, we are now in a position where we can say that we produce A2A2 milk and our poly bottles are labelled as such.”

Local markets Milk from the herd is sold direct to shops and cafés on the island, as well as the Co-op supermarket. “Eventually we want to be processing 100% of our milk on farm – that’s our target. There are a few hurdles to jump, but I’d like to think we’ll be doing that in a year. We could even supply milk to customers off the island – there’s nothing to stop us.

I think ‘Isle of Wight’ milk has a market both here on the island and off it. I think it could ‘stand up’ anywhere.”

Paul says that he’s lucky in some respects. “Inputs that need to be imported to the island, such as feed and fertiliser, can be more expensive for IOW producers, compared to those on the mainland. But the island also gives us a niche – the milk we produce here is IOW milk.”

Cows calve all year round, but there are larger summer and autumn blocks.

Average yield for the NMR-recorded herd

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Adding value: bull calves from the herd are reared, on farm, for veal

is 7,000 litres at 5.0% butterfat and 3.8% protein, with a somatic cell count of less than 200,000 cells/ml. “We’re aiming for a level supply of milk throughout the year, particularly now we’re planning to process most our milk,” says Paul.

Family-run business He manages the herd with help from his mother and father – Judi and Richard.

Paul’s wife Christine runs the café and his sister Louise manages the farm shop.

“The shop is an important outlet for our milk and dairy produce and around 50,000 people visit us each year.”

Indeed, Paul says that all the different aspects of the business are crucial to its survival: “The shop and café wouldn’t exist without the farm and I think the dairy herd would struggle without the shop and the café.

“They add value to our milk, raise our profile and bring in an essential stream of additional income.”

The herd is managed on a conventional TMR-based system, with cows housed

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during the winter and out at grass from early spring.

“We like to produce as much milk from grass as possible, but run them on a fairly high input system. Guernseys can be slightly more difficult to get in calf compared to other breeds and it’s essential to minimise the negative energy balance that follows calving and avoid fluctuations in body condition score throughout their lactation.”

Turn out is typically in late March or early April: “As early as possible. This is important if we’re to make the most of grazing because it all tends to dry up come July, which is when we start buffer feeding. Cows stay out until October or November, depending on ground conditions and the weather.

Three cuts of grass silage are taken each year, from the unit’s 89 hectares, which are predominantly down to permanent pasture.

Paul also grows 18 hectares of forage maize, although he plans to split this and grow nine hectares of maize

and nine hectares of wheat for whole cropping this year.

Veal calves All bull calves from the herd as reared on farm for veal, which is sold through the farm shop and restaurant. “And we sell one or two breeding bulls each year too.” As well as the family, the business employs two part-time staff: “There are always two people working on the farm at any one time,” says Paul.

More staff could be on the cards, once the new processing plant its up and running: “And we’re also looking at continuing to expand cow numbers – we have the space to do that.

“But, for now, our focus is on the processing side – getting that new plant up and running and firming up our place in the market. “We may also look at adding other dairy products, such as ice cream, to our range in the future.

Guernsey milk makes superb ice cream.

Then we’ll take a step back and look at the herd again.” l

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H E A LT H

Advanced activity-generated data on tap

Stepping ahead with cow care Producers can now take advantage of more advanced data, generated by activity tags, for health and fertility monitoring.

Used to the full, this information can keep producers and vets a step ahead, particularly in larger herds where these developments take individual-cow management to a new level. text Karen Wright

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icking up changes in movement through activity tags on collars has proved its worth on many units. Used properly, it out-performs ‘walk and chalk’ systems. Remotely accessing data gives producers 24/7 coverage of the cow yards and, as herds get larger and labour is more challenged, these systems prove their worth even more.

The technology has moved on now. The latest generation of collar tags can pick up advanced cow behaviour, including rumination patterns. “Undoubtedly, this technology is beneficial,” says north west-based dairy vet Den Leonard, of Lambert, Leonard and May, who has

Activity collars: an invaluable extra management device

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dairy clients successfully using activity collars as part of their heat detection and fertility management. “It’s not a replacement for good stock management, but it’s an invaluable extra device.

“We don’t have many herds of 50 cows that are still milked through an abreast parlour and known by first names – that’s rare these days. And in many herds, time is the limiting factor. Yet good stockmanship is vital across the whole herd,” he says.

Early warning When it comes to heat detection, activity collars complement the watchful eye of good staff who may be working among the cows. But changes in rumination activity isn’t something that staff would normally pick up. “Fluctuations here are an early sign that things aren’t quite right,” says Mr Leonard, admitting that there’s a lot of information here that can be picked up and turned to good use, subject to accurate interpretation.

“Yes, a fall in rumination is an early warning signal that the cow may be unwell. But a trained eye reviewing the data regularly will pick up changes in a cow’s pattern and in groups of cows.

Monitoring times taken to recover normal rumination patterns and intake levels in key periods in the cow’s lactation, like immediately post calving, are equally valuable if detected through this technology.”

He sees real benefits in these advanced collar tags in dairy herds, particularly where the vet or adviser is fully involved.

Activity collar tags: data must be reliable, accurate and accessible

“Ensuring that you use the captured data is critical,” he adds, acknowledging that the value will hang on regularly reviewing the information. “By both farm staff and veterinary technicians, who can pick up deviations from the norm and know when and where veterinary input is needed.

“This makes sure that actions are timely and that production losses are minimised through more proactive cow care.”

Advanced management The immediate ‘call to action’ on rumination patterns, as well as movement activity, is now being offered through SCR Heatime’s latest developments. The company uses an advanced tag that fits on a collar and records the time that the cow spends ruminating – typically between 450 and 500 minutes a day or more depending on her ration – along with her movement activity,” says SCR Heatime’s Nick Pitkin. “The increased volume of data from this new tag, and its reliability demonstrated in trials, opens the door to more advanced cow management.”

He admits that the value of this data lies beyond recording. “It needs to be

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reliable, accessible and interactive,” he adds.

SCR Heatime continues to rely on an aerial and radio waves for relaying data from the tags to the terminal – that might be in the parlour or cow house.

Information is picked up continuously if the cow is within 100m side to side or 500m in front of the aerial. Otherwise the data is stored in the tag for 24 hours and will transmit as the cow passes the aerial. Relying on radio waves overcomes any problems with intermittent broadband signals.

Data flow However, once stored in the terminal, the data can be sent via the Internet to mobile devices or the farm PC. Likewise cow data, such as NMR records that are managed on the dairy recording system Uniform Agri, can be transferred to the SCR Heatime device along with event data. “This can be added via the PC or, conveniently, through a dedicated mobile phone app,” adds Mr Pitkin.

This extended data flow has allowed producer-friendly reports to be generated, as well as the sharing of data with third parties.

“This is invaluable as producers gain confidence in the system and in developing the usefulness of the rumination data. It’s a whole new arena.

With heat detection, producers know to expect a cow to come into heat in many cases and the data confirms this. A blip in rumination patterns and recovery pattern for an individual and for groups of cows is a bit more complex if used to its full potential.”

One example is a where a fall in rumination was detected, by the system, in a group of cows that appeared well and at that point there wasn’t a drop in production. “But the latest silage analysis test revealed that a new clamp of silage, started on the same day as the data was generated, was particularly low quality.

“Milk yields would have dropped within a few days, but the data flagged up the problem early and the ration was adjusted. This highlights the benefits of the rumination data and its usefulness beyond rationing.

“When justifying advanced activity tags, it takes just two or three early warnings and good data interpretation to warrant the investment.” l

More data on board Recording, interpreting and making good use of data should add to the bottom line and incorporating new information, such as rumination patterns, is the next step forward in cow management.

“Individual cow management has always been core to the progress of any dairy herd,” says NMR director Jonathan Davies. “Adding rumination data is a step forward, but incorporating it with other data on individual cows means that real progress can be made when it comes to breeding a healthier, fertile and more profitable herd.”

NMR’s Jonathan Davies

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Award-winning columnist and Shropshire-based producer Roger Evans is fed up with politicians talking about what may, or may not, happen post Brexit. And wonders if he should start wearing shorts.

Brexit bull**** I

t seems there’s not a week goes by when there isn’t a conference or meeting somewhere to discuss Brexit and its likely impact on UK agriculture.

What a complete waste of time. There’s absolutely no point in looking for answers that don’t exist. Even if Theresa May invited you to a oneto-one meeting at No 10 (which might be an interesting experience), it would still be a waste of time because even she doesn’t have the answers you seek and is unlikely to have them for some time.

That doesn’t stop the politicians. They have nothing to say but it doesn’t stop them talking. I went to a meeting once that was so terrible, it reminds me of those politicians. I didn’t speak once.

Afterwards the chairman came up and said: “You didn’t have much to say today, Roger.” I replied: “Neither did any of the others.”

Why listen to politicians? They are a bit like the jukebox in our pub.

No one listens to it because it’s full of crap records. Politicians are part of an industry that generates a lot of hot air, and they’ve never been so busy. It took a business man to bring a sensible response to the Brexit question. He used few words, but they said so much.

He spoke when the takeover of Vauxhall by Citroen/Peugeot was announced. I can’t remember the chief executive’s name, but I can remember what he said. He was asked about the future of the Vauxhall workers post Brexit. This is almost exactly the same question that those of us facing the end of agricultural support are asking. His answer was simplicity itself. He said: “If their performance is excellent, they have nothing to worry about.” Compared with all the vague talk that we get from politicians, his ‘one liner’ spoke volumes.

What he also said, though he didn’t need to say it, was if your performance is not excellent then start worrying. What he said mirrors the message for UK agriculture. My own guess, which is as likely to be as right as anyone else’s, is that if your business needs support, then that support is almost certain to be linked to environmental benefits. It’s a great message for politicians. “We stopped farmers destroying the environment and saved you money.”

They know that you will probably produce less food, but they are not too bothered about that because they have already committed to buying lots of food with all those trade deals they are signing around the world. What you do need to watch out for is the growing number of politicians that find the ‘New Zealand’ solutions attractive.

They are quite taken with the idea of casting UK farming adrift without any support at all and letting it fend for itself. You can just imagine it: “Look at all the money we’ve saved you now.” There’s little points of detail, like the fact that it’s easier to cut costs to the bone if grass grows all year round. No sheds needed, little silage to make, no muck to store or cart out. And detail like the fact that 50% of our milk goes onto shelves and is in demand all year around. But they haven’t got time for detail, they are busy with the big picture.

We’ll probably get a pick-and-mix solution. You’ll either have to look for a job in a Vauxhall factory, or you’ll need to start wearing shorts.

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Water troughs: low- and no-cost solutions to improve intakes. Page 24 Renovation tips: how to make the most of a limited budget. Page 26

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Low-cost investment can quench your herd’s thirst

Bottoms up!

Water is vital to efficient milk production and can be a limiting factor on some diary units – whatever the time of year.

We offer some tips on maximising intakes. text Rachael Porter

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ater – and water troughs – are often overlooked on many dairy units, which is startling when you think that drinking water is a vital part of the dairy ration when it comes to driving milk production and efficiency. So says AHDB Dairy’s David Ball, who adds that with the tremendous scope for improvement comes a myriad of lost-cost options that can make a huge difference to water intakes and cow performance.

“The most common issue that I see on farm – and the least cost to rectify – is dirty troughs,” he says. “Many troughs are simply not cleaned

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regularly or thoroughly enough and the water becomes stale and dirty. Cows are messy eaters and drinkers. They put their mouths in the trough, along with bits of their ration and plenty of slobber, and this congeals and contaminates the water.”

Water consumption A cow will drink between three and four times her daily milk yield in water. A 30-litre cow, for example, will drink up to 120 litres of water a day. “If the water on offer is stale and unappetising, then her intake will be compromised.”

So, for this reason, Mr Ball likes to see

troughs that are easy to clean. “If it’s an easy job, they’re more likely to be cleaned regularly. If it’s a time consuming and unpleasant job, it’s likely to get left,” he says, adding that tipping troughs are the ultimate answer, or troughs with a large bung in the bottom so water can quickly drain away.

“The worst offenders are the traditional fixed, deep and heavy concrete troughs and very large plastic ones. They’re difficult to drain and clean and, as a result, it doesn’t happen very often.”

He recommends a simple to check cleanliness: “Take a drinking glass and dip some water from your cattle drinking trough and look at it. Would you drink it? For the really ambitious, thoroughly stir the water in the trough first, then take a glassful. Is that clean enough to drink?”

Water flow rate is important too.

Troughs must fill up quickly and keep pace with the speed that cows drink – about 20 litres per minute. “Keeping up

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crucial. It’s no good having the correct trough dimensions and enough space for each cow if the trough is empty and takes a long time to refill.”

Timid cows

David Ball: “Fill rate is crucial if cows are to optimise their water intake”

with the cows may require a pump system and storage tank to be installed , costing between £2,000 and £3,000 – depending on the set up. It could, of course, be less than that. But, whatever the investment, it will be money well spent.”

Water trough depth need only be between 150mm and 300mm if flow rate is adequate. This reduces the volume of water that gets contaminated and dumped during cleaning. And there should be, at least, 100mm of water trough length per cow. “But fill rate is

Mr Ball also likes to see at least two troughs per shed: “So that the timid cows have the option to drink at another trough, away from any ‘bully’ cows. And where the troughs are sited is key too.

There should be plenty of space around them so cows that are drinking don’t block the passage of other cows. Again, cows that are lower down in the pecking order may be reluctant to drink if they think they’re going to be intimidated by more dominant herd mates.”

So investing in a second trough – or re-siting existing facilities – could also be money well spent. “Just spend some time watching your herd’s drinking behaviour and see if you can identify any ‘bottle necks’ that are limiting their access.

“Water, like feed, really is vital to productivity and health. And minor, low-cost adjustments can make a huge difference.” l

Water troughs – on a tight budget Providing sufficient fresh drinking water when cows are out at grass can be a costly business – particularly when paddock grazing.

But Staffordshire-based producer Giles Bristol has adopted a novel solution – something he saw on a dairy unit in Cumbria five years ago. And he’s says it not only ensures that his cows are well watered when harvesting grass on his extensively managed unit, but it has also saved him thousands of pounds.

“Installing traditional troughs and pipes can be expensive, so I was IBC solution: low-cost water trough

looking for a low-cost option without compromising on performance,” explains Giles, adding that ensuring that his 150-cow herd has access to plenty of drinking water at grazing is vital.

His ingenious solution is a 1,000-litre IBC (intermediate bulk container) tank, which he says can be picked up for free. “I then spend five minutes with an angle grinder, taking the top off. The fittings and ball cock cost about £18 per tank and I just plumb them into the pipeline out in the field.

Once the top is off, these have capacity for about 750 litres of water.

“I have about 30 on my unit now – mostly out in the paddocks, but I do have a few indoors too. I’m also getting to the point, since pushing up cow numbers, where I probably need to install two in each paddock. Cows are social creatures – they like to drink as a herd – so making sure there’s plenty of trough space, enough for at least 10% of the herd to drink at any one time, is vital. It’s good to have a low-cost but effective solution to what could otherwise be a significant outlay.”

Emily and Giles Bristol

Giles, who farms in partnership with his wife Emily, says that many visitors to his unit have since adopted the idea and are equally pleased with the minimum outlay and the results.

“The IBCs weather well. I have had the occasional one crack, after several years of use. I think the sunlight can make the plastic brittle. But they’re free – I can easily replace any that break. I can hardly complain about that.”

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Make a tight budget for cow-house renovations go further this summer

Room for improvement?

Empty cow houses are ripe for renovation – even on a tight budget. And it’s often the small details and inexpensive upgrades that can make all the difference, when it comes to increasing cow comfort, health and efficiency. We spoke to two dairy specialists to find out more. text Rachael Porter

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F

eed is the key driver for productivity and how it’s fed to the herd – and access to it – is just as vital as careful formulation. “But facilities in many cow houses are still holding herds back,” says Promar’s senior consultant Paul Henman. He adds that poor or inadequate access to feed can create a ‘bottle neck’ in many dairy systems.

“Feed troughs are a good place to start – I still see units that don’t have enough trough space, particularly where cows are housed in older buildings that have been reconfigured or extended to accommodate more cows. There’s a lot of thought that goes into providing enough cubicle spaces, with optimal dimensions, but feed trough space can sometimes be lacking.”

The good news is that it can be relatively simple and low cost to rectify – and producers will quickly see a return on their investment.

“If cows are to have true ad-lib access to feed then there needs to be a minimum of 450mm of trough length per cow. If there’s not enough space, there are options to add more. Existing troughs

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Paul Henman: “Ensuring there’s enough feed trough space is a good place to start”

Hefin Richards: “Look out for any signs of rubbing on cows’ necks”

could be lengthened or, where that’s not possible, a ring feeder could be added,” says Mr Henman.

Profeed Nutrition Consultancy’s Hefin Richards agrees: “If feed space is limited, particularly in buildings that have been adapted to create cubicle space for expanding herds, then a feed passage for the tractor and mixer wagon is a bit of a luxury. You may be able to put a single and a double trough in the passageways and add some gates to keep the cows out of the way when you’re feeding up. It can result in a 50% increase in feed space for very little investment. Using pre-cast concrete troughs is a flexible option. They can then be moved and used somewhere else on the unit if the layout of the cow house needs to change again.”

Mr Richards. “Look out for any signs of rubbing on cows’ necks, which could indicate that rails need to be moved upwards, forwards or both. And make sure that edges are curved – not straight or flattened – if you want to maximise cow comfort and, therefore, intakes.”

Mr Henman is keen to remind producers about pushing up the ration too. “It doesn’t get any more ‘low cost’ than investing in a feed pusher and making sure that someone is pushing the feed up to the fence or barrier regularly throughout the day.”

The surface of the feed trough is important too: “It needs to be smooth and easy to clean,” says Mr Henman.

“Producers who I’ve seen upgrading their feed troughs are adding resins, which you pour into the trough and then allow to set. Or smooth plastic sheets.

“Providing enough feed space is more important, but if your troughs are rough then it is a good idea. If they are easier to clean out there’s less risk of stale ration in there that could potentially contaminate fresh feed.”

“Cows do prefer to eat off a smooth surface,” adds Mr Richards. “As they eat,

Ad-lib access Once you’ve checked that there is enough trough space, it’s important to make sure that these troughs are easy to access and feed from. Providing enough space is futile without true ad-lib access.

“So check that neck rails are straight and smooth. Bent rails will curtail access and create cow comfort issues,” says

Building ‘bottle necks’ check list • Feed troughs – space per cow, accessibility and condition of troughs.

• Water troughs – space per cow (100mm/cow minimum), accessibility (at least two per building), cleanliness/ easy to clean, water flow rate, water temperature.

• Rubber flooring – areas where cows stand for long periods, parlour exits and the end of passageways.

• Ventilation – smoke-bomb test when livestock are in the building, open

ridges/sides of building to improve airflow, add a positive pressure ventilation system if required.

• Lighting – the cost of energy-efficient LEDs has fallen considerably. High LUX lighting can help to improve herd fertility.

• Footbaths – are they in the best place for daily use without comprising cow flow? En route from the parlour exit is often the best place to site a footbath.

they scoop feed off the bottom of the trough, or floor, with their tongue. If it’s rough, it’s abrasive and, due to its pitted surface, dirty. If it’s smooth, it’s clean.”

He says that the ‘gold standard’ is a poured resin coating. “It’s more expensive and it’s a two-day job, at least.

The troughs first need to be cleaned and pressure washed before being left to dry.

Only then can the resin be poured and left to set. It’s definitely a job for when the cows are out at grass.”

The results of investing in resin coatings or plastic boards will vary from unit to unit and depend on how rough the trough surface was in the first place.

“But there will be benefits. It’s about identifying what the bottle necks are on your unit and which ones need to be dealt with first. Providing enough space and making sure that there is always easily accessible feed in front of all cow is number one. Providing a smooth trough surface is secondary.”

He adds that attention to detail, when it comes to feed troughs and other cow house facilities, is very much about accommodating the timid animals in the herd – usually heifers, fresh or sick cows. “The dominant cows will be fine – they’ll cope with the bottle necks. It’s all about protecting the bottom end of the pecking order. That means making it easy for them to move around, eat and drink. Any improvement you make will, invariably, have the greatest impact on the most vulnerable cows in your herd.

Look after them and you’re looking after all your cows.”

Investment ideas Other potential low-cost improvements, requiring investments of less than £5,000, include footbaths, lighting and ventilation. Rubber matting – just fitted in key areas to keep costs to a minimum – is another low-cost renovation project that can really make a difference to cow health and welfare. “Running it through and at the parlour exits, as well as other ‘turning’ areas in the cow house, can make a huge difference when it comes to preventing lameness,” says Mr Henman.

Laid rubber costs between £25 and £30 per square metre. “It’s not cheap, but strategic use in areas that are known to put pressure on cows’ feet can go a long way to protecting hooves and reducing the incidence of lameness. And, if it’s fitted well, it will last for many years.

I definitely think that would be money well spent on many dairy units.” l

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B R E E D I N G

Selection indices offer real financial gains

True benefit of breeding values The top 25% of cows ranked for Better Life Health register a third-lactation somatic cell count that’s 75,000 cells/ml lower than herds scoring in the bottom 25% for the breeding value.

And there are other benefits to using breeding indices. text Inge van Drie

W

hat is the true benefit of breeding for better health? Dutch breeding organisation CRV asked student Eva Koole to compare the genomic breeding values for Better Life Health and Efficiency of more than 61,000 cows with their actual performance. Her conclusion?

The top 25% cows for Efficiency realised a lifetime production that was 13,000kg higher and lactation value increased by 16 points.

With his breeding value of +2,117 for kilogrammes of milk, sire Skalsumer Blitz leaves little room for doubt that his daughters are milk producers. It’s a different picture for Ganvo Alexander, however, who registers a breeding value

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of –244kg for milk. Most producers won’t be surprised to hear that his female progeny produce less milk on average than Blitz’s.

The effect of breeding on milk soon becomes obvious in actual practice. But it is more difficult to see this link when comprehensive indices are used.

For example: how much better do daughters of a sire with 300 NVI perform, as opposed to one with 50 NVI? This was the issue CRV was confronted with when using the breeding figures for Better Life Health and Better Life Efficiency (see box). Delta Atlantic, for instance, scores +10% for Better Life Health (BLH). But what does that mean

Sander de Roos: “Using these indicators can make a difference to health and efficiency”

for his progeny, in practice? How do they score compared with Skalsumer Blitz’s daughters with –3% for BLH? “We want producers to understand what these numbers could mean for their herd,” says CRV’s Sander de Roos. “The question is how much better do cows perform when they have higher Better Life scores.”

Data analysis Eva Koole, a student at Van Hall Larenstein College near Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, tackled this question as part of her dissertation. She was given access to data on more than 61,000 cows belonging to 284 Dutch and Flemish producers, who were participating in the Breeding Data Plus programme.

Genomic breeding values were available for all these cows, as well as actual performance relating to milk yield, fertility, udder and hoof health.

For her research Miss Koole initially divided the cows into four groups based

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Using efficiency and health indexes makes economic sense The Better Life indicators – Efficiency and Health – promise efficient and problem-free cows, according to research carried out by Eva Koole.

Better Life Efficiency As a ‘rule of thumb’ for lifetime production, each 1% improvement of Better Life Efficiency in the herd results in additional lifetime production of 1,500kg.

The best 25% of animals have: • 13,086kg higher lifetime production • 2,047kg higher milk production • an extra 146kg of fat and protein.

on their genomic breeding value for Better Life Efficiency (BLE). The lowest scoring group for BLE registered an average of –4.4%. The best 25% ended up at +4.8% on average. Next she calculated the average actual performance for all four groups, for traits that count towards Better Life Efficiency such as milk yield, longevity and calving interval.

The 25% of cows with the highest BLE score performed better in all areas compare to the 25% of cows with the lowest BLE score. The lowest BLE group for lifetime production scores just above 29,000kg of milk, as opposed to 42,000kg of milk for the highest BLE group – a difference of 13,000kg.

The differences in milk yield are significant as well: the best BLE group produce more than 11,200kg of milk during the third 305-day lactation – that’s 2,000kg more than the lowest

Better Life Health Selecting bulls for Better Life Health will result in easy-to-manage cows, particularly in terms of their health and fertility, which will also increase the average age of your herd.

The best 25% of animals have: • 26-day shorter calving interval • 39% lower incidence of sub-clinical mastitis • 23% fewer cases of lameness • 57% lower incidence of ketosis • 55% fewer stillborn calves.

group. And the number of lactation days of the highest scoring cows was significantly higher: 1,333 compared to 1,061, a difference of 272 days.

As far as lactation value is concerned, Miss Koole found a difference of almost 16 points between the highest and lowest groups. So, what does she make of these results? “It makes sense that the group with the highest BLE registers a higher milk yield and improved longevity,” she says. “Production and life span carry a lot of weight in Better Life Efficiency. But, that said, I never expected the differences to be this significant.”

Stronger feet Calving interval was the only trait where the lower BLE group scored higher. The bottom 25% had a calving interval of 405 days, as opposed to 420 for the top BLE group. Sander de Roos is not surprised: “Producers tend to wait longer before inseminating cows with a higher milk yield. And cows that produce a lot of milk tend to be less fertile.”

Miss Koole used the same method for Better Life Health. She divided the Eva Koole: “Calving interval is 25 days shorter for cows with top Better Life Health scores”

cows into four groups again, based on their genomic breeding value for BLH. And she discovered that the actual performance of cows improved as their BLH score increased (see Table 2). “On average, the somatic cell count for the first three lactations was between 35,000 and 75,000 cells/ml lower in the top group. Their incidence of subclinical mastitis was 20% lower than that of the bottom group,” she says.

Miss Koole also found that the incidence of lameness was 15% lower in the top group, and that the number of live-born calves at first calving increased by 10%.

“And the calving interval during the first three lactations was 25 days lower in the top BLH group, compared with the bottom,” she adds.

Breeding influence Finally, Miss Koole also investigated whether there is a correlation between BLE and BLH. Does high efficiency in cows come at the expense of their health? “No, is the emphatic answer.

The 25% of cows with the highest score for BLE also registered the highest score for BLH. And the healthiest group of cows also has the highest score for efficiency.”

“These conclusions make sense,” says Mr de Roos. “Healthy cows produce milk more easily and have a longer life. And cows can only produce efficiently when they are healthy.”

He is pleased with the research results.

“Every single table demonstrates that you can achieve a great deal through breeding. Based on these figures, we can conclude that there are significant differences within herds with regards to efficiency and health. By making selections based on these indicators, producers can clearly make a difference to cow health and efficiency.” l

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FORAGE FOCUS

Close-up diet key to colostrum quality and calf growth Open swards reduce productivity

Calf health and growth: feeding good quality colostrum at birth is vital

A recent study looking at colostrum feeding, immunity and calf weight found that a high percentage of calves were not receiving enough quality colostrum. Additional data collected on transition cow diets on the same farms also found a strong link between the quality and quantity of colostrum fed and the diet in the close-up transition period.

The study, involving 20 farms across the country, collected data on the quality and quantity of colostrum fed, as well as the timing of feedings, calf weight at birth and then from six to 98 days, as well as the forage and TMR composition of the close-up diet. The results showed that 15% of the calves had low immunity due to the failure of passive transfer via the colostrum, and 36% of calves had poor immunity because they weren’t receiving high enough quality, or adequate quantities of colostrum.

Calves with lower functioning immune Figure 1: Immunity of calves 45 40

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systems cannot achieve their full growth potential and the new-born calf can only receive immunity through high quality colostrum fed in the right amount at the right time.

The work revealed that 55% of calves were fed less than three litres in their first colostrum feed, way below the goal of between five and eight litres of high quality colostrum. Results also revealed that more than a quarter of colostrum that was fed to calves was of poor quality and not sufficient to supply calves with the high immunoglobulins (IgGs) needed for good immunity.

The cow needs to be producing enough high quality colostrum to provide for the calf, and the second half of the study looked to the close-up transition diet for answers. Calves from cows with less than 12% crude protein (CP) in their close-up diet had a higher risk of failure of passive transfer of IgG. With adequate CP in the close-up diet, calves have a higher blood serum IgG and therefore higher immunity.

Healthy calves with low disease incidences (less than 10% incidence of diarrhoea and lung problems) and mortality (less than 6% calf mortality) not only reduce costs but have a much lower labour requirement. Calves with healthy immune systems are faster growing heifers, resulting in reduced aged at first calving and higher lifetime performance, make economic sense and help to improve business sustainability. For more information, and to find out how your calves can perform at this level contact your local ForFarmers’ young stock specialist.

Overseeding is good practice to both maintain and improve the physical and nutritional quality of medium and long-term swards.

So says ForFarmers’ seeds product manager Mel Digger.

Overseeding will quickly prevent any weeds and unsown species from becoming established when swards become open, improving the productivity by increasing both yield and quality.

“The loss of one tonne of dry matter per hectare, at 11MJ/kg DM, equates to 11,000 MJ/ha which is more than 2,000 litres of milk per hectare.”

Overseeding swards with ForFarmers’ Leybooster mixture will help maintain production.

However, before overseeding, assess the field for weeds and grass species content. Then decide on the appropriate mixture; dual purpose, graze, cut or red clover.

All the Leybooster overseeding mixtures contain ProNitro – a fertiliser seed coating that feeds the seed and not the surrounding grass, resulting in 34% more viable plants and up to 30% increased root growth.

“Correct timing is essential and overseeding should be carried out either in the spring or after the final cut or hard grazing in the late summer/early autumn,” says Ms Digger. “Using the correct drilling method is also important.

For younger, open swards a scarifying rake is best and for denser swards a disc drill and, to improve ground cover, cross drilling is the ideal approach.

“And, finally, beware of frit fly and leatherjacket attack. If in doubt, consult your agronomist.”

She adds that stock can continue to graze up to seedling emergence: “But, after this stage, allow establishment of the sward.”

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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G R A S S L A N D

We highlight some of the must-see products and displays at two-day event

Innovation and technology The chance to see the latest machinery, equipment and products is always a big draw at the Grassland & Muck event, and this year’s two-day show promises visitors plenty of exclusives. text Rachael Porter

W

ith machinery and equipment worth £20 million on display – from tractors and muck spreaders to grass measuring equipment and forage harvesters – as well as working demonstrations, there will be something to interest everyone at Grassland & Muck 2017.

Visitors will also be able to compare new grass varieties growing side-by-side, examine time-saving silage sheeting and check out the latest near infra-red forage analysis technology.

In the working machinery area John Deere will be making its UK public working demonstration debut with three new launches, including a wrapping baler and a manure sensing system.

Developed to meet the requirements of contractors and larger livestock farms, the company’s C441R baler boasts improved performance in both heavy, wet grass crops and dry straw, so is now a true all-rounder with a 15% faster wrapping arm.

home-grown protein production on most livestock units,” says Germinal’s Ben Wixey. “There are many crops that can exceed 20% crude protein, so the headline advantage is to cut feeding costs by reducing reliance on expensive bought-in sources such as soya.”

Ley mixture takes centre stage Also on show will be the manure sensing system, fitted to a Joskin slurry tanker in the muck demonstration area. It is designed to adjust slurry application rates to match field conditions, increasing crop yields while, at the same time, minimising input costs.

Round balers Also in the working demonstrations area, Pottinger’s Impress round balers will be making their UK debut. With a design of both fixed and variable chamber balers, they boast a chopping unit with up to 32 knives, fed by the unique Liftup rotor technology to ensure consistent chop length.

In the growing plots, Germinal will be showing off the benefits of high-protein forage crops and launching the latest Aber high sugar grass varieties to be included on the Recommended Grass and Clover List, which will also be unveiled at the event.

“There are opportunities to increase

Oliver Seeds is showcasing an increasingly popular mixture on its stand and demonstration plot. Landmark Extreme is a highly productive and persistent mixture for cutting or grazing on adverse sites.

“It is important to consider what will grow, perform and persist in less than ideal conditions,” says Oliver Seeds’ Rod Bonshor. “Sometimes ryegrass alone won’t meet the needs of the field and variable climate. Including other species within the mixture helps out when situations get tough.”

Central to Landmark Extreme are the festuloliums Lofa and Fojtan, aided by deep-rooting and persistent cultivars of cocksfoot and meadow fescue. These can survive in testing conditions, both drought or waterlogging.

The only perennial ryegrass in the mixture is a late tetraploid, called Aspect, and Winnetou timothy is also included.

“This mixture is flexible, forgiving and shows excellent summer potential from

Forage mixture: Landmark Extreme is cut for silage

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Grassland & Muck Grassland & Muck will be held at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, on May 24 and 25. Tickets are now on sale and visitors can save £4 per adult ticket by purchasing in advance.

For more information visit www.grasslandevent.co.uk.

Demonstration plots: Germinal will be showcasing its high-protein forage crops

all the species,” adds Mr Bonshor. “The ryegrass has good rust resistance and high feed quality and Donata cocksfoot is a new soft leaved type, which is more palatable to stock than some leading perennial ryegrass varieties. Each species adds something to the resulting ley.”

A dual-purpose white clover bend and 2% birdsfoot trefoil make up the legume part of the mixture, producing a sward that has a higher potential protein output than a sward just made up of ryegrasses.

Search for top energy grass

Wrapping baler: John Deere’s C441R will be on display at the two-day show Grass competition: on-site NIRS will measure the quality of samples during the event

Limagrain UK, OPICO and Sustainable Soil Management have joined together to offer free soil advice and enough premium grass seed mixture, as well as the seeding work, for four hectares as a prize for the fresh grass sample that tests highest for metabolisable energy (ME) at this year’s event.

Producers are invited to bring a bag of freshly cut grass to the company’s stand, on plot 121, where its NIRS mobile testing machine will analyse the sample and provide a nutritional analysis of the crop.

The top prize, valued at £1,500, will go to the sample with the highest ME across the two-day event.

“We are drawing attention to the importance of considering all aspects of grassland production – soil, cultivation and seed mixture,” says Limagrain’s John Spence.

“We also want to emphasise the importance of considering the nutritional qualities of the seed mixture, as well as its agronomic values.”

“So cut it, bring it, and we will test it,” he adds.

Watch the video for more details at www.lgseeds.co.uk/comps

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F E E D I N G

Adopting the latest technology helps to build a unit fit for future generations

Reliable analysis offers precision Adopting new ideas and innovations has helped one family-run herd to build a system that meets the needs of both the cows and the next generation involved in managing the unit. text Emily Ball

T

echnology is helping to improve efficiency and future-proof the Faulks family’s Nottinghamshire-based dairy herd. Robotics and the latest forage analysis technology are just two of the innovations playing a key role in maximising performance.

It was on a trip to the Netherlands in 2014 that Jill first began to think seriously about moving to robotic milking. “And we installed Lely robots at the end of January 2016,” says Jill Faulks, who farms in partnership with her brother Michael, at Colston Bassett in Nottinghamshire, milking 120 Holstein Friesian cows. “Our existing parlour needed replacing and I knew any major investment would have to meet the needs of both myself and my brother, as well as his son Sam, who is set to take on the business in the future.”

“We feed out at about 8.30 am and all the cows come to the feed barrier. We then yoke the cows at this point for any insemination or vet work that needs

doing. The Juno starts up at about noon and runs down the feed barrier every two hours after that.”

Adopting technology The same attitude to new ideas and technology can be seen with Jill’s adoption of SilageManager+, a new forage analysis service from ForFarmers.

This is part of their new Feed2Milk initiative, piloted in autumn 2016 with Jill, and is based on the use of the latest dry Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) technology, to analyse forages. This information is then used to balance the correct feeds with the available forages.

“By drying and grinding samples before analysis, results are far more reliable compared to traditional wet sampling,” explains Jill. “We then work with ForFarmers’ Andrew Torrens to develop a diet that’s right for both milk production and cow health and fertility.

“Inconsistencies in forage analysis are a common source of frustration for dairy producers,” explains Andrew. “But

Installing robots “Michael and Sam run a contracting business and none of us really wanted to be tied to milking cows. It is almost impossible to recruit good milking staff in the area, so installing robots was a logical step,” Jill explains.

“With the robots, our day does start a little later, but goes on just as long. The main difference is that we can spend the time on the cows and getting other jobs done, such as fine tuning the ration, rather than being held up in the milking parlour.”

Cows now visit the robot an average of 3.2 times a day and yields have increased by four litres a day per cow. Jill also uses a Juno automatic feed pusher to ensure the ration is always in front of the cows.

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Technology has helped to free up more time for day-to-day cow management and to fine-tune rations

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Robotic revolution: each cow visits the automatic milking system an average of 3.2 times each day

accurate forage analysis is essential to ensure that cows are fed a balanced diet that complements the available forage.”

Drawing on experience and technology used in The Netherlands, ForFarmers has developed its forage analysis techniques to provide consistent, accurate results, and new sets of measures to give

From left to right: Michael, Jill and Sam Faulks with ForFarmers’ Andrew Torrens

producers a better insight into their forages’ potential.

“As well as the standard parameters, the analysis service also provides data on milk yield potential, digestible protein and rumen health risk; all of which provide information which can be used to improve the accuracy of ration

composition. By changing the levels of key feed nutrients, producers can hope to achieve more milk from the same level of feeding, without compromising on cow health or performance,” he explains.

Andrew sampled the Faulks’ silage in October 2016 and used the information from SilageManager+ to develop a diet that delivered milk ‘drivers’ as well as maintaining rumen health.

Rumen friendly After talking to Jill and discussing the new information on values such as MELK (more energy for the lactating dairy cow) and RI (rumination index), they developed a diet that truly fits the Faulks’ silage.

“We feed down the barrier, as well as in the parlour, and it’s taken time to balance how much to feed and where.

The cows get 2.5kg per head of the blend outside in the partial mixed ration, as well as grass silage, wholecrop, Selcoplus, lucerne and minerals.

“On the new diet we’ve seen a reduction in cell counts, which I put down to improved rumen health. Cows seem happier and more settled on the diet, and milk production and constituents have either been maintained or increased.”

Jill sees adopting new technologies as a great way to ensure the sustainability of the dairy business at Hills Farm: “We’re just one of the four milk suppliers to the Stilton makers at Colston Bassett, which is just over a mile away,” she says.

“It’s this excellent link to the market that has helped us have the confidence to grow and invest in our business during the past few years. We’re building a system that works for the farm now and one that will also perform well in the future.” l

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT NEWS

New look Gold Cup NMR and RABDF have introduced changes to the Gold Cup competition for 2017, to attract a wider range of units more typical in today’s UK dairy farming sector.

While the traditional entry route remains – which focuses on milk production, somatic cell count and genetic merit data from official milk records – the spring calving index that appears on the herd’s milk records can be considered along with nominations from regional and national discussion groups and specialised grazing groups.

While official milk recording will not be a pre-requisite in these nominated herds, judges will expect to see recording protocols in place.

Qualifying or nominated herds will be invited to complete the on-line Gold Cup application form by June 26, 2017.

Judges will draw up a short list of finalists for on farm inspection during September 2017.

The NMR/RABDF Gold Cup, and the NMR Silver Salver awarded to the runner up, will be presented on Wednesday 7 February 2018 at DairyTech, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

RABDF’s Mike King says: “We will continue to review the criteria for entry and judging to make sure it best reflects the UK dairy industry.”

NMR’s Jonathan Davies adds: “We

Lifetime cows The top three cows ranked on lifetime daily yield in the 100 tonne qualifying list for February are: Mansfield Marcus Layla 3 with 11,1087kg of milk and a lifetime daily yield (LDY) of 30.7kg. A seventh lactation cow, she is from Stranger and Sons’ herd, based at Shaftesbury in Dorset.

Miresdale Annie 95 with 101,100kg of milk and an LDY of 27.14kg. An eighth lactation cow, she is from Geoff Spence’s unit based near Northallerton, in North Yorkshire.

Award Shottle Belle 2 with 102,239kg of milk and an LDY of 26.9kg. A seventh lactation cow, she is from G Bacon’s herd, based at Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. want to ensure that grass- and foragebased businesses can compete alongside the housed and higher input herds. However, we remain focused on herds, whatever their system, that demonstrate high standards.”

Criteria for other awards associated with the Gold Cup, namely the Chris May Memorial Salver, the Lilyhill Cup (Jersey) and the Murchland Trophy (Ayrshire), remain unchanged.

NMR HerdWise award The NMR HerdWise Best Practice Competition 2017 is open for entries.

The competition is open to all NMR HerdWise customers and entry forms, to be completed by May 12, are on the website www.nmr.co.uk under the

disease/Johne’s tab. The winner will be announced at the Gold Cup farm walk, in Dorset, on 28 June 2017. They will receive Johne’s disease testing vouchers and a luxury hamper with a combined value of £1000.

Heatime offer NMR is offering 0% finance for 12 months on upgrades to SCR Heatime HR. The upgrade includes a five-year, all-encompassing warranty on HRLD collar tags, plus access to the new ProCalve alerts that provide unique insights into the calving period. Producers must purchase a minimum of 50 collars to be eligible for the finance option.

NML contract NML has been awarded the Brucellosis surveillance contract for Scotland. This involves testing every dairy unit once a quarter. The three year contract was awarded by the Scottish government.

Cameras roll on Johne’s control NML has been working with EBVC and XL vets on a series of educational videos. With Johne’s management high on the agenda, the first of these was made on the 2016 HerdWise competition winner’s Cheshire-based

unit. Tom and Karen Halton took centre stage to film four short videos on how to control and prevent Johne’s disease. These will be available on the NML/NMR websites.

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 U L L

P R O O F S

Top picks from the latest sire rankings

Reliability and variety The latest bull proof run fell short of Lancashire-based Holstein breeder James Tomlinson’s expectations. But then, he says, producers have been a little spoiled for choice in previous daughter-proven and genomic sire rankings. text Rachael Porter

I

t had to happen really – that level of excitement wasn’t sustainable.

That’s James Tomlinson’s philosophical approach to his disappointment with the latest April proof run for both genomic and daughter-proven sires. “There are some extremely good sires in there, obviously. But nothing like the number of eye-catching bulls seen in the past two rankings. But then, I guess, we have been a little spoiled and expectations have grown as a result.”

The number-one daughter-proven sire available in the UK, ranked on Profitable Lifetime Index (£PLI), published by AHDB Dairy, is De-Su Rookie 11057. With a PLI

of £669, up 44 PLI points since the December proof run, this Bookem son makes gains for Lifespan Index, earning the very high score of 0.7, and weighs in with the best Somatic Cell Count Index in the top 10 at –25. He also has the best Predicted Transmitting Ability (PTA) for mastitis – a new evaluation launched by AHDB this month. “There’s no doubt that he’s a great sire, with decent type and milk yield and a good sire stack. The only thing that put me off was his teat length score, which is a little shorter then I’d like,” says James.

Second-place, and former number-one, sire Lavaman (PLI £635) now has nearly

James Tomlinson: “We’ve been spoiled and that increases expectations”

800 daughters in the UK and strengthens his breeding pattern, with a 99% reliable production index. “His milk has dropped a little since the previous run, probably due to adding more daughters to his proof,” says James.

Staying power Kings-Ransom Erdman (PLI £623), who ranked number-one in December 2016, now lies in fifth position. There have been no major changes to his transmitting pattern – he has simply been overtaken

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

fat%

£PLI

maint.

SCC

lifespan

fertility

dCE

F&L

udder

TM

Rubicon Penmanship Boastful Jedi Penmanship Supershot Balisto Jedi Tailor

Shotglass Doorman Tango Enforcer Shamrock Embassy Denim Supersire Balisto

King Street Sires Semex Semex Semex UK Sires Direct Alta/Global Genetics Viking WWS Genus

67 +484 +34.0 67 +685 +35.6 67 +980 +38.1 67 +947 +25.7 67 +677 +31.2 66 +856 +40.8 68 +426 +36.7 67 +1084 +42.7 67 +488 +33.9

+22.1 +30.7 +34.6 +31.4 +23.6 +33.0 +21.5 +38.6 +26.1

+0.18 +0.10 –0.01 –0.13 +0.05 +0.08 +0.24 +0.00 +0.18

793 784 782 761 759 740 737 729 728

2 15 8 21 –2 5 4 13 10

–24 –26 –29 –22 –14 –13 –33 –15 –26

0.7 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6

12.0 0.2 10.0 1.0 9.6 0.6 15.1 –0.5 16.9 1.0 7.4 0.6 8.6 0.7 5.6 –0.8 6.6 –0.3

2.45 1.10 0.53 2.04 1.13 0.98 0.81 0.79 0.89

2.08 1.98 1.30 2.14 1.60 1.15 0.99 0.93 2.36

2.53 2.05 1.29 2.51 1.80 1.30 1.09 1.02 2.27

Bronco Goldwyn Shottle O Man Ramos Lambada Ramos Planet Superstition

WWS Semex WWS Alta/Global Genetics Bullsemen.com/AIS Viking Genus WWS Cogent

82 +665 +36.3 99 +326 +19.8 82 +597 +26.6 87 +420 +15.3 85 +487 +23.8 80 +458 +5.4 83 +571 +18.2 95 +1171 +43.2 74 +939 +25.1

+22.9 +23.5 +20.2 +18.6 +14.8 +16.8 +18.4 +36.0 +29.9

+0.12 +0.02 669 +0.09 +0.16 635 +0.04 +0.01 626 –0.02 +0.06 625 +0.06 –0.01 623 –0.15 +0.02 617 –0.05 +0.00 615 –0.03 –0.02 612 –0.14 –0.01 599

8 –8 1 –3 –23 –21 –19 8 9

–25 –2 –20 –16 –20 –5 –4 –13 –17

0.7 0.2 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.6

7.2 0.2 14.1 1.0 16.5 –0.8 17.7 1.1 11.8 0.7 20.5 2.5 17.4 2.4 0.1 0.3 5.9 0.3

0.95 1.64 1.21 0.87 0.23 0.59 0.39 –0.01 0.20 0.35 1.03 –0.33 0.90 –0.21 1.20 1.02 1.30 1.35

1.56 1.10 0.49 0.23 0.30 0.24 0.14 1.20 1.56

C V CO EOEW W TM EMEA ALN N TA AJG GAEENM MUEEAN NRTTI SM 1 E/AP2YT 2 E 2M 0 00B19E7 R

CM03_BullProofs.indd 42

protein

prot. kg

genomic sires Mr Rubi-Agronaut 73287 Westcoast Persus Westcoast Guarantee Progenesis Padawan Prehen Lancaster Bomaz Alta Topshot VH Balisto Brook De-Su Curry 13360 ABS Mayday

milk

mat. grandsire supplier

rel.

sire

fat kg

ind.

conformation

name

proven sires De-Su Rookie 11057 Bookem Gen-I-Beq Lavaman Man-O-Man S-S-I Shamrock Mystic Shamrock Tollenaars Alta Micro Plan Kings-Ransom Erdman Planet VH Cole Clark D Cole Teemar Shamrock Alphabet Shamrock Seagull-Bay Supersire Robust Cogent Supershot Supersire

42

functional traits %

production

+0.08 +0.10 +0.03 +0.01 +0.02 +0.06 +0.09 +0.04 +0.12

2 0 0 9

20-04-17 14:06

by some steadily improving sires. “And that’s no mean feat because he is a great sire – good enough for me anyway.

I’ve just used him on some of our younger cows – particularly those that were more extreme. It was his lifespan score of 0.8 that really drew me in – his daughters have staying power,” says James.

He describes number-six bull, VH Cole Clark, a Curtis Cole from a T Lambada dam, as an odd one: “I dug around but I really couldn’t find out much about him. I always want to have a bit of background on a sire – figures alone are never enough for me.” Indeed, Clark does have a somewhat different pedigree for the UK market and gains a PLI of £617.

New entry Previous entries, Teemar Shamrock Alphabet and high production sire Seagull-Bay Supersire hold their position in the top 10 with PLIs of £615 and £612 respectively. Immediately following his father (Supersire), is a new entry into the daughter-proven list in the shape of Cogent Supershot. Early milking daughters in the US contribute to this bull’s graduation into the proven list, where he largely mirrors his earlier genomic predictions. His PLI is £599 and both he – and his sire Supersire – have James’ full attention.

“These are the two most interesting sires in this proof run and I’ve looked closely at their figures and backgrounds.

They’re both offering a huge amount of milk and are from really good cow families. I decided to go for Supershot, mainly due to his higher fertility score of 5.9. I’ve ordered 50 straws.”

There may be more variety in the Bomaz Alta Topshot

genomic-sire ranking, but there’s still little to write home about and, if anything, James says that this list makes for uneasy reading. “Genetic progress has been phenomenally fast and, looking at this, I wonder if it’s perhaps been a little too quick. Many of these sire are out of dams that haven’t been classified yet – some have yet to calve down.

“You have to wonder whether that’s sensible, from a breeding and selection point of view.”

The leading young Holstein sires with genomic indexes do, indeed, show more variation in bloodlines than they have in the past, with eight sires represented among the top 10 bulls. At the top of the ranking is Mr Rubi-Agronaut, a bull which has a different sire stack from many, with Rubicon x Shotglass x Shamrock x KHW Goldwyn Aiko in his back pedigree. Transmitting particularly high milk components (+0.18% fat and +0.08% protein) and good daughter health and fertility, Agronaut has a PLI of £793.

“He’s from a good family – Apple – but he only transmits 484kg of milk,” says James. “I think breeders are focusing on PLI to get to the top of the list and, if I’m honest, I prefer the sires ranked from 10 to 20, not 1 to 10. As far as PLI goes, there’s not a lot of difference and it’s the other traits that I’m more interested when selecting sires for my herd.”

Former number-one sire, Westcoast Perseus, is now in second place and is the highest ranking son of Penmanship.

He continues to show the high production with good milk solids and daughter health and fertility of the previous index run and has a PLI of £784.

James says he’s from a good family and has an impressive sire stack.

One position below Perseus is his herdmate, Westcoast Guarantee (PLI £782), from the British Columbia-based herd which was founded in 2010. Transmitting an exceptional combination of high milk volume and solids with very low cell counts (SCC Index –29), Guarantee has one of the best scores for the new Mastitis PTA among the leading bulls at –5.

UK-bred sire Skipping to the fifth ranking bull sees a sire from the UK, in the shape of Prehen Lancaster. With an exceptional all-round index for production and fitness and as the best improver of daughter fertility in the top 10 (Fertility Index +16.9), Lancaster earns a PLI of £759. Lancaster is a son of Penmanship, and descends from the Laurie Sheik family. And he’s a bull that’s captured James’ imagination.

“It’s good to see a sire from the UK in the list and he looks pretty decent, with such a renown and excellent cow family.

I’m taking a serious look at him and I will be ordering some straws.”

James says he’ll also be making enquiries about the newcomer in eighth position, De-Su Curry 13360. He offers by far the highest volume of milk in the top 10 at 1,084kg, yet still remaining in positive territory for percentages of fat and protein. With a breed-leading 42.7kg fat and 38.6kg protein, he also has a PLI of £729.

“He’s a Jedi son – he really puts plenty of milk into his bulls and also offers a fertility score of 5.6 and a somatic cell count score of –15. Curry is too good to ignore and I think I’ll find some space for him in the flask.” l

Cogent Supershot

C O W M ACNOAW GM E M AN E N A TG ESM E P E N T ET MMB A E R Y 22 00 01 97

CM03_BullProofs.indd 43

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20-04-17 14:07

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BREEDING INFORMATION

New trio offer milk yield and functional type Three Holstein sires are now available from CRV Avoncroft, following the latest bull proof run. The first is RijnHof DG Spitfire (MS Riverboy x Seagull Bay Supersire). Spitfire is a great addition to the company’s red-and-white portfolio and is the second highest PLI red-andwhite bull available in the UK. With a PLI of £576, Spitfire offers great milk at +351kg (+0.09% fat and +0.1% protein). He comes from the red-andwhite August cow family – one of the most sought after red-and-white cow families in the world. Spitfire produces medium-sized daughters with great

Delta Relevant Delta Beatbox

strength, which will appeal to many UK producers. He’s available priced at £22 per straw.

Delta Relevant (Buisweerd Mobile x Vekis Chevrolet) is another great example of what CRV Avoncroft can offer UK producers. With the modern dairy herd looking for good all-round sires, Relevant offers +557kg of milk with +0.09% fat and +0.10% protein.

He also offers medium stature, combined with great strength, and comes from the renown Rita cow family – the family that has also bred great bulls including Applause and Browning. Relevant is also a A2A2 Beta Casein sire and scoring 104 for calving ease makes him suitable for use on maiden heifers. Semen is available priced at £15 per straw.

Delta Beatbox (Delta Amigo x Fanatic) is an example of what CRV Avoncroft can offer the increasing number of UK producers who are milking their herd with robotic systems. Automatic milking requires cows that have correct teat positioning and good width of rear and side teat positioning, as well as teat length. Temperament and milking speed are also important.

Beatbox offers all these traits. And he also has good milk yield and constituents, offering +305kg of milk at +0.09% fat and +0.12% protein.

Beatbox also offers a total outcross pedigree and his daughters will persist in the herd for many years, with a fertility score of +8.4. Beatbox is available priced at £22 per straw.

Fleckvieh duo take centre stage Two Fleckvieh sires – Walk and Wobbler – are now available from CRV Avoncroft. Walk (Watt x BFG Reumut) offers +1,076kg for milk and –0.09% for fat and –0.03% for protein. He’s most suited for use on herds looking to breed cows with smaller stature and he will improve udders with a score of 124 and 114 for udder health. Walk also offers a somatic cell count score of 113 and he’s ‘off the scale’ for front teat placement (126). He’s also good for fore udder attachment and has a daughter fertility score of 118.

He also offers an impressive longevity score of 131. Walk is available from CRV Avoncroft, priced at £26 per straw.

Wobbler (Watnox x Mandela) firmly holds his strong position in the rankings, thanks to his very productive daughters. His breeding value for milk production now amounts to +1,067kg, with a score of +8% for Better Life Efficiency. Wobbler breeds mediumsized daughters with good feet and legs (109) and udders (107). Wobblers’ semen is available priced at £26 per straw.

MRI cow Danielle takes top spot The Vinkenhof Danielle 95 has been named MRI cow of the year 2016. Danielle is a six-year-old Baltimore daughter owned by Dutch producers André and Jeanette Vink, from Groot Ammers. She earned top billing with a combination of high production, an attractive type and good health traits.

Danielle scored 91 points EX and had 94 points for udder. In the first 100 days of her fifth lactation she produced a daily yield of 40kg and her lifetime production, so far, is almost 40,000kg milk with 5.20% fat and 4.01% protein and an average lactation value of 125.

Danielle is also a bull mother for CRV. Her Rival son, Vinkenhof River, will soon be available as a InSire-Top-sire.

Danielle 95

Website redesigned and relaunched CRV Avoncroft relaunched its website in April. The new design makes it easier for visitors to find out more about the sires, products and services offered by CRV Avoncroft.

Visit www.crvavoncroft.com to take a look and find out more

COW MAN AG E ME N T

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C O N TA C T S

SHOWS AND EVENTS May 10: May 10-13: May 24-25: May 31-June 3: June 8-10: June 14-15: June 22-25: June 28: July 11-13: July 24-27: September 13: October 4: October 27: November 15:

Spacious accommodation: a cow looks out over the feed fence Picture: Harrie van Leeuwen

RABDF Farm Open Day, Cairnhead Farm, Ainstable, Carlisle Balmoral Show, Balmoral Park, Lisburn Grassland & Muck, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Royal Bath & West Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Royal Cornwall Show, Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, Cornwall TotalDairy Seminar, Keele University, Staffordshire 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 The Dairy Show, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Welsh Dairy Show, Nantyci Showground, Carmarthen British Mastitis Conference, Sixways Stadium, Warriors Way, Worcester

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX C O N TA C T S

Alta ...........................................................10 Abbi Aerotech ...........................................20 Agriprom ...................................................40 Animax ......................................................48 Barenbrug..................................................37 Biotal .........................................................44 Bock UK ......................................................9 Concept Cowhouse Ltd. ............................22 Cosy Calf ...................................................36 CowCare Systems ......................................29 Cowsfeet ...................................................40 CRV Avoncroft Ltd./CRV ...........................47 Dairymaster UK Ltd. ..................................32 Dairy Spares ..............................................19 De Boer Housing .......................................29 DLC ...........................................................15

CowManagement is published eight times per year by CRV Holding BV

Editorial team

Chief Editor Jaap van der Knaap Editor Rachael Porter Phone 01394 270587 E-mail rachael@reporterjournalism.co.uk Editing, design and production Veeteelt Contributing writers Emily Ball, Roger Evans, Allison Matthews, Inge van Drie and Karen Wright Publisher Rochus Kingmans

Chief editor’s address

P.O. Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, The Netherlands Phone 0031 26 38 98 821.

E-mail cm.office@crv4all.com internet www.cowmanagement.co.uk

Subscriptions

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

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

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

Illustrations/pictures

DP Agri......................................................37 Easyfix .........................................................9 Farmplus....................................................32 ForFarmers/Thompsons .............................18 Grassland & Muck .....................................32 Hoofcount .................................................22 Intershape .................................................22 Limagrain UK...............................................5 Lojer LED ...................................................15 Milk Quality Services .................................19 PYON ........................................................29 NMR .....................................................2, 28 Quill Productions .......................................20 Spinder ......................................................32 Teemore Engineering Ltd. ..........................19 VDK Agri ...................................................15

COMING UP

F e r t i l i t y sp ecial June (June 16th) – A fertility special will feature in the next issue of CowManagement. And we’ll also have features on zero grazing and cow tracks.

Photographs by Veeteelt Photography, Ruth Downing (11), Rachael Porter (12), AHDB Dairy (24), Els Korsten (30) and Mark Pasveer (30).

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

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