6 minute read
A summer browse
Growing interest in goats and increasing feed options through the NRM feed range have justified the development of the NRM Goat Nutrition Guide which is now available online at www.nrm.co.nz/lifestyle.
Unashamedly detailed, the guide has been written with both commercial and lifestyle goat keeping in mind. This excellent reference material can be read cover to cover or dipped into using the index when seeking answers to specific challenges. When aiming to keep stock healthy and productive it is important to understand the nature of the beast. Evolving as browsers rather than grazers has equipped these endearing ruminants with enviable climbing skills but has also not exposed them to the intestinal worm burden that predominantly live in the base of the pasture sward. They have therefore not developed the same resistance to intestinal parasites cattle and sheep have had to deal with. Instead they developed ways to cope with tannins found in the leaves of bushes and trees that are less favoured by graziers. Unfortunately, that has equipped them with a suppedup liver which seems pretty good at reducing the efficiency of some worm drenches. Rotationally grazing high quality pasture is therefore less suitable for goats despite nutritionally ticking many of the boxes for milking goats which are extremely efficient milk producers that need both energy and protein. Conserved forages — often cut at greater maturity than grazed forages — and cut and cart systems which limit exposure to worm eggs are therefore more popular with NZ dairy goat producers than dairy cow farmers. Balancing such forages with high energy grains, legumes and by-products makes sense because by themselves they struggle to meet the needs of animals that have been selected for milk production. As feed manufacturers we are conscious that farmers must meet the needs of the consumers. The commercial goat industry in NZ was one of the first to specify that supplementary feeds must be non-genetically modified (GM) to meet the needs of premium export markets. Local producers may also prefer to avoid GM feed ingredients, so NRM developed a compound feed range formulated from non-GM ingredients which focus on NZ grown non-GM grains, pulses and by-products. NRM Dairy Goat Pellets have been specially designed with 18% crude protein to help meet the needs of milking goats consuming a portion of their diet as conserved forages which inevitably lack protein for lactating animals. Where less protein is required, NRM Deer Elite Nuts with 16% crude protein and NRM Performance Nuts with 12% crude protein can be considered when nonGM lower protein options are preferred. Enriched with major minerals, trace minerals and vitamins, they have been formulated to support health and performance in animals that could be consuming forages with variable and often performance-limiting levels of essential minerals and vitamins. For the commercial producer with a mixer wagon or in-shed feeding system there are a range of by-products that can be purchased singly or in blends. Feeding ruminants by-products from the human food industry is a great way to upgrade vegetable protein into animal protein and increasing production per animal is often seen as a good option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per kg milk or meat produced. As methane reducing additives are developed, supplementary feed will also provide a good delivery route to the animal.
Feedback on the NRM Goat Nutrition Guide is welcomed. The online digital format provides greater opportunity to edit the content to reflect the needs of the readers.
Article supplied by Dr Rob Derrick, Head of Nutrition and Animal Health
Responding to the freshwater reforms
New Zealand’s pasture-based dairy production is the envy of dairy farmers around the world and meets many consumers’ needs for sustainable milk production with high animal welfare. The synthetic nitrogen (N) fertiliser cap from 1st June 2021 of 190kgN/ha of grazed land may impact the pasture production on about 15 percent of NZ dairy farms unless they can get consent to use more.
At higher rates of N application, the pasture growth response is likely to be less than the typically quoted 7kgDM/kg N applied. It seems unlikely that a potential reduction of about 18,000t of N nationally (based on DairyNZ estimates) would be associated with a fall in pasture growth of 125,000t dry matter (DM) but some reduction should be expected. Dairy farmers will have a range of options to help keep milk factories efficient including: • Changes to grazing management such as longer rotations and grazing at optimum leaf stage.
Easing back cow numbers which may have a relatively small effect on milk production.
Looking at alternative crops and reseeding to increase DM production per hectare.
Use alternatives such as
N-Boost to strategically stimulate pasture growth.
Buy in supplementary feed — either forages or straights (grains or by-products). Some farmers have been surprised at just how much N they have been applying and for some farmers the reduction could be significant. For those farmers already equipped to feed grains and by-products — and for those currently having systems installed — supplementary concentrate feeds as straights, blends or compound feed could be an effective way to fill a potential feed deficit caused by using less N. Ultimately, as food exporters committed to meeting the need for high quality animal proteins globally, it’s important to look at the greenhouse gas emissions per kg of milk or meat produced. A low output, low input system may reduce greenhouse gas emissions but if the human food need is then met by less sustainable systems elsewhere, we could see a net increase in greenhouse gases. Environmental scientists have concluded that in pasture-based systems, increasing production per cow and balancing pasture with lower protein supplements can help to reduce the carbon footprint per kg food produced. Increased grain production — harvested as either grain or wholecrop — fits the bill in terms of cropping diversification at a farm or regional level but areas may be limited. Imported and domestic straights are a useful by-product from the human food or bio-fuel industries. Prices reflect supply and demand. One of the benefits of supplementary feeding pasture-based cows is they tend to produce more milk but can partition more energy to body condition. This means shorter dry periods and smaller targets for weight gain during the dry period. The intensive winter grazing regulations are likely to effect where and how some cows can be conditioned over the winter. The value of by-products is just starting to be appreciated by some countries with developing dairy industries, so prices are relatively firm. Even so, with milk pay-out predictions looking pretty good, mid and late lactation should be a good opportunity to get some valuable milk in the vat and look after cow condition with an uncertain winter ahead. Supplementary feed options often depend on local supply and the feed-out options on each dairy farm. By-products offer greater consistency than forages and when combined with in-shed feeding systems provide the opportunity to efficiently supplement cows when they must be in the shed without additional labour or diesel to fuel tractors and wagons. The table details some of the factors which should be considered when making supplementary feed buying decisions. Fundamentally, meeting the needs of the cows by balancing the forages available should be paramount.
What’s the true value of a supplement?
As we enter late summer the dry can really start to bite, so what are the options for filling a feed deficit? The table includes a snapshot of available options so we can compare quality and costs. It is an important exercise to have a 360° look at a supplement rather than just look at the cost per tonne or cost per bale. It is more about making sure the supplement fits into your system and balances out the diet for your herd as well as making sure it is a cost-effective choice for your farm.
