FEEDING FOCUS March 2016 • Issue 13
Preparing for turnout Deciding when to turn out your cows to grass will depend on individual circumstances, but it is expected that most farmers will look to do so early this year, in the hope of maximising milk from forage and reducing feed costs. Before you turn your cows out to grass, consider the following six points to help make sure that you maintain good herd health and strong productivity levels after turnout.
Average grass growing season March
April
May
June
July
Grass intake (kg/ DM/head/day)
10
10
13
13
12
Milk yield potential (M+litres)
6
6
14
14
10
Exceptional grass growing season March
April
May
June
July
Grass intake (kg/ DM/head/day)
11
11
13.5
16.5
14.5
Milk yield potential (M+litres)
8
8
15
22
17
1. Don’t over-estimate quantity and quality To realistically assess the amount of milk you can produce from grazing, it is important to understand the quality of your grassland and the potential of your management system to utilise forage. The temptation will be to reduce feed bills by cutting buffer feed or concentrate use after turnout. However, underfeeding cows will increase fat tissue mobilisation, resulting in poor body condition and increasing the risk of long term health and fertility problems.
2. Assess what you are feeding It is important that you know the nutritional intake that your cows will be getting from grazing, as grass quality can be extremely variable. >