Green to Gold Genetics that turn pasture into profit
Tough farmers tough it out
• Grazing Georgia style • Natural mating is not an option VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Philip J Wicks, General Manager, LIC USA
USA BASE FOR LIC – AND PARTNERSHIP WITH DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA IN AN EXCITING NEW DEVELOPMENT, LIC has opened an office in the USA and is investing significantly in the US market by forming strategic relationships with key US industry companies. LIC continues its partnership with Taurus Service Inc, providing farmers throughout the USA with the best grazing genetics in the world. Taurus and LIC continue to look at ways to meet the demands of the market through efficient delivery and quality control. We are excited to extend our reach and expertise in genetics, grazing management, and systems through a partnership with Dairy Farmers of America. The formation of Dairy Grazing Services (DGS) Consultancy, for the first time provides US dairy farmers with expert farm consultancy to help build more exciting, sustainable and profitable businesses. Now, being an LIC user is so much more that just purchasing semen. At last you can be a partner with one of the largest herd improvement organizations in the world. You will be able to tap into the resources that only this unique partnership can deliver – achieving long-term relationships where your success is paramount to our success. Can you afford to wait any longer? I invite you to make contact with LIC USA or Taurus Service Inc. Join the growing number of global farmers who are looking to LIC to individually tailor their dairy breeding program so they become more successful, sustainable and profitable. Dairying is a great industry to be involved in and the LIC USA team looks forward to helping you achieve new levels of production and profit. ▲ Philip J Wicks General Manager, LIC USA
CONTENTS 4
FEATURE – Grazing Georgia style
6
FEATURE – Pride and joy
8
FEATURE – Tough farmers tough it out
10
FEATURE – DGS Consultancr provides new direction
12
FEATURE – Lydney Park Farms
14
ADVICE – Natural mating is not an option
16
FEATURE – Kenoma Kiwis
Cover photo New Zealand herd in spring with tailpaint. VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
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USA REPRESENTATIVES
NEW ZEALAND
EDITOR Green to Gold LIC Private bag 3016 Hamilton NEW ZEALAND Ph +64 7 856 3094 Fax +64 7 856 2963 E-mail licnz@lic.co.nz Editor: Aaron Wallace
LIC USA 10220 N Ambassador Dr. Kansas City, MO 64153, USA Tel: + 1 816 898 2512 Fax: + 1 816 801 6177 email: pjwicks@att.net
LIC Private bag 3016 Hamilton New Zealand Tel: +64 7 856 3094 Fax +64 7 856 2963 E-mail: licnz@lic.co.nz
2 Green to Gold VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
TAURUS SERVICE INC Mehoopany, PA 18629, USA Toll Free Numbers: 1-800-836-5123 (U.S. Only) Tel 570-833-5123, 570-833-5513 Fax: 570 833 2690 email: taurus@epix.net www.taurus-service.com
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VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 3
FEATURE
By Phil Wicks, General Manager LIC USA
GRAZING GEORGIA STYLE BERYL LANDIS FIRST GOT INVOLVED in dairy farming in Georgia about 15 years ago. At that stage the farm he worked was a traditional confinement operation, in which most of the feed was brought to the cows in the barn. Even in those days Beryl was already thinking about how he could change his farm to a more low cost, and sustainable operation. This thinking was initiated after his father returned from a visit to New Zealand. “Dad came back from with amazing stories on the efficiency of some of the farms he visited. I knew that if I was going to adopt some of these methods I would need to go to New Zealand myself.” In 2000 Beryl and his wife took that trip, across the Pacific Ocean, on a fact-finding mission. “I was impressed with the New Zealand style of management that went along with the grazing system: Seasonal calving, mob handling of animals, and fast milking, concluded we would have a more profitable
Both Beryl Landis and his Manager Floyd Heatwole, left, have travelled to New Zealand to observe grazing systems.
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operation if we adopted the same kind of management practices.” However Beryl was also aware that his farm back in the USA faced vastly different weather patterns than many of the New Zealand farms he had seen. Beryl knew he wouldn’t be able to simply transplant the entire New Zealand system to Georgia but felt certain many aspects would need to be adapted to increase the likelihood of success. “Because of the different climate in Georgia, I realized we would have to develop a different system of grazing than the ones used in New Zealand. We have big weather events here, with some extreme temperatures.” Regardless of where it is in the world, low-cost pasture based dairying needs to strictly follow some basic principles, practices that are clearly implemented to the highest degree in New Zealand. In other parts of the world however, good pasture based farmers understand those principles but adapt as necessary – successfully operating dairy units while facing their own unique, regional challenges Two of the most important principles in pasture based farming center on:
• Breeding the best type of cow for efficient conversion of forage to milk. • Developing high quality pastures to allow the cheapest but most effective means of energy. As part of the process toward developing the most efficient operation possible, Beryl has started breeding the type of herd he believes will complement the other changes he has planned. Trials worldwide have shown LIC genetics to be years ahead of any other AI company, thanks to decades of breeding dairy cows specifically aimed at being the most efficient converters of grass to milk. Although these principles are relevant to any dairy system, Beryl says those efficiencies are particularly relevant in grazing based systems, where LIC genetics are proven to perform on grass. “I first met Phil Wicks (USA General Manager for LIC) in 2008,” says Beryl. “Together we designed a plan based on breeding cows for high production, but incorporated the added benefits of fertility, longevity, and general ease of management. These are the traits that I want to breed into my herd.” Beryl used the crossbreed bull, Scotts Northsea, to put across his biggest and most inefficient cows. He also used high-ranking Holstein Friesian bulls such as Mint Edition and Frostman for production and fertility reasons. Frostman is one of the best milk bulls, but has a fertility rating that is higher than most Jerseys. As a result, the bull is one of the highestselling Holstein Friesians in the world. Beryl had his first LIC calves this fall. “The cows calved easily and the calves were full of energy right from the start.” Beryl and Phil talked a lot about creating the right base. In terms of long-term high production, Beryl acknowledges the importance of maintaining his cows so they last through their peak production years – his latest calves are the first batch of genetics that symbolize a first step toward achieving that goal. Pasture development is another area Beryl is targeting in his operations. “Although we’ll be following many of the basic principles I saw in New Zealand, I know I’ll need to create a different system of grazing. “My approach to grazing has been to use local grasses and crops to produce the most feed per acre. “This has resulted in a hybrid system of feeding TMR along with the pasture. “Pasture is our cheapest feed so we are always looking for more ways to incorporate that into the diet. We are currently using burmuda for our permanent grass base. Winter annuals include ryegrass, cereal rye, and arrowleaf clover. Pearl Millet is used for a summer annual. Corn and soybeans are grown for stored forage.” When Phil Wicks and FarmWise Consultant Ken Bartlett visited Beryl in
Beryl, his wife Beth and Family.
Pasture is our cheapest feed and we are always looking at ways to incorporate that in the diet.
the summer it was Beryl’s understanding of his own environment that really impressed. Phil says it was clear Beryl understood how to develop a grazing platform based on his intimate knowledge, and the results were there to see. “Beryl’s such a great guy and is very modest,” says Phil. “There is no doubt he is doing a fantastic job and is a great example for anybody wanting to convert a TMR system. “He is the type of person you really want to get behind and support as much as possible, because you know he is going somewhere.” Beryl says he has been happy with developments since changes to his system were implemented. “The operation has been profitable over the years and continues to grow. In 2003 we decided to build a rotary shed. The decision included another trip to New Zealand to work out the details on a Donaldson Engineering platform and a Read plant. “The construction was well coordinated and the crews from New Zealand did a great job of installation. The new shed gave us the ability to keep our milking times down and handle large mobs of cows. The new shed was also a big hit with employees.” There is a strong possibility that Georgia, like Missouri, will start to become a strong dairy grazing area in the future. Beryl predicts some real benefits for the future, as grazing systems develop. “The first Kiwi farmers showed up in the area in 2006 and started several farms. This helped develop more local infrastructure for grazing, and provided different grass varieties and grazing management for observation and learning. Then LIC came into the area to provide breeding services and other expertise on grazing-style farming.” “I’m excited about the future of dairy farming in Georgia. We continue to have a profitable operation and were able to grow the business – even in the economic downturn – by adding more irrigation and cows in 2009. “There is still so much room for improvement with better genetics, grass management, and farm systems. More improvements mean more profits into the future.” The future prospects for pastoral dairy development in the USA is at an all time high. Despite recent hard times in the dairy industry, there is a definitive understanding of how continued progress and development of pastoral farming can offer an exciting dairying future. There are also genuine career opportunities for young people. American dairy farmers like Beryl Landis are the innovators in a progressive and rapidly-expanding and grazing industry. ▲ VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 5
FEATURE By Karen Keb b
PRIDE AND JOY CONVERTING FROM CONFINEMENT to New Zealand’s pasture-based system, means this US organic dairy farmer is leading the way in sustainable farming practices. From an early age, Allen Voortman dreamed of becoming a dairy farmer. Today, he’s fulfilled that dream, with his Pride & Joy Dairy in Eastern Washington’s Yakima County. Their dairy spans 450 acres (182ha), across which Allen and his wife Cheryl raise 350 dairy cows organically, on pasture. The couple also farm Angus beef cattle, Dorper hair sheep, and chickens, which, along with the cows, all work symbiotically to feed off and nourish the land. For the Voortmans, success equals more than profits; it means happiness for everything and everyone on the farm and, as their farm name states, pride in their work and products.
In the Beginning Born to South Dakota dairy farmers, Allen spent his early years on the farm. “Whenever I went to friends’ houses, the first thing I wanted to do was check out the cows,” he recalls. But at the age of 10, after three consecutive years of drought wiped out the farm, the family packed up and moved west to Southern California. By the time he was 21, Allen was ready to get back to the farm and he found work on a dairy in Eastern Washington. Taking his pay in heifers, Allen eventually acquired enough cows to start his own herd without going into debt. In 1978, he and Cheryl bought the land that they now call Pride & Joy Dairy. At the beginning Allen went the route of what he knew – conventional dairying, with its model of high input, high output. Using wilted green chop as the forage base, the couple milked registered Holsteins three times a day in a 24-hour operation, producing commodity milk for Dairy Gold. The Voortmans worked hard, long hours, with not much to show for it: Allen Voortman Pride & Joy Dairy in Eastern Washington’s Yakima County.
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“The problem was that we were just servicing short-term debt, but we weren’t profitable,” says Allen. In addition, he had no control over the price of end product, which bothered him.
Age of Experimentation With his enjoyment of farming dwindling, Allen began experimenting with improved Barenbrug forage grasses in his green chop program. The more familiar he became with these grasses the more he realized the product was one that could serve as the main base for their forage program – replacing the old varieties of grasses and alfalfas they had always used. During this time, Allen began to question conventional dairying and the problems resulting from those practices: environmental and herd-health issues, and low milk prices. So, intent on a new program, he started grazing cows on a minimal basis, but “made every mistake you can make” along the way – he grazed the wrong cows, his paddocks were too long, he fed the wrong grasses at the wrong stage, and he didn’t understand the cow flow. But, as all good students do, Allen learned from those mistakes and saw the potential to evolve to a more natural way of raising cows. He began managing his pastures with intensive rotational grazing, and slowly but surely, his passion for farming returned. “As we gained grazing experience and replaced the older grasses with improved varieties, we began reducing our grain and supplemental forage,” explains Allen. “In turn, we began grazing much more mature pasture and that has allowed us to completely eliminate any supplemental feed during the grazing season, which is about seven months in our area.”
Gone Green For more than two decades now, the Voortmans have utilized management intensive grazing (MIG) and organic methods to ensure the highest possible forage quality (Pride & Joy Dairy even became USDA certified organic – no easy task – in 2005). “Essentially, we are grass farmers who also milk cows,” says Allen, via Pride & Joy’s website. “Being 100 percent grass-fed results in lower production per cow, but improves overall herd health and produces
impeccable milk quality,” he states. With MIG, his cows stay productive and healthy longer than in a confinement system. “We get up to 12 years of milk production per cow compared to three to four years with conventional dairy practices.” As a result of his herd’s longevity, he always has a surplus of heifers (currently 350) to market every year because his cows are staying in the milking lineup longer. No chemical fertilizers or chemicals are ever used on their pastures, which consist of a mix of grasses, clover, alfalfa, and chicory. Fresh, clean water is piped to all of the pastures and the cows have access to minerals and salts at all times. The Voortmans’ farms (they have a second smaller farm down the road) are modeled on New Zealand dairy operations that use pasture almost exclusively, giving cows the right grass at the right stage of growth. When the cows go into the milking parlor (twice a day), they move fences, leaving 30 percent residual in the pasture. After milking, the animals are let out onto fresh grass. The Voortmans irrigate their pastures four to five days ahead of the cows, and again directly behind the cows. The couple believe the extra effort that goes into their organic pasture grass makes for happy cows, with very low stress levels. When cows walk out of the milking parlor and get to the end of the lane, premium grass and minerals await them. No one has to chase or push them. Pride & Joy Dairy doesn’t have a sick pen and their 11- and 12-year-old cows cover a mile a day, meandering through the pastures. Antibiotics are used only in life-threatening situations (in these cases the affected cow’s milk is not used for consumption) and no artificial hormones are ever used.
Easy Does It An integral part of any MIG operation is fencing. What enables the crew at Pride & Joy Dairy to quickly move fences twice, sometimes three times per day, is having a portable electric fence system that makes it easy and low-stress. To make moving fences especially easy, Allen uses Tumblewheels in place of fence posts. Tumblewheels are a unique product, made only by Gallagher, which consist of six fence-supporting spokes attached to a hub. The fence conductor runs through the Tumblewheel’s hub and the works is held up by the spokes that make ground contact. Made from lightweight, non-corrosive, non-conducting material, Tumblewheels can be used on virtually any type of terrain – including undulating hills and hard, frozen ground – and enable the farmer to easily ‘roll’ an electric cross fence to a new position without pulling and setting posts, or turning off the fence’s charger. “We wouldn’t be able to even think about what we’re doing without them,” says Allen. The farm also employs Gallagher energizers, step-in posts, and Turbo Wire is the conductor of choice. “Cows are so broke to it that I can take a piece of twine and put it up and they won’t go anywhere.” The only permanent fencing on the farm is a 7-strand high-tensile perimeter fence. Mike Maggitti, the Gallagher territory manager for Western Washington, has been integral in establishing a reliable fencing system for Pride & Joy Dairy. Allen and Mike have been doing business for many years, and have become good friends along the way. Mike has helped Allen around the farm, consulting on various products and projects. In true farmer fashion, Allen has fed Mike prodigiously (“he likes to stop closer to dinner time,” Allen says with a chuckle), and has even offered him a bed in their guest cabin after a long day.
Beyond Profits The culmination of the Voortmans’ efforts has been an extremely profitable dairy enterprise – somewhat of an anomaly in today’s market. Pride & Joy Dairy sells raw milk and cream (the owners strongly believe in the benefits of raw milk), grass fed meat (beef and lamb), and eggs
Tumblewheels can be used on virtually any type of terrain.
directly off the farm to buying clubs. Surplus milk is sold to Organic Valley, a 100-percent farmer-owned co-op. The Voortmans also operate an on-farm store that is open 24 hours a day and relies entirely on an honor system. The dairy’s reputation is so strong that customers will drive from surrounding counties to pay a premium for their products. The buying club works this way: A group of people in a close geographic proximity interested in obtaining raw milk is organized by volunteer Pride & Joy Dairy customers. If there are 10 people in the buying club, the coordinator will organize a rotation for each person to take turns traveling to the farm to pick up the milk. If they all want milk once a week, then each member only has to drive to the farm once every 10 weeks. The buying club coordinator is compensated with free product for their efforts. Buying clubs are one of the Voortmans’ favorite components of their business model: The couple get to build relationships with their customers by interacting with them face-to-face, and get to show customers where their milk comes from; customers tell the Voortmans how much they appreciate their products, and how good they taste. “That’s why we do it,” says Allen. “We’re very profitable and we’re able to do something every day that we enjoy doing,” says Allen. In retrospect, he admits they don’t have to deal with many of the issues that affect other parts of conventional dairy. “If I had to go back to doing what I did 25 years ago, I’d retire.” However, at 60 years old, Allen already considers himself ‘retired’. “My definition of retirement is getting to do what you like to do every day, and this is what I like to do,” he explains If there were one negative in this equation, it would be that it’s sometimes difficult to get away during the grazing season, Allen surmises, “but we don’t want to leave anyway. It takes time to teach people to read the grasses and the cows.” To help run the dairy, the Voortmans have five long-term employees who are more like family members to them: “They like what they do and take pride in it, which makes for a low-stress environment for everyone involved.” Pride & Joy Dairy is indeed a dream come true for Allen Voortman. And like grass farmers all over the world, he has discovered that letting the animals do the hard work results in a better life for his family, employees and the herd – and it yields a better bottom line to boot. “You can’t be afraid to try something new when what you are doing doesn’t work,” says Allen. “And when it works this well, you’re really glad you never lost sight of your dreams.” For more information, visit www.prideandjoydairy.com; www.barenbrug.com; www.gallagherusa.com Karen Keb is the former editor in chief of Hobby Farms magazine. She raises cattle on grass, pigs, sheep, goats and poultry in Osage County, Kansas. ▲ VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 7
FEATURE
TOUGH FARMERS TOUGH IT OUT “TOUGH TIMES DON’T LAST, but tough farmers do,” and John Bicknell should know. John comes from a family of dairy farmers and has himself been dairying for 35-years, 25 of those in the Bay of Plenty and says if dairy farmers focus on keeping their records up to date and accurate and ensure their breeding programme gives continued genetic gain, their businesses will remain robust, profitable and sustainable whether the pay-out is NZ$4.00 or $7.00. John and wife Desley are now in their sixth season on their current farm, 180 ha (159 ha effective) in Galatea, near Murupara, Rotorua and average 120,000 kg/MS per season. Their milking herd of 410
predominantly KiwiCross cows are on OAD (once a day) and with a BW (breeding worth) of 125 and PW (production worth) of 155 ranks in the top 5% of the national herd. John says there are two major farm management practices he considers essential for his farming operation to remain profitable – regular herd testing and an AI (artificial insemination) programme using high BW, high reliability bulls. “I am not a gambler,” says John. I’m in farming for the long haul.”
Herd testing (milk recording) as important as fertilizer “Herd testing is as important as applying fertilizer,” says John. “I herd test four times a year, every year and always have – I couldn’t farm effectively without it as many of my farm management decisions are based on the results it provides. “I make culling and replacement decisions based on my herd test results. We rear 90 calves each year for replacements and I only want to rear the best. If I didn’t have the information herd testing provided I would be basing my decisions purely on ancestral information and not on reliable production data. “It is important in these tighter economic times, particularly following two droughts and a shocking winter, to avoid being penalized for high SCC (somatic cell counts). “To remain productive a farmer must know which cows have high SCC as managing mastitis in the herd is a must. Herd testing takes the guesswork out of things, it gives me reliable data to make informed culling and drying-off decisions. On average I would cull 10% of my herd annually based on herd testing information.
“My advice is the same to all farmers – your herd and your cows are an asset and an asset you must preserve – cows need to be high BW and cow information must be recorded accurately.” John says if he had not herd tested he wouldn’t have the herd he has today. “You cannot look at a cow and know she’s a good one, you may be able to tell if a cow is a dud by looking at her, but you can’t tell a good one on sight.”
Management essentials
John and Desley Bicknell: “Tough times do not last but tough farmers do.”
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“Keeping all my herd test information accurate and using LIC Sires for AI is the reason my herd’s ranked in the top 5% in the country. “Not herd testing would be like driving with blinkers on, or worse driving blind.” The Bicknells put their entire herd to AI over eight weeks, with no tailend bull and, despite such a short mating period, achieve an average 6% empty rate (last season 5.8). “Last season I put my whole herd to LIC’s DNA Proven KiwiCross team and plan to do the same this year. “Only using AI is just easier. I don’t have to worry about the hassle of bulls, the cost and damage they cause, their calves have no value, and safety is a big concern of mine. The potential dangers to staff, when working bulls are too great.”
“My advice is the same to all farmers – your herd and your cows are an asset and an asset you must preserve – cows need to be high BW and cow information must be recorded accurately.”
The Bicknells’ farm near Galatea, Bay of Plenty.
Value in BW
Cost cutting
“LIC has one of the largest and most rigorous progeny test schemes in the world. In the past I’ve been an SPS (sire proving scheme) farmer and know how the system works, the stringent TOP scoring and record keeping combined with the animal evaluation BW system ensures the LIC Sires teams are the best, most up-to-date BW bulls available at the time and any less desirable TOP traits were identified and weeded out during SPS. “The only people who criticize LIC’s sire proving are competitors – now that tells you something.
John said it’s not easy for good farmers to cut costs. “Efficient farmers are operating cost effectively so there’s little fat in the system for trimming. “But if they sit down and do their sums they’ll soon see that it’s cheaper to do AI than run bulls. If they really are going to cut costs then I suggest they put the best part of the herd and the best cows to AI, as breed replacements are always needed. “My only other piece of advice would be to those farmers using supplementary feed. “Some spending on supplementary feed has got out of hand. Until recently 99% of New Zealand dairy farmers used to be just grass, giving them an ability to handle the ups and downs. “I think one of the biggest on farm savings can be made with good pasture management – negating the need to buy in supplement. Get it right using pasture and don’t waste the grass in the paddock. “Income may be down, but it’s cost you less to produce it, so you’re ahead.” ▲
“If I’m biased towards LIC it’s because I understand BW – I know it translates to production and profit.” “When times get tough farmers who don’t fully understand the value of BW may make short term breeding decisions which could negatively impact on their herd’s productivity, genetic gain and BW/PW for the long term. “I’ve always invested in improvement and only spend money on quality inputs that provide quality outputs. My farming business has always been and still is based on quality semen and quality records resulting in quality milk. “This philosophy, I believe, applies to sharemilkers who want to own their own farms.
Farm Facts • 180 ha (159 ha effective) in Galatea, Bay of Plenty • Average 120,000 kg/MS per season.
“A sharemilker’s asset is his/her herd, cows are their asset which is why AI and herd testing is even more important for them.”
• 410 predominantly KiwiCross milking herd
“Higher BW cows are a better asset – banks realize cows are a sharemilker’s asset and herd testing and AI aren’t discretionary expenses; they’re critical to maximizing the value of their asset.”
• Raises 180 AI heifer calves each year, 90 heifer calves to sell
• Herd BW 125. PW 155 • Empty rate average 6% empty rate (last season 5.8%)
• Milking OAD through a 22-aside herringbone (seventh season)
A history of farmer representation John Bicknell became involved in the farmer representative side of LIC “many years ago” starting off as a member of the Liaison Farmer network before being elected as a Regional Director, and then a member of the Board of Directors. “I became an LIC Regional Director because I wanted to be involved in making changes to benefit New Zealand dairy farmers, to make doing things on farm easier and better. I felt my experience as an AI
technician positioned me well to represent the interests/concerns of the New Zealand dairy farmer. “In these tough times I am reassured that as a New Zealand dairy farmer owned cooperative any profits and advances made by LIC directly benefit its shareholders, both financially and on farm, and in turn benefit the whole New Zealand dairy industry and national economy.” ▲
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 9
FEATURE FEATURE
By Phil Wicks, General Manager LIC USA
A YOUNG FARMER WITH A BRIGHT FUTURE YOU CAN’T HELP BUT THINK when talking to Eric Hoffman, that you are looking at the possible future of pastoral dairy farming in the United States. While farmers in many countries lament about the lack of young people coming into the industry, Eric is setting a real example for others that dairying does have a bright future and can offer exceptional career opportunities. Eric believes that pastoral dairy farming, especially in his part of world will, in the not too distant future, open up all sorts of exciting possibilities for energetic and ambitious young people with a desire to own equity and a willingness to enjoy the challenges of dairy farming.
“I feel the momentum is starting to build in grazing, it has so much potential around Missouri and surrounding states and this can only provide even more opportunities.”
Eric comes from a farming background with both his father and grandfather dairying in the past in the same area. For a long time Eric has had ambitious to run his own dairy unit and spent time getting experience with an internship with a local farmer and later on with a new large Kiwi run operation. This was all a part of his early education that leads him to now being in charge of a family dairy conversion farm near Trenton in Northern Missouri. What was once land put aside for conservation is now being transformed into a grazing dairy farm that will eventually milk between 350-400 cows. The main development land is 348 acres with a further 180 acres lease being unitized for the young stock. As in all conversions this one has not been without its challenges although Eric believes this is just part of the learning process you go through setting up a new farm.
Eric Hoffman is looking forward to the spring after the heavy snows of this winter.
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Eric with some of his young stock that are run on a leased grazing block.
“Our biggest challenges have probably been around the weather and establishing pastures and maintaining quality stock. However I am feeling fairly confident as we approach calving that things are starting to come together although I will be glad to see the end of the snow”. It has been a particularly cold winter this year in many parts of the USA and as Eric approaches calving he will be hoping like many others that spring is not to far around the corner and within another 30 days or so the grass will start to grow. Establishing quality pastures with the extremes in weather is according to Eric a continuing process of development, but one where you still need a basic working platform. “Our base pasture is an entophyte friendly fescue and we also use a combination of annual rye, alfalfa and clover and we will also look at the development of perennials”.
program. I will not compromise in this area and my focus now is developing the best herd of cows possible and this means using the best LIC sires that I can. Genetics is potential and if I do my job right in managing the farm I will have the genetics in my herd to ensure maximum profitability in the future.”
Eric believes that pasture will always be a work-inprogress but one where the development will quickly move ahead as more quality dairy farmers explore and share ideas.
Eric’s dedication to breeding is also reflected in other aspects of farm management including his recognition that farm consultancy will enable him to make better decisions and enhance overall farm performance.
The grazing community’s ability to progress will not just apply to pasture development either. Eric firmly believes that there is currently a real drive for performance bought on by perhaps recognition that grazing dairy units will play a part in a global industry that will demand efficiency. “The capital required is so much less for a pastoral farm but the opportunity for profit and to build equity is very high, especially here in Missouri. With the support of universities and grazing friendly companies willing to invest in our industry like LIC, we will only see further development which is exciting for everybody.” One of the areas where Eric will not compromise is the development of his herd. He bought a herd of mainly Holstein and Holstein-Friesian cross cows that he will breed back to Jersey. Eric has always liked the Jersey cow and this plus the way they handle the heat combined with the fact he is being paid for components has resulted in a fairly defined breeding program. As the rest of the farm starts to come together Eric is putting a lot of focus on breeding the best cows possible.
Eric has taken up the opportunity to become a client of DGS (Dairy Grazing Services) consultancy. This is a joint venture between DFA (Dairy farmers of America) and LIC to provide high quality consultancy to pastoral dairy farmers or those wishing to utilize pasture more profitably. Tony Coltman is Eric’s consultant and is looking forward to a team approach that this type of consultancy brings. “It is great having available the experience that Tony brings to my operation. I am always open to ideas or even constructive criticism if it makes me a better farmer. The DGS type of consultancy is only focused in helping me make more profit and I look forward to that support over the coming year.” Eric is developing a very modern approach to all aspects of his operation. It is early days on this farm but his willingness to learn, adapt and apply and more importantly not compromise on the things that will secure his future, will no doubt bring success. It will be rewarding to follow his progress and to come back to Trenton in another year or so and just see how well things have developed. I am sure the Green to Gold magazine will be here again. ▲
“With our cow numbers now at a good level I am putting a lot of focus this year on our breeding
Eric has been true to his word and selected a very good team of Jersey sires with a great combination of high production and total solids, capacious body type and good udders. The bulls being used are – 190JE0055 Williams Henry, 190JE0053 Greenpark Target, 190JE0059 Tironui Joskin, 190JE0048 Leithlea Lika Deacon and the ever popular 190JE0038 Hawthorne Grove Zeus.
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 11
FEATURE Lydney Park Farms
LYDNEY PARK FARMS CHARTING THE CONVERSION from a high yielding regime to a low-cost grazing system reveals that Lydney Park Farms in Wales has saved a total of £350,000 in its first year. Change hasn’t been without its teething problems, as staff have had to learn to budget and manage grass for grazing. But the less intensive system has improved workloads, cow health and conception rates. Staff with enthusiasm for change are driving a dairy conversion near Chepstow in Wales. The drudgery and grind of 3x milking, cows housed full time and five hours a day spent feeding and bedding up, have been swapped for calving in two blocks (spring and autumn), rotational grazing and less than four months of winter housing. As feed, fuel and fertiliser prices continued to rise, the team began to make a big impact on running costs. Bought-in feeds were replaced with grazed grass, and bag fertiliser reduced by relying on nutrients supplied in dirty water. Diesel use also dropped to just 0.5 litre/day compared with a previous 80 litres/day. “We are financially better off: we were able to hold operating costs while everyone else’s rose – and we saved £350,000 in our first year of conversion,” says dairy herd manager Keith Davis. The team at Lydney Park Farms, owned by Lord Bledisloe, includes farm manager Gavin Green, Tim Thompson from New Zealand and Pawel Wegelewski from Poland. All are fully aware that it will probably take five years to get the system running smoothly and efficiently. As well as establishing infrastructure – paddocks, tracks and troughs – for the 445ha allocated to the 420 cows and 310 followers, they have had to learn how to manage it. Under the old system, the Holstein herd was producing 9200kg/cow and employed the equivalent of six full-time staff. Dry cows were turned out for just one month; the calving interval had stretched to 430 days; and heat stress in housed cows lost 3.5 litres/cow/day. The plan is to produce 6500kg/cow from, eventually, 700 cows eating less than 1.5t/cow/year of concentrates.
Holsteins are now being bred to Kiwi sires.
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Farm manager Gavin Green(left) and dairy herd manager Keith Davis.
Why change now, after 11 years’ running a high output system, on what was a purpose-built unit? “We were getting a small return for such a large investment and were struggling to justify the setup,” says Keith. A lot of work was involved just to break even, adds Gavin: “Each milking took three hours. We always had two people here at night and we were calf rearing all year round. Now it takes the same amount of time to rear twice as many calves – and we are only doing this for six months instead of 12.” After visiting some good operators with their LIC area manager, they realised that real money was made from running a simple system, grazing grass and keeping costs out. Two immediate changes were to drop the night milking and reduce the labour force. Natural staff wastage left two full-time staff plus a relief worker. And those remaining, were keen for change: “They were getting fed up with milk production being like factory work – indoors and the same work day in, day out,” says Gavin.
Can high yielders milk off grass?
Finding the right kind of cow to suit such a system proved tricky. There are few New Zealand-type crossbreds on the market, which made it impossible to change overnight by buying in a block-calving herd. But instead of culling all Holsteins that wouldn’t fit a tight spring calving/ grazing system, cows were inseminated in three-month blocks to create spring and autumn calvings. This allows cows that don’t get back in-calf on time to slip round once, thus reducing the fertility losses associated with conversion. Furthermore, the split calving block provides an acceptable supply profile to the farm’s milk buyer, while still making best use of block-calving efficiencies. Both New Zealand Friesian and Jersey sires are used on the herd, but as the farm’s milk contract doesn’t encourage solids, there is no deliberate crossbreeding policy. “We need some litres,” says Keith. “We’re using a team of genomic bulls chosen on yield, fertility and reasonable milk solids. New Zealand bulls generally have good feet and legs for trotting up tracks. We’re more interested in correcting fertility.” To start conversion, youngstock were turned out in the third week of February 2008, followed by first lactation heifers a week later. Being smaller and lighter they caused less damage to new leys. Cows were added until they were all out by the beginning of April. Turning out so early on heavy land (with a 40” or 1000mm rainfall) was helped by tracks and several access points to a paddock. The Holsteins handled their new regime surprisingly well, however, training them to graze was a challenge. Cows were initially turned out for six hours then brought in to a TMR and old habits died hard. “ At the slightest sign of bad weather, the cows thought they should be back in the shed and stood bawling at the gate. Once there was enough grass to keep them out day and night, we stopped the TMR and they soon settled.” Not surprisingly, milk yield dropped. Mastitis levels rose then fell again, but fertility improved resulting in a 60% non-return rate for springcalving cows. The team also discovered that the farm could grow a lot of good quality grass, peaking at 110kgDM/ha/day and still achieve 5kgDM/ha/day in winter. The hardest part was learning how to manage it, says Keith. New leys took off in spring and took them by surprise. A period of cutting excess growth for silage was followed by a shortage of grazing, so 2008 was spent learning to balance grass growth with feed demand: “We scraped through and learned lessons,” he admits. Despite the Holsteins grazing better than expected, they still fell 10% below the budgeted 6500kg yield. “We have also struggled with residuals not being as low as we’d have liked and grazing has taken a lot more management than a US-style TMR system. We have been constantly measuring grass growth and quality, but this isn’t 100% accurate and differs every day because grass is constantly changing. And we are having to make loads of decisions on a daily basis based on what’s ahead and what we have left behind.” Keith found that cows would only graze down to 1900kgDM/ha. Making them hungry to force them lower simply cut milk yields: “So we compromised with this higher residual and accepted the yield loss,
although this has been balanced by lower input costs and not culling cows to fit the system.” Success did come during summer with a £6,000 saving on vet costs (healthier cows and a 70% reduction in mastitis), heifers achieving growth rates of 1.0kg/day on grass alone, and a much-reduced summer workload. Without having to feed and bed up cows every day, staff could take holidays, catch up on paperwork and extend the infrastructure of tracks and troughs. Winter was also much easier to manage. “Before we used to have six milking-cow and two dry-cow groups and we employed one person at milking just to fetch them. Now we run just two cow groups: spring calvers and autumn calvers. Milking cows also receive just one ration.” The second spring calving also went well with around 45% calving in the first four weeks. This figure isn’t great on a New Zealand system, agrees Keith, but he points out that the herd is moving in the right direction. Plus there were only three dead calves (all bulls) whereas they used to lose between 10% and 15%. “Cows don’t fall out of the system like they used to. We had budgeted for a replacement rate of 30% and after the first year, it was 20%. In the past, we had allowed for a 90% survival rate in calves (up to weaning at eight weeks) and we ended up with 96%. This means we have more animals on the farm: 821 head compared with 744 the previous year. Of course, this causes a different headache: where will we get the extra grass from?” The first year of conversion is obviously the hardest as staff get used to change and learn different management practices. This team felt it was important to learn from others’ mistakes at discussion group and find the best way to do things, says Gavin. “Tracks and troughs are fundamental to a grazing system. Without a decent water supply – particularly in a big herd – it can all go wrong. And you can have all the grass in the world, but if you haven’t got the tracks, you can’t get to it in less favourable weather,” he explains. “However, when you start a grazing system, income takes a knock and it’s a toss-up between having capital to do the infrastructure perfectly at the start, or doing your best for the first couple of years, then waiting until costs come down and the herd is more profitable, before finishing everything.” ▲
Lydney Park Farms, near Chepstow in Wales OLD SYSTEM
NEW SYSTEM
420 Holsteins
480 Holsteins
9200kg/cow
6500kg/cow
3x milking
2x milking
Calving year round
Block calve spring + autumn
Housed 11 months
Housed 2-4 months
TMR feeding
< 1 tonne/cow/year concentrates
6 full time staff
2 full time + 1 relief
Changes •
Overall conception rates: autumn calvers 40%; spring calvers 49%; old system 28%
•
Grass growth in early Feb 0kg to 1kgDM/ha/day
•
Peak grass growth 110kgDM/ha/day
•
Spring calvers 45% calved in first 4 weeks
•
Cows and heifers 821 head; last year 744
•
Split heifers onto separate farm to create milking platform
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18km electric fencing erected
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2.5km water pipe laid
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Several km of cow tracks
•
30 concrete water troughs VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 13
ADVICE
By Phil Wicks, General Manager LIC USA
NATURAL MATING IS NOT AN OPTION FOR QUALITY FARMERS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO I met a farmer who was a real fan of New Zealand genetics. His next-door neighbor had been using LIC genetics for a number of years and the results he had seen in that herd convinced him that he needed to be using these genetics as well. So did he pick some of the bulls out of the latest LIC catalogue? No – he bought a couple of bulls from his neighbor expecting that this would somehow give him the same results. It didn’t. One of the reasons why the national herd in New Zealand has progressed so rapidly is that virtually all 11, 500 dairy farmers artificially breed their cows to the best bulls possible. The thought of using natural mating for anything but tailing-off the cows is never contemplated. Only artificially bred calves are kept to maintain the highest breeding worth genetics on farm. Now a cynic could say my argument is skewed because I work for an AI company – except that international science reinforces my argument soundly, and loudly. It is an irrefutable fact that if you want to improve bovine genetics there is only one path – and that’s artificial breeding with elite, high genetic, bulls. Recognition of this fact, and the role LIC has played in improving the genetic value of the national herd was recently captured in an article in one of New Zealand’s leading financial newspapers. The article acknowledged that dairying is New Zealand’s largest exporter earner, and that LIC has quite possibly contributed more to the nation’s economy than any other company. The genetic improvement in the national herd and subsequent increased productivity from that is a direct result of the breeding program that has been operating at LIC.
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Genetics is potential. The better farmer you are the more likelihood that you will benefit from genetic potential. Good farmers should understand this; you will never get that genetic potential from buying bulls and doing natural mating. Not only that, but combining the cost of the bulls plus the loss of genetic potential (now and for future generations) is very expensive not to mention the associated disease and safety risks. If you look at it logically it just doesn’t make sense. LIC has one of the largest integrated genomic databases in the world from which to select their genetics, and then select the best out of the country’s 4 million cows for contract mating. We mate these cows to the very best bulls we have and once the resulting bulls have gone through a progeny test scheme we only select a very small percentage to be sold as commercial AB sires. This process has recently been refined every further with the addition of genomic (DNA) information. Buying a bull for natural mating, no matter how good their breeding, can never compete with the standard of genetic gain generated through the LIC sire proving program. If you are a dairy farmer your herd is your most valuable asset. Develop a simple high quality breeding program and the results will easily pay for themselves. The better farmer you are will provide even better results as the synergy of high quality genetics combined with sound farm management practices will achieve greater long term profits. ▲
CONNECT TO AUSTRALASIA’S AGRICULTURAL MARKET AGRICULTURE, IN ALL FORMS, is New Zealand’s largest industry and export earner. New Zealand leads the world in pastoral farming, with 90% of all farm production exported. The nation of only 4.2 million people is internationally recognised not only for premium dairy, lamb, and horticulture produce, but also for ground-breaking innovation. The New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays event is the ultimate connection to this industry. The largest agri-business exhibition in the Southern Hemisphere, NZ National Agricultural Fieldays is the catalyst for the agricultural sector to network, providing the ideal forum for business to business decision making. Boasting full industry representation, Fieldays is the definitive launch platform for agricultural industry innovation and technology. Based on 98 hectares at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand, NZ National Agricultural Fieldays is New Zealand’s premier rural sector event. With more than 1,000 exhibitors and on average 115,000 – 120,000 visitors through its gates over four days, NZ National Agricultural Fieldays is easily the largest agricultural trade show in Australasia; unparalleled in its ability to reach one of the world’s most important agricultural markets. NZ National Agricultural Fieldays hosts a thriving International Exhibition Area, enabling exhibitors from abroad to showcase their business, build their profile, and connect to the New Zealand market. Fieldays have an experienced International Relations team, dedicated to maximising value for international delegations. International visitors and exhibitors are invited to take advantage of Fieldays hospitality by utilising the Business and International Visitors’ lounge. This dedicated space provides a relaxed atmosphere where delegates can make connections, talk business, or unwind after exploring Fieldays.
If you are planning a trip to NZ National Agricultural Fieldays, why not explore what else the country has to offer. Dairy, sheep and beef farming represent 50% of New Zealand’s total land use. There are approximately 63,000 farms in New Zealand; including 29,000 grain, sheep and beef cattle farms, and 18,000 dairy farms, with other farm types that include deer, pigs, goats, poultry, and horticulture. All this in a small land area (269,000 km2) makes New Zealand the easiest place to visit to see a variety of farming methods! NZ National Agricultural Fieldays in conjunction with Leisure Time Tours have developed a range of guided tours showcasing New Zealand’s prosperous farming regions. Leisure Time Tours have tailored the experiences to capture the essence of New Zealand farming; demonstrating first hand the innovative and profitable methods attributed to the industry’s success. The eight-day luxury coach tours encompass two days at Fieldays and expose visitors to the country’s leaders in pastoral farming. Further information on these tours can be viewed at www.fieldays.co.nz. See New Zealand’s most innovative farming products and technology all in one place! Fieldays warmly welcomes international visitors from more than 40 countries each year in June. NZ National Agricultural Fieldays have a dedicated international team to make the visit to New Zealand and Fieldays easy. The team welcome all international visitors and invite you to enjoy the total agricultural experience – plan your trip to NZ National Agricultural Fieldays today, visit www.fieldays.co.nz . New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays will be held from 16 to 19 June, 2010, at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand. Fieldays is proudly supported by strategic partners; The National Bank and the University of Waikato. ▲
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
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FEATURE
By Phil Wicks, General Manager LIC USA
KENOMA KIWIS ON MEETING SCOTT AND ROS MACKERETH, it soon becomes apparent that despite their relatively young age, this is a couple that does not fear challenges: There’s no doubt they seek out things in life that extend their boundaries and experience.
“For starters, the caliber of the people involved was a big attraction – they were fairly established and had learned many lessons relevant to operating within the Missouri environment. From an investment perspective, this was an attractive set-up.”
Arriving in the USA to dairy farm (all the way from New Zealand) is a perfect example of this. Despite not being offered a position in the US, the couple had done a lot of research in to the growing pastoral dairy opportunities in the States. With gritty determination, Scott and Ros decided that North America was where they would eventually head. They arrived in Missouri and joined an investment group that made an offer for some land on which to build a dairy. However when one of the partners unexpectedly pulled out the deal fell through, forcing the couple to search for other options. In hindsight, Scott believes that the fact that their original plans didn’t eventuate may have been a good thing. “Luckily when we first came here we had some discussions with Focal Dairies about becoming an equity partner. When the investment deal fell through and our plans changed, we resumed talks with Focal.” Focal Dairies is an established 4000-cow operation in South Central Missouri. When Scott and Ros approached the company for a second time, a high-quality equity partner or manager was being sought for Kenoma Dairy, one of its milking operations. The New Zealand couple fitted the role perfectly. “We’ve seen some real advantages in getting involved with the whole Focal set-up, both now and in the future,” Scott says.
Focal Dairy had reached an exciting stage in its development. The farms and the stock were ripe for any investor contemplating development of a dairy unit. Aside from settling in to their role as managers of Kenoma, Scott and Ros also had to adjust to a new country and culture. Ros says that part of the adventure had been relatively easy, and the experience had been a pleasure. “The people here have been very welcoming. They are friendly and kind, and we’ve been incredibly impressed with the hospitality extended.” Scott adds that they still manage to get a slice of New Zealand culture: “We get a bit of Kiwi when we need it by attending the now-regular Monday night rugby replays at Kevin and Cherie’s house” (fellow New Zealanders Kevin and Cherie Van Der Poel are equity partners in Focal Dairies). Kenoma Dairy has a milking herd of 700 cows, but this number increases to 920 in spring. Managing the farm property certainly provides Scott and Ros with some challenges. The biggest on-farm challenges center on pasture and weather. The base grasses are a combination of perennial rye and fescue (split herd, with one herd on the perennial rye and the other herd on fescue). The grasses are complemented with strong stands of annual rye, corn, and grass silage. Commodities are fed to supplement the diet when needed.
Scott and Ros Mackereth at Kenoma. “You still need to be able to manage your pastures, and you need the right type of cow to graze those pastures.”
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Developing grasses in this type of US system is an ongoing process, says Scott. “But some big strides have been made in Kenoma and the quality of pasture has improved significantly.” The aim is to get the cows to eat as much grass as possible, although in the summer time this can be a real challenge due to the heat. “In the summer we need to adjust the fibre intake, as digesting fibre increasing the heat stress. We want the cows to eat grass but need to adjust our milking times to ensure cows are out on pasture at cooler times of the day,” Scott says. This means starting morning milking as early as 2am, meaning a 3pm finish. Although farming in this part of the world forces significant adjustments (compared to where they had farmed previously), Scott believes the basics still apply: “You still need to be able to manage your pastures, and you need the right type of cow to graze those pastures.”
Scott has witnessed some fundamental differences since LIC Genetics emerged in the herd. “The cows that have LIC genetics behind them are definitely more aggressive grazers, and they have that real barrel-chest capacity and strength.” This quality has been further highlighted by the current conception rates. About 95% of the heifers in the just-completed mating were submitted to artificial insemination (AI), with 90% in calf to AI sires after six weeks of mating. “That is a great result in any country,” Scott says. Breeding is a busy time but fortunately Ros has previously trained as an LIC artificial breeding technician. Such skills have come in handy. In line with all Focal Dairies’ farms, Kenoma only uses the best possible sires for mating under a breeding plan that places big emphasis on high
milk LIC Holstein Friesian sires (such as Mint Edition and Frostman), though not at the expense of fertility and longevity. This plan incorporates high Breeding Worth (BW) Jerseys and KiwiCross™ sires over the heifers and larger older cows from the original herd selection. Scott and Ros understand the importance of high quality genetics to their long term business interests. They are exploring further opportunities with LIC US General Manager Phil Wicks in an effort to breed an elite section of their herd. This could be achieved through using LIC sexed semen, and possibly genomics next season. “We’ve really enjoyed our experience in the USA and have no intention of going back home anytime soon,” Scott says. “We’re excited about the opportunities here for pastoral farming, and plan to continue to develop our business interests in the US over the medium to long term.”
Scott believes that the USA currently offers more opportunity for grass based dairying than anywhere else in the world, and not just for investors. “The great thing about grazing (pastoral farming) is its ability to be replicated and this offers lots of opportunities for young progressive Americans who want to get involved in the dairy industry. “It offers opportunities for people who currently may have no family involvement in dairying – and this can only be a good thing for everybody involved in the industry here.” Kenoma will continue to provide Scott and Ros with challenges over the next couple of years, but they also have an eye on how they can expand their business interests in the future. Dairying has had some tough times recently. However, people such as Scott and Ros are aware that long term the future of the dairy industry remains very positive. And that is particularly true for grazing dairy farmers in the USA. ▲
LIC part-time sales reps wanted for the USA LIC is looking for self-motivated achievers who have a passion for the dairy industry and genetics. Ideally you would be an existing farmer looking to supplement your income, or you could perhaps be from a rural background and possess a keen interest in dairying. You may currently be a dairy farmer and would preferably be a user of LIC genetics. LIC is one of the largest dairy genetic and information companies in the world. We boast unique and world-renowned products, offering farmers genetics from sires that are bred under the best profit-based breeding program in the world. In other words, LIC sires are bred to make farmers money.
With access to such knowledge, you will be in a position to offer farmers the kind of genetics that suit the modern requirements of today’s dairying climate. Such genetics reward farmers who are profit driven. LIC, through its distribution partner Taurus Service, will offer a generous commission system, plus the possibility of benefits to help establish your business. If this sounds like you please email your interest to the LIC USA General Manger Phil Wicks at pjwicks@att.net
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 17
MILK PRODUCTION FROM PASTURE The new 600-page version of this book, completely etely ble. revised for the new millennium, is now available. The book is organised into two main sections covering the Principles and the Practices of Milk Production from pasture. The first section includes: ●
Feeding dairy cattle on pasture,
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Managing periods of pasture deficit and surplus, s,
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Rearing heifers,
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Genetic improvement and health.
The second section includes: ●
Nutrition and feeding on pasture,
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Lactation,
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Milk production and quality,
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Milking and mastitis,
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Genetics, breeding and herd improvement.
It has been written for students of agriculture and veterinary science at all levels of study for farmers, advisers, consultants, and researchers. In other words it has been written for everyone who is interested in milk production from pasture. USD $70 plus packaging and shipping, dependant on destination or contact your local representative. For your copy contact: Phil Wicks, General Manager, LIC USA 10220 N Ambassador Dr., Kansas City, MO 64153, USA Tel: + 1 816 898 2512. Fax: + 1 816 801 6177 email: pjwicks@att.net
18 Green to Gold VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 2, USA
Green to Gold 19